Honolulu, Hawaii: Island Dreams

Posted by Ron Virmani on February 21st, 2016

I smelled the ocean as soon as I walked outside the airport. The crisp clean salt air immediately put me at ease. I was already dreading the day I had to return home. Ron Virmani, my longtime friend started over to the baggage claim as I snapped out my island trance. We had been planning this trip for months.

While there are some standard things to try when visiting Honolulu, we found out that it is well worth putting the effort into some behind the scenes activities. A surf lesson was the first order of business after an early morning breakfast on the terrace. While lacking in talent, we felt it was still well worth our time. Slow down and talk to people, our surf instructor was a native to the island and full of great stories. The same went for our catamaran tour leader. I didn’t expect to view sea life so effortlessly. On our first of two rides, we saw a whale.

There were also submarine rides available aimed at viewing reef habitats. The Dole pineapple plantation is beautiful and offers some great photo opportunities. Ron Virmani still hasn’t forgiven me for sharing the picture of him with his face in a pineapple. Get out on the ocean, eat some fresh fruit and Mahi-Mahi, and make conversation with the local people.

After the standard tourist trip to Diamond Head volcano one afternoon, Ron Virmani and I searched up some local parks and other activities that were not as well known to visitors. This idea brought us some great adventures. We visited a local grocery store and marveled at all the differences in food options, and ate at a well-known fast food restaurant that had some very different menu items then back home. One park we visited had tame peacocks that ate out of our hands while an off the path hike led to some beautiful waterfalls. Thankfully, we had some knowledgeable new friends with us to show us around and help us stay safe during these adventures. Some of the most interesting experiences were those that seemed like everyday outings.

Ron Virmani and I reluctantly returned to the airport after a week in paradise. We were adorned with lei’s made of local plumeria flowers and jewelry made out of sea shells. Pineapples don’t taste quite the same at home anymore after tasting them fresh from the plantation, and we haven’t seen a whale since, but the memories are spectacular.

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