Earlier this year, my brother and I went to Hawaii to visit our family. I remember the plane ride there. It was pretty boring, but we did get to watch a couple of movies, which made it more bearable. After I got off the plane, it felt like stepping into another world. The weather was warm, unlike the freezing cold in Chicago, and there were palm trees everywhere. Hawaii was so different.
On the car ride to our hotel, the whole scene captivated me. I was constantly staring out the window. There were tons of buildings and layered highways, but they never covered the beautiful mountains in the background. The view was even better at sunset. The sight of a giant red sun fading in the back of a tall mountain felt very otherworldly.
That whole week we had everything planned out, but some part of me would’ve liked it better if we just went where the road would take us. There’s something spontaneous trips that I love. I really like the sense of adventure and surprise, having a thought in the back of my mind that we might discover something new and interesting. The thought of exploring an area with so much nature, some place that I’ve never been to before made me feel so excited.
Instead, we went to a Disney hotel. Although this wasn’t ideal, I still really enjoyed it. They had a lot of fun activities and so many small businesses. Also I tried authentic dole whip (a pineapple soft serve ice cream) for the first time. It was sweet and refreshing, everything I’d want on a hot summer day. I could see why my dad enjoyed it while he was growing up.
I remember when we were driving around I saw a peculiar looking food truck. It had red stripes and the truck had the word “malasadas” at the top. When I pointed it out to my dad, he was so excited and we took a detour just to visit it. This was the first time I tried malasadas. It was so good! It was like a doughnut, but better than the ones that I’ve tried.
When it was time to go home, I really didn’t want to go back after seeing the beauty of Hawaii. I was a bit sad to let go of the palm trees, the nice weather, the clear water at the beach, and especially the food. But then, I realized that my friends would be very angry with me if I lived in Hawaii without them, so that sort of convinced me to come back. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my stay and would definitely go back if I ever have the chance.
About the Author
Jen, one of our BUBOTS‘ students, is a 14-year-old Freshman based in the US. She enjoys digital art, sketching, playing the piano and flute, singing and ballet. She also loves to experiment in the kitchen. Someday, she’d like to be a certified accountant.