Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author

Freewriting briefly today while reminiscing about my sudden, unexpected trip to Honolulu, Hawaii. I am in awe about the trip…it was so like a pleasant, colorful dream…only, I do not dream.

I will publish several stories about Hawaii later, after I rest and edit the 500+ photographs I took. Some of the stories I will discuss are:

• Flying — getting to know the person sitting next to you
• Budgeting while enjoying the beauty of Honolulu, Hawaii
• So, you’re traveling to Hawaii – just how much will it cost?

I will have additional story materials to add, but for now, I am still, so exhausted, I must enjoy my morning cup of coffee…even when it is 11am on the East Coast. No doubt, I still have jet lag. Never do I sleep past 7am at home, until now. Last night, I could not sleep. I kept reminiscing about our trip to Hawaii and how much I love the islands. So beautiful. So peaceful. So friendly. So amazing! How I hated to board the plan to return to reality, but like all things in life, this amazing trip had to end, taking me back to the reality of deadlines, caring for my animals, budgeting, paying bills, housework, cooking, cleaning, the mountain of laundry waiting patiently to be washed, and all the demands of our daily lives. No wonder I wanted to escape!

For now, I will simply say, stay tuned for additional stories. Today, I will tackle the laundry, while remembering my escape to Honolulu…to do the hula…to learn how to make a lei…to dream…to watch the surfers…to be catered to, and to hear the sweet words of “Aloha,” and “Mahalo,” everywhere I go. Now, back in the South, I want to remember this vacation, while I’m curious about the differences in our cultures, and there are many differences! Hospitality is terrific in Honolulu. Only once did I hear the colorful words I hear almost every day here in Charleston. Of course, I did hear a variety of languages, and perhaps the colorful language was something I could not understand. Regardless, I say, “Aloha,” and stay tuned! “Mahalo!”