This segment of our trip has been completely different than the others. To be honest, we never had trouble leaving a place (except maybe El Bolson, Argentina). Of course we met great people in South America, but here in Hawaii, there is a rooted bond, foremost to our friends — friends who took us under their wings as soon as we arrived in February and helped navigate us to the best and brightest of this island. There aren’t really words to thank my cousin Pratt and her husband, Craig (my new cousin), for all they’ve done for us, but hopefully they know how much we’ve appreciated everything. As for the rest of our new ohana (Hawaiian for “family”), there was always an invite to the beach, an offering of a car, a vacant bed to sleep on, a proposal for dinner and more. They’ve taught us a huge lesson in generosity, positivity and that aloha spirit that we will always carry with us.
But it wasn’t just the people. It was also our environment that changed us in significant ways. There’s something about living in constant sunshine, with the sound of crashing waves, the impulse to be outdoors and the easy-going nature to live slowly that has done wonders in shedding not only my New York negativity, but the angst and anxiety that used to accompany it as well. I feel lighter, happier and more open-hearted because of it.
It was good to sit here and stay a while. Not only to take a break from backpacking, but to teach me how to sit still and enjoy it, too. It’s funny how some people need to be forced to travel and get outside their comfort zones, whereas I need to be forced to stay put. I wasn’t completely successful, but I think I have a better handle after recognizing just how bonkers I was becoming.
I do think my tiring job played a part in my bummed-outness, but I now know why I wasn’t happy working a job “just to get by” and so fervently searching for my One Great Passion to Pursue. Though there’s a chunk of the population that works odd jobs just to get by in paradise, I did meet a few people who came to Hawaii specifically to pursue their dreams, like my co-worker at the smoothie shop whose primary job is training dolphins. Seeing that sort of drive was inspiring — for better or worse in my case. It’s taught me that I wasn’t put on this planet to pursue something that’s just a means to an end. I’m still waiting for that One Great Passion, and I’m — now — OK with waiting to find out what that is.
And it’s for all of these reasons that I’m so bummed to be leaving. In fact, I was getting a little choked up when we were leaving the Big Island last Monday. It was temporary relief to know that our camping group was just flying back together to Oahu, but that sensation of saying goodbye and sitting apart on the plane was a very rude awakening of what we’d be experiencing when we leave for Hong Kong. We know that moving on to travel is what’s right for the both of us at this point in time, but it doesn’t make it any easier to leave.
I certainly hope we come back to this great state, if not for good, then at least to spend time with our new family. Goodbye and mahalo to Hawaii and our ohana. We’ll miss you dearly.
It’s amazing what a shower will do for one’s mood. After camping for two days in the Pololu Valley, the 13 of us — no longer 14 because one took off for Hilo — washed the black sand out of our hair only to douse it with some good ol’ fashioned white sand along the beaches of the Kohala Coast. If we were roughing it the first two days of our trips, we were doing…the exact opposite for the latter half.
For the remainder of our Big Island adventure, we were stationed at Craig’s parents’ beautiful home in Kohala (thank you, Musburgers, for letting a dozen of us stay at your home!), but we didn’t spend much of our time indoors. We ventured to the Mauna Lani Beach Club, where there was mostly glassy water for stand-up paddle-boarding and where the snorkeling was supreme. This beach had some of the most beautiful coral I’ve ever seen, and on a clear day like that, this snorkel-loving girl was very happy.
Like every other time in the last 8 months, Eaman managed to find a way to watch Oklahoma sports. He caught the Thunder game at the bar with the guys, some Longboard beers and burgers. It’s about as stereotyped as a male-themed greeting card section.
Feeling all fresh and new, we decided, “to hell with our dwindling bank accounts, we’re gettin’ sushi!” and proceeded to eat some of the best raw seafood I’ve ever tasted at Monstera Noodles & Sushi on the Kohala Coast. I put on a dress and some makeup to celebrate the fact that I was no longer sleeping in a tent and wearing Under Armour.
It also happened to be Craig’s birthday weekend, and we toasted him with restaurant dessert, candles and singing not once, but twice this weekend. Success!
On our last and final day on the Island, the group so graciously let Eaman and me decide what to do since we’d be leaving Hawaii for Asia in a week. We wanted to kayak, but as so often happens on the Big Island, the weather superceded our plans and high winds meant kayaking was a no go. Instead, we hung out at Kua Bay, where I snorkeled, kinda sorta body-boarded and most probably fried in the sun. My skin is seriously the darkest it’s ever been.
But check out the bay’s color gradient!
Before the airport, we picked up food from the grocery store and made sure to catch the sunset. The spot was gorgeous, minus the feral cats who seemed to multiply each time I turned around. But look at that sunset: hot, fiery and neon — just the way I like ‘em!
And this — this is my favorite photo of the weekend courtesy of my friend Griff, and it’s one of those pictures I’ll remember for a lifetime. It encapsulates the beauty of this weekend and the bond we shared. Cheers to one of the most memorable weekend trips ever!
