Hawaii for the Intrepid and Financially Savvy Traveler: How to Maximize Memories without Breaking the Bank or Winding up in the Hospital

7/29/2019 Hawaii for the Intrepid and Financially Savvy Traveler: How to Maximize Memories without Breaking the Bank or

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Hawaii for the Intrepid and Financially Savvy Traveler: How to Maximize

Memories without Breaking the Bank or Winding up in the Hospital

By: Nicholas Ledner

It was 4:30 in the morning, close to LAX and I was waking up in the La Quinta Inn. True

I was supposed to have already arrived in Maui from NYC, but I had earlier verbally

accosted (in the kindest, most endearing and flattering way possible) the Delta flight

attendants during a stopover in Minneapolis to grant me the dignified option of being

bumped from what was apparent to everyone huddled near gate 60 something, an

incredibly packed flight. $400.00 in vouchers, 4 drink coupons, and a sleep hangover

later, I arrived in sunny Maui, immediately taken back by how picturesque this airport

could be. I might have landed into actual paradise, I thought, which so many of us from

around the world have been trained to envision it as.

Working in any major city, full time, you romanticize every ounce of that fantasy

vacation you know is destined to be yours soon enough, that is your right to soon claim.

You think critically and carefully each day, just a little bit, in figuring out where to best

maximize those moments of time, as we all know an incorrect decision might mean an

unhappy worker, colleague, etc. upon return. Last years vacation took me to a place I

envisioned as serene, tranquil, & quiet; and on that decision I was quite wrong- Japan.

A beautiful place don't get me wrong, but not harboring the calming effect I so hoped &desired often in those office space moments. So, I racked my brain for the spot which

the world over might agree was the place to take deep, calming breathes and worry

merely for what course of relaxation would be most appropriate for the day at hand.

Hawaii was the only place, for some strange reason, that came to mind for the time

frame I was looking to travel for, 3 weeks. Maybe on this trip, subconsciously, I didn't

want to think. I knew my Delta miles would get me their- approximately 60k from NYC

for a tropical paradise didn't seem that bad when you then compare it to the Tahitis and

Thailands of the world. Obviously there would be no language barrier, and just as

important, I had friends who were living their and singing its praises (at least in Maui).

The decision almost came too easily, and that was the only reason I felt I could be

somewhat nervous. Normally I would seek out the less traveled path, now I was opting

for the seemingly easy option with a flight filled with newlyweds and those celebrating

their anniversaries. Was this the right choice for an intrepid traveler who on his own,

was looking to explore uncharted territories or at the very least, laid back locales with


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lush scenery & the only sound being fronds swayed by the gentle winds? And on a

vacation-sojourn away from the demanding actions of the 9 to 5 grind, if that's your

working definition of what a vacation is- what is best for the future mental state of that

person? If there were doctors or psychologists that prescribed vacations or travel

destinations for the working class based upon past life choices and current mentalities,where would they choose and how often would they prescribe Hawaii? The one main

uncertainty for me, really, was how best to keep the trip under a certain amount while

achieving relatively everything the island was known to provide, in the most natural

sense. In any case, I had reached my destination and walking through the terminal,

there was no better feeling than sauntering towards baggage claim within the open air

gateway surrounded by actual flowers with the sun creeping down on you, wanting to

cradling you, with approximate temperatures in the mid to high 70s. Perhaps the

correct word for this might be, playing it safe.

How to make a trip of this caliber happen without too many hitches to worry much?

Well looking back now, that notion is impossible, there will be hitches. The hitches, in

fact, are some of the most memorable aspects of any trip and many times are the

moments and aspects of your decisions you learn the most from, for better or worse-

mostly worse (at the time).

Especially coming from the east coast, Hawaii is not an easy journey to make. It can be

with the right specifications to your ticket, but when you're trying to be strategic andusing miles to jump 6 time zones to the west, you better give yourself at least a week to

truly enjoy and settle in; less jet lag ruin what you previously thought could be an all-out

bacchanal dream. I happened to spend approximately 1 week each on three main

islands: Maui, Big Island, and Kauai, but I was blessed. I happen to say that many of

the people I did meet throughout the trip were west coasters and to me, that makes

perfect sense. The more rational in us who do live on the east coast would venture to

first look into the Caribbean before booking flights to the middle of the Pacific. There

are of course exceptions and many choose Hawaii because of: its Hollywood appeal,

the outdoor & surf scene, or simply some people don't want to think on vacations and

speaking English with package tours is a nice afterthought to rock you better to sleep at

night prior to the supposed vacation of a lifetime.

Like mentioned before, I had a good friend who lived on Maui. This friend is the

definitive type of person you'd think of when picturing the kind of 'mainlander' who would


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leave all of the conveniences of a LA lifestyle (already a mellow culture in comparison to

the east coast mentality, I tend to believe) and head out to the north shore of Maui. Not

to say there are no conveniences in Hawaii because that's incredibly incorrect- there is

everything at your fingertips there as well, aside from smart public transport but we can

get into that later (I myself spent my 2nd day at the Target purchasing a chord toconnect my iPhone to the car's speaker system- best $6.00 I've ever spent). This

particular individual was most definitely the type B individual, the kind of guy who

regrettably you just couldn't always rely on to come over and help you paint your living

room walls on a Saturday morning, but the kind of guy you could most definitely rely on

to attend your birthday party from the 10pm to 3am range- never sure at which interval

they'd arrive (and do we really need more of these type A friends anyway is another

conversation). And as could happen with this type of friend, I received a call a day

before leaving where he said 2 things: he received a job on the opposite side of the

island so he wouldn't be staying in his bungalow (I also never knew he stayed in a

bungalow until that moment) and if I could change my ticket around and come the week

after. Many people might get nervous when receiving a call like this less than 24 hours

before your flight would land in a destination you've been dreaming would be perfect for

the past 3 months (therein lies the tragedy also of those that seldom book trips and rely

on once or twice a year getaways as their fuel for the year, so to speak- they can be

disappointed by curveballs that friend B throws at them). He then explained also that

the person who owned and commanded (I immediately pictured some Jim Jones type

character) the land he stayed on, the owner -a somewhat famous artist and localpersonality- wasn't sure if I should even stay there as he only wanted guests who were

ready to work for him on his property (doing who knows what). I quickly had flash backs

of me in my grandmother's beach house pulling weeds and being scrutinized for missing

one as the sun blazed at 95 (for some reason I dont remember wearing any sunscreen

as my back burned) and the beach, right across the street, continued to shout out my

name with its siren song in the form of waves. But first I had to appease my

grandmother (who always seemingly appeared over my back) by filling a few trash cans

with weeds, and collecting my 5, 10, or 20 dollars (depending on her mood) for my

morning efforts. I also never seemed to perform a good enough job for her compared to

say the pro weed collectors who worked faster, more efficiently, and had 20 additional

years on me, etc. But as a 7 year old, this gig was untaxed and filled me with

happiness when I dumped the money at the local sports cards shop to a guy who

eagerly anticipated which insert I received as I opened my packs in front of him. Alas! I

quickly shot back via text, "No, thats fine! I am ready to help him work and I can't


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change my ticket." It was worked out on their end that I'd help and I quickly started to

consider why I had rested my 'relaxation time' (clich even as that sounds) in the hands

of another who clearly did not comprehend just how valuable this time was for a person

in my situation working 40 + hours a week for the past 40 something weeks.

