Vog= volcanic fog

So, these are some pictures of where I live. You may have a few questions; allow me to answer them question by question.

1. Where are the grass huts?
Nah, I know you guys wouldn't ask that question, hee hee! But seriously, I think many people are surprised at how urban Honolulu is. I live on O`ahu, and I live in Honolulu, so that means I live in the most densely populated part of all the Hawaiian Islands. Neighbor island kids and other people from other districts on the same island as me would call me a townie, and they wouldn't be wrong! I've lived in the same spot my entire life of 23 years. It is true it looks really urban; but there are still plenty of places you can find Hawai`i's beauty sans skyscrapers (like at the beach or on the other side of my island, or especially on the other islands)and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else but here in my one hanau (oh-neigh- ha-now). Plus, it looks like a junky part of town because I actually live in the junky part of town (opposite of Waikiki, interesting no?)

2. Why is there so much smog?
Actually, it's mostly vog, which is volcanic fog. Right now the volcano Kilauea is really erupting on the Big Island, and it emits so much vog that most of the Hawaiian Islands are covered in it right now. Couple the vog with our trade winds not blowing, and you gotta whole lotta grey. It is hot. Actually, I'm excited because I will be going to the Big Island in June. I used to hike down in to the crater and run across it (I think it was like a 2 mile hike and a 2 mile run) but it was so exhilerating! I felt at peace, and it's not like it wasn't allowed; there was a trail you could take across the entire crater. But, I say WAS because now I hear you can't go across the crater anymore; it opened up and there is lava and crevices you can fall into! Neat!

Yeps, I am excited.
Here is some lunch I made today; I had to share because it was soooo YUMMY! It is masago tuna sushi, which is seaweed wrapped around cucumber and sushi rice (vinegar, sugar, water) and masago ahi poke, which is made with cubed raw ahi tuna, tobbiko (little fish eggs) mayonaisse (not gross, sooo good!) some green onions, shoyu (soy sauce) and lots and lots of wasabi. Omigosh, now I am hungry again, and it is 12:30 at night here. And I already ate 6 handroll sized sushi rolls today. Piggy piggy!