#Driving the Road to Hana – How to Make the Most of a Day Trip

[molsons112000]

I was planning a driving vacation for me. And jennifer kim to take old route sixty six. Never got around to it....

a road trip on Route 66 worth it?

It takes some planning to get to see all the countless little things along the Route but that planning is worth it. While it might be hard to guess how much time you need from day to day, I'd say 14 days if you're on the faster end with lots of driving as well.

https://www.tripadvisor.com › Att...

Route 66 - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Taking+a+driving+vacation+driving+route+sixty+six

You will see in the images and the information below. In link more beautiful driving vacations....

What is the most beautiful road trip in the USA?

19 Scenic Roads In The US Everyone Should Drive Down At Least...

Pacific Coast Highway — California. ...

The Overseas Highway — Florida. ...

US Route 163 — Arizona and Utah. ...

The Hana Highway — Hawaii. ...

Beartooth Highway — Montana and Wyoming. ...

Cascade Loop — Washington. ...

Kancamagus Highway — New Hampshire. ...

Parke County Drive — Indiana.

More items...•Sep 5, 2020

https://www.buzzfeed.com › sceni...

19 Scenic Roads In The US Everyone Should Drive Down At Least Once

What is the best road trip?

Blue Ridge Parkway – North Carolina. ...

Route 66 - Eastern New Mexico. ...

Black Hills. ...

Utah's National Parks. ...

Cape Cod. ...

Big Sky Country. ...

South Florida. ...

San Francisco to Lake Tahoe to Reno. California and Nevada feature a bevy of breathtaking sights and sounds.

More items...

https://www.aaa.com › article › m...

The 18 Best Road Trips in the U.S. in 2024 - AAA

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Different+driving+vacations

We used to take driving vacations as a family to florida and back from florida.

Image number 5 through 9. You will see many places to stop at as you're driving to florida or coming back from florida to chicago.... You will also see many places that are free along the route that you can stop at as well..... We went to disney during the summer in july and beginning of august when it was cheapest...

O the Places We Go

https://www.otheplaceswego.com › ...

The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary from Chicago to Florida

Sep 6, 2018 — Lookout Mountain's legendary attractions – Ruby Falls for the tallest underground waterfall, Rock City's incredible vistas,

If you Look at the top of the link. You will see a button for things that are free. Cheap and other options....

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&sca_esv=87c01c01e44ac9af&sca_upv=1&source=android-browser&cs=0&q=Places+to+see+while+you%27re+driving+from+chicago+to+florida&uds=ADvngMiHjMZW8GUFUgUsMTl8sLnM-TmqUKznzAJKjHf2Tpb8bAX67iTQ8SMycIMItAY5rUBYp0jJ6ZnMnWoWBSH3dH3PyhaEyxemOFM-IwYmjMpRCWivlikTQ9o78qrwrQFp1u4Luy65_-Ok3Kj0wcUG_DY9JyOd2w&sa=X&ictx=0&stq=1&lei=3CZuZrHXI8O2ptQPqOC4yAc

As you will see here, August and September are the cheapest months to go. The Disney World one because August is incredibly hot. In florida hundred degrees hundred percent humidity, but september all the kids go back to school... So because kids are returning the school, disney is slow. Then, after christmas in january is the cheapest as well.... So make a road trip down the Florida. Stop at all the sights and then, when you get the floor dug, go to disney and then check out singer island...

Disney World Ticket Cheapest Seasons

Those low seasons are in January, August, and September, with increases or spikes around major holidays. Historically, ticket prices somewhat follow hotel prices, so these patterns aren't surprising.Feb 27, 2024

https://www.mousehacking.com › ...

When Is The Cheapest Time To Go To Disney World (2024)?

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Going+to+disney+world+in+florida+in+july+and+august+is+the+cheapest

So on the singer island florida, there is amazing amount of things to do, and if you go in august, it is extremely cheap. And you won't have to deal with crowds and you'll have the beach and the pool and everything more to yourselves...

Singer Island worth a visit?

Singer Island is a euphoric peninsula that offers its residents and visiting guests pristine beaches and crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, this peninsula will prove to be a veritable paradise.Oct 30, 2023

https://www.pbcoastal.com › blog

The Best Way to Spend Your Time on Singer Island Florida

Why is it called Singer Island Florida?

Singer Island owes its name to Paris Singer, heir to the sewing machine fortune. In 1920, he visited Palm Beach and met Addison Mizner.

https://www.palmbeachshoresfl.us › ...