Regardless the ball had been smacked into my court and I was determined to return itnot as a lob but as a hard volley with top spin that made the other do a little more work

themselves. It turns out in the end, after my initial somewhat tumultuous meeting with

the head of the household, I was able to create a social media strategy paper for the

property and spent an hour or so giving a training on social media to all who were on

the premises- something I was used to doing for my job back in New York anyway. And

although the artist was visibly disconcerted I didn't do more to help, I knew that he

couldn't now kick me out, especially if I made myself scarce during the days! In total I

stayed at the bungalow for 6 days and after the initial anxiety that the situation caused

me, the overall experience was quite pleasurable. Each night there I'd get in bed

around 8pm, falling right to sleep after a day spent in the sun, and waking to the sound

of a rooster at 5am through my screened in wall of the bungalow. By 7am I was already

at the local deli, Hanazawas, picking up my Hawaiian coffee and egg biscuit. This-

going to bed and waking early- was the precise change I had wanted for myself while in

Hawaii, the exact opposite of my late to bed, night escapades that filled so many

exhausted moments in New York.

I did mention that my trip was going to be three weeks long with three separatedestinations: Maui, Big Island, & Kauai (in that order). Even before the trip started, I

had already purchased mostly all of my inter island flights which weren't incredibly

expensive at around 80 dollars per. Maui to Hilo was $80.00; Hilo to Kauai was

$120.00, and Kauai to Maui, $60.00. A tip on this experience would be to try your

hardest not to stop over in Honolulu as it not only drags on your time but forces you to

go through an additional bag check and just feel generally rushed, which is entirely the

opposite reason you're attempting to explore Hawaii in the first place. Interestingly

enough, all flights are relatively the same price whether you book a month in advance or

one week, so no true rush to try and coordinate 3 islands too far in the future. The first

financial eureka moment came to me however when I was in Maui a few days into my

trip. I had rented a car immediately when arriving, with no agreement in place. I had

never rented a car in the first place so really had no idea how the system worked. I (like

so many other first time car renters, I'm sure) didn't realize that each option offered by

the front desk worker wasn't particularly necessary, though as an experienced traveler I


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could tell that something didn't feel right and that I was getting fleeced even if I wasn't.

Money was being drained with each extra word they spoke as I tried to process the

additional insurance options offered, after a 2 day long stretch of flights to arrive!

Shame on me for not realizing that mostly all credit card companies cover your

insurance if you use their card and also not to let them fill your own tanks less youoverspend, etc. Lastly, the biggest eureka financial moment came to me one night in

my Maui bungalow when looking to see just what these credit card points I had

accumulated could buy me. I realized, "Wow, I can use points to book a car!?" So, 25k

in points later, I had used my rainy day points and took care of all payment issues

related to the car for the next two islands I'd travel to, saving me approximately 40

dollars a day the next two weeks and removing the stress and headache of worrying

about each extra fill up needed for car trips decided upon to destinations that might not

truly be worth it since they could very well eat a quarter tank! And at 5 dollars a gallon,

that could have been a much bigger deal than anyone would want it to be. Final

recommendation on this front: use points when you can to book cars, don't even opt for

any additional insurance (because really, how often to do you damage anyone else's

car aside from yours) and fill your own tank up. With these check marks in place, you'll

be able to breathe a sigh of relief and cruise the Hawaiian streets with pride in your

boring looking car that you'd never purchase yourself unless you were the most

uninspired person in the entire US (or you just got a really great deal and couldn't

refuse- these cars were all bland at basic point levels!). Lastly while we're on the topic

of rental cars, a tricky situation can come up when deciding on just where to drive. Asunderstood, Hawaii is developed, but some of the most pristine and intriguing parts of

the islands are in fact, positioned around seemingly ancient roads are made of gravel.

Rental car companies won't cover these roads in their contracts- unbenounced to me for

at least half the trip. If you so happen to get stuck or pop a tire in these tucked away

and hard to reach roads that truly can be a half day away from any towing service, then

you're somewhat screwed, but at least you're in a beautiful place! My

recommendation? It's better to not worry in the slightest about this and drive to your

hearts content, because really, how hard would it be to find someone locally to tow you

a few extra miles back onto the blacktop and then call your rental car company and

make up a story. Specifically I can think of a multitude of situations where driving

without fear of "What could happen" occurred: Driving around the Hana Highway (Maui)

through the very tip of the south shore (around 15 miles of gravel road with unbelievable

twists and turns and jaw dropping vistas) driving around the very far northwest of Maui


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(again, worth it, incredible, best highway drives ever with tide pools at multiple points),

and when attempting to make it to the top of Mauna Kea on the Big Island.

