The last eighteen days we have spent with aloha bathing us in blissful Hawaiian flashes of paradise. We have journeyed to places where perfection merges with nirvana; compelling ourselves to let go and allow the pounding surf to carry away our worries. For me, my guard was brought down, enabling others to share their own adventures. Our taste buds exploded with a vibrant array of flavours and our skin was drenched by
one of four elements composing the universe. The delicious tropical showers infused with Plumeria evoked serenity. Likewise, the laughter shared with those we came to know at the Seaside Hawaiian Hostel, brought us closer together through a diversity of cultures. I stood before an active glowing volcano, saw two Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles, was moved to tears at Pearl Harbor, joked with a retired military man, got caught wearing white in a rainstorm and so much more. We have been entertained, amused and indulged by a variety of activities and experiences. Spending quality time together under the Hawaiian sun was a brilliant way to recharge ourselves. Floating on the turquoise salty ocean, I would gaze up and see the Palm trees reaching out to touch the passing clouds. As my ears filled with water, blocking out the world, I would reconnect with mother nature and simply live in the moment. The eclectic shops I encountered were nothing that I have known before. I now have amassed enough postcards to decorate the seawall back in Vancouver. This trip has made me passionate about turtles, so no more collecting dragonfly items. If I could have a bed shaped out of wood and a round mattress placed in it to replicate a turtle I'd be sleeping in it right now. Their beauty and grace struck me deeply as I related to their struggle to survive in a world that can be harsh. As we walked amongst Mindano Gum, Indian Banyan, and Monkey pod trees, admiration for these towering displays of magnificent grew with each one stirring a sense of wonderment. During our trip, we held Kona Coffee berries in our hands and I gently shook the Shampoo Ginger to release its natural heavenly scent. We travelled by bus to places that seemed to be the tip of the world and were treated to savory food cooked by a a young Russian man named Alex. Being in a Hostel you meet people travelling from all over; each one has an interesting story of their own. Some you only know by first name, while others become instant friends. A beautiful young woman named Wing, was one of those people you had hoped to have more time to spend with. Her smile and fantastic sense of wit made it a pleasure to chat with her. We were happy to find out she too resides in Canada and I have promised to keep in touch. Richard who helps manage the hostel was always kind to us and offered many terrific suggestions on places to go and see. As I got to know him, I found out he has daughters of his own. He even is referred to as 'Hawaiian Dad' to some people. I enjoyed sharing in a good laugh with him and I appreciated the time he took for us. Two people that seemed to have an amazing chemistry were Sam and Natalie. One evening, upon seeing him trying to teach Natalie how to play the guitar, we both commented on the brilliance of the moment shared between them. That is the big difference between staying at a resort or at a hostel; in a private room locked off from the outside world, people tend to do just that...shut themselves away and never meet anyone. At our hostel, I came to know Christie, Joshua ( who I have to admit was one of my favorite on staff) and of course Alex. To be drawn into their world, if only for a little while brought me joy. This whirlwind vacation has been far beyond my expectations...so much more that when I depart from this paradise, a part of me will be in all of the spectacular discoveries I made along the way. I have one last posting before I bid Ma halo to all of those who came with me on this magical experience and took the time to 'follow' me as I shared in our adventures. To those we met, I am a better person for knowing you and as I scrapbook our trip to Oahu, you will become imprinted memories on the pages suspended in Hawaiian time.
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