Town History Past and Present - Palm Beach Shores

This is where I took my ex. Jennifer Kim rewind, parasailing and scuba diving and hung out by the pool. And then we did things in Palm Beach Cause it's right next door. Then we took a boat tour and they showed us Drew Barrymore's house and many other celebrities... She has a beautiful house right on the water......

Hotels.com

https://www.hotels.com › hotels-si...

Top Hotels in Singer Island, FL from $98

The Singer Oceanfront Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton · Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa · Marriott's Ocean Pointe · Fernando Flats · Palm ...

Travelocity.com

https://www.travelocity.com › Sin...

The Best 10 Singer Island Hotels from $98 - Cheap Hotel Deals

Top cheap Singer Island hotel deals ; The Singer Oceanfront Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton. 3700 N Ocean Dr, Singer Island, FL ; Palm Beach Marriott Singer ...

So for a family of twelve, we did this to make it cheap and affordable.... Yes there was twelve of us..... So yes, i'm used to hanging out in big groups of people..... But usually those groups are my family and my friends 🧡...

So if you look at the link, you'll see more hotel deals for singer ireland florida...

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Cheap+rates+of+hotels+and+singer+island+florida

And yes, I saw the movie bad boys last night and they had some beautiful views of miami beach.....

If you see image number ten eleven and twelve and the link below, you will see all the things you can do in singer island florida.....

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Things+to+do+while+you%27re+in+singer+island+florida

So other people from Florida can take adventures. In illinois, and people from illinois can take adventures in Florida...... Part of seeing the World is see, the united states....

Here is building your trip with the trip planner, so be prepared.... This way you can max out everything you do....

Triptile

https://triptile.com › destination

USA Trip Planner | Build Your Own Trip to the United States

Going on a trip to USA? Plan and book your fully custom United States itinerary of any complexity and duration with Triptile™ online trip planner tool

Authentik USA

https://www.authentikusa.com › u...

USA trip planner : Itinerary ideas with map

Create your USA dream trip in a few clicks with Authentik USA, the largest online trip planner in the United States. 1, 2 or 3 weeks Road trips ideas in the ...

Roadtrippers

https://roadtrippers.com

Road Trip Planner – Build your itinerary and find the best stops

Plan your next trip, find amazing places, and take fascinating detours with the #1 trip planner. Every trip is a road trip.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Online+planners+to+plan+out+seeing+the+united+states

Now remember part of seeing the world is seeing all of the united states. And then you can plan other places outside. The united states like go see canada..... I don't think canada advertises enough in the united states about doing adventures in canada....

Tripapt

https://tripapt.com › create

Trip Planner | Plan your multi destination world trip, book flights ...

Use our free world map trip planner to plan your route, find jobs and book flights. Create multiple trips, featuring destinations around the world.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Itinerary+planner+to+see+the+world

Here's how to plan your next vacation to canada....

How to plan your next Canadian vacation

Every great trip starts with planning.

Explore the outdoors with a light touch.

Discover a taste of tradition: travel respectfully.

Love local and support the community.

Witness the wildlife, protect their future.

Travelling responsibly during COVID-19.

https://travel.destinationcanada.com › ...

How to plan your next Canadian vacation | Destination Canada

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=How+to+plan+a+fun+vacation+to+canada

So make your way up north instead of going south......

Canada and the united states are each other's largest trading partners.... United states exports more than canada than any other country....

Canada was the largest purchaser of U.S. goods exports in 2022, accounting for 17.3 percent of total U.S. goods exports.

https://ustr.gov › countries-regions

Countries & Regions | United States Trade Representative

Canada is traditionally the top U.S. export market, accounting for 14.2% of all U.S. goods exports in 2022.Nov 3, 2023

https://www.trade.gov › canada-m...

Canada - Market Overview - International Trade Administration

We are each other's largest trade partners with nearly $3.6 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border each day in 2023.May 24, 2024

https://www.international.gc.ca › r...

Canada-United States relations

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-comcast-us-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=Canada+is+the+largest+u+s+trading+partner

So go make some friends in Canada. Our largest trading partner.......

[curatedglobaltravel]

Why Hawaii is the Ultimate Spring Break Haven for Adults

INTO YOUR ELEMENT

FOUR REASONS WHY HAWAII IS THE PERFECT ADULT SPRING BREAK DESTINATION

If spring is nature's celebration of life, then Hawaii is earth's greatest luau. There are few places on this planet that the four elements — air, fire, water, and earth — are on such spectacular display. Spring is our annual reminder that the natural world always finds the perfect balance, and after the last year, you're likely feeling ready to get back into your element. My recommendation? A well-deserved Hawaiian spring break to make your aloha spirit soar. Travel is for the young at heart, and below are four elemental reasons why you should consider a grown-up spring break escape to Hawaii. This adventure is easier than you may think: simply get in touch with me and get pre-tested before you fly (a requirement of all travelers to Hawaii). You deserve unparalleled travel experiences, and I look forward to helping you travel safely and exceptionally to your island of choice when you're ready.