Speaking of Mauna Kea, I planned for my Mauna Kea summit like many of my 20

something generation do, by purchasing the Hawaii Lonely Planet and reading it on theflight over. But some travelers go further! Some actually purchase books per island

and read them weeks in advance. These detailed driven explorers then know that once

you hit 8,000 feet at Mauna Kea, it turns into a gravel road and that is why these travel

guides recommend you rent a 4 by 4 vehicle, but for those that don't read each detail

before arrival, you take your 'normal' car and you're happy. And when you reach 8000

feet, you want to keep going, since if it was your mom's car you'd have no problem

continuing to drive up, but when the park ranger with long hair at the guest services

then tells you it would cost 10k to tow you down if your car get stuck (or almost worse,

you die as your car careens off the side of this very precipitous looking mountain) you

begin to think twice about reaching that apex and then get angry at everyone who has

attempted to thwart your journey upward- because it's not your fault! Now, how to

circumnavigate this problem of getting stuck at places you don't want to be your final

destination and forking over additional thousands to a tow truck company who you can

envision just waiting for moronic tourists to make this mistake? You're also quite keen

on sharing a photo with your friends on Facebook to extend that feeling of joy which

signifies immense jubilation when reaching that hard to reach spot, which many might

have needed a 4 x 4 to reach. So what's the solution that doesn't involve renting the 4 x4? Bringing it back to basics, may I present, hitchhiking. Yes it can be done & is

altogether more charming in Hawaii, if I may say so myself! That ole lovely and friendly

method of sticking your thumb out, giving a smile, and being open to share a story or

two. Maybe you're in a honeymooners car, learning about just why they chose this

island and this particular beach or mountain to plan an activity in, it's actually more

interesting than you think it would be, and useful in some regards! When hitchhiking,

here are some little tips and hints that I learned from my own experiences. (1)

1. Look presentable. If you know you might need to hitchhike that day, try and wear a

clean shirt, maybe ever shower prior if that's an option.

2. Smile. Brush those teeth in the morning and put on that face that says to the world,

"Obviously I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't imperative and you, dear driver with your

righteous car, should feel somewhat of a moral duty to pick me up since I'm just like you

but in a bit of a circumstance I really can't control!"


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3. Be overly aggressive with body language and when possible, direct loud shots with a

kind timbre when cars are coming close that you deem appropriate to jump into (which

in my case, was always). Flagging down is appropriate, perhaps not by waving your

arms uncontrollably, but do thrust both of your thumbs in a manner that shows haste

and urgency. This can be done and learned with practice.4. Positioning yourself is key! Ensure you're at the best spot or vantage point possible

to be picked up by those fortunate enough to have the proper cars to make particular

hills or roads that you just can't. Never be situated anywhere where those driving the

car can tell the passenger that, "It just wasn't possible to stop." Give them clear and

ample time to slow down with no concern for cars behind to run into them. And again,

be secure in the notion that you're standing in the spot where the most traffic will come;

giving you the best odds to secure that lift and build that relationship.

5. Smiling works well when making that initial eye contact from far away, trust me! I

would say, out of the 3 rides I was able to hitch, my rate of success was around 75.

Unfortunately I could not find any quantitative study to interpret my own results with.

Now perhaps an even bigger question would be, "Why go through the trouble of visiting

these places at all , especially if out of the way?' Why not just visit the accessible stuff

and be content with those experiences?" Well the truthful answer here is that Hawaii

does seem to save some of the jaw dropping moments for those hoping to go above

and beyond. These above and beyonders tend also to be good storytellers, which helpsthese stories become legends, and legends to become mystic feats. And to reach

these spots of lore, it could mean: crossing valleys via foot on steep ledges, visiting

beaches accessible only via miles of gravel roads that can turn muddy and seemingly

precarious in minutes, and hiking mountaintops to take in the cool thin air with vantage

points of clouds lying beneath you.

So what are the best experiences? Which beaches blew my mind? Any particular food

or drink that was too excellent to forget about? Maybe a lush jungle that captivated my

mind and included a pool to strip down and dive in? Well, yes, Hawaii has a plethora of

these spots and items, but fortunately or unfortunately, you've got to be in the know to

find out, or at the very least do some basic research!

As stated many paragraphs earlier, I was initially staying in the north shore of Maui at

my friends bungalow and for the first few days, I was on edge as to what in the world I


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was actually supposed to do for this property owner who decreed (unbenounced to me

prior to arrival) that all 'guests' staying on his property must contribute something for the

'good of the land'. I panicked and thought to myself, would my entire time here be

relegated to chores of yesteryear (grandma flashbacks) and few opportunities to relax

on beaches? Surely not! So on my second full day in Hawaii, I drove roughly an houror so across the island and got my first taste of the luxurious and well-manicured side of

West Maui while driving toward Big Beach (2). Big Beach seemed incredible to me at

the time, that beach out of films where you were the first to understand it's magical

appeal, and just like that, the entire trip made sense. As I began a walk along it's

shoreline, I noticed beautiful girls camped out who were already sunning in their bikinis,

close to their tents- which were apparently airing out- and it all seemed normal, almost

as if they obviously would have been there "Duh, Nic." One of these dirty blonde haired

girls-body tanned to perfection from god knows how many days surfing and enjoying

beach life- could have even called out for me, but the sound of the waves drained out

her voice I'm fairly certain, "Nic please, join us!" This potential Norwegian (I was now

assuming she was a Norwegian from some small town along their glacial coast) love

story building up in my head was almost enough to make me throw all plans I had for

the rest of the day to the wind and run back to her, seeing just how we could both make

this day-this trip- an unforgettable one, alas, I had a social media training to give! Big

Beach had also been voted, at some point, one of the best beaches by many beach

pundits and for this, coupled with many others reason such as: the sun shining brightly

down on everything around me, the emerald waters crashing directly in front of me, andanother island peering far out in the backdrop, I stood awestruck, to mesmerized and

afraid to run full speed into the water like I normally might with most beaches.

Something was different, something foreign and maybe more powerful incorporated into

this particular equation. As I had spent countless years partaking in the slow moving

and laid back waters of the Gulf on the west coast of Florida, I could hardly believe the

force in which this beach was getting pummeled by waves with such irreverent power.

It was dizzying to even figure out just which point would be most appropriate for entry, a

feeling that panged me to the core as basking in the waters of any well-known beach is

half the fun of being there (not to mention it's when the real relaxing sets in)! I had little

time then to explore the beach and its intricacies but promised myself I'd come back,

giving it the time it deserved- accompanied by a good book, towel, and sunscreen.

