As I sit here in a park in Lahaina, Maui I wonder two things; 1 - why don't I live here? and 2 - How amazing is it that from this park bench I can poach internet access?!
The past few days I have been staying at the Waikaoloa Hilton on the Big Island (to cheer on friends in the Lavaman Triathlon) which is a fancy-schmancy resort that is pretty far removed from any other civilization. It's like Disney World, without the characters or fun rides. The thing is, you have to pay for EVERYTHING there. Internet is $6 per hour (discounts for more time, but still!) - all the restaurants cost much more than regular Hawaii ($4+ bagel and cream cheese anyone?) and even the shopping center grocery store is over-priced.
Unless you have an exorbitant amount of money, it seems completely ridiculous to me that you have to pay MORE when you are already paying to stay somewhere nice...whereas a basic hotel/motel almost always comes with free wi-fi these days. Even this bench along the wharf in Lahaina comes with free wi-fi.
SO I wondered - who are these people that stay here? Or do they just plan that cost into their vacation costs? If I was actually in Disney would I pay for wi-fi? (I am more forgiving of Disney World because I love it :)) I am willing to eat at the restaurants there with the argument that it is part of the experience; was it because I am doing this vacation on the cheap (we got the lavaman discount hotel rate) that it seems so ridiculous to me?
Maybe the cost of wi-fi is more that the actual cost from your pocketbook. Rather than chatting up locals or wandering around taking photos (which I am actually about to do in a bit) I am biding my time waiting for the Lanai Ferry by 'playing on my computer'...although I would like to argue that writing, while time-consuming, is not a bad way to pass the time. And just because it is on a computer rather than in a notebook should not make it more or less valuable. Plus I can luckily type without looking at the screen, so if anything I can argue that I am actually 'seeing' more than if I was writing in a notebook.
[For instance right now I am watching the ferry unload. It makes me wonder if these are the types of people I will be seeing more of in Lanai because I highly doubt those on Maui have gone and come back already at this hour in the morning (it is not even noon yet) - as a side note, can babies go in the sun? I mean, I guess they can but it seems weird to me.]
Just because something is more expensive does that mean it is actually worth more? At what point does price have nothing to do with value? And how many more purses does Paris Hilton need anyway?
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