Hawaii is not the unfriendly, aggressive place it is portrayed to be in the media.

The North Shore, remarkably, still has a small town vibe, with a lack of development and a cruisy alternative vibe. The bars, shops and supermarkets are staffed by great friendly crew, and the melting pots of travel and surf culture mean it is ridiculously easy to strike up conversations and make friends.

The little roadside vans selling Thai, Mexican and local food are great places to pull up a chair and have a chat.

Sure, violence does happen. There can be an edge in the water, but by showing consideration and respect, most people leave Hawaii with a love of its waves and its people.