Hilo, Hawaii: Humidity, Hibiscus, and a Whole Lotta 'Eh

okay, so. hilo. i didn't really know what to expect, honestly. i just saw a number - 2315026 - and it felt…right. like a cosmic nudge to book a flight. and the other number, 1024357792? who knows. maybe it’s the number of hibiscus flowers blooming right now. probably not.

I’m a touring session drummer, you see. Been bouncing around for, like, fifteen years. Hilo was a change of pace. A serious change of pace. The air…it’s thick. Like trying to breathe through a damp towel. I just checked and it's hovering around thirty degrees, feels like thirty too. Humidity’s at forty-two percent. Not exactly a dry heat, folks. Bring your best moisture-wicking everything. Seriously.

I’m staying in a little Airbnb near *Waiākea Pond. It’s…rustic. Let’s go with rustic. The neighbors? Well, if you get bored, Pahoa and Volcano are just a short drive away. Apparently, there’s some pretty intense lava flow activity over there. I haven’t ventured out yet, though. Too much drumming to do, you know? Practicing new fills, trying to get my chops back after a few weeks of…well, let’s just say it involved a lot of questionable karaoke and even more questionable decisions.

Speaking of questionable decisions, I tried to find a decent coffee shop. Yelp had a few options, but…

“Someone told me that Kona Coffee is overrated and Hilo’s stuff is where it’s at. But then another guy, clearly three sheets to the wind, said the only good coffee in Hilo is the stuff you brew yourself. Drunk advice, probably.”

So, I ended up brewing my own. Which, honestly, wasn’t bad. I brought my portable espresso maker - gotta have my caffeine fix, right?

I spent a day wandering around Liliuokalani Gardens. It’s…peaceful. In a humid, overgrown kind of way. Lots of Japanese landscaping, koi ponds, little bridges. Very zen. I even saw a couple of chickens strutting around like they owned the place. Which, in Hawaii, they probably do.

Here’s a quick gear list for anyone thinking of visiting:

*Moisture-wicking everything: Seriously. I can’t stress this enough.
*Bug spray: The mosquitos are relentless.
*Rain jacket: It rains. A lot.
*Good walking shoes: You’ll be doing a lot of exploring.
*Portable espresso maker: Because coffee.
*Earplugs: For the roosters. They start early.

I overheard something interesting at a local farmers market.

“I heard that the old Hilo Palace Hotel is haunted. Apparently, a former employee still roams the halls, looking for his lost keys. Spooky, right?”

I’m not a ghost hunter or anything, but…it’s a cool story. Maybe I’ll check it out.

I’m also trying to find some decent live music. TripAdvisor says there’s a place called Hilo Town Tavern* that sometimes has local bands. I’ll give that a shot tonight. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60634-d1287883-Reviews-Hilo_Town_Tavern-Hilo_Hawaii.html

One thing I’ve noticed is the incredible amount of hibiscus everywhere. Seriously, it’s like the entire island is covered in them. Red, pink, orange, yellow…it’s a riot of color. I’m thinking of getting a tattoo of one. Maybe.

And a final tip: don’t be afraid to talk to the locals. They’re generally pretty friendly and willing to share their knowledge of the island. Just…maybe don’t ask them for coffee recommendations. https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=coffee&find_loc=Hilo,+HI Check out this local board for more tips: https://www.bigisland.com/

Okay, gotta go. Gotta practice. Gotta find some music. Gotta survive the humidity. Aloha!

Hilo, Hawaii: Humidity, Hibiscus, and a Whole Lotta 'Eh

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About the author: Gabriel Kent

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