This past weekend, Eaman and I finally got a chance to check out another island, and for this trip we headed to the Big Island for an amazing four days of sun, sand and a camping trip with 12 friends to the Pololu Valley, located on the northern coast. The original plan, hatched back in March, was to hike the Waipio Valley, which would’ve involved the much more arduous uphill and downhill 9 miles in, 9 miles out. But after multiple injuries amongst our group, we shifted plans and decided to do the much more easily accessible Pololu, where we’d take a small hike down and camp in the valley for two nights. It’s a spectacular place and highly recommended if you’re ever on the namesake island.
View from the plane during sunset as we pass over the chain of Hawaiian Islands:
We drove about an hour and a half from Craig’s parents gorgeous Big Island home — where we were headquartered for the weekend — down Highway 270 to Pololu and trekked downhill for about 20 minutes until we reached the breathtaking black sand beach. If you’ve never seen a black sand beach, then you’re in for a treat. Watching the water lap on the sand is like seeing tar melt by the ocean. It’s cool, I swear!
We may have changed the plan to a much easier hike, but we packed enough food for a large army…and maybe a small one, too:
Rope swing in the middle of the forest:
Ghost crabs in the Pololu Valley have acclimated to their surroundings by turning from their namesake ghostly white to black. We found a tiny one and some thin rope, and proceeded to tie a leash onto him. Props to Craig for tying it so smoothly. Cruel? Perhaps. But not to worry, PETA, we let the little guy go after a few minutes.
The water was quite frigid, but once in the water, it was absolutely refreshing and kind of crazy, considering the black sand turns the water into a sort of dark abyss. This beach also happens to be a great spot for body-boarding. Eaman and I both tried it out, and as always, his natural athletic ability superseded my half-assed attempts. Still fun though. I managed to get some pictures and videos, first of Craig, second of Eaman.
And when the group wasn’t body-boarding, eating s’mores, playing Mafia or trying to figure out where our missing food went — turns out, the dingo-like dog ate it — a few of us went on a 2ish-hour hike up and down into the next valley. It was spectacular — the stuff dreams and Jurassic Park sets are made of. We passed through bamboo forests, climbed ropes to get through, ate guava straight off the trees and ended at a dried-out riverbed that spilled out onto crashing waves. It really doesn’t get much better than that. It’s hard to relay the beauty of this expanse through photos, but here goes…
Rope-climbing uphill:
Like I’ve said before, I don’t love camping. I like hiking, but I don’t love camping. But with this awesome group of people, I forgot about the dirt under my fingernails and how much I loathe going to the bathroom outdoors. Or how our tent doubled as a snare drum during the first super windy night. Or how out tent cover didn’t fully protect us, and we got rained on within our tent on night two. Or how I left my shoes outside our tent on aforementioned night two and couldn’t save them from the rain by bringing them inside for fear of letting a centipede into our tent and ended up having to hike uphill in waterlogged shoes.
No, all I remember is laughing all weekend. You’d think that 14 campers would make for a hodgepodge of moods and attitudes, but our chemistry was stellar. It was maybe my favorite weekend trip of all time. I had so much fun with these people and couldn’t think of a better way to end our Hawaiian adventure than with them and this trip.
Seriously ono (Hawaiian for “delicious”) chocolate chip pancakes by Griff:
Hot s’mores! Come’n get ‘em!
We left in two shifts on Sunday morning, and you better believe I was in that first, out-by-7:30 a.m.-shift. We had to hike uphill in torrential rain, but it was worth it to eat a giant breakfast at Hawaiian Style Cafe — that’s actually what it’s called — in Waimea and get first dibs on a shower.
But these were just two days of our Big Island adventure. We spent the rest of trip beachside, well-fed and, most importantly, clean. Anecdotal and photographic proof in the next post!
Last week I shared with you my favorite beaches and activities on the island, but today, I’ll fill your bellies with tips on the best places to eat, drink and be merry.
I didn’t expect much I didn’t expect anything out of Honolulu’s food scene when we arrived. Coming from New York, we’ve essentially become food snobs and feel that no place can really compare to what our old home offered. Well, after three months, I’ve realized that yes, it’s true that New York reigns food king, but I was very surprised by how much good stuff we found here.
RESTAURANTS
Peace Cafe. In New York City, I hated vegan food. It was dry, bland and always gave me a stomach ache. But I’ve been bowled over by the vegan options in Honolulu. Peace Cafe, a small and quiet restaurant in the Moilili area, has some of the best. (The grocery store Down to Earth, with its vegan buffet, comes in at a close second.) They offer salads, sandwiches that can also be served with rice instead of bread, bibimbop and the best iced matcha green tea latte on the island. I love so much about this place — from the miso-tahini spinach and tofu sandwich (“The Popeye”) wrapped in a crisp brown paper wrapping to the zen-like atmosphere and lovely playlists.
