Five Nights in a Turtle

This travel/memoir describes a camping holiday on the Big Island of Hawaii, where a couple went looking for a little slice of paradise. What they discovered was anything but. The economic crisis of 2008 hit Hawaii especially hard. With tourism as its number one industry, Hawaiians suffered more than other states when tourists, mostly US residents, could no longer afford to go. This situation compounded with an increased demand for housing, either permanent or vacation by non-residents, drove the price of housing up and availability of rentals down. Residents, many of whom worked low-paying tourist industry jobs, couldn't find affordable housing. Of course, this wasn't in any brochures. People still flew to Hawaii looking forward to serene beaches to watch sunsets and luxuriate in the tropical paradise. The beaches where the couple camped were not serene. Instead, many residents including pensioners, veterans, and families had been forced into tents in campgrounds and on beaches where they struggled to maintain a standard of 'normal' living. This story is a journey of discovery, of not just the volcanoes and beaches of the Big Island, but also an internal journey of growth from intimidation to understanding and acceptance.