These past couple weeks we have continued to receive disheartening new of things happening, not only globally but locally and personally as well. I have been working on finding the lessons in the gray and the joy in this season of uncertainty. In spite of all this, I am grateful for the nuggets of joy. Dave and I have done our best to take full advantage of all that Oahu has to offer.
The weekend of September 5th we rented a car and explored all over the island. We picked up the car on Friday around Noon, when Dave finished work, and made our way toward the East. Our ultimate destination for the day was Kaneohe Bay and Kualoa Regional Park to get a view of the beautiful Ko’olau Mountain Range. Earlier in the week we visited an art gallery that had an incredible photograph of the mountain range that helped us decide to make it a priority to see. It definitely didn’t disappoint. Along the way we stopped at many different lookouts and took in the spectacular views of the coastline. On Saturday we decided to start our day with the sunrise at Lanikai Beach before we made our way up to the North Shore. After the beautiful sunrise we stopped at the Kalapawai Market for provisions which included coffee and a delicious breakfast sandwich. We took a rest and walked the beach along Kahana Bay and then ended our day at Giovanni’s shrimp truck in the adorable town of Haleiwa. We finished off the weekend of exploration on Sunday with a visit to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. The water everywhere is so clear and blue and gorgeous. I’m glad we got the opportunity to experience it.
One Universe moment that I forgot to mention in my last post was, at the airport when we were leaving LA, we met a girl from Oahu that was going home after visiting a friend in, of all places, San Pedro! She was very friendly and shared a lot of tips with us for our time on Oahu. As you know, getting recommendations from locals is one of our favorite things to do while traveling. We didn’t see her after we went through security but ran into her again while waiting for our bags after we arrived. I learned that she works at a clinic that has a community garden where I could go and volunteer if I liked. We exchanged information and were able to spend some time together last week.
On Wednesday she picked me up and we went to breakfast at Waioli Kitchen. “Waioli Kitchen is special because it is a historic restaurant in Honolulu’s Mānoa Valley that continues a century-old social mission by providing vocational training and a second chance for people recently released from incarceration and recovering from addiction.” (Google) It is a beautiful place that also has delicious food. Afterward she showed me around the island a little bit. She took me to Byodo-In Temple which is located in Valley of the Temples cemetery in Kaneʻohe. The cemetery is in a nondenominational memorial park. I came to learn that her grandparents are entombed in the niche inside the temple and she was gracious enough to bring me inside. What an honor to have been a part of that visit. After visiting the Temple we went up to the Old Pali Road Lookout. Pali Road was constructed in 1897. “The significance of the Pali Highway in Honolulu is rooted in its vital historical connection between leeward and windward Oʻahu, its role as the site of the Battle of Nuʻuanu, where in 1795, King Kamehameha the First fought the decisive Battle of Nuʻuanu in the valley, leading to his conquest of Oʻahu and the unification of the Hawaiian Islands. Its status as a scenic route with a renowned lookout, and its rich folklore, including stories of hauntings and warnings about carrying pork. The highway was built to traverse the difficult terrain of the Koʻolau mountain range.” (Google) She taught me that when we take time to get to know each other it is called “talking story”. I liked the way that phrase felt. She also shared with me a little bit about the significance of leis. They are not only a way to welcome one another, but also there is significant importance in what a lei is made of and what it means. She shared that most of the leis that are given out to tourists don’t have any certain significance but if you were going to make a lei for someone you were interested in or cared about you would go and collect flowers that were difficult to find to show how you feel. If you were going to give a lei to a woman who was pregnant you would want to make sure it was an open lei and not a closed one as it might signify the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck. I learned fascinating things that I might not have learned without this connection. It was such a special way to spend the day and learn more about her and her culture.
Then on Friday I was able to go and volunteer at her clinic’s community garden! The name of the organization is Ipu o Lono with Hoʻoulu ʻĀina. Their website describes their work as follows “Our kūpuna knew and celebrated the importance of food. IpuoLono workdays continue this ancestral celebration. Work with our Mahi ʻĀina staff in the garden to feed our community. Help and learn to care for space and soil – feeding, amending, and shaping garden beds as well as pulling weeds and feeding compost piles.” I spent the morning weeding the garden. We removed invasive plants to make space for the native plants that help feed the community to grow. I learned that they repurpose the invasive plants and are able to use them to make furniture and other things. It was such an honor to be able to give back and not just visit. To learn how they honor and care for the earth. I liked how they talked about how everything is connected and now the earth knows and recognizes us from our effort to take care of it. I left with a very full heart and feeling grateful for the unique opportunity volunteering provided.
After volunteering I met Dave for lunch at La Mariana Sailing Club. “The tiki bar is special because it is the last surviving original tiki bar in Honolulu, functioning as a living museum filled with artifacts from other shuttered tiki establishments like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic’s. Its authentic, preserved 1950s atmosphere, complete with nautical decor and waterfront views of the marina, creates a unique and nostalgic experience for visitors, offering a glimpse into Hawaii’s tiki past alongside strong cocktails, live music, and tasty food” (Google) It is cool to know and experience the history of such a special place and the food was delicious. I will say we are experiencing some sticker shock at the cost of food and drinks here so we have been grateful for the happy hour deals that help enjoying ourselves feel a little less painful.
On Saturday the 13th we took the three hour round trip bus ride to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and it was worth it. Dave’s Paternal Grandfather was in WWII and it was pretty exceptional to learn about the historical significance of the area first hand. The USS Arizona Memorial was under construction so we weren’t able to go on it to view the ship but we were still able to go out on the water and take a closer look.
On Sunday we took a Turtle Canyon snorkeling trip with Living Ocean Tours and it was spectacular. The last time I tried to go snorkeling was when we were in Puerto Rico and it was too wavy to do much without feeling like I was going to drown so I was thankful for a more calm day on the water. We saw several turtles, a few who even came to the surface right in front of us, and many beautiful fish. It was a very calming experience after the bear of a week we had emotionally, and I couldn’t have been more grateful to have that time to replenish my emotional capacity a wee bit. All the things that we have been fortunate enough to experience reminds me of a quote that my friend sent me, “maybe the amount of extraordinary things that happen in your life depends on what you notice.” True story. After snorkeling we walked around the Iolani Palace and saw the state capital, the statue of King Kamehameha and other historical landmarks. Even though we did quite a bit it felt like there was a slower pace which we both appreciated.
We’re spending this week taking advantage of the few days we have left in this beautiful place. We’ll probably go to the beach a couple more times and just soak in the Aloha spirit. I am glad we came to Oahu and can definitely see us coming back some day.
On Friday we leave for Japan. We will be there for a total of seven weeks and are excited to visit another place we haven’t been before, learn about another culture and eat delicious food. It will be interesting to adjust to Dave’s work schedule again as he continues to try and keep central time zone working hours when Tokyo is 14 hours ahead! It’s all part of the adventure that keeps the learning curve steep.
I hope this finds you well and cared for. Sending you love wherever you are!
♥️Alison
