Sunday, November 25, 2012
11:49am Argentina time

kelia was 13 years old and i already knew she was going to be champion in something. by having 4 completive brothers to push her in anything and everything she does, it’s only a matter of time. well, she did it! not only being roxy internationals main image girl, she is now the ASP World Champion! when takami-san sent me the news this morning, i was crying tears of joy! to see my beautiful niece on the top of the surfing world made me a proud uncle. throughout her professional career, she didn’t take things serious. i remember her telling me how it sucked to surf against her best friends. but the last time i seen her a few weeks ago, she told me “uncle, i want this.” that’s all i had to hear from her. she wanted it, and she got it. focus and you can achieve anything you want in life, just ask kelia moniz.

just checked the news in hawaii and it’s been raining hard. look at the flooding on the freeway. omg!

hail? omg!

lightning? omg!

imagine these balls of ice falling on your head. ouch! i hope the weather gets better soon because i’ll be back home in a few days.

i find south america very interesting. been going through the super markets and local stores. i can walk down isle by isle fascinated. just weird stuff in weird packaging.
well, the time here is 12 hours behind japan and 7 hours ahead of hawaii. i know some jet lag will hit me at some point. i finally got to wash some clothes in my sink, do some yoga, exercise, stretching, pushups, eat a good breakfast, and slept super well. i feel as fresh as can be. gonna enjoy the last moments here in this beautiful country of argentina! have a wonderful day.

on my first day here, i jumped on the train to go to what i thought was a drum cultural festival. when i go there, it was crazy! so many people dancing and i learned some new dance moves. but the train ride was cool. graffiti all over the train, crowded, and really cheap. i think it cost 40 cents to go 5 stops away.

i stood in line to get a a beer and it took me 1 hour. but worth it because it was pretty hot watching all the dancing going on. this happens here once a week they say. for me, once is enough. but highly recommended.

i went 4 days without a beer all the way from hawaii. but coming here, i just couldn’t resist anymore. i’m on vacation right?

jumped on the bus going home. kind of weird system. but the cheapest way to get around argentina.

i met the coolest people from israel. they are backpacking their way through argentina too. making new friends from all over the world is fun. met people from colombia, brazil, peru, mexico, and the united states. nobody from hawaii yet. in fact, when people find out i’m from hawaii, they ask me “what are you doing in argentina?” my answer? i really don’t know why. haha. anyway, see the girl on the left, her name is Noea.

earlier that day, noa walked out of our hostel wearing a gold chain. somebody came and ripped it right off her neck and ran away. right in the day, right on the sidewalk!!! look at the scratches on her chest. omg! now i understand why the lady at the front desk said to me as i was leaving with my camera around my neck “hey kirby, where do you think you’re going like that?” huh? she said “you can’t walk around argentina like that.” and looked at me like i was a fool. haha. the same way i look at japanese tourists that want to walk down china town in hawaii at night. haha.
anyway, having so much fun. the jet lag here is 12 hours different from japan, and 6 hours different from hawaii. i know i’ll be jet lagged for sure when i get back. but hey, you only live once so may as well enjoy it.

dark dog? this is argentina’s answer to red bull.

before i left on this trip, i swore to myself that i was going to live like a backpacker. stay at hostels, live on a $35/day budget. so far, so good. yes, i have enough money to check into a nice hotel room but i wanted to feel the real life of a traveler. i’ve been meeting so many awesome people from all over the world. we are all different in our ways but the same thing we share is the passion for traveling. this is not the life for everyone but this is what i have to say. if i were a teacher, i’d encourage my students to backpack some country for at least a month by yourself. explore, make friends, and find yourself. and if you survive, you will have grown 5 years in experiences and maturity in that one month. it’s just something i can’t explain. when i’m in hawaii, sometimes i feel like i know everything. but the truth is, i don’t know anything. going on the road and living from the bottom teaches you what you need in your life and what you don’t. i’m living out of my backpack and when i think about it, this is all i need to survive. the only thing is my clothes are so stink! haha.

i have 8 room mates in my room. people come in and out so fast here. one day i was talking to the guy on the top of my bunk before i slept. then when i woke up, another guy was there. it is so weird having absolutely no privacy. nothing to hide, and nowhere to hide. pretty cool way to travel.

check out this toilet. cool yeah.

winter weather on the way to hawaii. keep warm!
anyway, just finished eating breakfast. going to shower, walk the streets, take photos, and eat another big piece of steak! then as soon as i get back to hawaii, i’m going to paddle the makapuu to waikiki course again to lose all the weight i’m gaining. mucho gracias and see you later!