JJ Dolan’s. People told me there wasn’t any good pizza on the island. That was like a dagger to my heart because this girl loves her pizza in the if-I-could-eat-only-one-food-what-would-it-be-yes-definitely-pizza way. But we went out on a limb and tried JJ Dolan’s in downtown Honolulu. And you know what? There is good pizza in Honolulu. In fact, this New York-style pizza is downright excellent. Get the spinach and garlic pizza pie. You can thank me later.
Cafe Maharani. After growing up in New Jersey, where Indian restaurants abound almost as much as Starbucks, I gave up on finding a North Indian restaurant with actual flavor a long time ago. But at the prodding of an Indian food craving one day, I sucked it up and tried Maharani in Moilili. Who knew an Indian restaurant in Hawaii would so swiftly blow the ones in New Jersey out of the water? The ambiance is straight out of the motherland — thanks in part to the steel plates and chalice-like wine cups — and the food is superb. Major props to the chef for the papri chaat and tandoori chicken, which just so happens to be the best chicken I’ve ever tasted.
Bogart’s. Breakfast/brunch is a very sacred thing to me. Some people fly right through it, but I absolutely love a big breakfast of pancakes, eggs, toast, jam, coffee, orange juice, the works and I love taking time out of my day to really enjoy it. Honolulu isn’t big on brunch, but you wouldn’t know it if you went to Bogart’s, located in Diamond Head. Fluffy pancakes, giant cups of coffee, beautiful acai bowls — it’s all delicious. Just know that the wait — made up of mostly locals — can be a bit heinous on weekends.
Kalapawi Market. Headed to Kailua or Lanikai Beach? Stop at Kalapawi to pick up some lunch to go. This small, neighborhood market offers a small, but fresh and tasty selection of made-to-order deli sandwiches and salads, along with all the usual grocery store needs. (I love a good jalapeno Kettle potato chip on the beach.)
Spices. Eating at this restaurant was a nice primer for us before we leave for Asia. They combine the cuisines of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia into some of the most flavorful food on the island. And its popularity has traveled largely by word of mouth. We heard about it from my cousin, and on his way back from a short trip home to Oklahoma, Eaman recommended Spices to a family sitting next to him on the plane. The next day, we ran into them there! Make sure to try the ice cream and sorbet, which come in crazy cool flavors like kaffir lime and lemongrass, chili pepper lemongrass, durian and banana cinnamon.
Buddha’s Delight noodle entree:
Kapiolani Community College (KCC) Farmers’ Market. I didn’t get to explore all of the markets on Oahu, but I don’t feel too bad about it because many say the KCC market is one of the best. Some of my favorites there are the mangoes, pineapples, asparagus and Vietnamese coffee. I do love the pesto pizza topped with Hawaii-grown tomatoes and mozzarella, and homemade pesto but have a hard time getting on board with its $7 per slice price tag. Jesus. That exorbitance should tell you something: This place is popular — both with locals and tourists. Go early. Like 7:30 a.m. early.
On our first visit, we found a woman selling exotic fruits like mangosteens and star apples. But each visit after, she was nowhere to be found. Bummer.
Doraku. I found it hard to believe that Honolulu’s best sushi was to be found in Waikiki, but lo and behold, my friends were right. Doraku, which also has locations in Miami and Malaysia, is a sleeker, more fancy alternative to some of the more hole-in-the-wall restaurants you’ll find outside Waikiki. But this time, you can judge this book by its cover. The sushi rolls are fresh and inventive, and the poke — a local Hawaiian dish similar to tuna ceviche — is out of this world.
Bubbies. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. The mochi ice cream is stuff dreams are made of, the names of the sundaes and cakes are wildly inappropriate, and the banana turtle ice cream — dotted with caramel-filled, turtle-shaped chocolates — rivals my passion for mint chocolate chip. Hands down, Bubbies‘ famous mochi ice cream is what I’ll miss most about Hawaii after our friends and the beaches. In fact, I’m eating one right now as I type this!
NIGHTLIFE
Honolulu is a city, but it’s a small one. That, paired with the fact that people here are more of the early to bed, early to rise-variety, means nightlife is far more low-key in Honolulu. Still, even with my lack of a nocturnal gene, two things came to mind when I thought about the best in nightlife: Art After Dark and 39 Hotel. (Not on the list is karaoke. It’s found in spades here, so go to the diviest spot downtown, and you’re guaranteed to have a good time.)
Art After Dark. This is my kind of nightlife. Held in the beautiful Honolulu Academy of Arts, this monthly art party takes place the last Friday each month with a different theme each time. It shows you a completely different side of Honolulu, one whose inhabitants indulge in designer bags and high heels, but what’s thankfully missing is the attitude that usually comes with such luxuries. People dress up in costumes to go with the theme, the weather is delightful and it all wraps up at 9 p.m. Like I said, my kind of nightlife.
39 Hotel. If you’re unlike me and like to stay up past 10 p.m., then you should head to this stylish bar, located downtown and a 20-ish-minute walk from Art After Dark. I love that they offer yummy virgin cocktails (in addition to real cocktails, of course) and a tapas menu that isn’t your average bar fare. Smoked serrano wrapped cantaloupe, anyone?
