A day lost in paradise

'By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.'
Can you guess who said it?

Hawaii does have the feeling of paradise. A combination of breezy tropical climate, stunning beaches and turquoise ocean would hit many people's paradise criteria . Certainly my love of swimming gives Hawaii an incredible appeal. Paradise is a concept that appears in many religions and cultures. However paradise is often contrasted and therefore defined by the juxtaposition with hell. And in many ways it is difficult to appreciate paradise if you have not known anything else. Hawaii in November was sweeter knowing that every other November I have spent fighting the clocks going back, the nights drawing in and wearing thicker cycling gloves.

I decided I wanted to go to Hawaii when I saw the holiday photographs of my fellow teacher Russell Jones. I was teaching about American entry into World War Two and he took a lesson using holiday snaps from his visit to Pearl Harbour to explain what had happened. It was only through teaching the topic that I realised where Hawaii was - bang smack in the middle of the Pacific - and it all made sense.

The Americans were expecting an attack and had just begun to use an early radar system to scan the skies. The Japanese aim was to deliver a knock out blow that would leave America powerless to stop its plans to dominate the Pacific. The Japanese planes were detected by a radar station but a Lieutenant made a fateful decision to not worry about it as they were expecting some planes to arrive from the main land. The two hour attack was a significant defeat for the United States. 2,402 people were killed and 1,282 wounded, including 68 civilians. However despite this initial defeat the attack on Pearl Harbour ultimately brought the US population behind the decision to enter the war. Roosevelt declared war on Japan the next day ultimately resulting in the collapse of the Japanese empire. That statement of course leaves out the millions of deaths, war atrocities and the dropping of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that happened in between.

The Pearl Harbour memorial is built above the still submerged hulk of the US Arizona where 1117 men lost their lives. You have to take a boat across the harbour to get there . You are asked to remain in silence for the journey. There was a certain irony that there were so many Japanese tourists in Hawaii. We stayed with Rita and Cam in the pretty little town of Kailua. They noted how busy the beach had become since it had become a Japanese tourist hot spot. A different kind of Japanese invasion. Unlike the Brits, the Japanese aim for pale skin. Some people wear hoodies to surf and one woman covered herself with newspaper on the beach to keep off the sun. Whilst us Europeans knowing everything we know about skin cancer soldier on for the caramel tan. Whereas many of the Australians and New Zealanders I have met are liberal with sun screen. I just can't shake my notion of tan looks better.

More and more Americans came to Hawaii particularly because of the military base. However the Polynesian islanders were not the first. They arrived in two waves around the year 1000. It is thought there were other people on Hawaii before this but nobody knows exactly what happened to these apparently little people. They appear in traditional Hawaiin folk tales.

Hawaii has higher taxes than much of the US but much of this comes from tourist taxes in hotels and restaurants. Employers are obligated to provide health insurance for employees who work over 20 hours a week. As a result 90% of Hawaiians are covered, there is more preventative care, less hospital treatment and Hawaiians spend proportionately less on healthcare than other US states. Despite the wealth on the island Hawaii has voted for the Democrats in 10 of the last 12 presidential elections. With their own Obama up for election today, this election is likely to be no exception.

Another thing I did not realise before I came, was that Hawaii is made up of eight different islands that were united by King Kamehameha the Great in 1810. Christian missionaries arrived ten years later bringing the usual heady mix of opposition to human sacrifice and new European diseases.

We spent two weeks on the island of Oahu. The first we got back on our bikes and cycled up the east coast and the second we separated. James' girlfriend Helen flew out and they spent 5 days on the north shore swimming with turtles and kayaking. People make a place and I was also lucky to spend my time on Hawaii with some great people.

I stayed in Waikiki in a hostel with my cousin Jess and friend Becci where we formed a team of fellow fun seekers. When we (James and I) first met Paul and Jonnie they had had a few drinks and were in our dorm listening to Euro Pop and ready to hit Waikiki's night life. I felt like I had walked into my life in 1994 in a youth hostel. As always however first impressions are not always fair. The lads were from Northern Ireland and a good laugh. On holiday for two weeks and happy to hang out with us partly because they were keen to show that they were not a honey mooning couple. The other girls we met Chantal, Lily and Kate, three blonde Brighton lasses. 'Good odds lads' was the comment from one of Paul and Jonnie's friends on the photo of all of us posted on Facebook.

Also in the gang was Barry - from Cork who we had met on tsunami night and who, like Jess had a morbid fascination with serial killers and like me loved cheesy jokes:

'Are you from Jamaica?'
'No, why?'
'Because Jamaican me crazy'

He gave me a top name for a quiz team - Anguillerra. 'Quiz team Aguilerra' - get it?

