Monday, August 31, 2009

Fate

It's been an over-arching theme on Lost from the start. Charlie wrote it on the tape of his fingers. Flashbacks showed the audience the sometimes incredible series of events that led to each character ending up on the Island. As time progressed, it seemed that each person had a deeper purpose for being on the Island - be it to save someone else, improve themselves, or perhaps even save the world. Even though last season's finale hinted that perhaps Jacob (or AJ) were pulling at the strings of destiny along the way, ensuring that these characters ended up on the Island, it still feels like our characters were all destined to end up on the Island. Heck, Lost even adopted the tagline of "Destiny Calls" before Season Five began - and teased a "Destiny Found" promo after it ended.


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In a weird, twisted way, this same concept applies to how Lost has interacted with my life. Without it, I probably wouldn't be married to my smoking hot wife. Without it, I wouldn't have a Blog that gives me a creative outlet for my over-analytical nature. Without it, I wouldn't have proof that someone cares about the volumes and volumes I write about television and pop culture. All in all, just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Dave Matthews Band - Lost has had a profound affect on my life in a very positive way. It's almost like I was destined to find Lost. It was fate.


So it seems only fitting that with Lost in its final season, fate steps in to take the obsession to a whole new level. Once again I'm going to find Lost - but quite literally this time.


I'm going to Hawaii.


As luck would have it, I ended up picking up a project at work that requires I head to Hawaii at the end of September. Once the "working" part of the trip is completed, I'm sticking around for another week to explore the Islands, listen to Jack Johnson music, stumble upon Lost locales, and generally pretend that I am on Lost. It's going to be great.


Why do you care about any of this?


Well, I turn to you, loyal readers, to tell me what I need to do while on the Islands. Who has been there before? What are the "must see" places and attractions? Which cast and crew members of Lost have been secretly reading this Blog for the past five years that want to hook me up with a set visit?


I'll probably do a little of the "touristy" stuff on Oahu, but then would like to branch out and explore some less popular areas - so I'm looking for some suggestions there as well.


If you are afraid of the Comments section (and let's face it, who isn't?), feel free to Email me directly with your tips. You've got four weeks to let me know. Don't let me down, imaginary Internet friends!

21 comments:

tobiasly said...

Any chance you can plan longer than a week? After my wife and I spent a week in Hawaii, I wished to heck that I had planned a month instead. I didn't get to do nearly all I wanted, and we only stayed on one island (Oahu).

True, it's not a cheap place to stay, but if I get to go again I'm gonna just rent a Jeep or small SUV and be a beach bum. There are so many public beaches with camping available that you could travel down the coast, sightseeing and taking in the natural beauty along the way and then camp on the beach at night.

Brian said...

Oh yeah - I'll end up being out there for a little more than two weeks, with five days of that being "work".

CarrieMarie said...

I haven't been to Hawaii, but like many it's a dream of minte to get there some day (soon?!). : ) I hope you'll continue the blog while you're there, sharing any Lost-sightings - or just thoughts & photos of the islands!

CarrieMarie

Rocket Science Mom said...

Never been, but so wish I could. Planning on tentatively making a trip to Hawaii in 2011, not that that helps you now.

I'd suggest contacting some "locals" since you're a Lost fan: The podcast "the Transmission" is done by a lovely husband/wife team who live and work near where Lost is filmed. Not that you know them, or anything, but they always seem to be hospitable to any other Lost-crazies who make a pilgrimage to The Big Island.

Have a fantastic time, and of course, take us readers with you, please.

Rebecca said...

Forget the set tour you should try for a part as an extra. :D I don't have any tips as I haven't been there but wowomgsoexciting that you can go!!!

TheycallmeVic said...

Ahh Brian, you gave us your e-mail!
Which is enough to find your wedding site, blog and other stuff.

It's great to finally put a face to you, man. :)

Unknown said...

On Oahu, just go around and check out the touristy stuff, but stay away from the free tours of Honolulu. Scams to get you to their stores.

Do Pearl Harbor for sure, just 'cause it's a must.

Go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.

Luau's are not that great, but if you do one, try to find a small one.
Since it's september you may be able to go to a Hawaii football game. That's a lot of fun.


Flights to the neighboring islands are cheap too and there's plenty to do on them as well. I could go on and on.

Joyce Saenz Harris said...