Unfortunately, due to the pace of the trip and speed at which I needed to explore

additional landscapes, I didn't have this privilege. This concept of not being able to get

into the beaches' water though baffled me at first, yet soon became somewhat of a


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premonition as countless other beaches I visited throughout this trip had the same

circumstances as well! Almost all of the beaches I explored along the Hana Highway

were not possible, apparently, to bask in, however I'm fairly certain had I been with a

cooler crowd - I was traveling alone so my only companions were my Lonely Planet

(LP) and the sign posts I read close to the beaches warning of frequent deaths- I wouldhave been more brave and easily could have been swayed into giving into the peer

pressure. After all, I'd tell myself, I'm used to the Gulf of Mexico, surely all bodies of

water are similar! I do think however that one of the amazing things regarding powerful

waves and currents reigning down on pleasant and relaxing enough looking beaches is

that you get to have an even deeper respect and awe for nature, in terms of the

unforgivingness and almost cruelty it can dish out without a 2nd glance. Again, I visited

a handful of beaches throughout my first few days and not one did I get to sprint into! In

a million years this would have never stopped me if I was with friends, but for some

reason, I used prudence I never thought I had in me, coupled with the derision that so

many tourists also visiting the beach seemed to have. If all of Hawaii was like that, I

would not have bothered to come, but luckily there are many beaches which are safe to

swim in, and it's normally quite easy to indicate these whether from: lifeguards being

present, folks already swimming in the water, or just stories and research you read prior

to stepping foot on the sand. And once you find one of these beaches, boy are they

glorious. I look back fondly on all of those hazy sunny, endless 'summer' moments

where the routine of holding your book up in the air to block the warm sun followed by a

body surfing session seemed like the most normal chain of events a human should begiving into (3).

But, the question remains, how do you savor a pounding coastline without dealing with

an onslaught of waves more powerful than anything you've ever seen? Tide pools!

When driving through the coastal dirt back roads of any Hawaiian island, a popular

indicator I noticed was when a group of cars was seemingly parked in the middle of

nowhere, this was where the action was. It could be viewed, metaphorically, as a New

Yorker who's looking for the hot night club in Chinatown, and after some time searching,

comes across a few beautiful people smoking out front of a small doorway with dim

lighting and the faint sound of music and light vibration of bass. These are the magical

spots that only those in the know are privy to enjoy and therefore, are treated almost

like a rite of passage upon any travelers first time dipping in. Such was the case when I

was lucky enough to find a tide pool on the very tip of Mauis west side heading towards

the east side of the island (4). It was marvelous! And I dare say I would never have


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attempted such a feat had there not already been two renegades already swimming and

enjoying themselves within the pools (with two babies in tow, mind you). Waves

slamming against the rocks right beside you as you remained coolly relaxed in your still

pool, ambivalent to the drama happening a few feet away. Hey, if anyone else was

doing it and not dying at that very moment, why shouldn't I take part!? Plus of course Iwanted the photo opp to share and impress my friends with. It was beautiful, diving into

these pools, uncertain if the water was building up from below and if so, how? One

needed not consult science at this particular time for something that seemed so right.

Crystal clear with fish purposefully swimming throughout, this was where many who

lived on cliff sides called their infinity pools and throughout my other island visits, tide

pools were mentioned frequently by locals as their de facto relaxation spots on warm

days. To many, these are some of the most treasured spots of respite on any island

and locating them can be crucial to ones enjoyment or memories looking back on island

sojourns.

Later, once you spend further time on the islands exploring, you realize that there are

beautiful resorts and of course, these resorts are situated near luscious beaches that

are either sculpted to perfection over time (5), or assisted somewhat by these lovely

hotel chains who are ambitious in their efforts to create that picture perfect view for their

guests shelling out half a thousand per night prior to any poolside accoutrements.

These are the pleasant beaches with pleasant looking vacationers from the mainland

floating and laughing, basking in sunlight, and enjoying themselves with what appearsto be the vacation of a lifetime that they knew was just around the corner. West coasts

of the islands (Maui and Big Island particularly), this is where the money was made &

the resorts invested heavily in. In hindsight, seems like a no brainer for any developer

who was looking towards tourism in Hawaii post sugar cane & farming boon. Their

mindsets: sunsets, people love them; hotels on the west coast, beach doesn't look

amazing, well let's make them better, where will the tides not suck our well to do guests

out to sea, etc. These were the thoughts and questions they had to consider, answer

and deliver upon. And trust me they did. If you're looking for that pleasant and relaxing

beach, chances are you'll find it on the west side. I myself found a few instances to

blaze past an unsuspecting gate keeper at some of the resorts and headed immediately

down to park my rental car in these previously mentioned hotels and then saunter my

way over to the infinity pools facing beaches that looked visually as soothing as the

beach chairs themselves felt, and casually ordered drinks while nonchalantly explaining

my friend _____ in room ______ was on their way down now. Never had the slightest


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problem. Although I was cautious and gauged who best to talk with. Let me just say

that there are few better places to have an assured sense of comfort while reading that

book in (6). These hotels can do the trick, completely put you at ease, at least for a

while & until you begin wondering how the real world is getting along.

Now of course you don't NEED to be sequestered in these resorts, but it wouldn't kill

you either! That being said, if you want to actually go out and be adventurous, a few

necessary pieces of equipment will make these missions somewhat more fortuitous.

Four or five main objects really, to always be kept in your car's trunk: surfboard or

boogie board (whatever you prefer), snorkel, mask and fins, beach chair, & a boom box.

Allow me to share why below.

Now I spent time at a few beaches in Hawaii (mostly on Maui) where surfing reigned

supreme and every stereotype you'd ever associated with surfing came true- time to

break out the board. It was at first ill comforting and still is a bit. These are folks who

are just intimidating. Mainly because they do this almost every day and I suppose move

to the islands mainly for this reason- to shred waves- but I'm unclear myself how a

single sport can be enough to revolve your life around (I'm also just not good enough at

any). However ask any of them, and they'll surely let you know. Personally, I just never

felt confident enough with a surfboard. Heavy, large and hard to get a hold of, the

boards definitely seemed to possess some challenges. It is for those reasons, I fell in

with the boogie board and accompanying mantra. The boogie board is of course thelittle, diminutive brother of the surf board and therefore I doubt could ever get any of the

older girls because of it, but alas, I found it more manageable, freeing, and generally

more chill. It's always still a little embarrassing when you come back to the mainland

and tell your friends about your surfing adventures you had, only for them to ask "Was it

actual surfing, or boogie boarding?" at which point if honest, you tell them the truth.

