ROBBIE (V.O.)
(as if rehearsing)

So, the story starts….

I was supposed to go to Mt. Shasta. Hike, jet ski, lay in the grass, feel the bark on the trees — the works. The trip was planned two months in advance, the dates were set, the leave was approved, nothing, and I mean nothing, could stand in the way.

Or so you would think. 

Note to self: When planning a trip, don’t just say the things you want to do, plan them. For instance, if you’re going to camp, find a campsite, reserve it, buy it flowers, make it your girlfriend, do what you gotta do, but make it official. If you’re planning it with a friend, a spouse, a sister — talk to them. It’s almost laughably how little I spoke to my sister during the coordination of this trip. To say I’m embarrassed is an understatement, but in my defense, I was raised to be spontaneous, so I thought everything would come together on its own. 

Boy was I wrong. Sorry, Bri. My bad G.

Long story short, the Shasta trip fell apart but my vacation clock had already started ticking. I had one week to do something worthwhile and bumming at home was not an option for me; however, what eventually came to be the finalized plan was beyond what I could have possibly expected: Hawaii.

Now, the thought of booking a flight to Hawaii started out as a joke, I mentioned it to a friend of mine, but he was less interested in laughing at the joke than he was interested in actually finding a way to make it happen. 

Now I need to make one thing clear here, I do not travel, at all. I mean, I find it hard enough to leave my house most of the time. Like, aside from work, the gym, or the basketball courts, it’s not often you’ll find me experiencing life on the grander scale of things — though that’s not to say that’s not what I want, because it is. 

So, when my friend said I should do it, you’ll be pleased to hear I did, though not without a day’s worth of doubt and hesitation first. I mean, Hawaii? Me? There? No… could I? Should I? No… yes! Yes… yes. Okay. Let’s do it.

And so, I really dedicate this trip to my friend, Tan Tan. Seriously, I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for all your help. Thank you to my husband for being so supportive of me going and thank you to myself for overcoming the mountain of guilt needed to say yes to this trip in the first place.

However, a key point I’ve left out up until now is the fact that this was supposed to be a solo trip. That’s right, I was going to go, alone. Little ole me, taking the island by storm. All I needed to do was find a ride to the airport. I reached out to my mom the night of to ask for a ride to the airport.

This is how our conversation went:

Mom, could you take me to the airport tomorrow?

Where are you going?

Hawaii.

Alone?

Yes.

Want some company?

Of course…

Daddy said I could go (:

WHAAAAAT?!

Would you like your sisters to go too?

Yeah!

Done!

No. WAY.

And just like that, it became a girl’s trip. 

The flight to Honolulu felt like a restless night, full of anxiety and home-grown fear. They say, “no one ever thinks it’ll happen to them until it does,” but I’m one of those people who thinks everything will happen to them — and to clarify, I mean worst case scenarios. I’m too afraid to walk anywhere alone because I would be the one to be kidnapped, I can’t ride my motorcycle to work because I would be the one to end up in an accident, I can’t fly in a plane because I would be the one to fall out of the sky.

And I know what you’re thinking, “But weren’t you supposed to take this trip alone?” and the answer is yes, yes I was, and in my defense, being alone was something I was hoping to learn how to do while I was there, but who am I to take away this perfectly aligned girl’s trip? Noble of me, I know… but I digress.

You know how annoying that is? To think the worst is out to get you? I mean, it is a full-time job, and I already have two of those! Before we took off, I was talking to God and bargaining with Him, I said, “Please, Lord, it’s not my time, Lord. Give me more time, Lord.” But ultimately, it’s His Will and if I’ve learned anything about God, it’s that His Will will be done.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I don’t fight it.  I’ll say I trust Him and then reach for the armchair any time turbulence hits or hold my breath any time the plane crosses over the ocean.

Suffice to say, it felt like a restless night, but the next morning was perfect, and every day after. 

Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself.

Tuesday 7/22
[  ] Flight was scheduled for 6:25 p.m. but was delayed until 11 p.m. due to a maintenance issue in one of the bathrooms on the aircraft.
[  ] We arrived in Honolulu by 1 a.m. and took an Uber to our hotel, The Hyatt, in the town of Waikiki.

Wednesday 7/23
[  ] We all woke up at 7 a.m. and ate breakfast the hotel provided (french toast, scrambled eggs, & sausage links; the culture shock began when we realized consuming miso soup was acceptable at all hours of the day, even the morning — I felt like I had finally found my people).
[  ] We walked the strip to the little hub I had booked under the impression I was going to be alone on this trip, First Cabin International, and checked in, stopping into ABC Stores along the way.
[  ] Stopped at Kbay Bros Too for our first, of many, poke runs
[  ] Waimanola Beach (41-010 Wailea St, Waimanalo, HI 96795)
[  ] Tikis for dinner — the coconut shrimp 🍤is so MUNCH!

Thursday 7/24
[  ] I woke up in my little box cubby, got dressed, and took my first solo stroll of Waikiki in the direction of The Hyatt.
[  ] We ate together again but this time, the menu was different; they served breakfast sandwiches, eggs, and sausage links, not to mention our daily dose of miso soup — swoon.
[  ] Coffee shop – Ali’i Coffee Co.
[  ] Strolled the International Marketplace
[  ] Keaaumoku Seafood for lunch, though my mom ate at Domino’s (tiss tiss)
[  ] Hiked Manoa Falls Trail — do not pass this one up, SO beautiful. If you want to lay your eyes on some forest-y views, this is the trail to do it. Though, heads up: it has a relatively rocky terrain with a stable uphill climb, but it’s a short enough trail that in my opinion makes it manageable.
[  ] Next stop: Ala Moana Beach Park
[  ] Dinner at Furusato Sushi 🍣 (YUM, Diamond Head Roll 10/10) + a quick pop into The Cheesecake Factory for their coconut cream pie cheesecake

Friday 7/25
[  ] Another solo walk to breakfast with my family (waffles, eggs, sausage patties, and miso)
[  ] Coffee run of the day: Kai Coffee
[  ] Spent some time at Waikiki Beach which easily became my favorite of them all! So calm, so soothing, so perfect.
[  ] Keeaumoku Seafood, yes, again.
[  ] Stopped at a Costco! Don’t remember which, but y’all know I had to.
[  ] Food Truck Cove, but more specifically, Pebbles (a predominantly soda-based food truck). DELICIOUS.
[  ] A brief visit of the Hale’iwa Store Lots where you can find souvenir gift shops, clothing outlets, shaved ice, and more!
[  ] Dropped by Laniakea Beach – a turtle beach
[  ] Beach hopped to Sunset Beach where I got my first and only coconut!!🥥 (currently there’s a coconut shortage, so it took us three different places before we scored the jackpot!)

Saturday 7/26
[  ] Last solo morning walk of the trip and to honor it, I took a detour to Waikiki Beach to really take in the water, the sand, and the sky one last time.
[  ] Breakfast ft. a coffee run to Island Vintage Coffee.
[  ] Last little souvenir run.
[  ] Hotel pack up.
[  ] Airport.
[  ] Home.

I still can’t breathe, but that’s only because as I’m writing this, I’m on the flight back home and all I see is water.

But the water is beautiful, and Hawaii is beautiful, and though I grieve leaving, I’m excited for the growth and change that awaits me back home.

If you could hop on the red eye to anywhere, where would you go?

Now answer me this, why don’t you?

Think about it.

Cheers,
B.