Really?
That was my reaction as I touched down in Waikiki Monday, hearing the news that Hawaii could be hit by a one-two punch of hurricane-level storms.
I was coming here for two weeks of business meetings and hoping to mix in some fun with the family. I never imagined I'd be walking into history.
The Hawaiian islands have absorbed direct hits from hurricanes just twice since 1949 - Dot in 1959 caused $6 billion in damage and Iniki in 1992, which was responsible for six deaths.
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Now, the islands are prepping for a rare double shot, as tropical storm Iselle is expected to be upgraded to a hurricane and make a direct hit Thursday. Tropical storm Julio is expected to hit the islands Sunday, though most recent projections say it will hit northeast of the islands Sunday.
But as many here on the islands know, the projections and the winds change often.
I'm in Waikiki for now, where everybody knows it's coming. Still, there is a calm here. Both in the winds and in the people.
My kids are out snorkeling today. The winds were actually more intense Tuesday, when I was out surfing with my 17-year-old son.
I'm 51, have had five knee operations and have a herniated disk in my neck. What am I doing on a surfboard with waves building to hurricane conditions? Again, like the tourists, I took my lead from my instructor, a former pro surfer, who said it was fine to be in the water.
I believe in always pushing the limits in life, and this was no exception.
The area is packed with tourists and it is business as usual. The vacationers I have talked to have said they are taking their lead from government officials.
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That's where I am so impressed with what I'm seeing. Behind the scenes, the folks I have talked to at my hotel, The Royal Hawaiian, say that preparations are being made and that they won't be caught off guard.
But the outward image is calm. Officials are not being alarmist, they are simply telling folks to be prepared.
So that's just what the people are doing - they are not letting the forecasts dampen their fun, but they are also not ignoring what could happen.
As for me, I am trying to get ahead of the storm. I was going to fly from Honolulu to Maui Thursday, but I changed our reservations to get out a day early.
My six-night reservation at the beautiful Honua Kai changed to seven nights, as my family and I will ride out the storm in Maui.
Did I mention there have been two hurricane direct hits since 1949? I guess it's Murphy's Law. (Given my name, I've become quite familiar with the principle of whatever can go wrong will go wrong.)
I will be on the ground, giving you live updates and dispatches on TravelPulse from the Hawaiian islands as these storms play out.
Here's hoping the weathermen are wrong here. However the storm plays out, I know the Hawaiian people have the resolve to ride out whatever comes their way.
Their resolve and their approach to life has always impressed me as much as the natural beauty of this gift from the gods.
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