Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Hawaii – the beginnings
No, not the beginning of the islands themselves. (Though you can still witness them grow as molten lava flows into the ocean.) I’m talking about my own humble beginnings with these wonderful Pacific islands collectively known as Hawaii.
It started sometime after my 20th wedding anniversary when I said to my husband, with a smile on my face and stars in my eyes, “Isn’t it wonderful that we will celebrate our 25th Anniversary in Hawaii?”
His laughter indicated he didn’t know this to be true at the time. In fact, I knew my husband had little to no interest in Hawaii, why I do not know. Nevertheless, I continued this prophetic speak when the occasion so warranted, wisely and judiciously until the message was heard; until he deduced from my unabashed hinting that I wasn’t kidding, and yes it may be time for such a trip.
“Honey, if you really want to go, we will go.”
And so my planning began in earnest as we settled on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii (aka, ‘the big island’) to celebrate our anniversary almost 10 years ago.
I won’t bore you with too many details from that first trip. (For I have been making up for lost time ever since.) I can only tell you that I was immediately smitten; it was everything I hoped it would be and much, much more. I can find no word more suitable to describe this magical place than Lush.
Lush. Hanging vines. Coconuts. Papayas and mangoes. Banyan trees. Waterfalls. Rich fragrances of fruits and flowers filling the moist air.
So while the Seattle winter rains are heavy upon us, I am making final preparations for our next trip, the second to the island of Maui. It may be our last, who knows? But I am so glad I spoke that first trip into being many years ago, by a few simple words.
“Isn’t it wonderful that we will celebrate our 25th Anniversary in Hawaii?”
Yes. It was.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Anyplace that has turtles and no snakes is fine with me. . . .
Yes! I love those beautiful resting turtles! 🙂
Well yeah! They’re big enough to rest on!
I have never been, but have always been fascinated by the splendour of such an island paradise.
You are lucky indeed, Susanne. It is too far from Beetley for us.
Best wishes, Pete.
Hi Pete. It’s truly a wonderful place and I do feel lucky to have gone and to be going again. (You may see a post on Maui next month.) We are pretty close, being on the west coast of the US with direct 6 hour flights from here. There are probably equivalent places from your side of the world but I don’t know what they are! 🙂
We are sort-of in the middle! I have been to China, Singapore, and Malaysia. But Hawaii is so far away, (18 hours by air) it is expensive for us. Singapore was very nice, but not as unusual as Hawaii perhaps.
at least you have the experienced the tranquil of the islands….
Yes it is a special place. 🙂
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