Heaven on Horseback

October 16, 2019October 15, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Today (Monday), was a very special day for us! Today, the “big girls” got to hang out! Char and my sister, Becky and I, got to spend most of the day together – we did some shopping for our Aulani trip and then headed across the island to take a dip and go for a horseback ride. It was a fabulous day!!!

We decided to stop for a swim before we took our ride and stopped at a beach at Kane’ohe Bay called Chinaman’s Hat (named for the distinctive basalt rock feature in the bay). We took a dip, got some great photos and Char climbed some trees!

Afterwards, we headed across the street to Kualoa Ranch for our 2 hour horseback ride. The Kualoa Ranch is UBER famous for the beautiful setting and stunning views! You would recognize this place as the setting for hundreds of small and big screen events – Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Lost, Tour of Duty, 50 First Dates, Godzilla, Hawai’i 5-0….and so many more!

I can’t even tell you how many pictures I took! And with geography like this, you can’t go wrong! I will share my favorites with you – but if you ever come to O’ahu, check out the Kualoa Ranch – they not only have horseback riding, zip lines, ATV tours, Jurassic tours on a cool bus and so much more, BUT this is a working cattle and horse ranch that has been in the same family for 8 generations. They are eco-friendly and on the National Register of Historic Places. A definite MUST SEE!!! When we come back here in 2021 we will absolutely come back to Kualoa Ranch! Oh, and if you’re curious – my horse’s name is Reckless (said to be named after a general and not his demeanor), Becky rode Hollywood and Char’s horse is named Mercury.

PS – the lighting in some of these photos is just stunning! All mother nature and camera phone – you can’t fake beauty like this!

Aloha

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

A few months ago, my sister and her two littles moved to Hawai’i to await the arrival of my brother in law. My sister is a proud Navy wife and her hubby is a proud sub-mariner! I am proud of them both!

My sister is so strong! She left New Hampshire with my two nieces (ages 2 and 3 at the time) with the help of her mom for a LONG journey to Hawai’i in June. My BIL’s submarine didn’t leave the northeast until August (and if you know anything about how stressful and hectic it is for sailors when they are preparing to get “underway”, you know that his attentions were forced to be on his job).

So, needless to say, my amazing sister not only left New England with 10 suitcases, 2 kids and a mom, but also arranged for the packing and shipping of their household goods, did all the paperwork and medical for shipping their family dog and cat, arrived in Hawai’i to temporary housing and lived there for a month while finding a house. While my step-mom helped Becky with life and kids, Becky arranged the delivery of their household goods, vehicle, unpacked, mitigated troubles with getting the pets here, set all the Navy end of things to rights in Hawai’i as far as families go, began updating her nursing licenses so she could work in Hawai’i if it struck her fancy, enrolled the oldest in pre-school, continued living as a geographical single-mom and continued her work with the families of her husband’s submarine as a senior non-commissioned officer’s wife. Oh, AND she took up running and did her first 5K last weekend. She is nothing short of amazing and her journey is like so many other military spouses around the world – I honor them for their sacrifice, patriotism and selfless giving towards the cause of freedom! Behind every great soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coastie is a family who supports them! I pray for them all daily and hope they get the support THEY need!

Back to the story….to be honest, Hawai’i was never on my radar – I know everyone says it is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming and the geography is stunning, but to me, there were other places I would rather visit. BBBUUUTTTT….if my sister is going to be in Hawai’i, then heck yea – I’m going!!!

So, here I am in Hawai’i, after taking the world’s longest, daily direct domestic flight in history (Hawaiian Air Flight 89 – Boston to Hawai’i – 11 hours and 15 minutes gate to gate) – up super early because my body thinks I am still in Maine – setting up what will hopefully be a trip of a lifetime!

OH and to sweeten the deal, my husband and I decided last minute to have my daughter join me – this was for a lot of reasons – she doesn’t like missing school but with the Columbus Day holiday will only miss 4 days for a 10 day trip to Hawai’i – and my nieces (and the dog) are super happy to see her – I love my adventures with Charlotte!! We surprised Becky with Char – check out the video below – you’ll cry!

