Timotej Letonja: Why visit Hawaii?

WHY VISIT HAWAII?

author: Timotej Letonja, February 2014

Hawaii are islands in the Pacific and the last, 50th associated state of the United States of America. The biggest of Hawaiian islands is the Big Island. Hawaii consist of eight larger and 23 smaller islands. Together with my sister Jana, we decided in 2012 to travel somewhere. We were thinking hard about our destination, and we both kind of knew we wanted to go somewhere in the USA. After only a few short minutes, we knew the answer, and the answer was Hawaii. From that decision we had a whole project going on, because going to Hawaii isn't just a trip, it is a dream trip of a lifetime. You get to experience a place, not many get to see in their lives.

21 August 2012

In the early morning hours we had a ride to the Budapest International airport, from where we flew through London and Los Angeles to the beautiful island of Oahu, where we landed in the evening hours. Of course we weren't too tired after that long trip, so we decided to take a walk around Waikiki. Immediately we felt that we were in a completely different climate, culture and feelings were undescribable.

22 August2012

On the next day we visited the gorgeous Honolulu Zoo in the midst of Waikiki. Logically, we couldn't pass all the shops on the streets of Waikiki without stepping inside them. We also visited our favourite Starbucks and other Hawaiian restaurants and bars. That evening we decided to book ourselves a dinner at the world known Hard Rock Cafe.

23 August 2012

Third day was shopping day. We walked to Ala Moana Shopping Center, a short distance from Waikiki, where you get lost in all the stores, from high fashion ones like prada to America's most popular ones like Abercrombie & Fitch. Besides that they have local Hawaiian stores. Because shopping can really make you tired, we rewarded ourselves with traditional Hawaiian cocktails at a bar inside the shopping mall. Prior to walk into the shopping center we also walked around Ala Moana Beach Park, which is right near the harbor.

24 August 2012

On this day we were feeling like doing just nothing, so we went to Starbucks for a breakfast, then decided to spend a day on the beach. Let me tell you, the weather in Hawaii is so hot, the best way to spend your days in near the ocean, frolicking in the waves. Waikiki beach is always full of tourists, surfers and their famous turtles that swim only a few meters away from you.

25 August 2012

Fifth day was a day filled with history. We took a bus and drove to Pearl Harbor Memorial, where the 2nd World War began for America on the famous 7 December in 1941. They show the tourists a short film about what happend on that horiffic day, then they take you by a boat to USS Arizona Memorial, which is built in the middle of the harbor over the sunken ship Arizona. There you can still see parts of the ship peeking out of the water. The most interesting thing though, most of the tourists in Pearl Harbor are Japanese. After our visit to Pearl Harbor we stopped in Honolulu downtown, where we visited the port near Aloha tower, then walked to see Iolani Palace and King Kamehameha statue.

26 August 2012

This was the day we both most looked forward to. We took a bus to Sea Life Park, where we both swam with dolhins. More specifically, my sister swam with a wholphin and I with her daughter. A wholphin is half dolphin and half fake killer whale, and she is the only one in the world, at least known of (there are no information of other wholphins, that are living in the wild). This is an experience I will never forget.

27 August 2012

We came to Oahu with a reason, to see the whole island, that's why we rented a car and took it for a 3 day drive around the island. On this not so sunny day we drove up to the North Shore, mostly known for its surfing competitions in the winter. First we visited Waimea Valley, known for its beautiful nature. At the end of the trail there is a beautiful waterfall, where you can cool yoursel off. Then we continued our trip towards the beaches. We stopped at Sunset Beach, which is one of the surf beaches, Turtle Bay Resort and also Waimea Bay. While we were enjoying in the perfect blue waters of the ocean, the rain began to pour. We grabbed our stuff and ran to our car. Needless to say, we were completely soaked. but in Hawaii, the rain stops in few minutes, so it didn't destroy our day. When in North Shore you have to stop in Haleiwa for shave ice, shaved ice, which is topped with different flavoured syrups. Very refreshing.

28 August 2012

Another day we used for a trip, this time to the Windward coast of Oahu. We visited Waimanalo Beach and Kailua Beach Park before we walked, barefoot, on top of a hill, named Pillboxes, where you get one of the most beautiful views of the Windward coast. Why barefoot you might ask. Well, we weren't thinking about that when we left our hotel in the morning, and you kind of couldn't walk up that hill in your flip flops. After that is was time for visiting Lanikai Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches, where we also got to witness a real wedding photo shoot.

2 August 2012

On the last day we had our rent-a-car we drove to Diamond Head trail, where we walked quite a trail to a place, where you forget how difficult it is to walk a trail like that in such a heat, as soon as you reach the top and see the view. From Diamond Head you see whole Waikiki, and it's breathtaking. Later we stopped at Hanauma Bay and then drove to Ala Moana, for a little bit more shopping.

30 August 2012

After three days of driving around Oahu, we once again decided to park ourselves on Waikiki to soak up some sun and cool off in the Pacific.

31 August 2012

On this day we took a walk towards Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort, which is right near Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, a beautiful lagoon where you can swim and paddleboard. This is also a common location for the production of a popular TV show Hawaii Five-0, which we sadly didn't run into. Later that day we went down to the beach to see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. We finished our day by watching fireworks, held at Hilton, from the rooftoop of Trump Tower.

1 – 4 September2012

The last few days we dedicated to hang at the beach, enjoy the best cocktails at Sheraton Hotel, where you have a view at Diamond Head and Waikiki beach. Of, I almost forgot, we also decided to enjoy our hotel's rooftoop jacuzzi, which luckily wasn't crowded so you had the whole jacuzzi to yourself.

5 September 2012

Sadly, everything nice comes to an end, and it was time to travel back home. It wasn't easy to say goodbye to Hawaii. The sun, the beach, palms, tropical weather, beautiful nature, great cuisine, even greater cocktails and everything. But all in all it was an unforgettable, great experience and I hope someday I get a chance to visit Hawaii again.