THE ELEMENT OF AIR

CHARTER A HELICOPTER TO EXPERIENCE KAUAI FROM SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS

Hawaii exists for endless exploration, and when you climb aboard a chartered helicopter, your access is granted to go just about anywhere you desire. With spectacular coastlines and amazing green, black, and white sand beaches, stunning valleys, dramatic volcanoes, and so much more — you certainly have options. You won't be disappointed seeing any island from a bird's eye view, but Kauai by helicopter is not to be missed. Your jaw will drop at your first sight of the Garden Isle's Nā Pali Coast and the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" at Waimea. Consider indulging in an exclusive remote landing to treat yourself to a gourmet picnic overlooking lush, tropical valleys and waterfalls. Where to stay on Kauai:  Treat yourself to a 5-star bungalow, cottage or villa at The Lodge at Kukui’ula. Kauai's quarantine requirement is anticipated to lift by early April, meaning now is the perfect time to get in touch to plan your upcoming island adventure.

THE ELEMENT OF FIRE

DISCOVER HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ON THE BIG ISLAND

It's remarkable how climatically diverse The Big Island is — from snow-capped peaks to lush rainforests and staggering sea cliffs — and then there's Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano. This is an island you have to see to believe.  Hawaii has literally emerged from the ocean, and we have millions of years of volcanic activity to thank for its creation. A visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is practically a mandatory experience -— and with the current ongoing eruption of Kīlauea Volcano creating a growing lava lake, now is an exhilarating time to visit! One way to get up close (but not too close!) is on a guided hike. You can also experience a private boat tour where you'll marvel as molten lava cascades into the ocean like a fiery waterfall. Where to stay on the Big Island:  Experience aloha at the newly opened Mauna Lani, an Auberge Resort. (Bonus: it's Sharecare VERIFIED™). Receive privileged access to complimentary upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, daily breakfast for two, $100 spa credit, wifi, and more.

THE ELEMENT OF WATER

GO WITH THE EBB & FLOW ON MAUI

Like the tide gently enticing the waves back into the ocean, you won't be able to resist the draw of Maui. With its cobalt blue waters and breathtaking beaches, Maui is picture-perfect, yet photos never seem to do it enough justice.  Spend a leisurely day splitting your time between swimming in the resort's infinity pool and dipping into the warm ocean waters. Snorkel or scuba dive with sea turtles and spinner dolphins amongst gorgeous reefs in the crystal clear waters of nearby Molokini. Spy humpback whales breaching the surface during their annual migration (November - May), or take in the heavenly island views on a ferry trip to Lanai. Drive the winding and super scenic coastal Road to Hana. And don't mind the occasional rain showers — in Maui, it's safe to assume a vibrant rainbow will greet you around every breathtaking bend in the road. Where to stay on Maui:  Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is situated on Maui's premier southwestern coastline along Mokapu Beach. Private perks include complimentary upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, daily breakfast for two, $100 spa credit, wifi, and more.

THE ELEMENT OF EARTH

GET GROUNDED ON LANAI

Mother Nature puts on quite a show on the secluded Hawaiian island of Lanai. With 90,000 acres of pristine beauty to explore, consider horseback riding along peaceful trails, off-roading to remote beaches, and marveling at the island's otherworldly rock formations. A surprise to many, you're more likely to find pine forests in Lanai than white sand beaches dotted with palm trees. Drier than its neighboring islands, Lanai's landscapes are strikingly beautiful and rooted in mystery. Where to stay on Lanai: Indulge at Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort. This luxurious wellness enclave is set amongst lush gardens and impeccable sculptural art. The opportunities for reconnection are endless, and you'll be pampered with private perks including complimentary round-trip airfare from Honolulu on Lanai Air, upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, daily breakfast for two, $100 spa credit, wifi, and more.

CONTACT US NOW TO BOOK YOUR NEXT GETAWAY

[deputyparrish-blog]

Advice For Driving The Road To Hana

You will locate many things to do in the road to hana. However few understand the unique culture and island manners involved when visiting this amazing island. Here are a few activities you can do to join to the host civilization and enjoy the people in addition to those places of Maui.

