Dear Hawaii,
You were the first one to welcome me into your world.
The first place I ever travelled to internationally.
The first time I understood what it meant to see and feel a world different to my own.
It was the beginning of an ongoing love affair… not with a person, but with a place. At first, of course, it was my parents’ choice. I was just along for the ride. But it didn’t take long before I began to feel just as at home in your seas, as carefree in your mountains, as refreshed by your ocean breezes. What was just a quick holiday destination for some became my second home; the one my heart would quietly long for in the months between visits.
We ventured to Hanauma Bay, where we put on our snorkels and jumped straight into the sea. The younger version of me couldn’t contain her excitement, diving under the water without hesitation, water flooding my snorkel, and not a care in the world. I watched the fish glide past me like secrets being shared. A turtle swam calmly by, and I still remember how excited my dad was when we got out, eagerly telling my mum about the moment we saw it.
A red Mustang was our car of choice to explore the island. The wind tossed my hair in every direction as a wide grin stretched across my face. We spent that day on the road, taking in views I didn’t fully understand yet, but already loved. I didn’t know what the North Shore truly represented then — only that something about it felt sacred and different from the more polished parts of the island. That seed of awareness would grow with me over time.
I remember my first luau, where I sat wide-eyed under the soft glow of string lights as dancers moved with a grace I’d never seen before. I didn’t know the stories they were telling, not yet, but I could feel that they meant something. Even then, there was a sense that Hawaii wasn’t something you could simply look at, you had to feel it. You had to let it move through you.
Hawaii, for me, you represent Endless Summer. A destination where you can truly feel the soul of the place and the people, if you tune in deeper than the surface-level of tourism. You make me want to run wild through the mountains and play in the sea, like a child returning to their secret vacation spot. You are my childhood best friend in a destination.
From the moment I got on the plane to return home, I knew I could not wait for the opportunity to return to your shores once more. And for weeks after I arrived home, you remained on my mind. My heart made a permanent space for you though, where you shall always remain.
With love,
A
