Keep the country country...

If you've been to Hawaii you might see bumper stickers that stay that. Driving around today I was thinking about this some, a long with last night.
Last night I was eating dinner and listening to my coworkers talk about things. Some of them have been here for awhile and it seems like everyone is somewhat worried about the changes that are going to be happening here on the North Shore. My parents have lived here a couple of times in the past and whenever I was able to visit, the North Shore really didn't change much. Even with my move out here in January it has stayed pretty much the same. One change is that the fields of pineapples are no longer around-del monte sold their land. So there is not as many pineapple fields as before but the land is still there-it hasn't been covered with buildings. Haleiwa has been the same but now they are going to build some housing complex in town. No one sounds too excited for that. Driving up here is just a regular 2 lain road, there are 3 different ways to get here but it's just a typical 2 lain road. The interstate stops a good 15-20 minutes out of the North Shore, so needless to say when surf season is around the traffic sucks. But...I think it keeps some of the bone heads away-the ones that don't want to waste their time in traffic and that's good:)
I enjoy driving in the country, I love the smell of the pineapple fields and coming down the hill to Haleiwa or Waialua and seeing the ocean without the view of buildings on top of buildings. It is truly beautiful. Today the ocean was royal blue!
Dad has made fun of me cuz I'm thinking like a local. When I have to go to ALL the way to town (Honolulu) I have to make a day of it and get as much done as I can while I'm there. It's night and day going from town, to where the buildings are on top of each other, city traffic etc. to coming to the country where there are hills/fields/etc. Not only is the country more green:) but the people are a little bit more interesting ;)
The other week I was driving threw Wahiawa, a decent town at the end of the H2 near the army base, a pick up truck pulled off to the side of the road in front of me (keep in mind this is a regular city with plenty of places to eat/shop/etc) and a guy jumped out of the passenger side and just started to pee! I kid you not! Today while I was leaving a shopping center in Mililani I saw a younger woman verbally abusing this older woman. Apparently there was a car accident and the younger lady was not being very respectful of her elders-there was a group of like 5 women standing around and that one girl wanted to fight! These are grown women! That's why they call it an "accident", most people don't want to wreck there cars!
I hope that the land here doesn't get turn into some touristy, high dollar, japanese stomping ground. My Mom said it best the other day, people come here to get away from the town! So I hope it doesn't change too much.
Another thing I think is funny is the tourist and the convertible rentals. People come here for vacation and rent a convertible and the first DRIZZLE of rain, they pull to the side of the road to put the top up! TOURIST! I got rained on a few times today driving around. Hell, as long as I don't get stopped at the traffic lights I'm usually good to go, but even if I do stop...I'm in Hawaii, it never rains long, it's in the upper 80's! WHO CARES IF YOU GET A LITTLE WET! If you can't appreciate a little Hawaiian blessing, DON'T GET A CONVERTIBLE!