While it has been a whole month since my first day in Hawai’i
it feels as if on some levels it was so long ago and on others it was just last
week. While I have gotten to tell of my Hawaiian adventure to some I thought I
would share it on here just in case you’ve missed it. So here it is day by day.
After the counter opened and we boarded the flight off we
went. I need to tell you that I hate
flying. I absolutely cannot stand it. I had a really good window seat and there
was a seat between me and the man on the isle so I was thinking that this was
going to be a smooth flight. And it was for about a half an hour. Then turbulence
started to happen. I hate turbulence and I hate flying!!! I am starting the
sweat profusely and am having visions on the aircraft splitting in half and my
heart is racing as I am white knuckling the armrests and I look over and the
man in my row is just sitting there. Cool as a cucumber. He then looks at me
and says “I fly all the time this is nothing.” So lesson learned, if he wasn’t freaking
then I am not going to freak. Then all of the sudden, his coffee cup, empty
thank goodness, flew across the row and he looked a bit freaked out as it
literally felt like we were flying sideways. I was seriously looking in the behind
the seat storage for the barf bag and trying not to pee my pants at the same
time. After it calmed down I was able to compose myself just a bit but I was so
thankful to land and have a couple hour layover in Salt Lake City.
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| Relaxing safely on the ground in Salt Lake City |
After a few hours of calmness it was time to board again and
get to the Island. This time I was seated next to a man named Doug who was
employed by Brigham Young University. Since this was a long flight I decided now
would be a great time to take a sleeping pill and crash out for a couple of
hours. Doug was kind enough to offer me his pillow as he wasn’t going to use it.
I should also tell you how I got to know Doug’s name. As I was getting into my
seat I had my purse which is a crossbody and I was wearing a longer necklace
and I bent down to put my purse under the seat in front of me and get my
seatbelt on my necklace got tangled in my purse strap almost choked myself.
Doug was kind enough to lend a hand and unclasped my necklace freeing me from
almost certain death!!!! After that I felt a bit obligated to introduce myself.
So Doug and I got all settled back in, me taking my sleeping
pill, him reading a book and off we went. After a bit I started to feel the effects of
the sleeping pill and I was excited to fall asleep and wake up closer to the
island. Off to sleepy land I went.
I woke up and hurriedly checked the on screen flight
information and wouldn't
you know. I had slept for exactly a half an hour. A
half an hour of a seven hour flight. So now what to do.
So, I put in my earbuds and thought well if I listen to some
music maybe I can fall back asleep. After about an hour I gave up thinking this
whole sleep thing was just not going to happen. Thank goodness for the TV’s on
long flights. I decided to watch Hacksaw Ridge. This was supposed to be a date
night movie way back when it came out but we all know how that goes. So I began
watching this movie and I was sucked in. It was amazing. I did have to
apologize to Doug occasionally for jumping and screaming because I am a huge
wuss when it comes to surprise moments in movies!!!!
After about six and half hours I looked out my window and
saw it. The most beautiful sight I have ever seen. Water so blue and mountains
so green. Every shade of both in perfect unison as the waves were rolling
inward toward this marvelous landscape called Oahu.
As we were circling for a bit I had such a hard time believing
my eyes. I was captured at that very moment even before I stepped foot on the
island.
After disembarking the airplane, getting my luggage, and saying
goodbye to Doug I headed out to catch the shuttle taking me to my rental car
company. The Hawaiian heat on my skin was one of the most amazing feelings
ever. I was waiting there with several
others. A couple shuttles had passed for numerous companies but mine never
showed up. So here I am with my cute luggage, feeling stranded at the Honolulu
Airport wondering what in the world is going on. Of course, my kids are calling
from home because it’s already eight o clock there so they are trying to go to
bed and I’m trying to get to my freaking car place, it was a wee bit stressful
at this moment. So another family waiting for the same company placed a call
and about 20 minutes later we were on our way to the rental car company.
After I finally get my rental car, which was definitely a
budget rental car, I decided I would head over the NEX (Navy Exchange) and grab
some essentials for my beach cabin. I pulled up to the NEX and its like a choir
opened up singing. It was the biggest and most beautiful NEX ever ( I know, a
bit lame but hey it’s the little things). So into the commissary I went. I was
cruising along getting produce then as I was approaching the bananas a very
nice marine started up a conversation with me about bananas and other fruits, and
inquiring as to my visit, and how long I was planning on being there and blah
blah blah. So I quickly got out of that convo, checked out and was ready to finally
head to Bellows.
After a hot minute I was on the highway, during rush hour
after work traffic, and I wasn’t feeling all that positive that this was in
fact the same island I saw from the sky.
I was driving on the H1 heading to the H3 in quite a lot of traffic.
After getting on the H3 traffic finally thinned out and the scenery was pretty.
As I was quite aways out I went through the Tetsu Tunnel and then there it was.
The beautiful scenery I saw from the sky. Lush green mountains against blue skies
with white clouds and looking down into the valley there was the green and blue
ocean stretching for as far as the eye could see. This was so breathtaking it
actually brought a few tears to my eyes and a peacefulness to my soul I cannot
even explain.
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| Bellows Beach |
So on my trek to Bellows it would not have been an adventure
had my trusty SIRI got me there with no issues. Instead he got me lost by
trying to send me through an old abandoned gate on a shady road in a little
town that I had no idea about. After looking at the map I finally figured out
where the actual entrance was for the road I needed. I kept glancing at my map because
all I could see was ocean on my phone but I couldn’t see it in front of me so I
was getting a bit impatient and then all of the sudden after a mile on this
curvy road I turned the corner and there she was in all her glory. The bluest
of all blues against tan sand with palm trees abound. My heart was stolen
forever in that very moment.
After a wrong turn or three or so I finally found the place
for me to check in and get my cabin.
As soon as I pulled in I decided to forgo the cabin and went
directly to the beach. It was there, on the warm sand listening to the waves
crash that my soul was at home. A restful all-encompassing Aloha Spirit consumed
me like a fire. I knew at that moment ever leaving this place was going to be
one of the most difficult things I was ever going to have to do.
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| Bellows Mountain View |
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| The sound that captures my soul |
I went back and got settled into my cabin. I use the word
cabin lightly as I believe my housing used to be officer quarters from way back
when. It was the most peaceful place though. I got to go to bed that night with
all my windows welcoming the cool tradewind breezes as my curtain shears floated
into the air and to the lullaby of the ocean as she lapped against the sandy
shore.
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| Bellows Beach |
Up Next….The most relaxing day of my life!!!!
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