Driving away from the airport finally on the island
Made it to the hotel
Going for a walk around Waikiki
I am from Hawaii, so when I get the opportunity to go back home, it makes me feel good. I used to go home every summer; however, with school and sports, I have not returned in a few years. Vacations are ways to escape and enjoy life outside of everything. I am so glad I can call Hawaii my second home.
To-Do list made
ParasailingSnorkelingSwimming with sharksTry a new restaurant! Go to the volcano
Hawaii To-Do List
The most stressful thing about vacation is figuring out what to pack. I struggle with overpacking because I am indecisive and believe I would want to change my outfit once I get there. Once the packing is over, it is usually a smooth sail from there. Getting ready to leave the house is one of the most exciting parts because you know you will not be home for at least a week having fun.
Parasailing
The best time to go to Hawaii is early in the morning. It is about an eight hour flight. Flying in the morning allows you to sleep for most of the flight!
Snorkeling
Being early or on time to the airport is crucial because they either like to board early or are delayed. Sitting there waiting, already super tired, can already be exhausting. At this point, I start feeling super anxious because I am so excited to get on the plane and takeoff.
Swimming with sharks
At this point, I am sitting on the plane, mentally preparing myself for an eight-hour flight, hoping I get to sleep for most of it. This is the last part of the trip before I reach the final destination.
Try a new restaurant
A warm welcome when you land in Hawaii! To me, this is one of the warmest welcomes anyone could get. For myself, I know when I see this, I feel welcomed and like I belong here. It makes me feel ecstatic about what the following week has in store.
Go to the Volcano
The lanes on the streets are narrow and close to each other. When driving in a big place, I tend to get scared just because I do not know how fast and crazy some people can drive. Therefore, I must be careful when driving and not be distracted by the beautiful scenery.
Having to say goodbye
After driving from the airport, we finally got to the hotel. At this point, we are all tired from the time change but are also so excited to be here finally. The time difference is 4 hours from mountain time.
Flying back home
Waikiki is home to where tourists like to travel to. Walking around allowed us to see things we wanted to do and try during our stay here. The best idea we did was to make a to-do list of the things we wanted to do or foods to try.
Arrived back at home
Having a to-do list helped us have our days planned out. It made our trip more organized. Over the next week, we were able to complete our to-do list. Seeing all the activities laid out in front of us was exciting because it allowed us to have things to look forward to.
This was my first time parasailing ever. It was an incredible experience. The view from up there was outstanding. The captain even dunked us in the water, and then we returned to the sky. I am not afraid of heights, so I enjoyed this activity. Parasailing gave me a thrill feeling that I had never felt before.
I enjoyed snorkeling because you get to see the life underwater. It is one of my favorite activities to do. It is so beautiful—the colors of the coral, the fish, the turtles, etc. I know the ocean can be scary, but it is so beautiful once you see it yourself from this perspective.
My mom and I were not huge fans of swimming with sharks; however, my sister was. She was not as scared as I was. Kudos to her because I do not like sharks in that sense. At that moment, I started to feel panicked because sharks are a scary species; however, being able to experience it and say I have swam with sharks is pretty cool.
I am not a picky eater, so I enjoy trying new things. I love Asian food, so Hawaii is the perfect place to find various foods to try. In Hawaii, there is a restaurant just for anyone to try. My personal favorites are spam musibis or kalua pork. Having food from back home is always an enjoyable feeling because I grew up eating this food. Having food like this is normal whereas In New Mexico, some might find it odd to eat that kind of cuisine.
One of my coolest experiences was seeing a volcano erupting underwater. We were taken on a boat to the middle of the ocean and saw the lava flowing into the water. The workers even scooped up water for us to feel; sure enough, it was pretty hot. I was initially scared to feel the water, but it was not bad. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I was super happy that I decided to do it with my family.
The saddest part about saying bye to the island is thinking about all the memories that were just made, which includes all the activities and all the pictures taken.
Having to fly over the island and see how beautiful it is, is really sad. New Mexico has no beaches and is dry, so being able to be on an island where it is paradise is peaceful. Leaving the peacefulness is sad, but it is time to go home.
Arriving back at home is bittersweet but a good thing. Memories were made, and growth was made. Being on the island, I always learned about respect. Respect is an important topic for Hawaii since so many tourists visit there. It is essential to have respect everywhere on the island because of the culture and meaning behind everything. Coming back home from Hawaii, I always feel refreshed and it feels like a start to a new chapter.