David - from Portugal. David was a football coach and boy could he charm the ladies. He had some great lines. We were on the beach and he went for a walk saying:
'I'm going for a walk in paradise. Life is for living you know.'

We hired two cars and spent a couple of days on the north shore and back in Kailua. Jonny who works for Nike and is their representative on earth was my co-pilot and was very patient. I insisted that he should talk me through how to turn on his speaker so I would know how to do it next time even though there would not be a next time. He and our passengers were also understanding when my directions started to become a bit unclear:
'Go left. Or right. In fact you could go straight on, I don't mind'
You know you've made good friends when they can pull your leg with good intention and they think your faults endearing.

We had a great few days including two home cooked meals for 10 and an incredible Halloween night out. The streets of Honolulu were packed with people with everyone in fancy dress. Costumes ranged from Michellin Man to Captain America. Our efforts involved an orange team T shirt individually designed. Great idea Becci.

My experience in Hawaii also made me think about the backpacker scene. I have always been pretty snobbish about travelling the world, following the same route of thousands before me. I thought that this was a Western indulgence and gets no where close to the experience of living in one of these countries. But as I contemplate part of my journey by myself then these routes have an appeal. And are these well trodden paths really that different from the routes medieval pilgrims took to Santiago del Compostela? The road more travelled may include more people and more adventures.

Whilst in Hawaii and in stark contrast to paradise I read a horrid account from a friend who witnessed two young men being vilified on a bus in London for holding hands. The boys were shouting 'perverts' and 'die' saying it was against their religion. The people on the top deck did nothing. The two boys got off the bus and my friend spoke up and said 'Why did you do that?'. The response of the group was to attack and spit on him. This reminded me how crucial it is that each of us tolerates no remarks that degrade or poke fun at anyone because of their identity. Even when you know that the person making those remarks is not racist or homophobic or means any harm. It's so important to challenge the little things. This means the role that schools play is crucial especially when some parts of some religions and cultures do not tolerate being gay.

Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live in the states. So spending two weeks in paradise made me think about how much environment affects your quality of life. Some of my favourite spots across the states were beautiful as well as progressive like Fort Collins and San Francisco. Lovely places are often homes for the wealthy. One morning after a swim along Waikiki with Rosie from the local swim club we changed in the restrooms. A woman with a southern American accent sitting in rather glamorous underwear started chatting to us. She was asking about why Hawaii had a British flag and how come it was American. Good questions and the one about the flag is not simple. She said she was homeless but liked to make the most of her appearance even if she was homeless and was planning on heading to the mall for a free makeover. She had a pair of ridiculous heels and her chatter suggested she probably found life overwhelming. There are many homeless people in paradise and the state has gone to great effort to make sure they cannot sleep on the beach and deter Hawaii's tourists - it's economic life blood.

Hawaiian paradise has more to it than beaches and sun. Aloha is used as hello but means 'affection, peace, passion and mercy'. Paradise has got to be in there somewhere.

And who said the quote I began with? 'By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.' Adolf Hitler. Paradise has surely got to be paradise for everyone otherwise it just ain't paradise.

Flying round the world west means we have just crossed the international date line so I have just skipped Monday 5th and jumped to Tuesday. A day I will never get back. Think about it. Enough to blow the mind.

A day lost in paradise.

I'm loving Angels instead

It is not every day you find yourself on a remote Pacific island discussing an evacuation of your hostel due to a tsunami warning. The earthquake in British Columbia had tsunami sirens sounding signalling a need to move to higher ground on the Hawaiian islands. It reminded me of many other crises I have faced through work like when we had a mad man on the roof. Usual rules apply - keep calm, make a decision based on the best information available and communicate clearly. There were 20 of us who evacuated en masse to the lobby of the Holiday Inn. There are worse places to hang out and they were - in fairness - very tolerant of our beer drinking. Thankfully the waves didn't amount to much and today island life continues as normal.

James and I are here on a break from cycling meeting up with friends and loved ones who have flown out to see us. It is wonderful to be around familiar faces as it can be hard to make connections in a new place.

Los Angeles is a massive sprawling city. I knew I was only there for a short time and was unsure of how to make the most of my visit. Like London, LA can be overwhelming. What does it mean to 'do' a city? Having driven down from San Francisco I did not want to experience LA by car. Reunited with cycling buddy James, we were lucky enough to stay in a friend's apartment near the marina. Thanks Mari Davies.

