Returning Home to Honolulu, Hawaii

Since my trip to the Northeast last fall, I had been wanting to travel again. However, time was not quite ready for the extended road trip that I had been planning in the back of my mind. Besides, my old home, beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, was beckoning me to come visit. When I tell people I used to live in Hawaii, I see excitement in their eyes. They think of Hawaii as a paradise, a place where people dream about going. But for me, I dream about going to Hawaii because it was home for many years, a home where there are old friends and familiar places. So please let me tell you about my favorite places around my old hometown and my recent visit there.

I usually take friends to the Pali Lookout. Looking at this picture, one would have to agree that Hawaii is quite the paradise. But this picture and others can't begin to describe the beauty of Hawaii, especially when you get outside of the city of Honolulu:

You may have heard of Waikiki, where most of the tourists shop and swim, but I prefer the shops in Haleiwa town and the beaches on the North Shore, where there are few people (but don't tell any anybody that):

When I lived in Hawaii, I didn't always get to be a tourist, so when I return, I sometimes feel the urge to make up for lost time. On my recent trip back home, I did see the sights just as a tourist might. When I do, you might find me exploring the cultural and historical sites such as the National Cemetery of the Pacific:

But most importantly, this trip was time to spend with old friends:

Unexpectedly during this trip, I also found myself talking story (that is, chewing the fat, shooting the breeze, chatting) with colorful people that had their own stories to tell. For example, there was Dave, the musician, William, an award winning runner and Rick, who like me had come back home for a visit: