A-lo-ha!

There are times in my life that I feel like I must be doing something right. These moments are few and far between, but have been a bit more prevalent as of late, or it could just be that I'm finally paying attention. One of the events that has helped me stop and take notice was my recent trip to Hawai'i. Make that my two recent trips to Hawai'i.

My best friend and I began a great tradition last year of taking our vacations together and going somewhere neither of us has ever been. Last year we did a tour of France and then a quick trip to London and this year we chose Hawai'i! We began our trip on The Big Island in Kona. We tried to do all we could do and with the aide of a rental car, covered quite a lot of ground in just a few days. We were able to zip line on the west side of the island under a canopy of gorgeous trees with a beautiful blue sky that seemlessly blended into the ocean. By the time that was over, we felt ready to zip across the whole island! We left the compound and went for a hike down to the most beautiful black sand beach I'd ever seen (granted it was the only one up to this point, but still - it was breathtaking!). We watched the sun go down and then began our hike back up the to the road just as the sun set below the horizon.

On another day, we left our hotel at the insane hour of 4:00 AM and drove to the eastern side of the island to Hilo where we had a date with a helicopter. We took off just as the sun was making it's appearance. We hovered over a smoldering volcano, flew past the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut farm and company, and ended up parallel to flowing waterfalls. My dad flew in a helicopter earlier in the summer, but his trip was more out of necessity than entertainment. I definitely recommend my type of tour over his.

We also went sailing and snorkeling one day out to the Captain Cook Monument. Our guides were most informative; they both know the history of the island so well, we were unable to stump them with questions. Although looking back, how would we have known if they were knowledgeable or just good story tellers? Regardless, it was a very memorable day. We rounded out that day with a trip to the only green sand beach in the world. It's quite a journey to get there, but one that is definitely worth it!

The traditional Hawaiian luau we attended proved to be worth every penny. The food was second to none (even the poi!) and the pina coladas served in coconut monkeys were most tasty. The band, the emcee, the dancers, the other tourists, the added accompaniment of the ocean, and the sunset backdrop all combined to create a sensory experience I long to enjoy again.

We then traveled to the island of O'ahu for a more traditional Hawaiian experience. Here we were just a hop, skip and a jump away from the ocean and centrally located in the heart of Waikiki. We were surprised by how different this island was from the first. The Big Island is much more rural whereas O'ahu, and particularly Waikiki, is more geared to providing all the conveniences of home (especially if home is Rodeo Drive). The main thoroughfare is lined with hotels, shops and restaurants to fill your every wish and that cater to every budget.

My most memorable experience of this trip was our visit to Pearl Harbor. Not only is the monument so moving it renders it's guests speechless, the spirit of the place is unlike any I've encountered. There are videos depicting the bombing, images posted around the grounds with stories of lives lost and undetered spirit of the American servicemen and women, museums in the form of battleships and submarines, and of course gift shops. Betsy and I happened to be lucky enough to meet and speak with a few survivors of that fateful day. I have never been so charmed and moved.

Since we enjoyed our snorkeling experience so much the first time, we decided to rent gear and go again on our own. This time we went to Hanauma Bay where royalty used to go to play and is now a marine life conservation area. Although we still enjoyed this new location, the water was not as clear, and was much more frigid than that off the coast of the Big Island, so we spent a little more time on the beach. That evening we met my friend Ryan and some of his buddies at a night club. I hadn't seen Ryan in almost 2 years, so it was a great treat that he happened to be in the neighborhood.

We spent our last morning just touring the area on foot. We were able to locate a fabulous 'donut' place called Leonard's where we feasted like queens on their delectable malasadas. We make a quick trip by the zoo, then headed to the aquarium before eventually making our way to the airport and home to Texas.

Just 3 short months later, I was sent back to Waikiki for work of all things! This time, I had on my agenda things that I was unable to do on my first go round. I was also able to just hang out on the beach more which is one of my guilty pleasures.

