Things I’ve learned living on Oahu
I’ve spent a bit of time on the North Shore of Oahu before but this winter revealed a few useful tidbits.
Get a Costco membership and buy groceries in bulk for saving money. Some folks just go by sale options at the grocery store; but, food here is more expensive than the mainland. Costco keeps prices similar at all locations; so, the prices are significantly lower. They have a good selection of organic veggies even! I recommend filling up on gas here as well.
Flies will try to eat your cuts. Inevitably if you surf, hike, and adventure, you may end up with a few scrapes. Keep your cuts covered when outdoors or the bugs will swarm them. It literally freaked me out. I got a cut on my ankle and the flies kept trying to swarm it. This can definitely lead to infection. I went to the store and got water and regular bandaids as well as antibiotic cream to help it heal. Staph and mersa are apparently really common here; so, treat the cuts from the start so that it doesn’t become a big infection.
Fruits and vegetables ripen faster. I bought rock hard avocados and a pack of ripe. The next day I had an abundance of fully ripe avocados. Let’s just say I had avocado toast quite frequently after that mishap.
There are a lot of hikes but a lot of the waterfall ones are illegal for whatever reason. I’d recommend double checking what hikes you choose so that you do not end up with fines.
Don’t leave valuables out in your car. Backpacks, phones, charging cables, and anything electronic should be either with you, locked away, or hidden with a towel at the very least. Certain areas target nice looking, rental, or out of state plate cars; so be aware and use caution. I say this because a lot of people perceive the beach life as safe and carefree.
To see the most while snorkeling, I recommend getting to your location before 7am. There tends to be more of a chance to see dolphins, rays, and turtles.
Your hiking and running shoes will wear faster. After a few hikes, my sneakers started looking way past worn in. After hand washing, these shoes are on their last limb. The rocks, mud, and tropical climate will do a number on your shoes. If you are visiting, I recommend taking along an older pair of shoes for the adventures.