The route to Hana is a must do for anybody vacationing in Hawaii. If you haven't been to Maui before, the route to Hana is an attractive 50 mile drive on a twisting road through a tropical rain forest. This highway, is untouched by today's world. The things you will see are nature in its own splendor, and perhaps several food stands across the way. You may think that you can drive the 50 miles in an hour, however you will need to take all day every day. You're going to be stopping at pools, waterfalls for swimming, beaches, hiking and even see a blow pit. Listed below in the order you can come to these are 5 stops everyone will not want to miss.

Right after making off the turn, on your left, you will observe a pullout letting you stop and capture images. This may be the photo you are able to share with your friends on Facebook because you describe exactly the 620 curves you took over the driving the road to hana! As you keep down the lane, you'll notice the historic church, built in 1860. It is the only building on the peninsula that survived the tsunami in 1946. Proceed onto the lava rock and check out the stunning panoramic views.

Waikani Falls (mile 19.6)- This special waterfall can be called Three Bears Falls. As the water cascades from the hill, in breaks up into three different run offs symbolizing Papa, Mama and Baby Bear. There is limited parking, go beyond the falls and playground then walk back off to view it. Many would wish to just receive a photo from the trail, but those adventurous can swim in the swimming pool below.

There's also camping and picnic areas available. Wainapanapa has so much to do, so you could easily spend an hour or so here.

Wailua Falls (ago Hana at mile 45.3) This can be just another fantastic waterfall viewed from directly off the trail so everyone can love it. It divides 100 feet into a beautiful tropical atmosphere. (As a side note, simply to make things confusing, 1.5 miles beyond Hana, the mile markers start counting down instead of up).

Haleakala National Park and Ohe'o Gulch (past Hana at mile 42)- Though it's is 10 miles beyond Hana, Haleakala is generally considered as the final point to see on the road to Hana. There are two trails in the park, the prevalent one would be the.5 mile loop into Ohe'o Gulch. It's a simple course and takes one to several pools that visitors can drift in. When you have enough time and really feel adventurous, my favorite hike on the trail to Hana is your 4 mile round trip hike to Waimoku Falls which takes one via an great bamboo forest.

These top 5 attractions on the road to Hana will be enjoyable to everyone. Young, youthful, adventurous, non-adventurous, athletic or not, all will soon be able to gain access to all these ceases and all will enjoy these. Once traveling the route to Hana remember, it's the travel and these amazing places in nature you will love on your own drive not Hana itself. So go ahead, enjoy your travels.

[alj4890]

Delicate

(Ethan Ramsey x Olivia Nevarkis) (Olivia Nevarkis x Drake Walker) in a Choices The Royal Romance/Open Heart Crackship Series

A/N It's Thanksgiving and Drake just happens to be in America. Seems perfect to drop in and see Olivia. Let's just say that it doesn't go at all like he hoped.

@jooous​ ​ @krsnlove​ @nomadics-stuff​   @twinkleallnight​ @motorcitymademadame​

Masterlist

Part 4

Olivia's Apartment, Boston...

"I suppose you have a very good reason for calling me this early." Olivia mumbled.

Ethan's chuckle brought a sleepy smile to her lips.

"How would you like to spend Thanksgiving at my place?"

"You'll be working." She reminded him.

"True." She could hear him shuffling papers around. "But we could have a late dinner. I'll also be off Friday and Saturday."

She rolled over in bed while keeping him waiting for an answer. "I might like that."

"Might?"

"Well, you didn't tell me who was cooking?"

"I see." Ethan readjusted his phone. "Would it entice you more to know I'm willing to do the cooking."

"I think it would." She laughed at his groan. "When should I come over?"

"Tonight." He replied. "That way you will already be there Thanksgiving morning."

"Then I better finish sleeping."

"You're right." His voice deepened. "I intend to keep you up late."

"Can't wait." She said softly.

She ended the call and rolled over with a deep sigh. She couldn't remember a time in her life that was anything like this. Her happiness was so new.

So unexpected.

Everything was moving perfectly. Her research hospital was being constructed. She had already hired a number of physicians that held credentials that would make any medical college weep over. And personally speaking, her love life wasn't too shabby.

No, it's perfect.

Ethan pursued her. He never stopped trying to impress her. Just like now with wanting her to be with him for his holiday. He made plans with her in mind, plans to learn all he could about her while sharing pieces of himself in the process.

Olivia knew she had dropped every barrier she had kept up to protect herself. Perhaps the only reason it didn't bother her was because, he too had left himself vulnerable before her.

For the first time, she could fully understand why her friends had done so in their own lives. It was a heady feeling, this power over someone. Knowing you could either make them happy or send them into the depths of sadness was both thrilling and a bit terrifying.

Olivia had given him that power over herself.

She justified her willingness by the type of man Ethan was. He was loyal to a fault. He was intelligent. Dedicated to whatever was important in his life. He never held back on what he was passionate about.