As we savor our last few weeks here, I’ve started to get all sad and mopey about leaving this paradise. Life is just.so.good here. But, though our time in Hawaii was short — just over three months — we did a heckuva lot on this tiny island called Oahu. It got me thinking about the best stuff I’ve done out here, and since Hawaii isn’t as nearly as far flung of a destination as some of the places on the rest of our itinerary, I thought I’d dedicate a post to some of my favorite things about life here for my friends and readers headed this way in the future. In this installment, we take a look at my favorite beaches and outdoor activities. (Note: I know there’s tons more to do on the island, but this is just a rundown of the best stuff that we got a chance to experience.)
THE BEACHES
Kailua. Famous for its powder white sand beaches, this stretch of pristine land located 15 minutes north of Waikiki is straight out of a postcard. If you want to do more than just lay on the beach — which is definitely not a bad choice — there’s stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing, which can be particularly good here thanks to its location on the windier part of the island. This is a great beach for families (especially because it has bathroom facilities), but word to the wise, it can get crowded on weekends. If you want a little more peace and quiet (and you’re OK with no bathrooms), try Lanikai Beach, another gorgeous beach located next door.
Ala Moana. Though it’s more in the thick of things than the other beaches on the list, this beach holds a special place in my heart because it’s where I discovered and fell in love with stand-up paddleboarding. For those not interested in SUP, it’s also a beautifully simple and close alternative to Waikiki Beach — just three miles away and a place where you can actually get space on the sand. The water is always calm and almost always glassy, making it a perfect spot for not just SUP-ing but swimming laps as well. It does get crowded with rows of tents and local families BBQing on weekends, but Ala Moana stretches pretty long, so it isn’t too hard to find privacy. But my absolute favorite aspect of this beach is the handful of turtles who occupy the waters. Each time I went SUP-ing, I would see at least three. I even saw one within arm’s length from me just 10 feet from the shore. Hawaii has changed me in a few ways, and one of them is my new-found love for turtles. They’re just so darn cute.
Waimanalo. Much of Lost was filmed here, and it’s easy to see why. This beach feels completely removed from stores, strip malls and cars. Tucked away on the east side of the island, Waimanalo opens up to mountains, turquoise water and plenty of sand to get your R&R on. It also happens to be a great beginners body surfing spot. Do it! It’s such a rush to feel like you’re flying through the air.
Waimea Bay. This legendary surf spot is located on the North Shore, and from December to February, you can watch world-class surfers do their thang out in the ocean. But any month of the year, it exudes the laid-back, aloha vibe that you expect from Hawaii. Do keep in mind that during those winter months, the waves, which break on the shoreline, can get mighty high.
Sandy Beach Park. Unless you’re a pro-body surfer, expect to be just a spectator at this spot, which is famous for the sport. Located 12 miles from Waikiki, this more local beach has some of the gnarliest waves for body surfers. If you’re debating whether or not to get in the water, keep in mind that many call it “Break Neck Beach.” Yup.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Hawaii Loa. There are tons of hikes to do on Oahu — Koko Head is a popular one — but after hiking our brains out in South America, Eaman and I opted to log more time on sandy beaches than in our hiking shoes. We did, however, hike the Hawaii Loa trail early one Saturday morning, and if you’re up for a difficult 3+ hour trek, please do this one. It’s randomly located within an uber-rich neighborhood, but once you get on the trail, you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. After winding up and down the lush green mountains, you get to the top, where, on a sunny day, you get a spectacular view of the island and on a cloudy day, you get up close and personal with some cumulus. But do bring your hiking shoes; there are points where the mud stairs have washed away and you need to scale the inclines with a rope.
Byodo-In Buddhist Temple. The main attraction at the Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe is this non-denominational temple, which was erected in 1968 to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the arrival of Hawaii’s first Japanese immigrants. There are fish ponds, black swans and a giant buddha for your viewing pleasure. Though the beach may be its own sort of sanctuary, this is the real deal.
Snorkeling at Three Tables Beach. Tourists snorkel at Hanauma Bay, and granted, Hanauma is beautiful and you sometimes see sea turtles (I saw three!), but it’s so incredibly crowded and the coral is so tall that it’s hard to swim around without roughing yourself up. To see the same type of fish in a much more interesting and natural setting, head to Three Tables Beach on the North Shore. It’s right next to Shark’s Cove, a touristy beach where people snorkel only because they think sharks are around. (Note: They aren’t.)
Save the Sea Turtles International. Visiting this sea turtle sanctuary — located not far from Three Tables Beach and Waimea Bay on the North Shore — was one of the highlights of my time in Hawaii. The turtles come seriously close to the shore to munch on food, and there are plenty of sightseeing folks on the beach to watch them bob up and out of the water. But if you bring your snorkel mask and tube like Eaman and I did, you can jump in the water and swim right next to them. (There’s a guard there to make sure you don’t get too close.) We swam next to almost a dozen GIANT turtles, many of whom were bigger and longer than me. The water was pretty murky (turtle poop?), so the turtles seemed to appear from out of nowhere. But they’re such gentle, elegant creatures, that it was nothing short of magical. Seriously, turtles are amazing.
