Monday, March 7, 2011
TEA TIME AT HILO BAY HOSTEL
My dears, you be 'au fait' with this old geezer's love of tea. Wonder of wonders, today Scott got me a tea pot. A lovely white pot that will hold a goodly amount of the special brew craved.
Truth be told, the Hilo Bay Hostel offers complimentary tea and coffee to guest. The sort that come in a bag... The kettle is always on, allowing all who crave a truly smart beverage a cuppa, any time of day.
What make the tea pot so special is that it will be in me own private suite, allowing this old geezer to kick off slippers and cosy up to a brilliant cuppa whenever the mood strikes. There is something warm and lovely about having a fresh pot at the ready as one curls up to a good read or a bit of telly. Mind, all the more smart if there be a tin of biscuits to go with.
I will have to get me tea towels, the ones celebrating the royal wedding and perhaps a tea cosy.
It has been raining frogs all day in Hilo and it will be rather nice to make a pot this evening, bringing back memories of many a rainy day spent in London. Not such a bad thing as am quite fond of London and am growing more fond of Hilo daily.
'M&M GIRLS' LIGHT UP THE HILO BAY HOSTEL
The M&M Girls are really two lovely ladies of a certain age. I wanted to use their names but they decided that it would be best if I used the afore used moniker. It comes from them and they were right cheeky in giving it.
The pair are quite different in personality, one is more the tour guide and the other is the willing follower on adventures planned. Am told that the ladies met through a church group both belonged to and hit it off like a house on fire from step one.
The tour guide is most interesting. This lady had travelled round the world. Backpacked through Africa, when it was a different sort of place than now, and landed in one hot spot after another, only to have folks keep from getting in harm's way. Staying at hostels is no new experience for this lady. She tells of being quite young and staying in a hostel in Europa that was but a large room with everyone sleeping on the floor. Mind, she also slept in numerous places that this old geezer would not have, even when he was younger.
The M&M Girls shared digs at a hostel as a team for the first time in Dublin. The lovely lady who was new to this sort of accommodations was won over and the pair of them travelled round Ireland doing the hostel bit.
When the M&M Girls planned their adventure to Hawaii, the tour guide worked hard at finding the right hostels for them to visit. Hilo was on list of places to visit and they were booked into the Hilo Bay Hostel.
Prior to landing in Hilo, the lovely ladies had spent some time on another island and stayed at a hostel there. The point of this post is not to trash another hostel so it will not be named, needless to say, it was not a great experience and one of the M&M Girls was not in good spirits. Food stolen, a bad fall and lack of interest on part of hostel keepers to needs of guests had left a bad taste.
"The minute I climbed the stairs and say the public space of the Hilo Bay Hostel, I knew that all was going to be right in my world and I had nothing to fear"; said one of the lovely ladies to me. "Everything about our stay was perfect. The room and all of the warmth of the place as well as the other folks met, not to mention the staff". Fancy that...
Dear reader, would it be acceptable to say that the lovely lady gushed as she spoke of her stay at the hostel. Mind, one of the lovely ladies proclaimed MOI as her new best friend. Had I known that providing a bin bag for rain cover and a warm bit of bread had that effect on folks would have taken to offering both ages ago. Truth be told, the Hilo Bay Hostel prides self on trying to make all who spend the night feel like a part of the family. Truly.
The M&M Girls told this old geezer that the reception received by them at the hostel, re-ignited their love for Hawaii. They were leaving with buckets of ALOHA to remember Hilo by.
As if the lovely things told by the M&M Girls was not enough, this old geezer had another encounter with a guest on the pavement. The chap was travelling with girl friend, two young spirits from France on an extended holiday. Being ever so young and full of adventure, they too felt that time spent at the Hilo Bay Hostel was a most excellent adventure. WOW...
There you have it, two different takes on the hostel from folks quite different. Mind, Scott has worked right hard to make sure that one and all who climb the stairs to the hostel are most welcome. Besides, when did having a most excellent adventure have an age requirement?
If you will note, I am wearing a white shirt in the above snap. There is no poo. No wellies on feet...
Sunday, March 6, 2011
RUMPOLE VISITS HILO
Dear reader, I must let you in on one of my wicked habits. I confess to giving most liked a moniker. It helps to remember the lovely folks met on the path of life. You, who are 'au fait' with MOI know that there be many met who become treasured memories.
Recently, I had the great good fortune to meet a lovely man who was on holiday with his two young sons, aged 7 and 14. The lovely chap is a lawyer. Fancy that. I told him that I would more than like call him 'Rumpole', at least in private.
The hostel was booked up and Rumpole and his two sons had to share digs with this old geezer. Was a bit of learning on the part of all. Mind, the boys were well mannered and the legal chap was no party animal, it was going to be early nights and early departures. A perfect fit.
My dears, not all who check into the hostel are short of cash backpackers. There be many who want a holiday filled with adventure. I rather think that Rumpole wanted to give his two sons a real adventure.
Days were filled with taking in the sights, as were some of the nights, by visiting the world famous observatory located on the island.
Rumpole also was game enough to take his sons to local, and I do mean 'local', eateries. They loved it. As well as all of the local fruit that could be got at the local farmer's market.
Rumpole made an impression, as did his well mannered sons. A lovely family.
As these things go, one never knows if paths will cross again. This old geezer got lucky. Rumpole took a snap of and emailed to. This gave email address and was able to forward a story to from this blog. Gobsmacked I was to read a comment left by Rumpole. How grand is that?
My dears, it is that simple. Reach out and touch and you get touched back. Life to too short to brush off the stories waiting to be heard from lovely folks met. One has to do it.
