Travel Living in Hawaii ~ Cheryl Yale-Bruedigam

Early on I was a military wife and the only place we were stationed was Hawaii. This offered a rare opportunity to experience a lifestyle as different as night and day to that which I was accustomed.

Flying for hours and hours I thought I would never arrive. I had packed everything but the kitchen sink with my mother reminding me that they also had stores in Hawaii and I need not try to take everything. As the plane began to descend toward the tiny island (I am from Texas remember; land, space) and the captain made his announcement that we were approaching Honolulu International Airport, I could not help but wonder how on earth he was going to maneuver that 747 onto that tiny speck in the pacific ocean. But he did, and I stepped off the plane into paradise with a lei, many alohas and a warm welcome to a new travel life. My home-to-be held palm trees providing coconuts and even Hibiscus trees for my own lei-making as guests would visit. Geckos hung from the ceiling and peeped out of mailboxes.

The beauty of Oahu was breathtaking, the climate superb, the colors unbelievable. Flowers were everywhere and a banyan tree took up an entire city block. While living in Hawaii my husband and I enjoyed moonlight walks on the beach in the subtle glow of the amber city lights, dining with romantic harbor views trying all sorts of seafood, Asian, Polynesian. Beach picnics and beach camping (though too sandy for my tastes) were frequent and filled with much fun and activities from volleyball to swimming, beachcombing, and some hiking on trips to see places like Manoa Falls or Lanikai Beach or Waimea Falls. Car trips to the North shore offered sightseeing, and an isolated feel away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu.

Dress in Hawaii is casual and days were spent in flip-flops, shorts, bikinis, and sundresses or MuuMuus if the occasion called. For men the same; shorts, Aloha shirts, swim trunks and flip-flops constituted daily attire. Even downtown in office buildings it was perfectly common to see the residents dressed in MuuMuus or Aloha shirts in the business environment.

Living on Pearl Harbor provided its own sub-culture within a sub-culture. Docks and ships and submarines were seen daily. Tours were available on some and sometimes visiting foreign ships would dock as well offering a glimpse into even more foreign cultures. At the Honolulu docks the Pacific Princess, famous in its role as the Love Boat, was a common sight. Many TV shows were always being filmed and the streets of Oahu would close off as Ferraris would chase through the downtown avenues or the beaches were roped off occupied by celebrities and film crews.

We visited the Arizona Memorial on many occasions, never tiring of its somber feel and its dedication to those lost. There is nothing else quite like standing on the platform above it, out in the harbor, looking down and being able to see the eerie ship below in its ocean floor cradle. It is a very moving and profound experience. A short ferry rides takes you to and from the memorial which is always enjoyable.

We attended shows with fire-eating Polynesian warriors and hula dancers in the traditional grass skirts. The Polynesian Cultural Center is an excellent resource for soaking in a crash course in history and Polynesian life. The arts offer excellent concerts and shows and at the time we were able to see Liza Minelli, as well as Don Ho’s band. Day trips and getaways are numerous from one evening Wind Jammer cruises offering food, drinks, dancing and harbor views to overnight weekend excursions to other islands like Maui. On Maui we visited the Haleakala National Park and Volcanic crater while staying in Hana, which was pure heaven at the crater’s ten-thousand foot summit, as was Maui itself and none of our party wanting to leave its magical majesty when the time came. Although we explored the island as much as possible, for the day-to-day, I found it highly enjoyable to take in a particular old shopping center and neighborhood where there was an old-fashioned drugstore and pharmacy most interesting to shop in, I did laundry with the locals and even ordered rice bowls at the nearby McDonalds. Big Band music would waft through the air from loud-speakers around town, enabling the visitor to almost imagine the days prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Strolling with the tourists in Waikiki could provide excellent people-watching and entertainment. Hoards of Asian tourist with cameras, Texans in cowboy hats, celebrities, and families from the Midwest, Samoans, locals, and military personnel, Waikiki is quite the unique experience while its hotels, dining and shopping rank world-class.

Leaving Hawaii a year later, I flew away to return to my Texas roots spiced from a travel life filled with island culture and cuisine, now adding colorful pieces to my wardrobe along with bits of coral jewelry and a flair for easier living.