In May, I gave myself a little weekend vacation getaway to Honolulu, a trip planned entirely on a whim. Typically, when traveling, I try to look up points of interest that involve stationery. However, for this trip, my husband and I decided to take it easy and not do much planning at all. We booked an ocean-side accommodation in Waikiki, with a detour to a friend’s home in North Shore. The main attractions of this trip? Food, sun, and beach.
However, it wouldn’t be a short trip without bringing my TRAVELER’S notebook. From the moment we touched down on Oahu, the leather of the cover felt supple and moist from the humidity in the air.
I accessorized my TN with the Taiwan Beer charm and a YOSEGI House charm, a nod to the chill vibes we anticipate for this trip.
It was my first time visiting Hawaii, and the food on Oahu didn’t disappoint. We scored on our first meal off the flight with a recommendation from our seatmate on the flight. Fresh Catch is a hole-in-the-wall poke bar that only serves take-out. Despite its unassuming appearance, their poke options have great flavor and variety. We devoured our plates on the spot, even if we had to stand the entire time.
Luckily, a five-minute walk from the poke place is the famous Leonard’s Bakery with freshly fried malasadas, a type of Portuguese doughnuts, filled with all kinds of fillings. We were wary of the chickens prowling the grounds, their intentions to attack for scraps clear and experienced. The bright pink exterior calls for a quick sketch, which I documented in a Postcard Refill from TRAVELER’S COMPANY. The malasadas were the perfect afternoon snack that complements refreshing coffee from Kona Coffee Purveyors.
We came into close contact with the dreamy beach in the late afternoon. Oh my goodness, the beach and the waters were just incredible. I can now see why people escape to the islands for a relaxing getaway. The calming sound of the waves and the green-blue color against a clear sky are both visual and olfactory therapy. We had the luxury of an awesome view from our hotel room balcony. I could stare at this view all day.
We rented beach chairs from our resort, picked up drinks from the plentiful ABC Mart, and headed to the beach. We’re not as sporty as other travelers who brave the waves to surf. Nor am I a sunbathing fiend eager to get as tanned as possible. Instead, the objective is to just relax and enjoy the moment. We found a nice quiet spot with shade and a clear view of the waters, settled into our benches, and just…beached.
In the two hours of our “beach”, I imagined all the ways I would capture the views with sketches, watercolors, photography, or in words in my journal. It was a weird feeling to have my brain racing with the urge to document this experience, yet my body enjoyed staying still. It was a lesson to stop thinking and just be comfortable and content with sitting around doing nothing.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip without a fun journaling meetup with local friends. My friends Joy and Grace showed me around novelty stores at the Ala Moana outdoor shopping mall. I stocked up on Big Island Candies, Honolulu Cookie Company, and some ephemera from Moomin Store. Oddly, the stores in Hawaii reminded me of Japan a little bit. I enjoyed watching Japanese tourists hop on and off the whimsical Pineapple Trolleys.
After two days of relaxation on Waikiki, we ventured to the other side of the island, to the North Shores for a change of scenery. On the last morning there, Elliot and I indulged in decadent piles of pancakes from Eggs n’ Us after a relaxing beach walk. Pineapple hits differently in Hawaii.
My friend, Joy, is our local guide for the second half of the trip. We made it to Waiola Shave Ice before hitting the road. The fluffy shaved ice melts on your tongue, and the delicious red bean and condensed milk topping reminds me of cool desserts back home in Taiwan.
We were a little unfortunate to visit the islands at the same time as the Kona low, a tropical cyclone that was creating downpours and floods.
Thanks to our friend’s local expertise, we were able to navigate out of a few treacherous roads and visit other parts of the island that are less rainy. Nevertheless, we had a good time eating, shopping, and enjoying the relaxing pace of the towns on the North Shore.
A memorable part of the trip was standing by the shores of Laniakea Beach at low sunset, watching the tide rush in on two giant sea turtles hanging out on the beach. The sky was rippling in a tantalizing purple and orange glow. The honus (Hawaiian Green sea turtles) were steadfast and unmoving, despite the waves sweeping in closer and closer. It was an intimate moment with nature, and I was honored to share that space and time with them.
This leg of our adventure was just as relaxing as when we were in Waikiki. We would leave the house for meals and snacks, and return to rest and lounge around. I watched kdramas with our host’s mother on their living room TV, and we enjoyed homemade comfort food as a hearty breakfast (garlic rice is the best thing ever).
On the last evening, we enjoyed a sunset stroll along the lagoons at Ko Olina. Out of the corner of my eyes on the far side of the park, I saw something scurry by. Turns out, a whole family (herd?) of mongooses were scavenging from the trash cans, a hilarious picture of the island’s fiercest predators (the story of their arrival is a bit sad for the islands). On our drives, we also witnessed an owl attempting to walk along the road, and a wild pig off to the side. Oahu didn’t slack in serving up nature to me in its many forms.
Elliot and I gobbled down large plates of loco moco and garlic rice for breakfast before our flight home. We enjoyed the homey diner vibes of Liliha Bakery. With half a dozen of their famous cream puffs to go, we reluctantly head towards the airport.
This trip had been spontaneous and fruitful, and I was reminded how much I enjoy traveling and visiting new places. Although language isn’t an issue, there are still many things and customs that are refreshing and fun to learn. I can’t wait for my next short trip.
Mahalo nui, Hawaii!
What a wonderful trip! It brought back so many memories for me of my 2 weeks on Oahu many years ago...thank you for reminding me of all that magic! I am so glad you got a restful vacation - you travel so much for work, it was great to see you just relax.
You’ve sold Hawaii to me, a place I would never have thought to visit.