MY VISIT TO THE ISLAND OF OAHU WAS AMAZING TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. 

THE WEATHER ON THE FIRST DAY WAS MAGICAL, AND I GOT TO SEE SOME PLACES IN PERSON I'VE ONLY GLANCED AT IN A PHOTO.

I ATE AT ARVO (TWICE ACTUALLY), A CUTE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP IN HONOLULU. 

I WAS BOTH A TOURIST AND A LOCAL ALL AT ONCE. ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO STAY AT ANY OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE HOTELS OR AIRBNB'S, I DID STAY NEAR  SOME OF THEM. 

THE "PINK HOTEL" OR ROYAL HAWAIIAN WILL ALWAYS BE THE DREAM. THE SURF JACK HOTEL IS ALSO THE PERFECT HIPSTER PARADISE. EVEN THOUGH I GOT ASKED TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF THE DISTURBANCE OF TAKING PHOTOS, I WILL BE COMING BACK, AND NEXT TIME IT WILL BE WITH PERMISSION. 

I HAVE COME TO REALIZE YOU EITHER LOVE OAHU OR YOU HATE IT AND YOU EITHER LOVE WAIKIKI OR YOU HATE IT. 

I AM NOT FOND OF BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION, SO BEING ABLE TO GET LOST IN A CROWD OF HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE IS ALRIGHT BY ME. ON THE OTHER HAND MY FRIEND SAID, "ITS LIKE BEING A CAT STUCK IN A CARRIER CAGE." 

I HAPPENED TO COME THE DAY BEFORE FLASH FLOODING, WHICH DID RUIN A LOT OF MY PLANS. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? IT'S HAWAII AND THAT'S HOW HAWAII STAYS NICE AND GREEN... JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT. 

RAIN AND CAMERAS WORK ON OCCASION, HOWEVER IN THIS CASE IT MADE IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. SO, I HAD TO RESCHEDULE SOME OF MY PHOTO SHOOTS AND OTHER ONES GOT CANCELED ALL TOGETHER.

ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A NICE TRIP AND I DO LOVE THIS ISLAND VERY MUCH.   

Rising long before the sun, we set out to the southern tip of the big island of Hawaii. The air was

frigid and cold, the sky was dark and compelling us to go back to sleep. Waking up at 3:30am

while hoping to make it to Green sands by the time the sun rose was an adventure all its own.

Victoria, Graham, and I listened to music and talked the whole drive, all the while hoping to beat

the sun before it

rose. 

As we got closer, the terrain transformed before our eyes. The once lush greenery shifted to an

arid desert of dry grass and a dusty road. The landscape was beautiful as the sky started to

lighten and turn beautiful faded shades of blue and pink.

The ride down to Green Sands beach is rough, if

you are visiting and going to attempt the trek down, I would suggest using 4wheel drive. To walk 

down and back in the blazing sun is a very courageous thing. 

There are many different routes to the beach, some twisting and connecting. Those closer to the 

cliffs and shoreline are more dangerous than the ones on higher ground. Some of the walls to the

pathways are almost taller than the height of a trucks door. 

As we reached the end of our journey the sun began to rise. Victoria, Graham, and I hurried up to

the top of the cliffs edge and watched as the sun began to rise. It is not every day we get

to witness the sun rising out of the ocean.

The cliffs are so amazingly beautiful, and the ocean was the bluest I have yet to see. The amazing

sand appears green because of the olivine that has eroded from the cinder cone cliffside.

It shimmers in the sun like little fragments of emeralds.   

I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderfully special couple and their growing family. 

Coming to Hawaii to have their baby moon before the arrival of their first child, Adrienne, Sam, and I made the trek down the valley of Pololu. I,  had just recovered from a long week of being sick with food poisoning and Adrienne being pregnant miraculously braved the steep muddy trail. Normally the hike down and up does not take very long, but for our little party it was an adventure within itself.

As I drove up to the scenic lookout of Pololu Valley the sky was gloomy and clouds threatened the comings of a sunny day. I sat and stared out of my windshield trying to chew and swallow the last of my browning banana. I felt a twist in my stomach and the ever present sensation to gag... my stomach was still very sensitive about everything I ate. I kept on thinking to myself that I was not ready for this much physical exertion. 

But then I saw behind me in the reflection of my rear view mirror a beautiful rainbow hanging atop the trees. Then above the great ocean expanse I saw the sun burst from behind the clouds and light poured out spilling golden sunshine onto everything. 

The gloomy clouds thus disappeared, swept away by the wind and so with them my doubt. I realized all my hesitation was just mental and that i could do it. 

When I met Adrienne and Sam I could see how beautiful their love for each other was. Sam helped his wife down the steep incline and took the whole trek at her pace. We took many stops not only for her but for myself also, and I witnessed how lovingly he cared for his wife. 

As we reached the bottom of the valley we could see that the day could not have been more perfect.