Going to Hawaii was not so much a bucket list item for me, but an it’s-going-to-happen-it’s-just-a-matter-of-when reality. It was the natural choice for our ten-year anniversary celebration.
Most people respond to hearing Hubby and I have been married ten years with shock. The statement we often hear is, “You must have gotten married when you were babies!”
I guess that’s true. I was 21, he was 22. He graduated college a month before, started a new job two weeks before. It was a very “new beginnings” stage in more than one capacity for us both.
It’s been not only ten years, but the most wonderful time of my life.
I took around 3,000 pictures on this trip and as much as I’d love to fill you in on all the incredible happenings we experienced, I’m going to reign in my excitement and try to give you an overall taste of the trip in only three posts.
We started our Hawaiian vacation by flying from San Jose to Honolulu. During the five-hour flight, we entertained ourselves by watching Just Married* and Blue Hawaii*.
*If I could put our relationship into a movie, this movie would be it.
**Someone please explain Elvis movies to me. I love his music, but the story lines and his acting are another thing completely.
Did you know Hawaiian Airlines is one of the few remaining airlines which offer complimentary in flight meals? Upon arrival we were also given a Mai Tai and sweet Maui onion chips.
Despite our free meal and snack, after we arrived at our hotel and waited a little to check-in, we were hungry.
Like, hangry hungry.
And in paradise, that just isn’t right.
We found food trucks around the corner from our hotel* and shared a pineapple juice and a burger topped with Portuguese sausage**.
*After a series of unfortunate events in searching out other lunch options which I’ve chosen to spare you from.
**It had a familiarity of a Jersey burger topped with pork roll, which made my heart ache a little for that Jersey flavor.
We spent two days in Honolulu before heading over to Maui.
Among my favorite parts of Honolulu were:
Views like this during our meals…
How there was never a dull moment while we shopped in the city…
We saw at least three brides/bridal parties and countless couples in matching Hawaiian gear (we may or may not have kept count each day)
Oh, and coffee…*
*Of course.
Honolulu Coffee quickly became my favorite. Their Hawaiian latte flavored with macadamia nut and coconut is something I still dream about.
We went on a catamaran to snorkel with turtles…
And one of our tour guides shocked us all by picking up an octopus he found at the bottom of the ocean.
We saw King Kamehameha…
Please note: Hubby once was a big Dragon Ball Z fan. We actually went back and forth through text messages with my friend, Danielle, who is from Hawaii, over the proper pronunciation of Kamehameha.
In case you were wondering, they say it wrong on Dragon Ball Z.
And we visited the Bishop Museum…
One of my favorite things I saw there was this a painting inside of a shell.
I learned so much more than I expected to about the history of the Hawaiian islands and everything they went through before becoming part of the United States.
In these first two days in Hawaii, it wasn’t hard to understand why people end up abruptly leaving their hum drum mainland lives for a life in paradise. More beauty and adventure awaited us, yet I didn’t want to leave the experience I was in the midst of.*
While getting coffee at my new favorite place, Honolulu Coffee, I chatted with the barista about New Jersey. She told us she had recently taken her family there and they had gone to the beach.
I love Jersey, I do. But the Jersey shore should not be something any Hawaiian ever endures.
I politely lifted my jaw from the floor and told her that after several experiences on island beaches, I can’t bring myself to even dip a toe into the Jersey shore.
More on the beauty of Hawaiian beaches to come in Our Hawaii Travels: Part Two.
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