She shared so many of those qualities and understood the driving force behind them.

Perhaps that was why he didn't mind leaving himself open to her.

Perhaps, Ethan was truly the only man for her.

Do I love him? She wondered. Being so unfamiliar with the emotion, she thought of how much she wanted to be with him. The still unexpected joy she felt from his calls and seeing him. The longing for him when they were apart. She had even caught herself grinning like she had seen her friends do whenever they were daydreaming about their love.

Even if it was love, could she admit it? And if she did admit it and he admitted it too...what happens next?

She rolled onto her stomach and buried her face into her pillow. She detested unanswered questions and hated herself for even thinking of them.

Determined to push them to the back of her mind, she closed her eyes and dreamed of Ethan.

*****************

Outside Nadia Park's Apartment, New York City...

"You sure you're okay driving by yourself?" Maxwell asked. "You know my pilot will take you wherever you want."

Drake finished placing his luggage in the back of the Jeep Grand Cherokee he had rented. "I would rather drive." He shut the back. "Thanks though."

"It's a long way to Texas." Maxwell reminded him. "You sure you'll make it in time?"

"Mom plans on us celebrating this weekend instead of tomorrow." Drake explained. "Savannah and Bertrand can't get there until Friday. Something about Bartie's preschool pageant thing."

Maxwell hit his head with the palm of his hand. "I forgot all about his performance! He had wanted me to see his dance moves."

"Don't worry. Savannah is filming every bit of it."

Maxwell eyed him when he seemed to hesitant to leave.

"You," Drake cleared his throat, "You think I should stop by and check on Liv? On the way down there?"

"You could." Maxwell replied. "Have you talked to her since we were last here?"

Drake shook his head. "I'm not really a phone guy."

Maxwell slowly nodded. "True." He tried to think of a legitimate reason for Drake to see her to help his pride. "I took some photos the other day of the research hospital's construction progress for my next book. You could show them to Olivia."

Drake perked up as Maxwell scrolled through his images on his phone, picking the best to send to him.

"She'll love seeing that." Maxwell added.

"Yeah, she will." Drake muttered. He rubbed the back if his neck. "Listen, thanks for uh, for helping me with this. And for not making me talk about it all the time."

Maxwell briefly grinned and slapped a hand on Drake's shoulder. "That's what friends are for."

"I know." Drake nodded. "See you Tuesday."

"Have a safe trip." Maxwell waved in goodbye.

He stood out there until the jeep disappeared around the corner.

"Good luck, Drake." He mumbled.

***************

Olivia's Apartment, Boston...

"Should I cook something?" Olivia frowned at her nearly bare cabinets while talking on the phone. "What do people usually eat for this holiday?"

"I might not be the person to ask this to." Amanda responded. "Thomas usually doesn't want the typical Thanksgiving fare."

"I would call Riley but Hana told me Liam was surprising her with a trip back to the island this weekend." Olivia muttered.

"A second honeymoon so soon?" Amanda laughed. "I think we might be hearing news of a new heir to the throne this holiday season."

A soft smile formed on Olivia's lips at the thought. "I didn't think of that."

"As for if you should cook something, you can never go wrong with a dessert." Amanda added. "Something you could enjoy together."

Olivia turned around in alarm when she heard a knock at her door.

"Amanda, you are still in California, aren't you?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because only you and Ethan come to my apartment." Slipping a dagger into the sleeve of her sweater, she ended the call and cautiously opened her door.

Drake's hand was halfway up to knock once more.

The two simply stared in surprise at one another.

Olivia's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

She relaxed her grip on the dagger.

"I, uh..." He glanced about. "I was driving to my mom's and thought I would stop along the way and um..." He dug into his pocket and handed his phone over. "Show you the progress on the hospital."

Her suspicious expression smoothed out into one of excited interest as she began to scroll through the images. Stepping back, she silently motioned him to come in with the blade of her dagger.

A relieved smirk formed on his lips as he followed her inside.

"These look incredible." She sat down while admiring photographs of labs and operating rooms. "Ethan and Naveen will be so pleased."

Drake sat down across from her. "Have you finished finding the right doctors for it?"

"For the most part." She replied. "Naveen suggested we hold off on some until we see what is needed most, specialist wise."

"Ah." Drake tapped his fingers against his leg while trying to think of something else to talk about.

"So..." He muttered.

Olivia quirked an eyebrow at him.

"How are...how are things?"

"Things?" She repeated.

"Yeah, how er," he wondered why he was so nervous, "how are they?"

"Fine." She eyed him curiously. "How are things with you?"

