Pueo
Well-known member
It seems funny to me that you say "when I go up there." I think nothing of that drive to North Shore because it's like an everyday drive around here. It's the same when Len says he lives out in the country.
I guess it's all about perspective and what you're used to.
Guilty as charged.
When we first moved here, we used to laugh at people who said to us "You drove all the way here from Ewa?!?!?!? That's so FAR!" and we were laughing because it is only 22 miles from Ewa to town (Honolulu) and really only 5 miles as the crow flies (just have to drive all the way around Pearl Harbor).
I mean, we used to drive to LA for dinner (40+ miles from Huntington Beach each way) and not really think about it too much. So we all laughed at them and said, "It's not that far at all!"
Now when you actually LIVE here, it's different. It's not that it's that far - the roads can be tiresome. Driving from Huntington Beach to LA, most of that drive is on the 405, six to eight lanes of non-stop freeway going 80+ mph (if you time the traffic right). The drive is pretty basic.
For us to drive to North Shore from Ewa, it's really not that bad, in fact the drive is beautiful, but it is a two-lane road with a 30-35 mph speed limit for 90% of the drive. And if there is any kind of traffic or slowdown, there is no other route, no way around, and you just sit there. Sometimes for an hour or more. It becomes very tedious. It's only 27 miles of very scenic roadway, but once you get past Schofield Barracks (about halfway from my house) it can take 90 minutes or more. Gary knows about the spot I am talking about. There is a beach they call "turtle town" where the only parking is by the side of the road opposite the beach. Everyone (visitors) wants to go to this beach and see turtles and take pictures. So people just stop to wait for a (limited) parking space (with no regard to those behind who actually have someplace to go) plus there are literally groups of people who just jaywalk from the beach to their cars and vice versa at literally any time. It just sucks. So it becomes a drag, and we kind of dread going there.
Once we even drove all the way around the island to get there from the other side just to avoid the traffic.
I mean, we drove up there, sat in the traffic for 20 minutes not moving, turned around, and drove all the way around...