Hey Easytraveler,
Do you live in the Islands??

1975 and my first impression was "I wonder if Heaven is this fantastic." Been back many times and I still love that first warm breeze with the plumeria smell....and I am still wondering if Heaven is this fantastic. Just nine days to go till my return.

My first memory of Hawaii? Seeing the beautiful lights of Honolulu come into view, at eleven at night, after "floating in outer space" for so many hours. :-) And then the wonderful scent of flowers in the air as we came off the plane ........ and then someone who would become a very good friend draping a plumeria lei around my neck. Sweet memories........ ((r))

My husband and I were both in the Army and were transferred to Hawaii for three years, in 1977. I was sitting in a window seat on the right when we arrived, breaking through the clouds just in front of Diamond Head and then flying along Waikiki Beach. It looked just like a postcard. When we left the plane, the first thing I noticed was the smell of flowers. One hour later we were checking into our hotel on Waikiki Beach (Army temporary lodging!) and walked out onto the beach. The smell, sound, view of Diamond Head - it was just wonderful. We were more than ready to "get off the rock" three years later, but that initial impression was unforgettable.

I've returned several times with my two kids, who were born there, but nothing has compared with that first landing!

Don't know what I was thinking - it was 1981, not 1977!

I was hiking the NaPali Coast and fell off...I made a lasting impression on Kauai.

& the grand canyon of the Pacific was formed ((?))

No...that's when Mrs Kal dropped a penny down a hole while at the top of "Mt Waimea". #-O

Aloha... this might be long... but quite memorable...

My cousin was a supervisor for UA and gifted DH & I with 2 flight coupons anywhere in the continental US, OR HAWAII!! for photographing her wedding... what the heck... Hawaii it was. We purchased one ticket for myself and DH and our son would fly standby. We check in at ORD... all the luggage goes by under my paid ticket, and much to our surprise as they check in on the coupons, cousin has not signed the vouchers. They are stuck, and I am on my way w/ ALL OUR LUGGAGE! DH says, "Honey, make the flight, we'll catch up with you! Uuuuhhhhh! Cousin is in England... her phone line busy, and I must head to the gate to catch the paid flight. I am truly sweating as I race to the gate.

Flight takes off... I am alone. I said a prayer and committed to not worry or be anxious, just trusting God to get my boys to Maui somehow! My one request was for Him to send someone to help me with ALL of the luggage!

That was it. I relaxed the rest of the flight and landed in Maui calm and relaxed. At baggage claim I watched in anticipation of a miracle! :D Sure enough, an attendant came up to me asking if he could help. YES, he could! (little did he know!!!) He watched my bags and fishing poles as I hopped a shuttle to get the jeep we had reserved. I came back w/ the wheels and he helped me load up all of our luggage.

Off I sped to north Kaanapali to the Papakea Resort, all by myself... the sweet smell was intoxicating! I rounded the cliffside curves with the top down and the wind blowing through my hair like a schoolgirl. I was giddy, and thrilled, feeling in some weird way that I was "home"... my boys?... I had no idea, but I was in HAWAII!!! I just knew it would all be alright.

I arrived at the Papakea, standing at the check in desk, and a gal says, "Are you Mrs. Robinson?"

"Yes."

"There's a phone call for you..."

I pick up the phone, and DH says, "Aaaaalohhhhhhaaaaaa!"

I shout, "Where are you?"

He says, "We're in Honolulu, taking off in a few minutes... pick us up in an hour."

Wooo Hooo!!

I dump the luggage, and head back to the airport... winding along that gorgeous strech of road along the ocean to pick up my boys for our first taste of the islands. I'll never forget the energy and praise for them getting there so soon. This was truly a blessing!

Nothing will ever compare to that first time! Honestly, I could smell that sweet sweet smell in the plane, even before we landed... heaven! @};-

41 years old, with wife and two kids plus mother-in-law.American Airlines, 5 hours out of LAX. I spot mountains coming out of the sea. I will never forget.

I had spent a couple of hours when I passed through Hawaii to fly overseas to reach the ship I was assigned to.

But, my real first impression of Hawaii was when the ship returned to Pearl Harbor after a long deployment including many months off the Vietnam coast.

When we got close to Pearl Harbor, we lined up on the railings of the ship. We could see Diamond Head, Waikiki and Honolulu off to the right.

As we entered Pearl Harbor, a tug boat came to meet us and draped a huge lei across the bow of the ship.

As we got farther into the harbor, the Arizona Memorial was off to the left.

There were hundreds of family members and friends waiting to greet the ship. A navy band was playing music and there were several Polynesian girls dancing hula.

Mahalo you guy's! Some of these post's actually bring tear's to my eye's...

Lori

One more time....

My first trip was to Oahu in 1994. My wife, who had been there many times before, always told me how beautiful it was. I was like, nice weather is the same wherever you are. I was so wrong. I couldn't believe the smell or the open air airport when I got off the plane. Later that first day we went to the Ala Moana mall. It was so cool that there was no roof on the place and there was one of those soft sun showers coming down. We've been back 6 times since then and no other place compares. In fact I've become a beach snob. I can't go to the Jersey shore, Outer Banks or anywhere on the east coast without thinking the place looks like a dump compared to Hawaii .

Dusty, thank you for your memories. Having so many military members in the family who also experienced Hawaii I truly appreciate your post. Take good care.

Hi, luvmaui!

I live in California.

Love to visit the islands, but heard too many stories of "island fever" to want to move there. There are only so many times one can drive around an island before it gets to you! :)

Aloha luvmaui,

This is truly one of the best threads I've enjoyed about Hawaii... close to tie is the "Why I love O'ahu too" thread... reading these posts really puts you there... if you close your eyes and breathe deep no matter where you are... you can be there!! ((R)) Many many mahalos to everyone who has shared... for this lovely thread. Aaaalllohhhhhaaaaaa! ((L))

Finally went to Kauai after 50 years of life and 30 years of marriage in 2000. We decided this would be our one and only chance to see Hawaii so we'll splurge. Needless to say we were planning our second trip on the way home.
We had arrived rather late and went straight to Kiahuna Plantation and crashed. I woke up in the morning after it had just finished raining and the sun was out making everything look clean and new. We walked through the most beautiful landscape with the most incredible smells I'd ever experienced and arrived at a beach with colors I've never seen. I live on the Pacific and see beaches routinely but this beach didn't seem to belong to the same ocean.
No matter how many times we return ( it will be our fourth trip this July) it never ceases to amaze me. Mahalo for sharing, Harry

My first Impression:

Some guy grabbing me by my feet,holding me upside down and whacking me on the back.Then he says,"He does'nt look a bit like the milkman!

I had always wanted to go to Hawaii and last August, my husband and I went for our honeymoon. Flying over Oahu and seeing Waikiki was simply amazing...that bright blue water and fun hotels lining the sand! When we got to the Outrigger Waikiki, we were upgraded 2 categories from City View to Full Ocean View for being honeymooners!! This was a great perk for us. The view from the lanai was absoloutely breathtaking...seeing that view was our first glimpse of Waikiki and it was beautiful. We loved our time in Hawaii, after 2 nights in Waikiki, we visited the Big Island and Maui, and loved them both.

We initially looked at this as the trip of a lifetime, a one time deal. My husband started talking about returning for our 20th anniversary, and I just smiled and kept quiet, knowing we couldn't wait 20 years to return! Sure enough, when it came time to decide where to go for our 1st anniversary, we both wanted Hawaii. This summer, it's off to Oahu and Kauai ((r))