"Good." He cleared his throat. "I mean, good that things are fine."

"So things aren't good for you?"

"Yes. I mean, no." He grit his teeth. "Things are great for me."

"I see." Olivia handed his phone back to him. "Well, thanks for stopping by and showing me these. You should probably get back on the road. I assume it is a long way from here to wherever your family is."

"Texas." He reminded her. "You went there for Savannah's wedding."

She narrowed her eyes again. "I've been there one time. Don't expect me to remember every farm I have seen."

Drake felt his own temper spike. "It’s a ranch."

She flicked her fingers dismissively. "Whatever. Shouldn't you go to Texas before Thanksgiving is over?"

"I don't have to be there until this weekend." He explained. "What are you doing for this American holiday?"

"I'll be spending it with Ethan."

His smirk slowly disappeared. "I see. And are you and the good doctor having a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings?"

Her eyes were now mere slits. "I believe so. He's cooking for me."

"He would." Drake muttered. "Are you showing that you too can be a little sunshine filled homemaker?"

"A sunshine filled..." She trailed off, refusing to allow him to ruin this for her. She had never had a man invite her to spend the holidays together. "Actually," her smile held a touch of evil, "I was just about to leave to get the ingredients I need to do so."

"You are?" He snorted. "I've never known you to cook."

"You never knew me outside of the bedroom." She snapped. "I can do many things, Walker."

His jaw dropped for a moment over her bluntness. "Like what?"

"None of your business." She got to her feet. "It was great seeing you. Let's not hurry to do so again."

Drake stood up. "I'll drive you to the store."

"That isn't necessary."

"I see what is going on. You're scared of my driving."

"Please. I'm not scared of anything you do."

"Then you'll let me to drive you to the store." Drake replied.

"Fine." She put her coat on and grabbed her purse. "Anything to get you to hurry on your way."

"But I'm not in a hurry." He needled.

"Nobody cares!" She griped.

"You must," he snickered, "you've brought up my travel plans more than I have."

She jerked the passenger side door open and slid in. “I forgot how annoying you are."

"I forgot how easy it is to irritate you." He countered.

She folded her arms and motioned with her chin for him to get going.

A proud smile flirted across his lips as he followed her directions.

*****************

"So...what is the duchess making?" Drake pushed a grocery cart through a crowded store.

"Dessert." She ground out.

"What kind? Pie? Cake?" He scanned the aisles for the baking one. "Some kind of health thing since it's for good old Ramsey?"

"I don't know!" She snapped. "I've been trying to decide but some idiot keeps talking!'

"Funny, I didn't know Maxwell was here too." Drake made a show of looking around.

Olivia briefly closed her eyes before exploring recipes for a dessert Ethan might enjoy.

"Pumpkin pie."

"What?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Pumpkin pie is what you should make." He shrugged. "It is the traditional Thanksgiving dessert."

"I don't like pumpkin." Olivia bit out.

"Since when?"

"Since forever."

He narrowed his eyes. "I didn't know that."

"Why would you?" She griped. "It wasn't like we ever ate a meal together."

His frown firmed. "Does Ramsey know you hate pumpkin?"

"Yes." Her chin lifted proudly. "He makes a point of never ordering me pumpkin spiced anything."

"He knows one thing about you." Drake grumbled.

She shot him a murderous glare before gathering items to make an apple pie.

"Feeling homesick?" Drake asked.

"No." She searched for cinnamon. "Why?"

"Did you forget your country is obsessed with a certain fruit?"

She rolled her eyes.

"When's the last time you baked a pie?" He followed her down the aisle. "Was it for the Apple Queen trials?"

Her shoulders stiffened. "I've baked since then."

"Really?" Drake's eyes settled on her profile when she paused to examine different flours.

She cut her eyes to him. "You really think I'm like all the other nobles don't you?"

"Good Lord, no." He chuckled. "No one at court acts like you."

A reluctant smile appeared on her face. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should." He grinned at her. "That's one of the things I like most about you. You were never one of them."

She shrugged while setting a bag of sugar in the basket. "I never saw a reason to act like them."

"It's a shame more aren't like you."

"Ha." She rolled her eyes. "If they were, you would not only be miserable but probably suffering from multiple stab wounds."

"I'm serious." Drake took the bag of flour from her.

Their fingers grazed one another's.

He felt a jolt of disappointment that she was not affected by their touch.

"Most of them could learn a lot from you." His lips firmed into a half smile. "That's one of the reasons I wish you would hurry up and come back home."

Olivia's eyebrow lifted. "You have other reasons for wanting me back in Cordonia?"

"I do."

"And they are?"

