I’ve had my ukulele out of its bag every day this year. Yes, two days.
It’s another challenge of mine to learn the ukulele and to play it frequently. It’s such a happy (and forgiving thankfully) instrument. I’ve even cut my long nails back. Strings and nails don’t mix well.
I purchased my ukulele in 2019 in Waikiki. Since then I had a dream of playing ( loose term ) it around the Hawaiian Islands. I started lessons but Covid intervened. Every now and then I get it out and strum it.
Last year towards the end of the year we spent just over a month exploring five Hawaiian Islands. Following my dream I took my ukulele along and played it on each island- however pitifully.
Playing in font of our hotel room Hotel Coral Reef, Kapaa, Kauai
In Maui I even managed a lesson on the beach. It was one of the highest highlights of my trip. Regret not getting a photo of the experience.
Back in the accommodation, after my lesson on Kama’ole Beach Park 2.
This year ( all 2 days of it ) I’ve set up and played in my backyard. A group of magpies have started visiting. They sit close by.
Maybe they actually enjoy my renditions of ‘Let it Be’ and ‘You are my Sunshine”. Or, they are gathering in numbers to protest.
During our 2019 holiday to Oahu, Hawaii I bought myself a ukulele. I haven’t played it much but I have tried to learn to play it, with a little help from YouTube.
Before we came to Hawaii I saw lessons advertised on a Maui Facebook page. Unfortunately it was only at Kihei. We were to be staying about an hour away in Kaanapali.
I brought my ukulele with me on this trip. My goal was to play it on the beaches of each Hawaiian island we travelled to – well the grassy area with seats haha. By play, I mean in my novice, hard on the ears, out of tempo playing style.
I played it on Kauai several times. The beaches were fairly empty so I had less chance of offending people.
It is said Aristotle believed that every event that happens in your life is an opportunity for you to you grow and learn. Well after four times of Kaanapali Shores being cancelled then opened for rebooking, I disappointingly accepted we were to be at Kihei.
I had to change our airport shuttle pick up to take us to the new destination, rework tours booked to change pick ups, find public transport immediately, with less than 24 hours notice. But I did it. I had no idea of how I could grow and learn from this. But I did!
First, it gave me an opportunity to let go of full control and go with the flow- something I struggle with. Turns out Kihei has better public transport links than Kananapali, and our pick ups for tours were later- important when it’s a 6:30 am start.
But most of all I could now have that ukulele lesson! Today was the day. I met the teacher on the beach. Being me, I thought he may inject men with drugs then kidnap me, murder me, sell me to a people smuggler, harvest my organs and sell them to the black market – just your typical happy ukulele player. 😂 . So, I organised the lesson for the local beach in vision of the lifeguard tower.
He turned out to be a nice person ,who enjoyed sharing his music skill ( who would have thought). He was patient and easy to learn from. He even gave me a book of lessons to keep, as part of the lesson. I had the best hour ( turned out to run over by 15 mins – he wasn’t a clock watcher). My playing actually sounds a bit better and I can strum and change chords.
Little steps but positive ones. My aim is to play “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, not quite there yet. Might need more than one lesson.
Only thing is, since all my broken shoulders and Brian doing most of the housework, I’ve grown long nails. Not too good in playing chords. Might have to trim them a bit when I get home. But for now I’ll twang on some chords and enjoy my nails.
A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE UKULELE
Portuguese immigrants first arrived on Hawaii in the 19th century. They arrived with some of their most popular musical instruments. One was a small four-stringed instrument called a ‘machete de Braga ‘.
There are two different stories I’ve been told here about how the name was given to the instrument. One says Hawaiians watched as a man played the machete de Braga, fingers dancing around the fingerboard like a “jumping flea” (their word for flea being ukulele).
The second story says the name was given by Queen Lili’uokalani. Ukulele combines “uku” and “lele” to give us “the gift” (uku) “that came here (lele). Queen Lili’uokalani’s version of the word places emphasis on the gift of this instrument from the Portuguese to the Hawaiian islands.
I’ve also learned the correct Hawaiian pronunciation is “oo-koo-leh-leh” – not “Yoo-kuh-lay-lee”.
This is how I spent my day-well a lot of it. I had those things , plus my ukulele and a lot of YouTube videos.
Enjoyed the pool alone today as Brian returned to Pearl Harbor to see what he missed out on yesterday-Arizona Memorial and a few of the free exhibits. I saw it all yesterday as I didn’t do all the things in as great a depth as he did.
Eavesdropping as I like to do I heard lots of people excited to see the same people they see here every year. They came from all across the USA. With a hat on and sunnies I managed to remain the unfriendly person I can be and kept to myself.
They were discussing what they had been going for the past year and where they had been in Waikiki since they arrived. Was intrigued by one lady who said she hates the beach so never goes there but just stays in the pool. But they were definitely leaving cold weather behind so I suppose that’s the attraction of Waikiki. One pair had left Dakota in snow. I can only imagine that difference in departure and arrival. How difficult that must be when choosing what to wear in the plane. And here’s me worried cause I haven’t packed a cardigan for my train ride home from the airport on Saturday.
After turning my body a rich red I returned to the air conditioned comfort of my hotel room.
The city sprawls way past the Waikiki high rise skyline. The mountains are magnificent and their folds and greenery spectacular.
With the curtains drawn back I watched the view of the mountains as I set up you tube and played ( struggled to press strings ) along on my ukulele. I think I can now play ‘C Major’ and Row, Row, Row your boat. Sounds impressive to those that aren’t musical but the song needs one note only and that note needs only one finger. Starting slowly haha.
Tried G Major chord next. Let’s say my fingers don’t seem to be agile nor long enough to meet the right string holds. But the video did say it takes a lot of practise. I’m trusting that ( and secretly hoping my fingers grow longer). When I can master it I will be able to play “Singing in the Rain”, which brings back memories ( funny of course!!) of a school dance festival 😂😂
Tonight found us back at our favourite dessert place…The Cheesecake Factory. We have eaten at a different place for mains every night.
Although I know it’s a lot of cream, I secretly was a little disappointed that the salted caramel cheesecake was decorated in thick caramel not extra cream. That was until I tasted the caramel.
If you haven’t been, take a look at the menu of cheesecakes here. Which would be at the top of your list?
My bucket list for Hawaii consisted of just a few things. In no order of importance…
1. Watch a hula show
2. Eat shrimp from a truck on
the North Shore of Oahu
3. Buy a ukulele and play it on
the beach
4. Eat cheesecake at the
Cheesecake Factory
With just three days left I took a look to see what was left in need of ticks.
Number 2 was ticked off on our Island road trip.
Number 4 – well I’m working my way through that that menu 🙂
Tonight we watched the hula show in Kuhio Beach, not far from Duke Paoa Kahanamoku’s Statue. That meant number 1 was done too.
Chief blowing the conch shell
Hula dancing
This left only number 3… and guess what?? As we strolled down the street after the hula show, in search of dinner, we found a ukulele store. There are others I have seen but knowing my commitment to new hobbies I didn’t want to outlay hundreds of dollars to add the ukulele to the pile of other unloved instruments and gadgets at home.
This one is ‘Designed in Hawaii – but assembled in China.
Couldn’t eat dinner fast enough to get back to the hotel to strum my ukulele. I have been on YouTube learning ‘ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT’. Might be a while until SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW is in my répertoire.
??Journey or destination?? 