i saw a green sea turtle today!!! i saw one!!! no no, i saw TWO!!! my friend sighted one earlier in the afternoon at waimea beach. i missed that one and got really sad. it seemed during this trip that everyone else got to see the turtles and i always missed them. also, the main reason why i wanted to go snorkeling was because i wanted to see turtles. i was really sad that i didn't get to go. well, at waimea beach (where i jumped off the cliff-rock) my friend sighted another one and i was like where?? where?? and he kept pointing, and i kept asking where??? so then he goes, put on your goggles dummy. go under and look. then i put them on and looked. oh my gosh it was sooo beautiful. i was so peaceful under the water just following the turtle slowly. it was swimming towards where the rock divers were landing. one guy tried to chase the turle then eventually scared it away. but i was sooo happy i got to see it for so long. then later in the evening when we were still swimming in the ocean during sunset, i was treading water and suddenly i noticed just under my left foot a big ol' dark thing going by. it was another turtle! it was soooo close to me i almost kicked it. right when i saw it i freaked out and yelled, a turtle! a turtle! which really ironic because i had been wanting to get close to turtles this whole time. silly janet.

today was perhaps the second best day. the first best was when i went to waimea last time. so, to ensure good time, waimea is apparently the place to go. north shore is so much more beautiful and less touristy than the south part of o'ahu. speaking of tourists, it's so interesting that whenever i mention to locals here that i'm leaving soon, they look surprised and ask, oh where u from? i guess i really pass as a local. i think my tan really helps. i was so pale when i first got here. my bikini tan is so prominent that even though i'm not wearing anything i look like i'm wearing a white bikini. =p

tomorrow is the farewell luncheon. i sad. =( only one more full day left here in hawai'i. will i ever be back again? doesn't seem likely. i could never come back in the capacity of a tourist. the only really good reason i can think of is if there is some national conference or event or something to that effect for a damn good cause. but until then, this may be my final goodbye to hawai'i. i hope to make good use of tomorrow, and then saturday will be the final farewell. then back to good ol' smoggy polluted crowded plant-less dry LA.