"A grocery store aisle isn't really the place to discuss them."

Her eyes narrowed in concern "Is it security?" She lowered her voice and checked to make certain no one was really paying attention to them. "Is someone after Liam and Riley again?"

"No, I didn't mean--" he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Liv, I meant that I miss you."

She snorted on a surprised laugh. "You? You miss me?" She walked off toward the produce section, still shaking her head. "That's hilarious."

He gripped the grocery cart as he followed after her. "Yeah, who would've thought it possible?"

She began to pick through the apples. "Not me or anyone we know."

"Maxwell knows."

She stilled.

"What?"

"Maxwell knows or knew about us. He figured it out whenever he noticed us sneak out." He muttered.

Angry spots of color appeared on Olivia's cheeks. "And you went ahead and told him he was right in his suspicion?"

"I didn't have to." He snapped. "He knew by how I acted after you left."

"How you acted?" She glared at him. "Are you that hard up to find someone to meet your needs?"

"Stop talking about it like that!" He exclaimed. "It wasn't just--"

"Yes, it was exactly that!" The apple in her hand began to drip juice from how hard she was squeezing it. "That was all you wanted. It was all I wanted in the beginning!" Her eyes held his. "We got together because we couldn't be with the ones we thought we were in love with."

Drake staggered back. "That's not--I never--"

"Oh please." She tossed the apple back with the others. "I saw it throughout the entire engagement tour. You wanted Riley just like I wanted Liam to choose me."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't use you to--"

"You did." Olivia's tone eased into a more matter of fact level. "And I allowed it because I was doing the same with you." Her eyes narrowed to mere slits. "Drake, we started our thing the night of their wedding reception! You can't tell me you came to my room for me." She turned back to the apples. "You came for yourself."

"I--" his head dropped back in frustration. "Fine. But it didn't stay that way." He stepped up beside. "I started coming for you."

She ignored him.

"Was it Liam the whole time?"

Her head jerked up. "Would I have stood there like a simpleton asking if what we had was going to turn into something if I still had feelings for Liam?"

"No." He slipped his hands in his coat pockets.

She finished picking apples and pushed the cart toward the checkout.

Without a word he followed her.

*****************

The silence between them was deafening. Drake had never experienced a more uncomfortable car ride before. Every few seconds he would cut his eyes to Olivia, only to be more perplexed by how relaxed and content she appeared.

Her head was bent as she answered a text from Amanda wondering who had been at her door and then she saw one from Ethan.

Her lips curved as she read how much he was looking forward to the next few days with her.

"Liv?"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you--"

"You drove past my apartment building."

He cursed and made a quick right to circle back around.

"Why didn't you--"

"Just stop here." She ordered. "I can go in this side entrance."

"Let me find a place to park."

"There's no need." She reached behind her for the bags of groceries. "I can easily carry these."

"Yeah, but I wanted to--"

"You should really get going." She lifted her eyes to the gray clouded afternoon sky. "You're losing daylight."

"Damn it Olivia!" He snapped, hitting the steering wheel. "Why won't you let me talk about it?!"

"Because there is nothing more to say!" She yelled at him. "Why do you keep harping on it?! We had sex. Yes, it was enjoyable but I now need more." Her chest rose with her frustrated breaths. "And I have found someone who gives me what I need."

"You really think this Ramsey is what you need?" He taunted. "One day you'll leave here and he will see the real you in Cordonia. This Boston bubble you're living under is going to pop. What will he do when he sees you as a duchess, mingling amongst the court?"

Drake wanted to hurt her since she didn't seem to care that she had and continually did hurt him.

"You think he'll adore you then? Just wait until he hears all the tales of your years of temper tantrums and cruelty."

All the color drained from Olivia's face.

The stark pain reflected in her eyes made him feel like the biggest jerk in the world.

"Liv, I didn't mean--"

She scrambled out of his car, slamming the door behind her.

He watched her until she disappeared into her building.

Drake dropped his head on the steering wheel.

He wasn't sure how his plan on reminding her the good between them had instead showed him as the worst possible ex she had ever had.

[axwalker]

Tears in Heaven 8: Revelations

Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is about to get married but memories of her old life are coming back to haunt her.

Pairings: Liam x MC Drake x MC (TRR)

Warnings:  NO ONE UNDER 18 should read this story. This is an 18+ blog.

This story will deal with very dark subjects such as death, severe depression and suicide attempt (among others) if you’re triggered by any of those issues, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY

To catch up: Masterlist

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Word count: 6,495

Songs inspiration: Tears in heaven by Eric Clapton

Thank you,  @burnsoslow for being the absolute MVP of this chapter. You helped me find my story back. And, of course for correcting my numerous English mistakes ... 😋  @mskaneko for creating the amazing GIF of Drake and Alexis. @pedudley​ Thank you for beta reading and your great feedback. I LOVE YOU ALL ❤️❤️!!

