Hawaii 2016 - Ben's Reflections

I love Hawaii.  I love the natural beauty, from the jagged mountains to the scenic beaches and lush greenery, but I also love the vibrant culture that makes it feel distinctly different from any other state in the U.S.  I’ve been fortunate enough to visit twice before, to the islands of Maui and Kauai, but this was my first trip to the popular tourist destination of Waikiki on Oahu.  It was also the first time Arden would get to meet Candice’s dad and her brother Gabe, which made our holiday even more special.

The first day we arrived in Hawaii felt like the longest day of my life, and made for a rough start to our vacation.  After a red-eye flight from Melbourne to Honolulu, where I didn’t sleep at all, we had almost an entire day to wander around Waikiki before the hotel could free up the room for us to check in.  So there we were, the first day of our long awaited vacation, with the beach a short walk away and the sun shining, and all we wanted to do was collapse in bed and sleep.  We had a very grumpy Arden, we felt disgusting from a day spent travelling, we couldn’t unpack or settle in, and yet we were in paradise.  We made the most of our time despite being exhausted, and it ended up being a great day, especially when Candice’s family arrived that evening, but the worst was yet to come.

post red-eye flight, pre bedtime-meltdown.

That night we attempted to put Arden down to sleep according to her routine at home.  It was a disaster.  She was screaming and inconsolable in a way we had never experienced before, and even once we finally managed to calm her down it wasn’t until late in the night when she finally fell asleep (in bed with Candice, while I slept in the other room).  Would we ever get to experience a normal night of sleep on our vacation?  The answer ended up being no, but we survived.

Thankfully the second day brought much improved spirits for all of us, thanks to a bit of sleep and finally being able to appreciate our surroundings.  The condo we stayed in had an incredible view looking directly at Diamond Head, while we also had a stunning view of the Ko’olau Range from our bedroom.  We were 2 streets away from Waikiki Beach, a 5 minute walk from the Honolulu Zoo, and were surrounded by tons of great restaurants and shops along Kalakaua Avenue.

the view from our balcony...

...and the view from our bedrooms.

The first few days of our visit were all about giving Arden time to reconnect with her Amah, and introducing Arden to her Angkong (Chinese word for grandfather) and Uncle Gabe.  She was quite sensitive and shy around the family at first, but thankfully we had plenty of time together for her to get over her shyness and allow everyone to hold her.  We also took lots of strolls along the beach and boulevard, went out for delicious meals, visited the Honolulu Zoo, and took Arden for her first dip in the pool.

watching the sunset on Waikiki beach

After a few days relaxing and exploring around Waikiki on foot, we rented a van and travelled around the island.  We made a trek to visit the Disney Aulani resort for an incredible brunch, went to an excellent Luau for my birthday, and visited the massive Ala Moana mall.

meeting Mickey at the Disney Aulani resort

all dressed up for my birthday Luau!

The biggest highlight of the trip though was Arden’s dedication, which we had at First Presbyterian Church, nestled at the foot of the Ko’olau Range.  It was breathtaking, and such a beautiful, intimate ceremony.  Candice also had the great idea of hiring a professional photographer to capture the moment, and to take some shots of Arden with the family.  The pictures turned out excellent, and we are so grateful to have them to remember that special day.

 

Over the last few days of the trip, with Arden finally fully settled in to her new surroundings, Candice and I were able to go off on our own for some hiking adventures.  Our first hike was by far the more difficult of the two, a hike straight up the side of Koko Crater along an old railroad line (1,048 "steps").  It was steep, slippery, and narrow, and we had to stop constantly along the way to catch our breath.  The view from the top was excellent though, looking over Koko Head, Makapu’U Point, and back towards Diamond Head and Honolulu. It was also wonderful to get out and experience a bit of time in nature.

Koko Head Crater

the "shaka" - when in Hawaii..!

The next day we walked up Diamond Head, which was a much more popular and much more relaxed hike.  While I preferred the quiet beauty of Koko Crater, Diamond Head was a more interesting hike, especially the section where we were walking through a tunnel in the mountain as we reached the summit, and the views of Honolulu were excellent.  The summit also had the remains of an old military lookout, which we were able to wander inside.

Diamond Head

Our last day in Hawaii we went to Angkong’s cousin’s house for dinner before our red-eye flight to Seattle.  It was actually quite close to the church where we had Arden’s dedication, and featured excellent views of the mountains.  They also had a garden filled with bananas, papaya, avocado, pomegranate, tiny adorable pineapples and many other fruits.  It was so kind of them to open their home to us, and was a wonderful way to wrap up our excellent trip.

visiting Candice's dad's cousins

beautiful views, and fruits grown directly from their back yard!

We are so thankful for all the time we had in Hawaii.  It was full of laughter, great food, beautiful scenery, perfect weather, and of course lots of time for the family to snuggle with and get to know Arden.  Thanks to Amah, Angkong and Uncle Gabe for making the trek out to Hawaii, for making all the arrangements for our visit, and for all the great memories!

-BK

Hawaii - July 2016 from Candice Kortlever on Vimeo.