Kaena Point. Getting to this most northwest point of the island involves a car, an hour-plus car ride to Mokuleia and a few-mile hike on the beach, but what you see at the end is well worth the effort. There are monk seals, seabirds and that wonderful feeling of being entirely, completely on your own with just the waves to keep you company.
And last but not least… the Makapu’U Lighthouse Trail. This easy, paved hike, which takes a mere 30 minutes each way, ends with a breathtaking, super blue view of the island. Simply stunning. Just look at these snaps from the top.
Tonight, I’m headed to the Big Island with a dozen friends for a camping trip until Monday. But next week? I’ll share with you my favorites from the restaurant and bar scene. We may be on an island, but the food here is a lot more exciting and varied than you’d think.
So, until then…enjoy the long weekend!
A peek at what’s been going on in our lives, both big and small, here in Hawaii…
Remember how I groaned about having not trying stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP) here? Well, Eaman found us a place that both rents and drives people to nearby Ala Moana Beach Park, one of the best spots for SUP if you don’t have a car. (It’s not a far walk, but those paddle boards are heavy and wide to carry.) I seriously love the the wonderful owners of this store, a husband and wife team, who even cut us a deal since we’ll be coming weekly to SUP. Just as Eaman has fallen for surfing, I’ve fallen for SUP. Being on the water isn’t just a low-impact but rigorous workout for the core and arms, it’s also my happy place — a place with no phone, camera or anyone else to talk to. It’s just me and my head. As runners say about their own sport, it’s very meditative.
A few weeks ago, Craig presented his thesis and walked out a P-H-D in marine biology. We celebrated with beer, cupcakes and dinner at Himalayan Kitchen. Oh, and he also just won an Emmy for his team’s camera work for the Ironman Triathlon. Very proud! And I’m now related to an Emmy winner.
Oh, just a gorgeous tree near Waikiki Beach.
Our friends hosted a Godfather viewing party/Italian feast recently — we only made it through the first movie before I began to pass out on the couch — and though no one else dressed up, Eaman and I drew upon our love for Halloween and made a trip to Goodwill for costumes. Eaman’s is pretty spot-on, but isn’t my outfit clever, Godfather fans? (All I could find was a unicorn for the horse’s head. I cut the horn…and the rest of its body. I can only imagine what the little girl next to us in the store was thinking when Eaman and I kept asking each other, “How would this look if we cut off its body?”)
Speaking of Eaman and me, we celebrated our six-year anniversary in April. Do you know the story of how we met? Well if you don’t, that’s another story for another time, but it’s hilarious and reveals me for the fool that I am. Anyway, for the occasion, we agreed on no gifts, but he still made me a wildly thoughtful gift and got me these beautiful heliconia flowers, which are native to the islands.
And this past week, my best friend from back home, Samira, came to stay with us and experience island life. We: snorkeled Hanuama Bay, checked out the dolphins and turtles at the Kahala Resort, hit up Art After Dark, hiked the not-for-the-faint Hawaii Loa hike, watched a bluegrass band play at an old lady’s home in Kaimuki (just as cool as it sounds), tried a local dish (poke! delicious!) and had cocktails at sunset. It was such a breath of fresh air to have someone here — besides Eaman — who knows me inside out. Plus, I love having visitors; it reminds you how fun your own city can be.
Also worth noting was an incredible massage I had today. (Pictures clearly not provided.) Stay with me here.
I finally got a chance to redeem a gift certificate I won at a yoga fundraiser auction, and on the surface it was the best massage I’ve ever had, one that ironed out so many of my back pains induced from standing on my feet all day at work. But there was more to this massage than a back rub. This massage was performed by a naturopathic doctor and yoga teacher who had such an amazing light and energy. Originally from Vietnam, she moved to Hawaii more than a decade ago after falling in love with the Aloha State. She’s completely enamored with what she does — healing bodies through yoga at a Honolulu studio and massages done in her Diamond Head Crater-facing apartment that lets in so much fresh air you’ll never go back to indoor massages — and she was such a wonderful reminder of just how happy you can be so long as you’re doing something you love. After the massage, I talked her ear off about our travels and found myself getting strangely emotional in the process. Meeting her came at just the right point — just when I was starting to lose focus. She also recommended I read what appears to be an all-too-perfect book for me at this point in our journey. I’m really not trying to sound like a born-again, but I left that massage feeling like a new person — so refreshed, happy and energized for what’s ahead.
One month until Hong Kong. Let’s make it a good one.
During the glorious three consecutive days off around my birthday, Eaman and I spent one full day on the road, checking out life on the island beyond Honolulu, which also gave us an opportunity to use Eaman’s cool new camera lens. Craig, master of road trips, put together a nice itinerary for us, and our friend, Doug, generously lent us his car for some Friday fun. We had actually considered jetting to Kauai for those three days, but in an effort to save money, we decided that it’ll be more fun to leave Oahu, able to say we really knew the island. (Besides, we’re headed to the Big Island over Memorial Day Weekend for a big camping trip, so at least we’ll have gone to one other island.)