In addition to exploring downtown Honolulu, hiking Diamond Head Crater, touring the Dole Plantation, checking out the waves on the North Shore, and enjoying some incredible shaved ice, I also happened to luck out by getting to spend the day with a friend of mine from the Army. She and her family relocated to Trippler a year ago, and she has been living it up on the beach ever since! It was so nice to reconnect after the almost 8 years of time apart. Funny how with true friends time just doesn't matter. Not only was seeing her and meeting her precious children a treat, she took me to her secret lagoon were I was finally able to swim with sea turtles! I hadn't mentioned my quest before, but with each day, I was filled with the hope and desire of simply seeing a turtle, so for Ariel to make that dream a reality and more, I was one happy girl!

O Canada....

I recently made my first out of the country work trip and my first trip to visit our neighbors to the north. I was sent to Tisdale, Saskatchewan for one week of support for a new hotel. Never heard of Tisdale, SK? Me either, that is of course I until I went. With a population of about 3,000 and nicknames such as 'Doghide' and 'Land of Rape and Honey', this was not my ideal location. To clarify, 'Rape' is this instance is short for rapeseed. I don't know what that is, but I think they should change their nickname all the same. The area is mostly agricultural with only one (blinking) red light in the whole town.

My hotel was a beautiful property, but I foolishly asked how they could survive out here in the middle of nowhere. Turns out, a lot of people frequent this tiny town! I had the opportunity to drive around and check out the competition, and trust me, it was no competition! I enjoyed when people asked me what I was doing in town (somehow they discovered I wasn't a local) because it gave me the opportunity to talk about this new gem.

I worked the evening shift each day with the exception of the first, so on that night I decided to catch a flick at the local theater. There was only one movie, Despicable Me, and it was "so fluffy!!" Sorry, that's only funny if you've seen the film. It was very entertaining :0) The movie was $8.00 irregardless of currency, and they paid you back in CAD without calculating the exchange rate. I'm pretty sure I lost money on the deal. I was too scared to find out how much the popcorn would be!

One morning I took off in my workout gear for a walk around town. I was met by brisk temperatures and curious looks, so I quickly stepped into one of the local retailers and purchased a jacket. The walk from one end of town to the other took about 25 minutes (including my stop), so I explored the neighborhood (yep, it's all the same) on my way back to get in a full hour.

On my last morning, I drove over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Police Station. I'd never met royalty, so decided this would be the day! I sauntered up to the door, camera in hand, rang the bell, and waited. It took a good 3 or 4 minutes for someone to answer the door, but when he did, I put on my best southern drawl and asked if I could have a picture taken with an officer. My wish was that he'd be dressed up as Dudley Do Right and have Horse nearby and be as infatuated with me as Dudley was with Nell Fenwick, but it was not to be. Scott (the officer) was dressed just as the police officers in the states in his dark trousers and light shirt covered by his bullet proof vest. He didn't have on a red shirt or a 'brown round'. There were no horses in sight and I have a hard time believing he is a royal. He was, however, very nice and willing to pose in a picture with me before heading out to keep the streets of Tisdale safe.

But wait! There's more! So I get to the airport (2.5 hours away) and while I'm making my way through security, they stop me for everything under the sun. Now, if I were an inexperienced traveler out of the country for the first time, I might understand how I could possibly get confused with what I could and could not take with me in my carry-on luggage. I, however, am not an inexperienced traveler; I have the pictures, blog, miles and luggage to prove it! Imagine my displeasure when I'm told that I can't board with my mascara (apparently it's a liquid) nor can I board with my adorable new cuticle sissors (you could poke your eye out with the unpointy 1/2 inch sissor). To make matters worse, we are delayed in our departure. Upon arrival to the US, I get to make a stop at Customs because I picked up an apple at breakfast, but didn't consume it in Canada. Luckily apples are 'in season', so I didn't have too hard of a time getting thru. The upside to this debacle is that when I arrive in Minneapolis for my connection, I see this friendly face . I haven't seen or spoken to Bradly in many years, but on this day we chatted for darn near 30 minutes while waiting to board our flight home. It was really nice to see him (duh!) and also really nice to talk to someone who has a lifestyle quite similar to mine.