GETTING LOST is half the fun. Meandering along the southwestern shore of the island of Oahu, I wandered into the sugarcane fields and rural farms. I found this farmhouse in one of the poorest looking neighborhoods I've ever seen on this tour. And who wouldn't trade anything to live here?

IT ISN'T THE HYATT, thank goodness. Staying on the tourist strip makes me feel like a tourist. Staying here, at the YWCA camp on Ohau's Kane'ohe Bay (eastern shore) it made me feel a bit like a god.

The view from behind my cabin, in case you weren't jealous enough already.

A lighthouse on the southeastern shore of Oahu, from atop the Diamondhead crater.

LAY ON THE GRASS FOR A WHILE, under the canopy of a Hawaiian monkey tree, and soon, everything will make a load of sense. These beautiful, immense trees provide a safe habitat for a community of birds, insects and yes, monkeys. Enjoy the shade, the view and the comraderie.

I GREW UP IN MAINE, where there are plenty of mountains. But they are elusive and stubborn up there, and you have to hike for miles to truly experience them, or enjoy them from a distance, their grandeur diminished by the miles. Here, on Oahu, the Waahila Ridge towers over you and guides you along nearly the entire eastern shore.

Like I said the last time.

A FULL RAINBOW, with no rain.

One of the best things about scuba diving in Hawaii is the view from the boat! (Mailli Point, on the western shore.)

One of the best things about going to school in Hawaii is the view from the playground! (The Ko'olau Mountains, from the Anuenue Elementary School.)