Santa Monica and Venice Beach are neighbouring and merging communities on the coast of LA. They reminded me of Islington and Camden by the sea. Santa Monica is upscale and Venice Beach has medical marijuana on sale with people dressed in green giving out cards. Most people do drive but they also cycle and walk along the beach which go to make these communities feel friendly and safe.

I was lucky to be invited to join a morning ocean swim with a friend Michael who has run 13 marathons, the last in 2 hours and 39 minutes.

I got to the car lot at 645am as planned. I scrambled around in my spare change to fine money for a parking ticket. Another guy politely asked the homeless guy who was sleeping by the meter to move out of the way.

So there I was in my bikini, in a dark LA car park.

I started talking to people in the lot who were putting on wet suits (triathletes love a wet suit) and soon identified the swimmers.

The sun was just rising. The ocean looked calm and as soon as I put my feet in the water I was relieved that it was relatively (relative to San Francisco Bay and any British water) warm. Through the break waters and out to a buoy. These guys could swim. We swam along the beach toward the candy coloured lights of Santa Monica pier.

There is something about the feeling of swimming that feels incredibly primitive, especially swimming with others. You have company and solitude all in one. Humans were designed for group survival. Swimming in 'pods' gives you courage to swim harder and safer. Sharks like lions pick off the weakest.

Just over a mile we regrouped and turned back. It was hard to sight the others when swimming into the sun. One minute you are in a watery valley and next on the peak of a swell. Back to the buoy and then in - easy. I relaxed and swam back in. I glanced to where I thought the swimmers were but I had lost them. I was metres from the beach but felt disorientated. I had hit the break waters. I tried to stand up but there was no sand. I swam further in and saw a woman (Alison) and her yellow cap. I stood up and saw her pointing behind me. I looked around and saw a smallish wave as it crashed around me. The power of the sea in that tiny wave was incredible. It pushed my goggles off my face and soon I had lost them in the surf. I had to concentrate hard to keep my balance. I was glad to get my feet back on the beach.

Delia, one of the swimmers, kindly invited me for coffee and it felt good to make swimming connections 1000s of miles from home. I was given a Santa Monica Bathing society swim hat and felt like I had lived like a Santa Monican. This is what visiting a city should be.

America is a huge diverse country and yet it is through these connections that I have understood its rich collage. Statistics give a frame work but it is these nuances in society that fascinate me. Trends, changing habits and ideas give clues to how the future might look. My personal prediction for fashion: Wide legged jeans have got to be back. I have see them on Venice Beach and I am sure I have been wearing skinny for too long. Remember you read it here first. Or maybe you didn't and I'm already behind the curve.

Another example of understanding a place through local connections was when I headed north with my parents to visit family friends in Redding. Proper rest and relaxation. One day stands out in our visit. Mary Lou had very kindly done her research and found the local folk group for my dad who plays the fiddle. The standing joke throughout the week was that Mary Lou had invited an orchestra sized group and they were probably going to be moving in. Sunday came and I accompanied my dad and Meurig (confusingly the same name as my dad) to the Sunday practice.

And there I was. In the middle of a place most people have never heard of - (Redding California) in a circle of people and my dad is teaching them a Welsh folk tune. After the practice four of the lads joined us at Meurig and Mary Lou's for more playing, singing and musical exchange. Mary-Lou had cooked me a cake that said 'Way to go Mari' and showed our route across the states. I felt very lucky and loved - and like I belonged.

Be it cycling, swimming, politics or whatever floats your boat, (Did I really just say that?) modern cities are full of these sub groups which give all of us belonging beyond ourselves. Newspapers and blogs add to this feeling of belonging so that you can still feel that in a city.

Starting making those connections can be hard and I found it very difficult when I first moved to London but now, even miles away from friends family I feel still part of communities in London and increasingly with friends in different places across the states.

Connections are complex but technology means connections can be world wide and borders are less significant. In Hawaii I followed the same logic. I found the Waikiki Swim Club on line and signed up for a stoke improvemen at the university and was welcomed to the swimming fold. Tomorrow I will be joining some of these swimmers to start my day with an ocean swim.

Technology offers an opportunity to challenge the tendency for us as humans to be unafraid of the unknown. Technology however also can take us away from the moment. I went into Starbucks in Waikiki and saw rows of people on lap tops and phone plugged into to a virtual world. The room was silent. Perhaps no different from everyone reading the newspaper or perhaps many lost opportunities. When we were cycling across America we went to so many local cafes with a group of over 60s all starting their day with coffee and a good gossip. To live in the moment rather than the virtual moment has got to be important. I will try to take the advice myself given how much I can be addicted to Facebook.

We can only experience life by moments and learning to enjoy and appreciate the now is one of my challenges for this year.