Invariably you'll notice a scoff or look of befuddlement which insinuates, "You went all

the way over there for that? Um. Isn't that most appropriate for 8 year olds on family

trips to Florida?" Anyway! Particular beaches are quite conducive to boogie boarding

and catching a good wave can be equally as gratifying (Im told) and incredibly

exhilarating. Add in crystal clear waters and the warm sun hitting you, and you're in for

a treat that's impossible not to enjoy. On top of that, a wave is a wave, especially if

you're riding for the adrenaline and thrill it provides when your brain realizes the wave is

coming right for you and the only thing you can hope to do is hang on and ride it out

(also helps to wear fins)! The caveat to all of this boarding, especially boogie and body,


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is that some of these great waves can break dangerously close to the shoreline. And

although I'm no worrywart, I definitely was boarding waves sans board and was flipped

roughly a foot or so from the ocean floor with such force that my 170 pound muscular

physique had no control regarding which direction I was heading in. Had it been a little

more shallow (sheer luck it wasn't) and I would have bonked my head on the hardocean floor with uncertain results. Some apparently break their neck this way, which I

couldn't even fathom considering the life guards are far away and there is no telling how

much water you'd ingest during this knocked out period of time (so if the injury didn't

paralyze you, the lack of oxygen to your brain could).

The Photos

1. Post successful hitch hike, photo on top of Mount Kea. Ride from 8,000 feet to

the summit at 13,000 feet. Big thanks to the amiable, and determined,

Scottish family who were on the island to support their son who later in the

week would participate in the Ironman (no clue how he did).

2. Immediately upon my toes sinking into the sand at Big Beach, I surmised all

of the hype emanating from the Hawaii beaches was true. Note, this was my

first beach visit on the trip.


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3. Taking a deep breathe seemed like the most difficult chore Id be tasked with

while lying on Kealia Beach, on the east coast of Kauai.

4. Dont mind the giant waves that crash behind my personal tide pool, those

come with it.


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5. If you ask me, it looks a little toooo perfectat Kaanapali Beach in Maui

(those are not my kids).


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6. Ah, the sweet life, man-made, but what can you do. Excuse me, another

beer please.

7. City of Refuge, some of the most alive coral Ive ever seen. David

Attenborough would be proud. Snorkel here at all costs!


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8. There are places to go when you know you have a year to live, and this is

one of them. A hikers paradise (preferably by yourself). Just make sure to

take a few precautions, like water.

\


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9. When youre just looking for sun, a warm breeze, clear cool water, and lush

plant life. Not many better places to turn than Iao Valley.

10. If only my bathroom had this set up.


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11. For as far as the eye could see, this is all I saw. Nerve racking to know if the

wrong direction was chosen to walk in, well this essay would have been a bit

more difficult to write.

12. After hiking 2 miles vertically on the Z trail from the start of Waipio Beach.Too many switchbacks to remember, not that Id like to


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13. Every city slickers dream, virgin forest enshrouding you while venturing

further to lands of lore (Waimanu Valley).


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14. Hiking through fern valleys en route to getting lost in Waimea Canyon State

Park.


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15. Its a tough life, but someones got to do it. At the Marriotts Kauai & Beach

Resort.

16. Something tells me that most people would rise for this also at 6am, even if

it did occur each morning.


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17. Polihale, damn your devilish good looks.


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Snorkeling proves also to a beautiful aspect of Hawaiian outdoor life if a bit overrated

and exaggerated in every piece of promotional material you'll glimpse upon while

traveling on the islands. I've been snorkeling by reefs in the Caribbean at such places

like St. Johns, so maybe I'm spoiled, yet the snorkeling was quite thrilling &

unforgettable in Hawaii for a few main reasons I'll discuss below. The spots where

everyone discusses (and marketers describe in brochures) are incredibly crowded and

it's literally a challenge not to get kicked in the face with a fin, run into someone, etc.

There are beautiful fish, but the coral doesn't seem that vibrant anymore and what with

the cluster of people coupled with the waves breaking all around, it takes away from the

mellowness that many associate snorkeling with. That being said, never have I seen

such amazing and alive coral as in the City of Refuge on Big Island (7). At first, the spot

is intimidating-you basically just jump off rocks & into the water with a current that

appears as if it's going to sweep you away. But again, there are others already


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swimming and therefore, it must be incredibly fine to get in yourself! I did so and was

truly blown away with what I saw 10 to 30 feet below- the greenest and most vibrant

coral I'd ever set my plastic mask covered eyes on. The view reminded me of some

sort of lost emerald world I'd seen in a sci-fi movie and if gotten closer to, would have

exposed some passage way that could carry me off into a new realm which might bemore exciting than the tourist coffee shops above the surface. Needless to say your

mind can wander when snorkeling in exemplary conditions. This location was mellow

and relaxing with few tourists seemingly knowing about it, also -reemphasizing my point

about hard to get to spots being the best- a 4 mile bumpy road took you over here and

many apparently were just too lazy to go those extra miles not to mention their guide

books or local hotels probably were not pushing for these folks to make the journey due

to the region being a national park, hence: peaceful, serene, guarded by park ranges,

thus all the right ingredients for excellent snorkeling. I had my own mask and I'm fairly

certain, at this location, there wasn't any stalls to rent equipment, lest you have

hundreds visiting, instagramming, and stealing away your views of the ocean drama

beneath. Also once you get below the surface, the choppiness disappears and you can

float pleasantly alongside some beautifully colored animals that can definitely remind

you that you're far away from your desk job.

I'm also leaving out quite a bit related to my hiking adventures, which could easily take

up this entire essay. I did A LOT of hiking throughout each island in Hawaii. My second

full day in Hawaii when staying in Maui as a matter of fact, was the day that I decided todrive up to the top of Mt. Haleakala (8) and hike the 12 mile trail, trekking from the top of

the mountain at around 10,000 ft., above the clouds, to 6,000 ft. below. According to my

Lonely Planet, it was a beautiful journey through some wonderful vistas, including the

crater of a volcano. Was I prepared for this hike? Not in the slightest. Upon arriving at

the ranger station at the start of the trail, I was carrying a 16 ounce paper cup which

around 1 hour ago, contained warm coffee which I purchased at the local convenience

store near where I was staying. This was my only provision, so excited was I just to be

in Hawaii and get the nature portion of the trip started! I seemed so desperate and

anxious to commence with the physically challenging bit of the trip where my treat would

be landscapes, quiet and dramatic scenes that had beleaguered even Mark Twain when

he made the descent, and to see for myself just what all the fuss could be about. I did

have- to my credit- decently warm clothing on. I was promptly told by the ranger,

though, that going was a terrible idea. I did not have a rain jacket (I would be rained on

& promptly drenched, according to her), I did not have nearly enough water (this was


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somewhat embarrassing, but I halfheartedly assumed they'd have a vending machine

up there), & I also had no food. Bottom line, she told me that if I were to get stranded

on the mountain, they'd charge $10,000.00 to airlift me out of there, which could easily

happen in my predicament. Well, I hesitated for a moment, then thought to myself. To

reach this start of the trail, I had already driven 6,000 feet above sea level, then hitchhiked another 4,000. At this point, I wasn't going to turn back, not to mention I didn't live

in Maui and couldn't just leisurely come do this hike on any day. No, it had to be now.

