An amazing perk in my life is that my sister lives in Hawaii. And I got invited to visit for Thanksgiving! The flight was not cheap but still relatively affordable for the Thanksgiving break. After all the intercontinental flights I have been taking, 5 hours just doesn’t seem that long any more. I arrived Tuesday night and now it is Monday and I am flying back to SFO.
The first thing I notice when I land is the warm humid air. At the airport, there is a long open-air hallway and then the amnesty bin for fruits and vegetables before entering baggage claim. Visitors are not allowed to bring any produce to the islands, although at this point, I can’t imagine that a typical tourist would be carrying anything that wasn’t already here. The islands have been decimated by invasive pests, from microbes all the way up to pigs and trees. And everyone knows that the most invasive species is the human. Hawaii will never be like it was, but there are still some endemic species that have survived and conservation biologists are working very hard to preserve them.
My sister has two fun dogs that greet me as if I was their long-lost friend, every time they see me; first thing in the morning, or when I arrive at the front door. They always want to play and jump around. We went for walks and played catch at the Kailua Beach. I got to do a preemptive run around Diamondhead on Thanksgiving morning, before we had the huge meal, with many vegan options, including vegan stuffing, baked beans, mashed potatoes and vegan pumpkin pie. A big group of friends made for a memorable Thanksgiving.
The tourists have come back! Traffic is back to normal, and parking along the North Shore was definitely a challenge on this holiday weekend. I didn’t get to see any sea turtles, because the waves were huge and choppy. But still swimming in the warm ocean in November makes a trip to Hawaii so much more rejuvenating than staying in California, where the beaches can be warm, but the water is always too cold. Lying in the sun on a hot beach is my favorite pastime; perhaps my body needs more vitamin D. I can just lay there all day and not have to look at my phone or read a book. It just feels like an infusion of pleasure drugs to me.
Honolulu has become a foodie destination and I will just mention just one superb vegan option, Tane Japanese Izakaya. The food reminded me of Shizen in San Francisco, with creative sushi rolls, delicious ramen, and spicy brussels sprouts. I love it when I can go to a restaurant and eat everything on the menu and know it will all be delicious. I will definitely be back, to this restaurant and delightful Oahu.