While I am here, I plan on getting the MOST out of family time AND touring time – we will check out lots of amazing places, including Disney’s Aulani – Oh My Goodness – DISNEY in Hawai’i!!!!!! We will visit the ranch where so many of your favorite films where shot – 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park, Lost…..and try to find the Hukilau Cafe!!!

I hope you’ll join me for this journey – I am hoping there are more pictures than words – and I hope to inspire you to go somewhere you may not have thought of going before – my sister was my catalyst for this adventure – what will be yours?

First Rays of Sun

October 14, 2019October 13, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

This morning (Sunday), Charlotte and I took advantage of the fact that our bodies are still on East Coast time and decided to watch the sunrise somewhere cool! I did some digging and found that the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail has some rave reviews, not only for the hike, but also for the views.

We got up at 4:15am Honolulu time and headed out shortly afterwards. We set our GPS (because I am really lost around here still) and off we went with flashlights, water and snacks. Along the way, we stopped at a “scenic area” and caught a gorgeous glimpse of the moon getting ready to set. It was so bright – no filters – just bright moon light!

We arrived at the trail head entrance but the gate was still locked, so we, along with tons of other people venturing out to see the sunrise, headed around the gate on foot and began our trek. It was about 5:30am and it was still very dark – but we kept our flashlights off most of the way to enjoy the feel of the place.

About halfway, we started to see the first rays of sun. It was a great trail, traveled so much that it was paved some time ago to make the trek more accessible, but still, we were huffing and puffing our way up the hill and enjoyed the occasional stop to take a picture (catch our breath).

We made it to the top (we were the first ones there) around 6:10am, did a video and waited until sunrise – 6:26am. The sky lighting gradually was really pretty and peaceful and it was sweet to share this with Charlotte.

We watched not only the sunrise, but also waves of rain move across the ocean towards the land. The showers missed us but on the other side of the point, we were treated to not only stunning vistas, but also the tail end of a rainbow. How pretty!!!

Our journey back down was like a gift – our way up was mostly dark and we really could only see the area immediately surrounding the path, but the journey down revealed all that we had missed. It was rather poetic – when our mind is focused on a singular task, we are often blinded to what is around us. Sometimes it is only after the goal is accomplished do we take the time to look around and marvel at what we missed!

This was a great way to spend an early morning and I encourage everyone who visits to do this in some way – either take the hike or find an easterly facing beach and catch the first rays of sun. Every day is a new opportunity to be a better version of you; to love people more; to cherish others more; to look for the beauty you passed by while focused on your goal. Don’t miss out!

Hawaiian Air

October 13, 2019October 12, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Back in April of this year, Hawaiian Air launched nonstop flights between Honolulu and Boston, which it says is “the longest regularly scheduled route in US history”.

I took this flight on Friday from Boston to Honolulu and from gate to gate, the trip was about 11.5 hours. Honolulu to Boston is about 10 hours – thank you jet stream!

This flight takes place on an Airbus330, which is a plane that has eight seats across – 2 – 4 – 2, in the main cabin. As much as I would have LOVED the full reclining seats of first class, a $3000+ plane ticket just wasn’t in the budget!

So, I like to fly and I have flown budget airlines and big carriers; huge double deckers and twin engine turbo props; 20 minute puddle jumpers and up until now, my longest single flight was 6 hours – I am not picky – I really just want a safe, non-smelly plane. Of course I did my research and found this plane and airline to be just what I expected – efficient, well appointed (lots of in-flight entertainment on seat-back TVs – no internet – which was tough to swallow with such a long flight – but I kept busy), kind and courteous attendants and a delightful journey! Oh and not smelly!!! The plane actually smelled like hibiscus – it might have been my imagination but it smelled like Disney’s Polynesian Resort to me!

My daughter and I were positioned in row 30, seats A and B – this is the row directly in front of the mid-plane bathrooms, and while some might not like this because of congestion with people waiting for the bathroom, we actually LOVED it – it was roomy, the seats DID recline and we didn’t have anyone behind us! I would sit there again in a heartbeat!

