Six things I like about Kauai

1. The Princeville (aka Haolewood) dump is open seven days a week until 5:30, it’s free and you never have to wait. Most dumps that I’ve been to charge by the ton, have long lines and inconvenient hours.

2. Surfing and current surf conditions are a legitimate topic of conversation. You will still be treated as an adult if you bring them up.

3. Call me crazy but I LIKE the tourists. Sure they create traffic jams and crowd the beaches but it’s kind of cool being around so many people who are so excited about being here.

4. Everyplace has its song: “New York, New York,” “I left my heart in San Francisco,” etc. But Hawaii has inspired virtually its own GENRE of songs. There are countless songs extolling the natural beauty and aloha of Hawaii. They are just like love songs except they are about a place instead of a lover and they make new ones and play them on the radio all the time.

5. You can say “dude” as much as you want without fear of not being taken seriously. “Dude” has always come naturally to my lips but I learned to suppress it in order to “pass” as the kind of person who does not say “dude.” No longer! You can also address someone as “brother” without sounding hokey.

6. I’ve probably seen more waterfalls and more rainbows in a few months than I had in my entire life before coming here.