Hawai'i

A couple of things you should probably know upfront.  We love traveling, but we aren't your typical tourists.  We can't stand crowds or commercialized areas/resorts, and we like to really experience things off the beaten path and as the locals do.  Although we were on Oahu, we didn't feel the hustle and bustle of Honolulu.  In fact, we never stepped foot in Honolulu and stayed as far from Waikiki as possible.

Why Hawaii you might wonder?  My family has a lot of history here, and it is our "comfort" vacation spot.  It was time for Matt to experience Hawaii and this part of my life. My aunt, uncle, and cousins live there right now too which was an added bonus!
 

Dad and me outside our first home.

 

Matt and me outside my first home - 1401A Fox Boulevard

I had to take a picture of this sign.  There are a lot of places that are special to my family:  Tripler Army Hospital - where I was born, Hickham AFB - my first home, Bellow AFS - favorite beach and weekend getaway, and Schofield Barracks - my uncle, aunt, and cousins currently live here.     

We had an amazing vacation and 1st married anniversary in paradise. It was the perfect combination of time together, adventure, relaxation, family time, and growth. My heart was just so full. We're looking forward to our next trip back already!  We hope you enjoy seeing pictures and reading about a few of our favorite island activities.  If you ever get the chance to go, GO!  You won't regret it.

Waimea Bay is located on the North Shore.  It's a beautiful gem in the summer months and a roaring ocean in the winter months - a favorite stop of ours no matter the season.

Hikes - Makapuu Lighthouse Trail, Diamond Head, Koko Head. Due to the five hour time difference, Matt and I took advantage of early morning hikes.  As an added bonus we were able to avoid the crowds at 6am too.  It rained for the first half of the Makapuu hike but resulted in a glorious rainbow and sunny skies afterwards.  We weren't able to finish Koko Head though since Matt got a migraine/heat exhaustion and was sick for about 12 hours afterwards.  We only made it halfway up but good thing we didn't finish that hike!
 

Genesis 9:6 - "Whenever the rainbow
appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember
the everlasting covenant between God and all
living creatures of every kind on the earth."

  

Sunken Island - This is one of those hidden, off the beaten path activities.  In Kaneohe Bay, there is 1,000 acre sunken island that becomes visible at low tide.  For locals, it's a good spot to spend the day, but you have to time it just right according to tide.  The sunken island is about 2 miles offshore so from the coast, you can't see it.  The only way to get there is by kayak or boat.  We stayed at a local inn overlooking the mountains for our anniversary and used their kayak to paddle out to the sunken island.  It was a workout that's for sure, especially with the ocean current too.  We learned afterwards that the area is shark infested which made Matt a little nervous.  Nothing like a little adventure though, and it was totally worth it!
 

My family usually spends most of our vacation relaxing and boogie boarding at our favorite beach - Bellows.  The beautiful white sandy beach and turquoise blue water are just breathtaking.  Plus it's quiet since it's military access only.  Fortunately, the public side of the beach is open on the weekends.  Since I'm married and my ID card is not valid anymore (sad!), we had to settle for the public side of the beach. 

Bellows 1988 - Mom and me

Kailua Beach and Buzz's Steakhouse - Anniversary dinner and evening stroll down the beach

Sunrise at Kailua Beach

Buzz's Steakhouse - Yum!


Hanauma Bay - It's still a good stop to make despite being crowded and touristy.  The snorkeling is great though.  I was beyond thrilled when a Green Sea Turtle swam towards us.  It made my day!  They are such magnificent and graceful animals.

North Shore - A little more low-key and some local flavor, we spent a lot of time on the North Shore.  My aunt and cousins showed us a few of their favorite local beaches.  Quiet, uncrowded, and virtually untouched - these beaches were a treat.  One of my favorite things - basking Honu or Green Sea Turtles.  I was SO excited to see these huge animals soaking up the sun and took A LOT of pictures (that's an understatement).  I could sit and watch them all day long!  We went to LOST beach (shout-out to Shawna!) where the last season of LOST was filmed.  Shaved ice is a must have treat too.  I think snow cones are nasty, but shaved ice is definitely NOT a snowcone.  Trust me!

Isaiah 60:5 - Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall
thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you.

Luau - In our opinion, Germaine's Luau is the best on the island - delicious food, banana daiquiris, pina coladas, mai tais, and entertainment. Drive yourself if you prefer to stay away from the tourists though. :)

Pearl Harbor - Touristy yes, but a necessary stop every time we visit. Matt and I were really reminded that war today is different from war back then. During WWII, every American made sacrifices to support their troops and the war effort each and every day. Back then, war was a part of daily American life - rations, blackouts, etc. Today, we are reminded of the War on Terrorism only if we have relatives/friends serving in the military or if we turn on the news. I don't remember the last time we heard the word ration in our country. As Americans, we take a lot for granted, and war doesn't even seem to cross our minds today - yet we are fighting two wars right now in Iraq and Afghanistan. WWII was country vs. country. Today, the wars being fought are country vs. terrorists. Is there an end in sight? Will they ever surrender? A visit to Pearl Harbor definitely gets you to think about this and appreciate the sacrifice every military family makes to support their country.

 

 Aloha Hawai'i!  Until next time...