We were served two complimentary in-flight meals – meals with a distinctly Hawaiian flare – a noodle dish with a guava centered cookie for the first meal and an amazing goat cheese and seasoned roasted pepper panini sandwich for the second meal. Complimentary snacks included a delicious pineapple oat breakfast bar cookie, chocolate covered macadamia nuts and an assortment of crackers or trail mix type options. Beverages came around twice with meals and every hour, an attendant came around to refill everyone’s water cup to maintain hydration – super important for any flight – especially such a long one! Other snacks were available at an additional cost – we got some Hawai’ian popcorn –

I have to admit this was probably one of the best flights I have every taken – the thought of spending so long in one single seat (with stand up breaks) was daunting, but when you look at the price tag (I got my ticket, round trip, nonstop for just under $700) and the other options of stops in LA, for example, for MORE MONEY – (WHAT???? Who would choose that?) you can’t go wrong!

My family of 4 has plans to visit again in June of 2021 – after my son graduates, to see my sister and her family. We will hopefully stay at Disney’s Aulani for a few nights and we have planned a cruise on Norwegian’s Pride of America (with group space held if anyone wants to join in!!) to see the glory of the Hawaiian Islands. We will definitively be taking advantage of Hawaiian Air’s nonstop Boston to Honolulu flight!!!

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

October 8, 2019October 7, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

If you are not one of those people who purchase Christmas presents all year long, October is the month you start to think about what you are getting those you care about for Christmas.

A few years ago, in about October, I started re-thinking my approach to gift giving. I was thinking back to gifts I had been given as a child – either for Christmas or for my birthday. I knew I got gifts – I saw pictures of me at Christmastime or my birthday opening presents, but my own personal memories of what I got during those special times is faded.

I DO remember ONE singular gift I received as a child – I remember waking up on the morning of my 10th birthday to find staring at me an adorable Cabbage Patch Kid. Her name was Diana Mindy and I was SO excited to get her!!!! But she is the only gift I can actually ever pinpoint. Isn’t that strange? What do you remember getting as a child? I remember gifts I DID NOT get as a child – I wanted an Easy Bake Oven and a Lightbright but never got those.

This is Diana Mindy – still looking good after all these years!

Do you know what I have specific and a multitude of memories of? Things I DID with my family – learning to ski with my dad; going camping; going on road trips with my mom; going to Disney with my mom; going to Aruba with my mom as a senior in high school. I could tell you a handful of details about each and every one of those experiences, and THAT is what changed my mindset about gift giving.

Experiences change our brain. Encountering NEW situations and taking on new adventures rewires us, renews us, re-entwines us with our loved ones. It reconnects us to ourselves, to each other and to this life. What better gift is there?

The giving of experiences doesn’t have to be a big trip somewhere…although it could be! Last year we gave our children a short trip to Quebec (we live within driving distance and went between Christmas and New Years last year), a concert experience, season’s passes to a local water park, a 2-week high adventure Boy Scout summer camp for my son and my daughter and I took a super cheap flight to Paris in January and spent 4 nights in an AirBnB and explored the city. It was the BEST Christmas we have had in a long time!!! We still talk about every single one of those adventures and will continue to do so.

Life is short. Take the trip. See the concert. Go to the show. Get the pass. Bypass the mountain of gifts that get forgotten by January 15th and give the gift that keeps on giving…memories to last a lifetime! Don’t miss out!

I didn’t know she stuck her tongue out until I looked at the pictures that night!!! Notre Dame in the background.

Lined up for the toboggan ride! Quebec City, Quebec.

My daughter and her BFF meeting their favorite musician, Jon Foreman from Switchfoot – he signed my daughter’s Ukulele!

Fabulous concerts at Soul Fest 2019!

Taking it slow

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Last month, I wrote a bit about Impact Travel and my own experience with the emerging trend. Another emerging trend in travel in Slow Travel. This type of adventure engages the traveler in an experience that revolves around not only immersing one’s self in the cultural aspects of a destination, but that idea is reinforced and made possible by the ACT of traveling slowly. Examples of slow travel include rail vacations, river cruising (all over the world) and the American favorite – the road trip! Traditional ocean/sea cruising can also take the form of slow travel, but the idea would be staying overnight or multiple nights in one port before moving on.

