Back home I had booked a kayak trip on the other side of the island in Kailua. So, at work before leaving for Hawaii I daydreamed about smooth sailing on a peaceful ocean. You know, a peaceful vacation memory like what was posted on their website. But as things tend to go, my adventure was quite different and full of challenges.
A shuttle picked me up at my hotel and we drove to
Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks where we carried our boats down to the beach for a five mile paddle out to Moku'lua Island. To say it was windy would be an understatement. We were actually paddling against (and sometimes sideways) white-capped waves. We made it halfway out to the island and our guide debated going back. There were about 10 of us and at this point none of us wanted to give up so we dug down deep and made it there. We ate a packed lunch on the beach and the snorkeling turned out to be just as challenging as the waves rocked me around the sharp coral reefs - both my knees were bleeding - but I did see some pretty marine life and a sea turtle. On the way back in a rouge wave came up over me and rolled me out of my kayak. It was a desperate feeling to be scrambling for my boat out in a rough ocean but at the same time it was thrilling to be able to experience it all...
counting the blisters on my hands.
Instead of getting out on Black Friday, I decided to do something creative and relaxing at home. Besides, I spent all my money in Hawaii! I spent the morning with my soldering iron making a bracelet from small shells, stones and coral that I picked up on the beach of Waikiki. I had collected a handful thinking I'd make something special and this idea woke me up early this morning (as most of my ideas do). Some shells have little holes and for the other pieces that didn't I just wrapped with a strip of foil, soldered around and attached a ring. I couldn't have purchased a more special souvenir.
