Hawaii - The Last Days of an Incredible Girls Trip

September 15

We are coming to the end of our trip! This was our last full day, and since yesterday was truly my day, so for today I agreed to do the Kuala Ranch Tour with Mom. She let me pick which tour but we both wanted to do the same one so it worked out well. I was really happy to get some good photo opportunities on this tour, and mom was just happy to finally do a guided tour. 

We learned a lot on our hour long truck ride into the mountain valley, with our informative driver being a great guide. We got into an open air truck and snagged the front spot, in my opinion the best for viewing. Mom was the reason we got those spots because per her request, we arrived earliest, therefore getting first pick. Mom also wanted the front because it was best to avoid the bumping from the uneven roads, and I was all in for the best viewing spot. Win win truly. 

We had a lovely tour. At our first stop, we learned about the different gods that watched over the island, learning about some traditions islanders had for that. We then made our way up the mountain and into the valley, seeing the most incredible nature and views from there. I literally couldn’t keep my camera down. We then also got to do a little hike which was a five minute walk up to a viewpoint. During the walk, I chatted with the guide about moving and living on the island, my ways of getting me more information for when I one day hope to make the some more over here. We finished the tour off by learning about the local plants and seeing famous movie sites. It was actually really cool and I’m glad that we did this while here, and with our condo being so close to the ranch as well.

Before we left, we did some shopping around, we also stared at the long list of famous people that have visited this ranch, either while on vacation or while working on a movie. This was a popular site for the Jurassic Park movies, or really any movie that has a scene in the jungle. The landscape was incredible in the mountains so I see why this is a frequented place for visitors and for movie sets.

We went back to the condo for lunch and to fill in the second half of our day, we thought we could go to Lanai or Turtle Beach. Because Turtle Beach was closer and one that we both wanted to see, we thought it best to cap our trip something we both loved, the beach. We packed up all we needed and went there for the afternoon. 

It was so nice there, definitely the wealthier spot on the island as we shared the beach with the Ritz Carlton, but we planted our umbrella in the ground, I went swimming and read, and we had a nice time there. It did start to rain for five minutes which really cleared out the beach, but with our umbrella, we were good. I saw the baby cloud in the sky and after being in Asia for three months during monsoon season, I can practically read the rain, therefore I knew this wasn't a storm that we should leave because. We outlasted it, mom grateful that I made us stay because it literally was only five minutes.

We ended up leaving a little while later, but right before our departure, it hit me. This was the last day I would be living next to the ocean. My last time going to the beach and swimming after a summer full of it. And not only that, I was so sad to say goodbye to the adventure I embarked on this summer. This moment truly felt like the finale of my travels. I wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, so I soaked in every ounce of blue in front of my eyes, the sound of each wave crashing in my ears, and the soft touch of the salt water running past my arms and legs. I mourned the end of my trip, but I also beamed at how fortunate I was to have the opportunity to go where I did and have the best time of my life while there. I am beyond lucky to have been on a beach in Hawaii, reflecting on the joys from the past three months, and the lifelong memories seared into my heart.

We stopped back at the condo to change for our night and make the most of it. We went to Sugar Mill again for dinner, Mom's burger place was closed so she got a chicken dish from another food truck there while I scoped out a Vietnamese place. I was so excited because they served tofu but unfortunately, I chose the day they were out of stick. They also didn’t have any of their Vietnamese food left so I got Panang Curry with veggies, and even after months of training my spice tolerance, this dish was literally so spicy, I couldn't taste much else besides that. I was 0/1 but optimistic that mom would like her meal, but sadly she didn’t love her chicken that she got either. So we were 0/2 on the night, food wise, but we would soon recover for it.

We didn’t go back home right after because since we left Turtle Beach a early to grab food since Mom was hungry, I made her agree that we would go to Pipeline to watch the surfers and sunset. We had an early dinner, and that bought us enough time to catch the sunset. We parked at Sunset Beach but weren't sure if it was worth walking the 20+ minutes to Pipeline, and while debating out loud, we were gladly interrupted by a lifeguard who told us there were currently no surfers at Pipeline, so we stayed at Sunset Beach and had a peaceful ending to our last full day in Hawaii. I was in shock I had to leave because I convinced myself this was my new home, but sadly, I guess not, well not yet.

September 16

Today, our official last day and travel day, we checked out of our condo in the morning and headed downtown to spend the rest of our day there before going to the airport. I can’t believe the day has finally come, the day that I return to mainland USA and will be back in Lakeville after traveling for over 100 days. That is crazy to think about. How I started this journey and now how I am ending it. I wonder if now knowing how well my trip went, would I still have been as nervous about traveling alone? I think every new undertaking has some nerves, a fear of the unknown, but I believe after this experience, I won’t feel that fear anymore for my next adventure. Now that solo travel is no longer an unknown to me, I feel a bit unstoppable. I am so proud of myself and the courage I mustered to do it, regardless if I'd be solo. With no one showing me the ropes but having to figure it out by myself. Always relying on me, and me alone to solve a problem or make a situation better for myself. I have grown so much and I am so so proud of the person I've become. The bravery and courage I have cultivated for myself, not only in travel but in all areas of my life, has been the biggest takeaway from this season of my life.

