After five long years of being away from the island I found myself greeted by warm smiles from strangers and the scent of plumeria in the air. Arriving at the airport alone provides one of the most sensual experiences in Hawai'i. I even found myself smiling uncontrollably. Happy to be off the plane, soaking in the sun, and welcoming the breeze I skipped to my shuttle. All these things are very familiar to me having lived on the island before, but several things are still very foreign. As a resident I didn't do nearly as much as one might imagine, with work and school finding room for R&R was nearly impossible at times. This time around I'll be just as much a tourist as the next person flying over.

For starters, I arranged a ride with the Oahu Airport Shuttle to my friends place in Mililani. I made a couple calls around before deciding to go with their services which are highly affordable if you're looking to keep your budget low. The airport is clever in making sure you have to utilize public or private paid transportation if you're without friends or family to pick you up, so again I recommend the shuttle as a form of transportation to your first destination.

Upon arriving my friend guided me via cell to her cozy condo tucked comfortably in the Launani Valley. This particular is area is new to me as most of my time spent in the past was in Aiea or Pearl City. After letting me in to the place she had to dash back to work, which was perfect in terms of unwinding, unpacking, and getting the opportunity to share these first delicate moments with you guys. Sorry this first day couldn't have been more exciting, but most first days right off a plane usually aren't.

I'm off now to finalize and map my way to a few events planned for the week, but I can already tell you I smell adventure cooking.

Filed under: Stories