Hawaii is for Self-Lovers
The following is a guest blog from Kim Tracy Prince.
Hawaii is a popular destination for honeymooners and for families alike. I could see it being a fun getaway for a girls’ only trip, too. Last weekend I had the rare good fortune of a 3-night, 3.5-day stay in Honolulu, alone. No husband, no kids, not even girlfriends, or a gaggle of bloggers. It was a mixed business/pleasure trip, so I had an agenda but plenty of free time. It felt weird to be traveling there alone, even if it was for my writing. But once I touched island ground, I was off and running, and I realized that this was a romantic vacation, for myself.
People always tell mothers that we have to take care of ourselves, that if we don’t put our oxygen masks on first, we can’t handle getting them on to our other family members. I already knew this about myself: alone time is necessary for my survival and subsequently the survival of my family. I need quiet and time to think, time to write, time to just be who I am, not someone’s daughter/friend/wife/mother. It sounds very Eckhart Tolle to say that, but it’s true. The essence of myself is not who I am to others. It’s just who I am. On my own in Honolulu, I was free to exist independently of my relationships back home.
And so I relished the days to roam about in my zippy little rental car, stopping here and there at my leisure, showing up to my appointments on time (mostly, after all, they practice “island time” on Oahu), keeping my hotel room as neat as I wanted to, or not. Popping downstairs for a quick dip in the hot tub, running down the street for food and drink at the convenience store, not needing to tell anyone, or ask anyone, or get anyone else ready to come with me. Motherhood turns these types of errands into luxurious adventures when undertaken alone.
In the 3.5 days I was on the island of Oahu, I covered a lot of ground, something that would have been impossible to do with my children and even with only my husband in tow:
- mastered the crazy one-way streets of Waikiki
- walked the shoreline in Waikiki, Waialua, and Haliewa
- visited the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor
- dined at several recommended local restaurants, and a Denny’s (that’s another story)
- shopped for souvenirs
- hiked to the lookout at Diamond Head
- lounged poolside, enjoying a good book and a tasty meal
- attended a tweetup where I met a bunch of fun new people
- met an old surfer on the beach who told me his life story and invited me to a Brazilian BBQ (which I politely declined)
- watched a parade
- slept 8 hours in a row. Twice.
If I had ever dreamed about a solo vacation before, I probably would have chosen a spa. But the possibilities for adventure and exploration on Oahu, which never made me feel unsafe because I was alone, took Hawaii beyond the couples/family vacation category for me. It was even fun to go shopping, something I don’t usually enjoy, and pick out t-shirts and trinkets for my kids. When I got back home to Los Angeles, with its dull sheen of ordinary, the bright smiles of my husband and kids welcoming me back was the icing on an already delicious cake.
This is an original post for LA Moms Blog. Kim Tracy Prince blogs at House of Prince.