I'd make it, by relying on the help of strangers if need be. And make it I did! The 12

mile trail was one of the most mind altering 6 hours I've ever been able to experience.

It's my recollection that I was one of the only hikers who made the decision on that day

to go forward with the full hike. Hiking anywhere that is sparse of people is great, but

hiking through an ancient volcano basin which contained never before seen landscapes

that looked spectacular was another altogether. And the great thing was, as each

moment went by and one foot was set in front of the other, a new microclimate

appeared! From beautiful brown soils to large red rocks, to untamed hills of white. I'm

telling you, I felt like a space man walking on Mars at some intervals. And what's more,

the trail continued to descend which made the second half even more leisurely. Also on

the second half, green earth began slowly to reappear with shrubs and trees beginning

to make themselves more apparent. And to top it all off, when I was down to my last

few sips of waters with still 5 or so miles to go- which I was prepared to ration

accordingly-, I ran into the only other hikers I believe to have hiked that day. With the

incredulous and exclamatory remark of, "Where'd you find a Burger King," he handedme a bottle of water and a good helping of trail mix. I was saved, thanks to the

kindness of other hikers. We talked briefly of other hiking accomplishments we've had

the privilege of experiencing, me sharing on Patagonia, them sharing on Denali. We

both made the decision to heed the other's advice and give each other's destination a

shot when we could make the trip next. Overall, this hike was spectacular and might

have been one of the best scenic moments I've had in my life. And believe me when I

say that, I've traveled to more than 25 countries, mostly all for pleasurable experiences

that involved hiking and experiencing national parks, if that helps add any validity to my

above statement. Yes I know I'm an idiot for having only a cup of water to walk 12

miles, but what would you have done in my shoes. I did fill the cup at the drinking

fountain before starting...

On top of the hike I referred to above, I also did some great hiking into the Iao Valley

(9)on Maui which was incredibly beautiful, tropical, and peaceful. This time I came


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prepared with water, sunscreen, and all the right necessities. Basically, most tourists

only foray somewhat into the valley, tip toeing the outskirts. I stayed along the river

bank for around 2 miles, waiting till no human was anywhere near the river and promptly

stripped down to enjoy my own private pool. It was as peaceful a place as I could

imagine one could find. The sun beaming down, the sway of the trees on either side,the lush green valley strewn across the horizon, the cool and refreshing water coursing

around your relaxed body, and a warm rock to get dry by sitting on (10). It was all

almost too much for the senses to take in, too picture perfect. I almost convinced

myself that I was the first to explore this far into the valley and therefore was coming

upon some sacred and hidden pool where no one had yet to bask in. Going to Iao &

traveling further to its interior was a wonderful idea, and I spent a good few hours

thinking to myself that with these two experiences under my belt, how could Hawaii get

any better. Would you believe it could!?

Throughout the rest of my Maui portion of the trip, I continued my hiking excursions.

And another surreal experience came to me while walking through the bamboo forest,

inside of the Oheo Gulch near Hana. Although quite crowded with tourists throughout

this park, I did have some moments to myself in the forest and let me tell you, they felt

great. I'm quite interested in Asian culture and history, and partaking in the ritualistic

experience of walking through an actually dense bamboo forest made me think that I

could have been on my way to some magical arena where the prince of a powerful

Chinese dynasty resided with his sorcerer aid, during his summer respite. For a briefmoment, I convinced myself into thinking that I was in fact within some mystical forest

that contained powers. Regardless, it was splendid and yet again, another place that is

impossible to forget, even if you aren't envisioning yourself to be in 9th century China.

I also had two fascinating (and precarious) forays into hiking while on the Big Island.

The first took place within Volcanoes National Park towards the south side of the island,

the second experience, towards the north around Waipio Valley. When arriving at

Volcano National Park after spending the night at a quaint Japanese inn within Volcano

Village (which was fantastic by the way) I came prepared and emboldened by my

previous hiking exploits which took place on Maui. This was my first mistake, hubris.

After walking into the ranger station, I promptly asked the young ranger which hike had

the least amount of people and which might present me with some breathtaking vistas.

I also asked for a trail that didn't necessitate backtracking. I wanted something that


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provided me with new vistas throughout, much like the Mount Haleakala adventure.

This decision almost proved fatal.

After leaving the station -my mind brimming with possibilities- I drove the car to the

designated trail after going many miles, well past the tourists and the main roads withinthe park, and onto a road much more hidden away and subdued. You'd miss the turn

off if you weren't looking for it. Needless to say I jumped out of the car, walked right by

the sign in book you were supposed to fill out before hiking, and departed. Within 30 or

so minutes walking on the "trail" I realized that I was now off it. In fact, I couldn't see

anything that could be signified as a trail (11). I was walking on a black shell like

surface which was in my mind, hardened lava that had been baking (like me right then

and there) in the hot sunlight for god knows how long. I was completely turned around

and of course there weren't any people around- since I explicitly asked for this scenario.

Initially, I remember following a path this young man roughly my age was taking & trying

to continue at his speed, but gradually I slowed down and didn't even realize he was

nowhere to be seen. There were no specific landmarks to tell north from south or east

to west; every direction looked the same, just brush and black encrusted earth. This

was also the moment I knew I was lost. I began to coolly look for the path, or indication

or markers of where I was, but found nothing. I got on top of what I thought were mini

hills-roughly 2 feet off the ground with an even more thin and fragile crust- and still could

see nothing more than the identical surface that seemed to be encompassing me. I

thought to myself, ok the hike is over for the day, fine, you can take 1 day off. But after30 minutes or so, and all of my snacks and water being consumed, I was beginning to

panic. By this point it was roughly mid-day and the sun was shining brightly, directly

down upon me. My phone's compass wasn't working -no cell reception- and I had a

map, but what good would that do me if I had no idea where I was. I decided to try and

walk west, since I knew there was a road that was indeed west of this particular trail,

and I had enough sense to know which direction to head in (or so I thought). Only god

knew what was to the east, and apparently it went on for what appeared like hundreds

of miles on the map. So I continued walking west. Sometime later (time was beginning

to blur), I stumbled upon a sort of grassy road that looked hardly if ever used. I began

following it, having no clue where it led, but figured any quasi path was better than no

path. At this point I was listening to a Frank Sinatra song on my dying phone and

thinking to myself, god Nic, you are a complete dumbass, how could you be so stupid,

again! After walking on this grassy pathway which was approximately 6 feet wide and

covered by trees or tall grass on either side (presumably a vehicle could drive through


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it), I decided to turn back. If I wanted to head west, that was what I'd do, and at present

time I was going North. I backtracked, finally had a chance to head west, and within 15

or 20 minutes, I came across a helicopter landing pad. From there, I continued walking

southwest thinking I was on to something. Then, I saw an opening in the bushes, and it

turned out to be another grassy road, but this time I could see the end, and it led to anactually paved road. I was saved! The day was over, but the journey would continue.

