Play it back

I was bothered recently by the lack of documentation I’ve done of my trips thus far. I’ve written a lot about my feelings, contemplative thoughts and ideas, but I don’t want to forget the individual moments and adventures that led to them, and I (really) don’t want to have to rely on social media for memories. Sometimes I write in my journal, but most days I don’t. As much as I appreciate the interest others have in reading, at the end of the day, I have to do this for me.

The month I spent in Hawaii was transformative – not in a dramatic sense, if there’s another way, but it was peaceful, luxurious, and low-key. It wasn’t always actively happy as no month-long stint really could be the entire time (at least for me), but it took me somewhere mentally that I needed to go. 

Hawaii was grounding. I was able to move slowly and take my time. I had booked an amazing Airbnb, like THE most beautiful – and the price was reflective, definitely a splurge. It was a peaceful retreat with scenic views and an ocean breeze. The bonus was how friendly my host, Lauren, was. At first I thought it was a normal level of hospitality, but I soon realized that she was genuinely interested. She treated me to wine and food on more than one occasion. I got to know her and her “was”-band, who was visiting for a time and somehow went to the same local HBCU as my father, uncle, and many of my family members as an Iranian immigrant *mindblown* In any event, it was a nice connection and Lauren and I have kept in touch. We share interest in the same guilty pleasure trash TV series, “90 Day Fiancé” and its all of its iterations. 

Most days, despite my nature, I was up by 8 or 9am. The brightness of the Airbnb – the literal amount of sunlight was astounding, but I had a good eye mask and it didn’t really seem like the sunlight was waking me up. I don’t know, maybe I was just more at peace there, so my body just didn’t need as much sleep, or as much as I’m accustomed to. 

I tried to explore as much of Oahu as possible, piece by piece. I found some amazing beaches: Kailua being the closest and most crowded of those I visited; Lanikai, stunning and a bit further walk. I tried Haleiwa to see the sea turtles/honu, planning around traffic and parking precariously. I spent almost two hours there with little luck. Plenty of tourists though, a common issue plaguing the island as I grew to understand – I have to own my contribution to that. I was disappointed, but pressed on. I went into town and was further disappointed with how crowded it was too. The restaurant I had planned to visit was basically out of food so to make the long trip worth it, I stood in line forever for the famed shaved ice only for half of it to be mediocre at best. I left dejected, but remembered that a friend had suggested coconut peanut butter from a specialty store in the area. It was on the edge of town, a little less busy so I went and bought an overpriced jar – it’s good, but $9? Ma’am. On my way out, I noticed a sign for wine next door at what appeared to be a small cafe and a girl knows what she deserves. I sat down for a tasting and inhaled a sandwich as I hadn’t eaten all day. I was the only one in there for a while, so I had a nice chat with the young sommelier. That made the day worth it and I even considered driving back up there just for that place, though I ultimately didn’t. I had gotten so sucked into that mess of an adventure that I had forgotten about a virtual cousin gathering we were having that evening until a reminder buzzed on my phone. I had to get myself together and hurry to the car to do the Zoom from there, while 6 roosters congregated for their own discussion in front of me under a mango tree, in case I had forgotten I was in Hawaii. Can I pause for a moment to say how much I hated that rental car? It thought it was smarter than me. I was lucky to have a car considering the rental market at the time, but nah miss me with some of this technology <insert geriatric finger-wagging here>. It wouldn’t sync with my phone and still allow me to Zoom like my own VW baby back home, so I had to sit there in the parking lot for the whole meeting and then drive home. It was a day. 

One of the most memorable experiences was Queen Emma’s Summer Palace, a last-minute venture at almost the end of my trip that was actually a suggestion from Lauren. When I went online to buy tickets, I saw that they also offered hula classes on the grounds for only $5. I eagerly signed up. The class was taught by an authentic Kumu, not just some white lady from the resort like I had experienced in Maui years earlier. He shared his family’s long legacy of teaching hula on the island, sang and played the drum while we learned our choreography that I vowed I wouldn’t forget and promptly did, unfortunately. It was a beautiful experience despite how out of place I felt in a small group of mostly senior ladies who were from the island (the class was for ages 35+). In my ignorance, I also had no skirt; hopefully, it wasn’t disrespectful, but it’s a class that will stick with me for some time. 

Most of the rest of the trip were beaches – Makapu’u, Waimanalo – and scenic drives and vistas. There were rum tastings at Ko Hana with great company, history lessons at Iolani Palace and so much delicious food. I couldn’t make much of a dent in the many lists of recommended restaurants shared with me. I learned to love more coconut things, that 7 Eleven is way better there (you can even trust it for lunch) and fell in love with a new slurpee flavor: Ube. The beauty of the island was astounding. I got to see one of my beloved friends who just moved back, the island being where she grew up. Despite living in the same city for several years, we had seen each other only rarely so having concentrated time to catch up and just exist together again was the ultimate treat. 

As I sit here outside of the Málaga Cathedral on a bench in the garden, listening to the fountain gently splashing water into the pond, I prepare for new beauty and new connections. There is much yet to come.

Top Photo: Sunset in Honolulu