Aloha!

The farthest I’ve ever traveled from home is Hawaii. I flew by myself to visit my best friend and her husband who lived there. It was the only, and best, two-week vacation I’ve taken. Now it seems hard to believe I was there. The worst part is I took tons of photos, but none captured Hawaii’s unbelievable beauty. The blueness of the water; the lushness of the landscape. I’d love to go back with my iPhone camera knowing I could get so much better quality photos now. And now, I’d really like to visit the locations where the TV show LOST filmed.

I lived in Ohio, so I left in snow and arrived to 70-degree weather in a parka. Since I was there for Christmas, it was an extra special visit full of greetings from strangers of Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas) and Haouli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year). I hit all the traditional tourist spots: Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, U.S.S. Arizona memorial, the Dole Plantation, Pearl Harbor, and so many more. I learned the hula and enjoyed probably the most well known Luau, Germaine’s, which was a great way to learn more about different south pacific islands. Always a lover of learning languages, I had fun trying to pronounce Hawaiian words and phrases.

But the cool thing about knowing someone who lives there, aside from not having to pay for hotel, transportation or make arrangements for myself, was enjoying a private beach that wasn’t packed and getting to see where native Polynesians live. I even got to go to the swap meet. For you east coasters, that’s the weekend flea market.

I hope I’ll get a chance to return one day and explore a few of the other islands—and just hang loose.

Inspired by The Daily Prompt