Back to our day, but surely not the last profound commentary I'll add in this blog. We packed up slowly and surely, that was one thing I wasn’t sad would be my last time doing. Packing. But probably the one I was most grateful for. We then got Hala cafe for breakfast, mom got her breakfast platter and I got a chia pudding and coffee. We went back to our condo, did a final walk through, and then checked out. We made our way to Honolulu, wanting to stay near the city so we would be close to the airport for when we caught our flight. It was raining a ton as we drove into the city, really ruining the hopes of doing something outdoor, so we thought that we would just chill at a cute cafe while we waited for the flight time to creep up. But, then the sun came out and I was much less tempted to spend this sunny afternoon in a cafe. We found parking near the cafe I was thinking about having us go to, but I wasn’t really that hungry yet and neither was mom, so we parked in a shopping mall on Waikiki and thought might as well see this place for ourselves. 

I did not know how boujee Waikiki was. Literally a strip mall of designer stores. We walked into Louis Vuitton and a staff literally followed us around. It got really hot outside and this stop was more for us to cool down than it was for any sort shopping. We walked quite aimlessly around Waikiki, unsure what to do or see. It was not the best combination with the beating sun, and soon we would have to formulate a plan.

We tried finding a lunch place because Mom was hungry, and it was hard finding a place with vegan options and indoor seating. We ended up at the Cheesecake Factory because it was the closest place with AC and food for Mom as she was starting to fall ill. We spent more time there than I was expecting, mainly to wait for mom to cool down and feel better. It was hard for me to be so close to the beach and not be there. While Mom took her time to recover, she let me slip away to see my favorite thing in the world, the ocean.

Little did I know how beautiful Waikiki Beach was. The walkway to the beach access was literally next to the restaurant and I saw the bright blue ocean in less than a minute. It was so incredible. Yes, it was packed with tourists, but the way the sun hit the water and the mountain filled the background, I was in awe. I loved it so much and I saw why this is such a desired place to visit. I stood there in my tennis shoes and long travel pants probably looking insane next to everyone in their swimsuit, but I was willing to do anything to even get a glimpse of that beauty. It truly made my day. 

I went back to check on mom, she was doing better and I tried to articulate the beauty of the beach and how I needed to spend the rest of my afternoon there if I was this close to such lovely nature. So, when mom wrapped it up at the Cheesecake Factory, she went to the mall to continue resting in cooler air, and I went back to the beach, finding a place to sit and stare. I teared up. It was my last day in Hawaii and after all my searching this summer, I found a place that looked like Boracay. When I was on that little Filipino island, I declared that a beach like that one would be what I’d keep my eye out for when it came to where I wanted to live. Just a couple weeks later, I found it. Here, in Honolulu, exactly where I thought it would be. I was beyond happy that we came to see this beach, and that I finished my trip with one of the most conclusive thoughts. I made a promise to myself while standing on the Waikiki sand that I would be back, and back for good. This, along with the rest of my summer, filled my soul with immense gratitude for my life. I am beyond lucky and grateful for the people and instances that have shaped me to be the person I am and the story that is my life. 

I met back up with mom, she was feeling better but that’s when I started to not feel as well and I really took a turn for the worse. Thankfully, there was a Whole Foods near the airport, hoping that I could get a solid meal, so we made a stop and I got dinner along with some airport snacks. I got a vegan muffin and that would soon come to save me.

We got to the airport, turned in our car, and zipped through security, making it to the gate so quickly. In almost ten minutes, I was able to set my bag down, regroup, I eat the muffin that was the much needed palette cleanser that helped immensely. And the best news ever was we got to check our bags for free which meant I didn’t have to haul my clunky backpack onto the flights and around the Seattle airport. We ended up doing so much walking there too that it was perfect to help the airline with the overhead bag limit issue and check them. I was feeling better, but I really wanted to sleep on for all of this coming flight. 

When we got our seats on the plane, I clocked out immediately, getting some nice sleep, but mom really suffered, being in the middle seat and chatting with the lady next to us. But then for our Seattle flight, I took the middle seat and she was able to get some shut eye. I had a Starbucks in Seattle and just made that the start of my day. I journaled most of my flight, trying to knock out all I could before coming back home. 

And that was the conclusion of my summer trip and my time abroad. How anticlimactic to end it with a flight from Seattle to MSP, but that’s just how America feels to me at this point. I should be grateful for all this country has provided me so far in life, and it surely has made me so grateful for the beauty I see outside of it.

But, I hope that after this trip I will have a continuous craving for adventure and follow through with that mission. I hope that I don’t give up on my dreams, and I put action behind them. I hope I continue to explore all the opportunities out there because what I don’t know yet is not even an option I can consider now. I hope I keep a positive attitude towards work and can transition well back to normal life. I hope that I use what I grew in this summer back in my life. I hope that I will not let myself get caught in the boring, that I will find ways to be appreciative of my life and be grateful for every minute of the day. I want to cherish the life I have, the few bits of youthfulness I have left, and to never pass up a memory making opportunity. This I took away from my trip and hope to extend to my life now that I am back home.

And thank you to all my readers, for following along on this crazy adventure of mine. I appreciate you all, and your dedicated interest. Until next time.