Life would go on. Pizza would be ingested once again, movies would be seen, women

dated. I vowed at this point, to never make such a stupid mistake, again... Regrettably,

I still haven't fully looked into where I had gone wrong or where I was walking towards

on that original grassy path, but I do know it would not have been a fun place to sleep.

My last truly fascinating hike on Big Island started in Waipio Valley (12). I decided, and

had it in my head, that I'd make it to the next valley over, Waimanu, which was 12 miles

away. Now you'd think I'd learn my lesson after two death defying hiking situations, but

apparently not! And these 12 miles were not something that was easy in any sense of

the word. In fact, every other person I saw attempting it looked as if they were on leave

from their marine training bases and this was part of their personal, regimented

activities to stay in peak shape. On top of that, no one, including the young men I saw,

seemed happy about making this supposedly beautiful trek. Regardless, I walked the

length of the black sandy beach at Waipio, after hitchhiking to its base, climbed

switchbacks for 2 miles in the blazing heat, & walked through beautiful ravines that had

native forests which were breathtaking. Once you had made it past those switchbackscrawling up that mountain, you truly had accomplished something many others just

didn't have the physical wherewithal to experience. It was incredibly beautiful, walking

up there, though. The trees were massive and the plants were beautiful, as if this part

of land hadn't been touched for thousands of years (13). Like you were walking through

an untouched garden that was marveled upon by Hawaiians in a similar fashion to how

the Empire State Building was by New Yorkers. It was a true pleasure to witness this

lushness and take it all in, especially feeling as good as I was since I was traveling light.

I hiked roughly 5 miles and then had a decision to make. Do I continue on, and make it

to the next valley, or do I head back? This time, I decided to turn back. I would not

continue on, exerting myself to such a degree and taking further risk, especially

considering god knows what would have happened to me if I was walking through miles

of steep, winding, and never ending gulches at night! I made it back safely to the

Waipio shoreline but still vowed to get back there one day, to explore it more fully. But


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that is what normally happens when you don't finish something you wanted to start,

right?

My last- I promise- getting lost in the woods experience occurred this time in Kauai

when I was with a friend (finally, someone to vouch for my failings as a hiker)! She hadthe foolish and poor sense to trust me into choosing the trails and hikes we went on (I

wonder what lies I told her prior to allow this scenario to occur). Well, the hiking was

wonderful to start and we initiated our trip within the Waimea Canyon State Park and in

particular, on a trail which led downwards from the furthest point north you could park

your car. The trial led into a den of ferns(14), which was beautiful and gave the hiker a

great sense of what goes on just inches from where our boots traversed. Then it all

started to go slightly wrong. We began crisscrossing through marshes and rivers, and it

was still peaceful, just two friends enjoying a mid-morning hike. After about 5 miles, I

realized that the trail would not in fact lead us back to the beginning or in a loop fashion

as I'd hope. I'd like to stop the reader here and say that I understand if you'll never go

on a hike that I lead for us. I can understand that completely. But please do believe me

that everywhere else I've traveled and hike, excluding Hawaii, I never have had this sort

of problem! I don't know what it is about Hawaii, but it's disorienting I suppose, I blame

the speed at which everything grows. Anyway, to make the long story short (because I

know you're tired of my lost hiking stories) we found a park where hunters were able to

skin and cook the animals they killed which led to a road, which led us to miles upon

miles more of additional side roads which eventually we assumed would connect us tothe main road. We were walking up hill and incredibly tired, running low on water and

also just somewhat over it all (where was a beach to splay my body out onto?). That's

when it happened, the greatest of recent moments; we met a nice couple who offered to

drive us back to our car at the top of the hill (with some of my hitch hiking skills mixed

into the initial conversation). At this point, we were probably 7 or so miles from the car,

the entire ride being up hill, and were so incredibly thankful for the time, energy, and

potential internal strife they saved us from going through that fateful afternoon.

Life though, does seem to revolve around the beaches in Hawaii, no matter how you

look at it. It's whats on the post cards, its what everyone speaks about, and let's be

honest, they're fantastic to a certain degree. Would I just visit the beaches of Hawaii

and forget about the other stuff? Hell no. But, they can be great, with each coast line

having their own little something special to offer. A downside is definitely the driving

though. If you want to get from a top rated beach to relax and then head back to your


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friends place on the opposite coastline, get ready to spend an hour in the car dealing

with traffic. I didn't even spend time in Oahu, which they say boasts some of the worst

traffic in the world, specifically Honolulu. I also met many on my trip who lived in Hawaii

and never visited particular beaches- which were world renowned- mainly because they

were difficult to get to! This appalled me and saddened me at the same time. Howcould such a thing be a true!? But much to my chagrin, it was. To have the best

beaches at your fingertips was the dream, and visiting them all at your leisure and

maximizing good times at each was the goal, right?! Personally, I believe better public

transportation needs to be considered in the future for the whole state on each island.

On another note, I will say that some of my most pleasurable beach memories are the

ones not prized widely by the experts. Sitting motionless on a warm, fine, and clean

sandy beach while mellowing out as the sun beats down on your back until you have no

idea how long you've been there for is a great feeling, especially when you then throw in

intermittent dips into the water at strategic intervals. It's a hard act to top, regardless if

your beach is next to the airport or not, which was the case in Kauai's central eastern

coast.

