The Beautiful Dole Plantation

Day Two: Laniakea (Turtle) Beach & The Dole Plantation

We stopped on Saturday to check out Lanikea "Turtle" Beach, just east of Haleiwa on the North Shore. Plentiful food amongst the rocks here attracts large sea turtles, although, in the winter the strong waves along the North Shore discourage them from coming. Hoping to get lucky, we checked it out, but only heard the report of a couple turtles swimming out in the water. We'll try again before we leave.

Turtle watch on Lanikea Beach

I was a little horrified to realize this, but visiting the touristy and gorgeous Dole Plantation felt finally like we were on vacation. Staying at a very small, budget location on the North Shore, with a living room view of the carport, along with loud traffic on Kamehameha Highway just two car-lengths from our doorstep and no shops or stores close by, has taken us some adjustment time. There is a big difference between waking up to the sound of tropical birds with waves crashing in the background and the sound of the neighbors yappy dog, punctuated by motorcycles ripping by. I am not complaining, because I know we are lucky to be here, but was surprised by how wonderful it felt to be in a beautiful, serene place.

Hibiscus in the Botanical Garden at Dole Plantation

Train Ride Throughout the Plantation

We enjoyed the train ride, as well as the maze. The maze, made up in part of hibiscus bushes, is huge and provided an entertaining father/daughter vs mother/son race. We found a peacock and chickens throughout the maze, and although the results were within minutes (they time you when you go in and leave), father & daughter triumphed.

Wrapping things up with a Dole Whip, complete with fresh pineapples on top.

Body Surfing on the North Shore

Day One: Kuilima Cove

An untypically rough surf day at Kuilima

Not a ton to report today as we've been adjusting and resting. Originally we had planned to drive around the island and get a feel for it this first day, but after the long travel day yesterday, the kids wanted to hit the water. Kuilima Cove, right by Turtle Bay Resort, is known as one of the best snorkeling beaches on Oahu for beginners. However, the surf was so rough with 8-12 foot waves coming from the north just outside the cove, that the kids jumped on their boogie boards for some wave riding. They also did some filming with our go pros, including underwater.

In food news, we stopped in at Seven Brothers Burgers in Laie. A surfing inspired burger joint tucked into a strip mall, the "Master Chefs" here serve up some amazing burgers.

The Paniolo "Cowboy" burger in front of the Deep Blue burger.

Fun to see the Bruce Irons burger there, a nod to this years Pipe Masters competition in memory of his brother, surfer Andy Irons.

A Visitor to our Place.

The Beauty of Aloha for Christmas

Day 0: To Oahu, Hawaii

In my early twenties, I was lucky enough to visit Hawaii twice in the weeks before Christmas. My friend Joanne had a sister who lived on the military base on Oahu and they kindly invited me (and our friend Tami on one trip) to join them for their holiday visit. I scraped together my pennies, and probably my credit card, and we exchanged cold, gray, rainy Seattle for a fragrant flower lei greeting, snorkling in Hanauma Bay, shorts weather, and watching the unforgettable Pipe Masters surfing competition. I remember it as a magical time, waking up to the sound of tropical birds and the smell of plumeria and basking in the not too hot sun. I didn't know very much about Hawaiian culture at the time, just enjoyed the moments.

Fast forward 16 years, with a family, two kids, a house near Portland and much more responsibility than before, the holidays have taken on an entirely different tempo for me. I typically start feeling a low grade buzz of stress in August, thinking ahead, trying to come up with some amazing plan to manage multiple family parties with cooking and presents and still carve out time for friends and our own family traditions. Add to that stressed out people on the roads and in the stores, including myself, inclement weather slowing everyone down, and the flus and colds that go around the chilly Pacific NW at this time of year, I find it challenging to remain peaceful. I sometimes become a person I don't like very much, charging around, hurrying to get things done, upset when things don't work out, with tyrannical flashes in the hours before a party. Someone recently commented to my daughter that she must have been caught up on her chores to attend a glass blowing class and she responded "Oh. There's no missing it when my mom goes commando." (That's boot camp commando, not underwear free commando.)

In times like these, I remember and appreciate and long for the spirit of Aloha that most locals in Hawaii embrace. While there is a deeper religious significance to the spiritual philosophy of Huna that I don't know enough to write about, at a more basic level Aloha seems to mean to live at peace with others and nature. To relax and chat instead of rushing around to get things done. To let someone go first instead of speeding up to pass them. To respect each other, to be kind, to take only what you need and share the rest. To be humble. To stop and smell the roses. It's what I want my life to look like, and to share with my kids. So, after a particularly busy and challenging holiday season last year, and a stressful year this year, I could not be more excited to introduce my family to Hawaii for Christmas. All of our shopping is done, presents wrapped, party food in the freezer and we are on our way to beautiful Oahu.

First sight:

Not sure what these beautiful trees are, but I hope to find out!

Looking towards the hills of Kualoa Ranch, where some of Jurassic Park was filmed. More on this later!

SE Ocean View, a stop off at one of many parks along the way to touch the ocean for the first time.