chepar, I totally agree with you. I know that I often take a lot of this paradise that I live in, for granted! The outrageously beautiful sunsets are wonderful....I am so jaded now that I don't run home to my condo unless I know it's going to be a super fabulous sunset. Yet, they all pretty much are!

The sea animals are great, too...I remember camping in Kalaupapa on Molokai, and wading in the water in the morning. I saw an eel floating by and looking at me, and in the short distance a monk seal was bobbing around and checking me out.

Hawaii is like the 1960s/70s...If you remember anything, you really didn't have a good Hawaiian vacation! :-d

But, during a brief moment of sobriety, it has to be the momma whale coming in so close to the Poipu shore with her young family and I'd swear I could see her wink at me during a slow roll.

That and seeing about 10 of then romping from the "1st turn" of the NaPali Coast hike. Awsome when they are a few thousand ft out and you're about 1,000ft. above the ocean. :-X:-X

The view from our hotel bed on Molokai watching a storm roll in.

Sunset over Oahu from poolside of the Kaluakoi Resort on Molokai sipping a mai tai.
And just about any Polihale Sunset.

First, watching the sunset against the clouds on top of Haleakala. Then, seeing my shadow ringed by a rainbow against the Haleakala crater - called the Brocken Spector. It was like watching a ghost. My husband and I were the only people at the overlook which made it even more special.

4 trips, so many memories . . . .

I guess I'd have to say the first sunset from Napili, because it was so astonishing. Looking out at Molokai, admiring the most amazing colors, and then, Whales breeching, one after another. We lost count of all the whales we saw on that first trip, but we must have seen 20 the first night.

(This was in March, which seemed to be prime time for whales in Maui).

This thread is great, I had to add to it...

1.) Rushing into our room at the Outrigger on Waikiki and throwing open the blinds in our room, getting our first glimpse of Waikiki Beach and that beautiful blue ocean, surfers, and the catamarans...I literally dropped everything in my hands because I was so in awe of the beauty...we had just gotten to Hawaii and had only seen the street side of Waikiki

2.) Snorkeling for the first time at Hapuna Beach on the Big Island, and swimming with my husband and 4 giant sea turtles

3.) Hiking over hardened lava at VNP, and feeling amazed at all the new land there

4.) Snorkeling at Molokini on Maui, so clear and calm and blue, like another world

5.) Walking back to the Hyatt on the Kaanapali Beach walk at night, looking up and seeing nothing but palm trees and stars....

Getting lei'ed ! ! !

Just the way the air feels on your skin...ahhhh...16 more days...

wanted to revive this thread and see if anyone wanted to add to it: i've got Hawaii on the brain!!!!

Lying on our balcony with our pillows and blanket at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel in 1978, staring up at the beautiful moonlit sky, and watching the tall palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. And, oh, the wonderful smells of pikake, plumeria...aahhh!

My very first bowl of steamin' hot saimin.

Living in Lahaina when it was just another odd old town.

My first sunrise at Haleakala. We were the only ones up there (long time ago).

Having fun at the International Marketplace when it used to be a fun place instead of what it is now.

Collecting woodrose on the Big Island.

Kalapana Beach.

Soaking in the hot pond by Kapoho with my best friends. The tiny fish nibble at you under water.

Living on Molokai and driving 20 MPH from Kamalo to Kaunakakai because there was no good reason to drive any faster.

Getting rained on at the old outdoor movie theater in Kaunakakai.

The smell of Hawaii. Maile, pikaki, plumeria, crackseed, the salty-limu air at some beaches, teri-anything on the BBQ, huli-huli chicken as your driving down the road, the musky smell in the forest after it rains.

The color of the ocean in places like Waimanalo, Waimea, Pokai, Kahana, Kaneohe and Kealakekua Bays.

Bonfires at Makaha and Sunset Beaches.

Being under a tin roof and listening to the rain.

Going over to Coconut Island or the sand bar in Kaneohe Bay.

'Borrowing' lychee from the best tree in the neighborhood.

The sound of the tradwinds blowing through ironwood trees.

Hiking to Sacred Falls.

Being a kid and thinking the drive to Hana would never end, and then having to drive back later that day.

Rain on your side of the street and no rain on my side. haha

Good stuff. Thanks for reminding me.

Sesamee

Most of my favorite Hawaiian memories involve a combination of people and places.. The cook at Kona Inn who was moving to the west shore of Kauai "because the Big Island was becoming too developed"; two surfers from Australia on Big Beach (Maui) and two German tennis pros at the Kona Bali Kai, all four of whom have since become close friends, and a whole set of Hawaiian locals who've become a secondary family for us. Especially on the Big Island, locals in general are tremendously friendly and generous people.

I thought about this thread today as I attended my friend's luau in Kalihi. Lots of Hawaiian song, fragrant leis, and best of all, every so often someone would jump up and do a hula as Ale'a was playing. The best one was "Pua Hone," when a girl was doing the hula and a guy jumped in and started doing the male version alongside her. I felt so lucky to be a part of the 'ohana and the surrounding culture.

This falls more under the "hard to believe" category:
Staying at the Sheraton Waikiki (ocean view) in 1977 for $32.00 a night!

I apologize if this is a multiple post...I'm having some technical difficulties this evening.

So many favorite memories, but my tops ones would have to be:

* Having my first pina colada drink out of a cored pineapple, with an umbrella, while watching the sunset on Kaanapali beach in Maui.

* Feast at Lele (Maui) watching the sunset with my husband as we enjoyed a great meal and realizing I had seven more nigths of sunsets to enjoy!

* Taking my mom on her first trip ever to Hawaii (Maui) and taking her to all my favorite restaurants and activities - it was a great mom/daughter trip.

* Riding down Haleakala - I loved that adventure!

* Sitting on my lanai at the Kauai Marriott resort watching a tropical storm take place - wow! Many people were bummed to be "rained out", but I loved it - talk about a wild storm!

Mahalo for letting me share some of my memories!

Cheers,
Tracey

Sitting on a rock on the east end of Hideaways Beach on the North Shore of Kauai. The water temperature so perfectly matched to the air temperature that I have to look to see if my legs are actually in the water. My feet buried deeply in the softest sand I've ever felt. To the west the sand along the entire length of beach is perfect and undisturbed. Looking across Hanalei Bay my view of Bali Hai is obstructed only by the occasional misty spray of the incoming waves as they crash against the rocks to the west. And as I look around, I realize I'm the only person on the entire beach and for the moment, this paradise belongs to me.


I'll be back in April!!

I was young and single registered nurse living in Honolulu during the 60's. On the way home from work I would occasionally clip a flower off a shrub and take home to my apt. One day I was walking past a construction site and a handsome Hawaiian man ( and I mean like a Hawaiian god) stepped out from the site and handed me a package and said" I notice you admire flowers so I got these for you" I was speechless but opened them up and it was a dozen red roses-
what a memory
and the next week he brought me fresh gardenias - should have married him instead of the person I did- but I'd like him to know I am avaiable again

I have many awesome memories but I always think most of how Hawaii smells...the warm, thick air that envelops you when you step out of the airport, smelling of a thousand tropical flowers. And the scent of the first lei of the trip, then refrigerating it and putting a cool lei around your neck when you get back in the evening after a long hot day. I'm always sticking my nose in tuberose when I see it at a flower shop and it transports me back!

love
roxy

This one is easy....getting married. As we said our "I do's" the sun set behind those glorious palm trees and whales were playing off shore. Could not have been more perfect. Mahalo for making me smile.