Here, a little map of our eight-hour trip with stars marking the stops:
First stop: the Pali lookout off the Pali Highway.
Second stop: Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe. Nestled in the back of a spacious cemetery is the non-denominational Buddhist temple Byodo-In. It’s breathtaking. We felt so at peace, like we were witnessing something really special — and it got us very, very excited for South East Asia.
Our next stop was a close-up view of Mokolii, better known as Chinaman’s Hat, an island named because it’s in the shape of…you guessed it. The sky was a bit gloomy at this point, but it was a nice deserted spot to munch on our peanut butter sandwiches.
Our next stop wasn’t planned, which is precisely the point of road trips. We whizzed past it and quickly turned back around once we saw clear water. This beach had such a lovely, carefree vibe. I don’t think anyone was even in the water; it just happened to be the backyard for a few (lucky) people. And I just loved that green beach house.
We then headed to Waimea Bay on the North Shore since Eaman still hadn’t seen that area. (I had previously gone while he was in Oklahoma, remember?) But no getting in the water for us; the huge waves break ridiculously close to the shore.
Finally, we made it to Kaena Point. It’s the most northwest edge of the island, and besides seeing rows upon rows of patient fisherman, Craig had told us to park the car and walk the long walk to the very, very tip of the island to see some monk seals and nesting seabirds. Well, since we hit the road a bit later — noon to be exact — than Craig had suggested, we got to Kaena Point only around 6:15 p.m. The sun was setting, my phone and its all-important GPS was dying and that walk was mighty long. We walked and walked, though not all the way out, so no monk seals for us. But Kaena was still my favorite part of the road trip.
So spectacular, it gave me goosebumps.
I think one detrimental side effect of our online personas — whether they be on Facebook, Twitter or blogs like this one here — is that they set you up for failure — failure to achieve a life that can seem completely unattainable. (Understatement of the century, I know.) Everyone seems happy, rich, social, fashionable and accomplished online. You may think that my life is grand because I’m traveling all over the world, have a happy and healthy relationship and am pursuing my dream. Well, you’re right and life is pretty grand. But, not all the time. I’m human and am subject to mood swings, negative thoughts and the same worry-filled self-reflections that anyone, anywhere faces. And so here, my most recent “real” moment. (Apologies if it’s a bit all over the place, but if you created an infographic of Thoughts in Archana’s Head at the Moment, it’d look pretty all over the place, too.)
If you’ve been reading this blog, you also know that I have a problem with dwelling on the negative when life stands still. It’s usually only when I’m on the go that I feel like I’m truly living. (It’s a good and bad thing sprung from my NYC years.) Well, now that we’re living in Honolulu and life is somewhat routine, the nagging Type A-derived demon — who last visited when we were living in Buenos Aires — is back. Yet again, I find myself looking forward — not living in the moment — and focusing on what I don’t have instead of what I do.
I know I mentioned in this post about our six-month travel-versary that I still don’t know what I want to do in life but, as advised by my friends, I should take this time to dabble. Dabble in writing. Dabble in cooking. Dabble in the outdoors. Dabble in dabbling? I think the reason I’ve been fretting as of late is that I’ve come to a realization: I don’t dabble. I usually know what I want and I go for it.
I have more varied goals here while traveling and specifically in Hawaii. I’m supposed to be practicing my Farsi, but I’m lazy. I’m supposed to be doing yoga every day, but I complain that I’m tired from work. I was supposed to already have tried paddle boarding, yet somehow, I haven’t even tried it in the two months we’ve been here. I feel lukewarm about all these things and what I now realize is that I miss being passionate about that One Thing.
Hidden within these mini goals was an effort to unlock some hidden passion, the thing that makes me tick. It used to be the dog-eat-dog magazine world, but now the road is a lot less clear. I hear the way my cousin, Pratt, talks about yoga and I, too, want to find something so monumental and influential in my life. The problem isn’t that I’ve lost that drive to find it; it’s that I haven’t found that “something” that turns the wheels and I’m, in turn, blaming myself for not finding it soon enough.
But I’m fooling myself into thinking that I’m supposed to be seeing some tangible return — in this case a life and career path — after six months of traveling.
And I’m not alone in this emotional roadblock. I was explaining my internal conflict to Eaman a few days ago and as soon as I articulated that it was the goal that was lost, not the drive, he realized that we’re going through the exact same thing. Like I so fervently pursued my magazine job, he, too, went after an investment banking job with equal gusto. Since then, he hasn’t chased anything with such excitement. In the last few weeks, we had both been going through some sort of mental struggle that neither of us could put a finger on, but in that moment, we realized just how similar (more so) we really are.