We were just on Oahu for a little over 24 hours (as a stopover on the way home from Maui), and we drove out to the North Shore to see YMCA Camp Erdman, aka the Dharma barracks or "New Otherton." Also checked out Papa'iloa Beach. And in a Honolulu marina, I spotted the Searcher -- Penny's boat! You should contact Grass Skirt Productions to see if you can get any on-set access for a day of S6 shooting...it would make for great blogging during the LOST hiatus!

Unknown said...

I was there last year and saw a lot of the Lost filming locations. Go to Macky's Shrimp Truck, take an ATV tour of Kualoa Ranch to see Hurley's golf course, go to the Lana'i Lookout Cost...

There's a great website that indicates a lot of the Lost locations: http://www.lostvirtualtour.com/

Diary of a Lonely Alcoholic said...

Victor, I am not going to lie, that post was a little bit creepy.

Brian said...

VictorC - wow, so this is why people are afraid of the Internet. Please don't kill me in my sleep... and also my Email address has been on the Blog for years. No big deal.

Daniel - I'm spending a week on Oahu for work / touristy stuff / Lost stalking, and then a week elsewhere. Thinking the Big Island so I can go to Volcanoes National Park... any other suggestions for "Best Other Island" of Hawaii?

Catherine - Yes, that website has been super handy - and I will be printing out a ton of notes from it to try and do a "Super Lost Tour" one day... but it doesn't look like it has locations of places from Season Five. Anyone stumble across a website with that info? Or where Lost is *currently* filming?

Rest assured, I will do my best for Blog posts from Hawaii - if nothing else, expect some when I return!

:)

TheycallmeVic said...

Are you kidding me? do people forget that the internet is public?
Anything in it can be found, know that before you post on it.

I was just curious what Brian looked like, what's so wrong with that??
Websites like pipl.com will tell you a lot of public stuff from just an e-mail address, that's what I used.

If you don't want people to see what you look like then don't make a public website.

Kill you in your sleep? seriously? lighten up, man.

Zimamaxx said...

1. Do everything everyone else mentioned.

2. Stay at the Plantation Village Hostels...they are on Kamehameha hwy, down the road from Jack Johnson's house and a convenience grocery store (convenience store, then?). Spring for the private rooms across the street and NOT the main house...you'll thank me later.

3. Surf. Go to a surf shop on North Shore and ask who's the best..I forget the name of the guy that we went with, but we were out for 2 hours at Waimea Bay, and right next to a LOST filming area.

4. Snorkle @ Hanauma Bay and hike the Diamond Head crater

5. Stay away from Waikiki unless you want to visit LA again.

Hope that helps! I am off to my 14th DMB show this weekend (the Gorge Ampitheater!). I'll tell Dave you said hello :)

Unknown said...

Oh, and I saw Jin at the airport!!!

Unknown said...

I was just in Hawaii a few weeks ago. We did a cruise that had overnight stops at 4 different islands . . . favorite place - Kona on the island of Hawaii. Kona is a great town and has great water activities. Volcanoes National Park is cool, but just fyi you can only go to see the active lava flow at night - if that will help you better plan your itinerary. Kauai was my second favorite island. NaPali Coast and Waimea Canyon are beautiful!

Unknown said...

Yes, I think the big island would be awesome, I've only been there a little, but wish I'd been there much more.

Maui is much more of a tourist place and is beautiful too, but I'd go with the big island. The volcanos are cool during the daytime too! The big island is VERY rural.

Kauai is supposedly beautiful, but I've never been.

Unknown said...

If you're looking for a "best other island" I would strongly suggest Kauai. It's not nearly as touristy as the other islands, amazingly beautiful and there's a lot to do (my husband and I went horseback riding, ziplining, and a 4 mile roundtrip hike along the Napali coast).

Rebecca said...

Maybe they offer a 'LOST Tour'?? Check into that! lol
Have a GREAT time and I have to say I'm completely envious of you.

You deserve the trip, you've been a part of the show experience to me. I have read every analysis of yours after every episode and I'm going to miss that when LOST is no longer lost.

PHG said...

I might be going out on a limb here, but I am thinking the "don't kill me in my sleep" line was a joke.

Brian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
amessmer77 said...

Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa. (north shore)

http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/

frequented by ALL celebrities ( see photographic evidence vering walls)

UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!