I have no doubt that Rumpole will return to Hawaii. When is not known but in the meantime, I have met another lovely person and got one more reader to me blog....
Friday, March 4, 2011
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED
My dears, it is absolutely wicked of this old geezer to use this tune for this post. Mind, I required something to lighten me mood as I tell you, dear reader, of the latest mis-step in trusting someone not well known.
Some time back, there crossed me path a chap who was down on luck. So down on luck that he was at point where nothing mattered any more. Staying in a homeless shelter, one that only allowed a few hours of sleep before casting out the homeless to wander the road all day, it was a very mean time for the poor chap.
The tale told of his misfortune rang true and an effort was made to see if some relief might be available. This old geezer knows brilliant folks and there was one lovely man who felt there was something that could be done to brighten the homeless chap's day.
Not having any cash and little in the way of personal effects, the chap was given a bed to sleep in and a place to hang out until his situation improved. There was a social security check to come in the beginning of the month and with it, the possibility of righted his condition.
The homeless chap was personable and my friend and I help provide food and ciggies and some light entertainment to wile away the days.
With the arrival of the new month, cash was available and it appeared that the former homeless chap was going to set self up on a new path. It was not called for that kindness shown needed to be repaid but it was lovely to see him make an effort to return the favour, in small ways.
What was not so lovely was to see much alcohol and 'weed' bought and used, so much so that what little monies were available were gone through rather quickly. There was nothing close to moderation at all. This old geezer is not fond of folks who drink to excess and even less fond of folks who use massive amounts of 'weed' to get through the day. Trouble was coming...
Feeling sorry for the chap and knowing that part of his cash had been used to secure a place to live and to cover the period extended on credit, I allowed meself to 'buy' into a story. I was asked to loan cash to 'tide over' and it would be returned when next check came. I was under the impression that the cash was going to be used to cover food, laundry and the like and was gobsmacked to see it used to buy drugs and alcohol. In a few days, it was gone and was approached to cover more needs.
Fooled once, it did not happen that any more cash was made available.
The chap turned out to be right clever and found a way to get into a situation that allowed him recover from his depression brought on by lack of cash and too much drugs and alcohol. Not a word was heard from for a week.
With but a day to go before check day, the clever bugger returned and collected his things. With not a word to MOI or much kindness to show the folks who had be ever so kind, the bugger departed. Fancy that...
Why do folks who borrow tend to make the lender feel guilty? One should have felt the heat from the look given when the cheeky bugger departed. I knew in a tick that no cash was going to be returned.
Lovely folks much appreciated in life tell MOI that one has to let it go and not allow the actions of one to cause faith to be lost in future dealing with some who might require a little kindness. Spot on that.
No one likes to be played and am of the opinion that is exactly what happened. How very sad that a few dollars caused one to break faith with good people. More's the pity that the value of friendship was so low to the clever bugger who has departed.
Truth be told, me life is filled with more who were true, than the few who felt the need to tell a story.
Some time back, there crossed me path a chap who was down on luck. So down on luck that he was at point where nothing mattered any more. Staying in a homeless shelter, one that only allowed a few hours of sleep before casting out the homeless to wander the road all day, it was a very mean time for the poor chap.
The tale told of his misfortune rang true and an effort was made to see if some relief might be available. This old geezer knows brilliant folks and there was one lovely man who felt there was something that could be done to brighten the homeless chap's day.
Not having any cash and little in the way of personal effects, the chap was given a bed to sleep in and a place to hang out until his situation improved. There was a social security check to come in the beginning of the month and with it, the possibility of righted his condition.
The homeless chap was personable and my friend and I help provide food and ciggies and some light entertainment to wile away the days.
With the arrival of the new month, cash was available and it appeared that the former homeless chap was going to set self up on a new path. It was not called for that kindness shown needed to be repaid but it was lovely to see him make an effort to return the favour, in small ways.
What was not so lovely was to see much alcohol and 'weed' bought and used, so much so that what little monies were available were gone through rather quickly. There was nothing close to moderation at all. This old geezer is not fond of folks who drink to excess and even less fond of folks who use massive amounts of 'weed' to get through the day. Trouble was coming...
Feeling sorry for the chap and knowing that part of his cash had been used to secure a place to live and to cover the period extended on credit, I allowed meself to 'buy' into a story. I was asked to loan cash to 'tide over' and it would be returned when next check came. I was under the impression that the cash was going to be used to cover food, laundry and the like and was gobsmacked to see it used to buy drugs and alcohol. In a few days, it was gone and was approached to cover more needs.
Fooled once, it did not happen that any more cash was made available.
The chap turned out to be right clever and found a way to get into a situation that allowed him recover from his depression brought on by lack of cash and too much drugs and alcohol. Not a word was heard from for a week.
With but a day to go before check day, the clever bugger returned and collected his things. With not a word to MOI or much kindness to show the folks who had be ever so kind, the bugger departed. Fancy that...
Why do folks who borrow tend to make the lender feel guilty? One should have felt the heat from the look given when the cheeky bugger departed. I knew in a tick that no cash was going to be returned.
Lovely folks much appreciated in life tell MOI that one has to let it go and not allow the actions of one to cause faith to be lost in future dealing with some who might require a little kindness. Spot on that.
No one likes to be played and am of the opinion that is exactly what happened. How very sad that a few dollars caused one to break faith with good people. More's the pity that the value of friendship was so low to the clever bugger who has departed.
Truth be told, me life is filled with more who were true, than the few who felt the need to tell a story.
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