Either way, it’s put a damper on the last couple of weeks — minus those wonderful birthday-celebrating days — and when I finally vented about it to one of my best friends, Suchit, he explained, so well that we — as well-educated children of immigrants — are hard-wired to achieve, achieve, achieve. It’s hard to step back and let your life unfold organically and, in the process, reveal that light-bulb moment. And even before I left to travel in September, I rattled off a list of goals to accomplish while traveling to my other best friend, Avni, and her response was: “Yeah, or you could also just have a great time.”
I know what you’re probably thinking: Geez, just let loose! Enjoy the moment, and you’ll figure it out later. True, but try telling that to yourself when you’re bummed out. It’s a lot easier to give advice than it is to take it. So for my part, I’m trying to remember all these wise words, but of course, letting it all out on the blog is its own kind of therapy. Thanks for indulging and pardon this reflective interruption.
Happier posts ahead — we have news!
Yesterday, I received some tragic news about a member of my extended family. It was a sobering moment, during which I thought to myself, a post about all the fun and frivolity of my 27th birthday now seems so insignificant. But during a long drive home from our road trip — post on that coming up — I thought about how lucky I am to be living this life. So though I know there are things in life more important than birthday cake, I also know that lives are meant to be cherished. And this particular birthday reinforced just how lucky I am to have special people in my life.
I used to be the girl that sent out her own Evite — remember those? — about celebrating her birthday at some raging Chicago club. Well, gone are those days. It’s a feat to even get me into a club now. These days, I’d much rather spend time with my closest friends over a delicious meal and call it a day.
But I also had a light bulb moment when I realized: I understand celebrating special moments like a wedding or graduation, but why celebrate the day I was born? What kind of accomplishment is that? So I didn’t want to make a big deal of my birthday this year. I mean, I’m living in Hawaii, isn’t that a birthday celebration in and of itself?
Apparently, Eaman had other ideas.
Unbeknownst to me, with help from Pratt and Craig, he had been planning a surprise birthday party for me since mid-March. They hatched a plan to get me ready for an ordinary day at the beach last Saturday, but when we stopped at Pratt’s apartment for a hot second, I got my extraordinary surprise!
I knew Eaman was up to something because he had been texting incessantly as of late — and he hates, I mean, hates texting. But I figured it’d happen this weekend, just a couple days after my actual birthday. I was so caught off guard that when I saw the above “happy birthday” sign hanging in Pratt and Craig’s living room, I even remarked, “Did you guys have a birthday party here recently or something?”
Sharp, I am not.
The surprise involved mango cake (yum!), cookies, a lei, a sick new surf hat c/o Pratt and Craig and tubing out to Popoia a.k.a. Flat Island. We pumped air into nearly a dozen tubes and drove out to Kailua, where we then floated with ease paddled intensely with flip-flops in our hands to get to the limestone rock island.
Thanks to Naomi, who snapped some pictures while we were out on the water:
Eaman and me:
Doug’s a trooper and took the awkward-size pirate ship tube that I was supposed to ride:
Once we got to Flat Island, we walked around to this natural pool, where we drank beer and shivered — it was cloudy and chilly!
Once we got back to Honolulu, we BBQed at P&C’s apartment complex, which was the perfect end to such an outdoorsy day. There are few things finer in life than a nicely charred hot dog eaten in the sea-salted air. All in all though, I was so deeply touched that all these people went out of their way to plan and be a part of a fun day in my name. I’ve planned a few surprises for my friends, and I love that rush of the intrigue and sneaking around, but I also thought to myself, “All this for moi?” It was just so nice. Again, I’m a very lucky girl.
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For my actual birthday this past Thursday, I was off from work after a string of 6am shifts, so I told Eaman I just wanted to CHILL. That meant brunch at Sweet E’s Cafe…
… beach time at Kaimana…
…pizza at J.J. Dolan’s (awesome pizza can be found in Honolulu!)…
(note the “Joisey, City, NJ” sign)
…and ice cream at Bubbies. Mochi ice cream here:
and brownie a la mode here because I don’t think I’ve had a birthday in the last 7 years where I haven’t had this dessert.
The menu at Bubbies:
But perhaps the greatest gift of my birthday was that the public buses we took to get around — to Sweet’s E’s, the beach, pizza and ice cream — were on time. If you’ve used Honolulu’s public transit system, then you know how nightmarishly late the buses can be. (We once waited 50 minutes!!!!) I feel like I’ve chilled out quite a bit since traveling, but these buses bring out my New York City rage. Anger, dirty looks and lots of cursing.
And yet, we were shocked to catch one bus after another — even in the dicey nighttime hour — on time. So thank you TheBus, for making this journey into year 27 oh so smooth.
I’ve been working at the smoothie shop — which shall remain nameless on this blog just so I can rant and rave as I please and remain less Google-able — for just over a month now, and in my time there, I’ve realized some things about this job that are best reflected by a pro-con list.
