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Byodo-In Temple
Although I didn’t make nearly enough time to visit this spot during my time on Oahu, the Byodo-In Temple on the Windward side of the island is one of my absolute favorite places. Located in a valley at the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range is Oahu’s Valley of the Temples, a resting place for many of Hawaii’s departed. Besides serving as a memorial park, the Valley of the Temples consists of lush hills covered with tropical flowers and plants. Towards the back of the Valley of the Temples visitors will find the Byodo-In Temple, a scale replica of a 950 year old temple in Uji Japan and made entirely…
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It’s Almost Time to say Goodbye to Hawaii
I officially have less then a month left in Hawaii. After nearly 4 years here on Oahu my husband and I will be saying aloha to island life and heading back to SoCal sometime in January. Although our time is quickly winding down and we have so much we need to do as we prepare for this move there is still so much we still want to do and see here on Oahu. There are also so many places we need to say goodbye to and indulge in once more before we leave. Since we are only here thanks to the military, this move isn’t really shock or a surprise,…
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My Love Hate Relationship with Koko Head
I am and have been in a serious love-hate relationship with Koko Head since I moved to Hawaii. Every time I do this hike I ask myself “why?” before I have even hit the halfway point. By the time I reach the halfway point I contemplate giving up and turning around. And then, I reach the top and I forget all of the pain and sweat I just put into this hike. Koko Head. Koko Head Stairs. Koko Crater. No matter what you call it, this trail is over 1,000 steps up an old railway to a WWII pillbox. It is a killer workout with killer views. It will kick…
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The Hawaii Bucket List – Kaena Point Hike
Over Labor Day weekend my husband and I had originally made plans to travel to Molokai. When those plans fell through we decided to spend the weekend exploring new parts of our own island. We have spent very little time on the west side of the island and decided no better time than now! In doing so we got to check off yet another item on our Hawaii Bucket List, the Kaena Point hike via the Waianae side. Kaena Point is the westernmost point of Oahu and can be accessed via a North Shore hike or a Waianae side hike. The point is a bird sanctuary and if you go…
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The Hawaii Bucket List – Makapu’u Tide Pools
Most people who visit Oahu know about the Makapu’u Lighthouse hike or at least get a glimpse of it when they explore the island; the steep paved hike up to the pretty red lighthouse across from Sea Life Park, tucked between Hawaii Kai and Wiamanalo. However, what many visitors to Oahu don’t realize is that right off this popular hike are gorgeous tide pools, deep enough to swim in and filled with sea life to explore. I have been to the tide pools before, two or three times since I first read about them and every time I ventured down the hillside I am amazed by the beauty of the…
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The Hawaii Bucket List – Makapu’u Tom Tom Trail to the Puka
This weekend was my husband‘s birthday, and because for some reason even after 8 years together I am horrible at finding him the right gift, in order to avoid epic failure, I decided instead of buying him a gift I would just agree to do anything he wanted. I would just like to note that I am not a selfish wife. I would normally do this anyways, but usually, there would be gifts or surprises that never go as planned. This year I decided to avoid that all and just make this weekend as perfect as I possibly could for him. For his birthday, my husband decided he wanted us…
