As most people that visit Hawaii say, it is be-a-u-tiful, and for me, it was more than I imagined it to be. I spent one week there, and it was not long enough! There was too much to see, too much to do, too much to EAT. I left really wishing that I had time to do more, but all in all it was a great trip. I mean--I can't complain too much...after all, I got to go to Hawaii!
Being with my bestie satisfied some much needed girl time (that I didn't even realize I needed!). Ever got caught up in life so much you don't even have the time to realize that you need a break?? That was me. Not that I'm complaining, I love my life and I love to stay active and busy...but what a relief it was to slow down and take time for myself! I spent a week on an island with a new culture, knowing only ONE person on that entire island, driving along long windy roads along the coast (traffic sucked, but it is what it is), eating new food, meeting really nice people, and experiencing picture perfect views EVERYWHERE! And the cutest little island babies! The kids were just too adorable. (And now I really want to teach my kids how to surf.)
But what this trip really opened my eyes to is how to fully live in and accept every moment--each moment--one at a time. I realized that no matter how good or bad a moment is, they are all temporary. They don't last. And you can ruin a great moment by putting all your effort into trying to make it last, or putting all your thoughts towards how you're going to cope when that moment ends. Stopping that habit was the best thing I've done for myself, and it was a great life lesson. The truth of the matter is, I need to learn how to best experience things. Not think ahead or look behind, just take it for what it is and let it be just that. Here's an excerpt from an article a friend shared with me. This for me, sums it all up:
Enjoy now fully. No matter how much time you have in an
experience or with someone you love, it will never feel like enough. So
don’t think about it in terms of quantity—aim for quality, instead.
Attach to the idea of living well moment-to-moment. That’s an attachment
that can do you no harm.
Quality over quantity--why didn't I think of that before?! It makes so much sense now. I put so much effort into creating moments; rather than making them last, I need to make the most out of them. So that's what I did for the rest of my trip. Enjoy my collection of moments below. ;)
1. Amazing sunsets.
2. Amazing views!
3. Local food to feed the foodie in me! I have to admit--I didn't take a picture of each plate like I wanted to. I didn't wanna be "that girl"! Lol! (Regretting it now.)
4. Catamaran with new friends. Blue water. Just...really blue water.
5. Experiencing nature at its finest. Double rainbows, lava tubes, and exotic beaches
We walked through this...
To get to this!
Mermaid Cove
Green Sand Beach.
This was a sight to see, as there are only two in the world! The sand is a green/olive color, and it got its color from olivine crystals created from a volcano eruption many years ago.
This was a sight to see, as there are only two in the world! The sand is a green/olive color, and it got its color from olivine crystals created from a volcano eruption many years ago.
6. Driving new cars! ;) --and off-roading. Forreal. We had some bumpy rides on the Big Island. But it made for a better experience! Let's just say, you can't make it to Green Sand Beach, or a lot of other nice places on Big Island without a 4WD.
7. Cliff jumping! I am afraid of heights, but I managed to do this. This was a big accomplishment for me! Although, I'm not as ballsy as the chick in the bottom pic. Props to her but I'm not on that level yet! :p
Spitting Caves
Of course there are many more pictures, but I thought I'd share the most memorable ones with you. Plus, I tried to stop myself from going too snap-crazy everywhere I went since I was trying to enjoy the moment and all. ;)
Wait...one more...this is just fitting for this post. :) Aloha!
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