I did not, however, come to Hawaii to make new friends, and I know how awful sounds,

but I wanted to read, not be completely extroverted, and basically be as emotionally lazy

as possible. I did not want to trade stories with other travelers at the local bars while

sharing calamari. Which is another reason why when I visited Little Beach on a Sundayevening in Maui (a quite scene place to be), I didn't love the experience. With many

nude & older men far outnumbering the beautiful women that you always thought

roamed the beach parties in Hawaii, there was little else to do but engage in

conversation with the massive swells of nude, overweight, & heavily tanned men on the

beach, each attempting their own personal quest for nirvana. Yes, for me, the best

beaches were the ones where the only thing that could be heard was the ocean waves

crashing against the shoreline, far away from the drums and oohing and ahhing of the

patrons marveling at the fire throwers. This also explains why you'll notice that not

much of this essay has anything to do with many cultural events that tourists could

participate in. Though I've read much about what Hawaii was like during the 19th

century and before (read Jack London's stories on Hawaii, they're fantastic), I had little

interest in seeing locals replicate any age old customs or experiences, for as hard as

they tried or thought they mastered the art, it all just seemed a bit contrived with too

many dull faced tourists looking on in what seemed to be a lulled sense of satisfaction


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that would have been the same had you told them really anything about past Hawaiian

culture that involved women singing and ukuleles playing. This was the Hawaii that

certain adventurous travelers looked down on the islands for: the tourist buses, the

planned and micro managed outings at every stage of the journey, and the luau in

which each moment was scripted and the same formulaic approach was performedeach and every night for eager tourists waiting for their confirmation that yes, they've

reached the land of aloha. Any replicated act can seem uninspiring to me, and perhaps

for this reason I was never interested or engaged in these routine events, no matter the

person(s) performing or the location decided upon.

Did I mention how perfect my last week in Hawaii was while staying on Kauai? Arriving

off the plane there, you feel the love (even if it's disingenuous) of this island as if they've

gotten their tourism structure down to a tee and have perfected the game, so to speak.

It almost seems like that if you live on the island, you're indoctrinated, slowly but surely,

into the warm welcomes and proud speeches about this particular island that is made to

(and will) fill any novice traveler with warmth and a feeling that they've truly come to that

paradise of a destination. Well, it couldn't have worked out better for me either, so

thank you Kauai! One of my favorite 'travel' moments occurred to me when I made it to

the front desk of the Courtyard Marriott in Kauai- where a good friend of mine had

booked a room in advance for us (which she paid for with the compromise that I'd

handle the car & itinerary details throughout our week) - "Sir, we're absolutely full for the

next two days. Any chance you might like moving to our other location?" Well, instantlyit became apparent to me that this other location had to be better or they couldn't offer

it. And let me tell you, dear reader, it was! So I easily acquiesced, but also wanted to

see how far I could take the compromise. In the end, I was able to achieve the

following: a beautiful room at the Marriott Resort (a few levels above Courtyard status)-

facing the ocean of course-which boasts the most pools for any hotel in Hawaii (15),

50,000 Marriott points (on account of being 'displaced' from our initial hotel for 2 nights),

and upon returning to the courtyard Marriott, the ocean view suite on the bottom floor

(which replaced our initial online booked garden view room). Needless to say, I spent

many days on those balconies and terraces, soaking in the sun, reflecting, admiring

every sunrise (since we were facing east in the Courtyard) and generally attempting to

feel as grateful as possible for the experience provided. Please also note that with the

50,000 points, I'm currently planning many side trips to destinations such as the Hudson

River Valley for the spring and Long Island for the summer. Generally though, I felt

guilty if I wasn't outside soaking up as much sunlight as possible throughout my Kauai


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time, thats how nice it was each day. The rooms were only used for a few main things:

making cocktails (this could start at 6am and sometimes did), taking long hot baths,

changing in and out of my bathing suit post hot tub use, & going to sleep at 830 in the

evening while rising at 6 (16). The friend that I was with couldn't have been more laid

back and approachable related to the plans I'd devise and overall she was one of thosetravel companions that you just knew you could drift with and any argument would be

hard to come by (although I was called Grandpa on many occasions for my sleep

patterns).

How are the landscapes and parks in Kauai? Generally gorgeous. As mentioned

before, the best mindset to have when traveling around Hawaii is not to worry one iota

about the car you rented and go everywhere. Have fun with him or her, push that thing,

take it to places you generally wouldn't consider going- bottom line, don't be afraid.

Some of the best hiking trails & beaches I found were the ones with entrances off gravel

roads & that generally were the farthest away from any hotels or 'hot spot' destinations.

In my mind I'm envisioning Polihale Beach here (17), which is on the far southwest of

the island and the most remote beach to reach in terms of driving. When standing on

that shoreline, you might see 3, 4 other people, but they're completely drowned out (not

literally!). Your focus becomes zoned into these waves and the length & immensity of

the beach, mixed with the reality of just where you are, can simply mesmerize. Its an

incredibly soothing, hypnotic, and terrifying experience when you simultaneously realize

that these waves on this beach are impossible to walk away from- drawing you in closerand closer-while at the same time knowing all the while that they could kill you in the

blink of an eye. The beaches overall beauty intimidated me more than any Victoria

Secret model could ever do, I think... Being along that shoreline made me feel like

there was no place more important in the world, that perhaps no other place existed (I

couldn't think of anywhere else at those precise moments), the majesty of the scene

was simply too breathtaking, too inspiring to allow for other thoughts to slip in. You feel

compelled to take note, stand up straight, and ponder just exactly where you are right

now in this wild world we call planet Earth. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean and on

the furthest beach down the most distant road to reach, this was a magical moment for

me, one that I nonetheless put the time into achieving. You're a speck standing next to

perfect waves that have been waiting for just this moment to crash (for months they've

been in motion, building up momentum since their inception in Japan) and you're privy

to this moving performance, just this one time, so you take notice and enjoy. Perhaps


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you try to make the mood even more dramatic and climatic by putting your head phones

on and listening to M83, but generally, the scene is set.

Hawaii sets scenes for people. In few other places does one feel as compelled to turn

your car off, jump out, and marvel at some jaw dropping vantage point that you couldn'tmiss taking in on your own time. You've made it when you reach Hawaii. The flight was

worth it, you knew it would be. The time put in for planning logistics, no sweat. But

Hawaii knows this, implicitly. It's the cool, friendly, somewhat beautiful girl who is open

minded, easy going, and willing to share stories with you about past loves over red

wine. You take deep breathes here, close your eyes, and know you're someplace

special where you're glad you've experienced at least once. Maybe just once is

enough, since the world is so big, but it's an experience that I'm certain will make any

traveler think back to with: nostalgia, a relaxed mindset (most of the time...), & all those

Marriott points.

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Hawaii for the Intrepid and Financially Savvy Traveler: How to Maximize Memories without Breaking the Bank or Winding up in the Hospital