Pros: Being around fresh, mostly local and often organic food; sampling the extras of any smoothies, juices or bowls (thick smoothies with toppings eaten with a spoon); talking to friendly locals while I’m at the register; the non-desk-job factor; certain weekdays off; strong(er) biceps with all the heavy lifting and manual labor
Smoothie girl with some specific blur-outs to maintain my anonymity. Also, my hair is definitely not usually that nicely coiffed and shiny; I had just gotten a haircut.
Cons: Aforementioned manual labor; days when I have to open the shop at 6:30 a.m.; getting only 20% off menu items and not a free smoothie per day, as I had expected; irregular work schedules that change week to week and require me to work one day of the weekend; closing the store and dealing with the mopping
So what exactly do I do, you ask? Well, my duties range from working the cash register and restocking fruit, yogurt and other ingredients to adding people to our loyalty rewards program on our computer, and, oh yeah, making smoothies, juices and bowls. I actually feel like that’s the order of tasks from most to least frequent, for me anyway.
Like any customer service-style establishment, speed is a premium, so the shop likes to have the quickest people in the back making the drinks. Since I am completely hopeless when it comes to memorization — there’s a reason I sucked at chemistry and did not become a doctor — I couldn’t remember the down-to-a-science, super specific smoothie recipes and was thus, pretty damn slow. To motivate their employees to memorize said recipes, the managers require you to pass a “smoothie test” before you’re privy to the tip jar. (People tip very well at this shop.) I just passed my test, so…go me!
But more often than not, you’ll find me at the register. I suppose I can take it as a compliment, that the managers like my super smiley, hyper chit-chatty personality. But at the same time, there aren’t many other options since two other (Mexican) employees have pretty thick accents. And how in the world am I supposed to remember my smoothies if I’m never making any?
Eaman stopped in for a juice and snapped this with my phone, hence the grainy quality:
On the upside, being at the register has me interacting with some pretty cool people, including Lost and Hawaii Five-0 star Daniel Dae Kim. I actually never cared for Lost, but still. (Apparently fellow Hawaii Five-0 star Alex O’Loughlin phones in orders often. Too busy to come in person, I see! Also, the local newscaster has come in a hat and sunglasses as to not draw attention to herself. Lady, I don’t think anyone cares.)
As far as my other employees go, half are youngins in college and the other half are moms. One co-worker is absolutely infuriating and constantly corrects others to do things her way. She’s on a serious power trip and likes to think she owns the shop. (She does not.)
I waver between liking this fun, fairly simple job that I know is temporary — and hating that I don’t really care about it, hating that one co-worker and hating really disliking how it’s turned life into a routine. I come home tired from work with aching feet and legs that’ve stood all day and then it’s virtually impossible to motivate myself to go out. I know I appreciate my days off a lot more than if I was just chilling here unemployed, but sometimes it’s like pulling teeth to get ready for work. You’d think it’s the kind of job where you can zone out and just push “pulse” on the blender, but there’s an emphasis to always be doing something — whether it’s refilling the whey protein or wiping down the tables — so I always feel nervous that I’m not doing enough. And because I’m still learning, I’m probably doing it wrong.
In the long term, I now know just how hard working in the food/restaurant industry is and will probably think a lot harder about whether opening a bakery or brunch spot — which was always a vague daydream — is really for me. But for now, it pays the bills.
There have been fleeting moments when I think I’m crazy for working at this job after going to such a great university and having such great work experience. But I will say, much like an internship where all you do is fax documents and Xerox documents, this is the kind of job where you build on your basics and learn practical skills. And much like living in New York, I think this is the kind of job everyone should experience at least once. The kind of skills you learn here, like the ways of customer service or even how to work a cash register, round you out as a person if all you know is how to work from behind a computer at a desk.
Perhaps more than anything, though, this job has taught me how to be a better consumer. And there are five specific rules I hope to carry on with me:
1. I will be patient with my waiter/server/shop girl, especially if he/she can’t hear me. You wouldn’t believe the number of dirty looks I get from people when I apologize and ask them for the second or third time how to spell their last name so I can find them in our loyalty program to give them points. Excuse me if we happen to have machines that BREAK DOWN ICE blaring in the background.
2. I will not hand over crumpled up bills. No, no, I really enjoy unfolding your wet-from-the-beach $1 bills while a line of customers wait.
3. I will try to make as few changes to my order as possible. “Can I get an acai bowl, but instead of the apple juice, can I get coconut milk? And no strawberries mixed in…or on top. Can you replace that with half a portion of papaya and a half a proportion of mango? And can I get an energy supplement mixed into that? And a peanut butter scoop on top, but not too much.” “Oh wait, I’m allergic to coconut milk. Let’s go back to the apple juice.” Yeah, that really happens.
4. I will try my hardest not to go to an establishment as they’re closing. It’s soul-crushing to see someone stroll in at 7:55 p.m. when your store closes at 8 p.m. It’s not like we go home at 8 p.m.; we have to stay and clean! If someone comes in that late, it just means there’s even more time before my feet get a break. I know, I know. You have a right to come in if the sign says open. But it’s just common courtesy.
5. I will not talk on my cell phone whilst ordering. Rude!