Hawaii State Nickname: The Aloha State
Hawaii Fun Fact: A new Hawaiian island called Loihi is forming offshore of the big island.
Best thing about Hawaii: The average daily summer temp is 85 F (29.4 C) and the average daily winter time temp is 78 F (25.4 C).
Worst Thing About Hawaii: It’s so damn far away. If you live on the east coast of the United States you’re looking at 16 hours of travel to get there, and the same 16 on the way back. You basically lose two days just to the travel time. And when you’re there it’s so many time zones away that your sleep is really screwed up. Get used to waking up at 3:00 a.m.
I’m sorry that I missed getting a state review in yesterday. I was traveling for work.
I’ve been to Hawaii twice, but unfortunately it was to the same island, Maui, both times. I’ve been told that each Hawaiian island has it’s own unique flavor and style, so although I really enjoyed my stays on Maui, I feel like I missed out on really getting to know Hawaii.
Maui is as lush and beautiful as you see on TV and in movies. It is truly a paradise. One of my favorite Hawaii experiences is related to that sea turtle photo. One day I had rented a paddle board and as I was paddling along a sea turtle about that size came to the surface and swam alongside me for a bit.
The state of Hawaii is actually 137 islands of various sizes, but they are grouped into eight primary islands: Ohau, Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Niihau, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe. Now that I know that, I’d like to go live on one of the lesser known islands. Preferably the one with the fewest tourists.
Volcanoes are a bit of a problem on some of the Hawaiian islands. Two of the worlds most active volcanoes are on the Big Island of Hawaii. That’s something I’d love to see. How many people ever get to see an active volcano? It’s an incredible, unstoppable force of nature that can’t just be duplicated any where else.
That is not me, but I did enjoy a fantastic ziplining experience on Maui. We ziplined down the side of an old volcano using about five different zip lines. It’s fun and safe.
Another unique Hawaii experience is the pig roast. They actually cook the pig in a hole in the ground for a day or more and then pull it out of that hole and serve it to you. And it is surprisingly fantastic.
There are so many more things to do in Hawaii such as hiking in the jungles and mountains, helicopter tours, surfing and just laying around at the beach. My personal advice after having been there twice is this: Everyone should try it once in your life. Then if you want a tropical vibe, go to the Caribbean and pick any island, Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya…. Puerto Rico, Guadalupe etc. They are all a much shorter flight and cost a whole lot less for the same 85 degrees and palm trees.
Here’s a tip for you if you are planning a Hawaii trip: Last year I was researching the possibility of another Hawaii trip and I discovered that there are a lot of AirBNB or VRBO houses and condos available right on beaches that are priced lower than staying at a hotel or resort.
Up next… my own private Idaho!
Safe travels! ~Phil