I think this concept was brought about by the fact that we desire to slow the revolution of the earth. Time is fleeting and the older we get, the faster it seems to go! We are so busy; we have so little vacation time; we realize our kids grow so fast and our parents are aging before our eyes. Our family trips to Disney are wonderful and anything BUT a vacation and hopping from spot to spot on a cruise ship is not only filled with constant entertainment, but endless stimulation options that busy the mind and exercise the spirit. People are realizing the beauty in slowing down, stopping to smell the roses, and the knowledge gained by personal interactions in culture and with people who are different than we are.

Every vacation can contain some aspects of slow travel – whether you are traveling abroad or to another part of your own country. For example, instead of aiming to visit four destinations in a week-long trip, choose two and dive in – eat where the locals eat. Shop where locals shop. Ask a local about the hidden treasures of their city – they want to brag about THEIR place on this big blue ball and they are the EXPERTS! Try a new mode of transportation! When my daughter and I were in Paris earlier this year, we not only did a bike tour but also “rented” Lime scooters (the kind you stand on like a big kid) and scooted around everywhere! Find a quiet place and reflect. This single act allows me to inhale a place. Become a people watcher and learn through observation. Basically, slow it down.

Don’t get me wrong – there is a time and a place for the hurried vacation – I am planning a group cruise to Hawaii in 2021 for my son’s graduation (wanna go?) and know that we may never go to Hawaii again – especially as a family – so we are seeing as much as possible!!! In the meantime, I plan on enjoying a few slow travel experiences in my near future – a river cruise in November and our weekly long camping trip coming up later in July – it doesn’t get much slower than camping!!! The world is big and time is flying by….take it slow!

Here are some ways we have experienced aspects of slow travel on our adventures.

Amtrak Downeaster on a gorgeous summer’s day in New Hampshire! Old school slow travel.

Anyone need a hat?

Harbour Island – ACTUAL pink sand!!!

Cadiz, Spain. Churros and chocolate and a little bit of people watching.

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Try a new form of transportation….Char and Sable on a Segway tour of the city – in Europe, kids can do many things they aren’t “allowed” to do in the US.

Try to blend in. Zurich, Switzerland – these are our “Polish faces” – my sister in law is Polish, and she said Americans smile too big in pictures – so this is how we imagine the Poles smile!

June 2018. Shortly after sunrise over Vatican City. I ache for another opportunity like this one….we were high tailing it to our private Vatican Tour so we could barely stop to smell the roses, but man, I wish I could’ve frozen time in this very spot. It was so peaceful and serene.

Well, I am not generally a wine drinker but I was in PARIS!!! A glass of wine was a requirement. Eat and drink like the locals.

The Eiffel Tower was closed due to the weather, but we scooted all the way there to take in the rare sight!

Eating like the locals in Quebec….this place was off the beaten path and we were rewarded with an amazing dinner. Everyone got a platter of thinly sliced beef, then there was shrimp and chicken to fondue as well!

Our appetizer..bread dipped in cheese!

Taking it easy at the Siberian Spa outside of Quebec. A family trip to remember.

It isn’t hard to eat like a local in Italy. Lemon risotto – the most amazing risotto ever!

Scooter pick up! Try a new form of transportation….the best way to see the Amalfi Coast!

Limoncello to end the evening! Drink like the locals! This is the restaurant near the Vatican – halfway through our meal about 20 priests walked into the restaurant….a good beginning to a joke!

Eat where the locals eat. Giuseppe and his biggest fans!

So much Caprese!

Our greatest find! Just hop off the highway to find your treasure!

The Doors

July 9, 2019June 25, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I always want to bring home a ton of things when I travel to a new place. I find so many things that are cool, unusual, and signify an experience I never want to forget. My son “collects” key chains and my daughter “collects” snow globes from our travels. My husband “collects” shot glasses and I always bring back a Christmas ornament for my tree. Recently, I started collecting Nativity Scenes unique to the place I am visiting.

Another ritual I have is taking pictures of doors. I love how doors are so culturally significant and really indicative of personally, class and background. I love the variation of size, color, materials and purpose. I imagine what is on the other side of the doors, how old they are and what stories they would tell if they could talk. I enjoy making simple blank greeting cards out of many of the pictures I take during my travels and sending those to clients. The door pictures are some of my favorites. Here are some I took last year in Italy and last month in Mexico.