North Shore

For most people a vacation is time to relax on the beach, spend time as a family, and to really appreciate not being at home. Well for me it's become an extremist's sport. The other day I spent 2 hours treking up the side of a mountain, fighting back buckets of sweat, and ignoring my body's pleas for mercy. The best way to experience the Hawaiian sun is to get up close and personal with it...how do you do that you might ask? Well you do the Hanauma Bay hike. All complaints aside, the view was astonishing. Hanauma Bay is a very popular area for snorkelling, seeing as the entire bay consists of coral and different fish varietals. From this height you are able to see the mountanious backdrop for Hawaii's crystal water and the beauty of the unknown rainforest. The part I liked the most about Hunauma Bay was the hike back to Hawaiikai, all downhill.

Since the very first day I arrived on Oahu, I've been shuffled from one beach to another, never really finding a significant difference between any of them, but appreciating all of them none the less. The North Shore I am told is a very popular spot for locals and military men to go beaching. After being introduced to Monica's friend Tawny, we made the hour and a half drive to the north shore and spent the day on Waimea Beach. Aside from being the most beautiful beach I've come across so far, the cliff used to dive off of by the locals gave my trip a very unique touch. After 45 minutes frozen on top of the cliff and with the chanting songs of the locals fading in the wind, I jumped. I've always been terrified of heights and plumeting into unknown waters has never really appealed to me. The scariest part of the whole ordeal was how disappointed I would have been in myself if I had walked away. I read somewhere that the things that scare you the most are the things most worth doing. If this is true, I've got a long way to go...

Roosters and Waves: First Impressions

At the crack of dawn I was jostled from my deep sleep by none other than the rooster next door. During Clara’s thorough debriefing she had failed to mention the mini petting zoo next door complete with tame peacocks, hens, and roosters alike. So I figured I get a jump on the day and spend my first day on the island in downtown Honolulu, soaking up the sun that had already pierced through my blinds. As I marched tirelessly down the board walk, I couldn’t help but find fault in paradise. Pop cans littered the sand and overflowing trash bins we far in between. The crystal clear waters that I had learned to be so sought after were instead murky and tarnished with a filmy layer of what could only be body oil and tanning spray. Not a plot of sand was to be seen and row after row of lobster coloured tourists were sprawled over on another. I tried to rid the disappointment from my eyes as I walked through the "new" Hawaii, until I came across a stretch of beach that was vacant enough. I plopped down and dug my feet into the hot sand and looked out to sea, just praying for a sign. My thoughts drifted until a silhouette in the distance caught my eye. I followed him as he glided through the building waves in multiple strides. Attached to the board he flowed with the water, such a simple gesture. For that split second in time I had forgotten the tan lined tourists and high rise buildings. That surfer was raw power. He was everything I wished I could be in that second; to have the strength of the ocean behind you and the curiosity of the shore in front. I watched as he slid through the breaking wave, concluding the perfect surf with a clumsy dive. After turning his back on the shore, he swam towards the horizon, ready to do it all over again. I remained transfixed on this single surfer for a while longer before continuing down the shore. I hadn’t forgotten the imperfections of the “new” Hawaii, but I’d temporarily numbed its sting. With blistered feet, a developing sun burn, and a new found sliver of hope, I made my way back home, ready for tomorrow when I’d do it all over again.

Who Do You Know?: A Ticket to Hawaii

In this world it’s not what you know but, who. It was this philosophy alone that led me where I sit today on this fine afternoon; alone in the Edmonton International airport waiting for the next flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. Three months ago over a cup of coffee, a former co-worker and now full-time friend offered me a vacation I couldn’t say no to. Having spent much of her life running along the white sandy beaches of Hawaiikai on the island of O’ahu, Monica and her family grew accustomed to the Hawaiian way of life. With her mother living on the Island and her father braving the cold winters back home, Monica got the best of both worlds. But here’s where I come in. Monica offered me room and board in one of the sunniest places in the world for 3 full weeks for less than what my rent was back home. Now ask yourself friend, what would you have said?