Liam adjusted his tie and put on his suit jacket. He sat on the bed next to Alexis, who was still sleeping, and ran the back of his hand over her cheek, careful not to wake her up. He had arrived late from Valtoria the night before, so they hadn't had a chance to talk after Bertrand's party. Since Drake's return, Liam was worried about Alexis and their relationship. She seemed different, nervous, on edge. He hadn't seen her that agitated since she had left the clinic three years ago. To make matters worse, Tom's birthday and that damned conciliatory hearing were taking place soon, only days from each other.

What if it was too much for her? What if seeing Drake brought back her old feelings for him? Maybe he should contact Rashad and ask him if the hearing was the only way to get the divorce. Liam couldn't bear the thought of losing her. After 10 years of loving Alexis, he would be damned if he was going to let Drake ruin their wedding and life together. Not now that Alexis finally loved him back.

Alexis stirred on the bed and opened her eyes. Liam smiled at her.

“Good morning, love." He leaned in to give her a soft kiss. "Were you able to work last night at the coffeehouse?"

Alexis knew that Liam wasn't going to be pleased about her afternoon with Drake. Liam was still jealous of him, and her old marriage was a sore subject between them. But she refused to lie. 

Alexis brought her knees against her chin and hugged herself. "I didn't work much. I ran into Drake, and we talked for a while."

Liam stiffened. His eyes narrowed as he spoke to her. "What do you mean, 'you ran into him'? Is he following you?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Please, Liam. Of course not. It was a coincidence. We just talked."

 "About what?" Liam inquired.

 "About our jobs, our new lives. Nothing important," she answered, uncomfortable with the questioning.

 Liam observed her eyes darting; there was something Alexis wasn't telling him. "That's it?" he insisted.

"Yes, that's it." Drake touching her face hadn't meant anything. Liam didn't need to know about it.

 Liam took Alexis's hand. "To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about that court hearing with him next week. I'd prefer it if you never had to see him again, darling."

 "It'll be fine, Li. According to Rashad, the hearing is fast. In one week, we'll sign the papers, and then you and I will be able to marry. Don't worry," she reassured him with a smile.

 Liam nodded. He took her hand and kissed it. "How are you feeling with… with everything else?" he asked, frowning.

 Every year, when her son's birthday arrived, she broke, relieving his last celebration over and over again. Every year, Alexis wondered if she really had been that utterly happy or if her mind was idealizing her old family life. Every year, in the days preceding that date, Liam walked on eggshells trying to avoid the subject. Sometimes Alexis asked herself if it wouldn't be better if he'd force her to talk about her son. But it wasn't in Liam's nature. And she didn't want to burden him even more, so neither of them spoke about it openly.

 Alexis tried to comfort him. "I'll be fine, Li. Thank you for everything you do for me. I mean it." She tugged Liam's hand, pulling his body to hers, and kissed him. "What time do you need me to be at the university for the Opening Ceremony?" she asked. 

 Liam aimed to improve education in Valtoria by creating as many schools and universities as possible. One of Alexis' duties as the future Duchess was to make an appearance on the day of the opening, cut the inaugural ribbon, and smile for the press: a job she hated but did to make Liam happy.

 "At 11:00 sharp, darling. And I say this with all the love in the world: Please don't be late. Hana will be there waiting for you. Frantz will take you to Valtoria; he's the best driver there is."

 "I can drive to Valtoria myself; I enjoy the road," Alexis said as she stood up and put on her robe.

 "I'd feel better if he takes you, love. It's safer. And you'll be on time." 

 Alexis sighed; she was exasperated but didn't want to start a fight. "As you like. See you tonight at Valtoria for Leo's welcome dinner."

 "Are you going to be alright with Milos there?" Liam asked, worried, again.

 "Liam, please. I'll be fine." Alexis kissed him before stepping into the shower. "I better start getting ready."

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 Hana Lee had been working for the Duke of Valtoria for five years. She was Liam Rhys' right hand. He was the person Hana admired the most in the world. Liam was handsome, intelligent, and worldly but extraordinarily kind and generous. He wanted to improve Valtoria in ways that Constantine, the former duke, hadn’t even imagined. Liam's enthusiasm was contagious; he truly loved his duchy, his people.

Hana would've loved to see him engaged to someone who shared his passion. The future duchess didn't seem very happy with her new role. Actually, Alexis never seemed completely happy anywhere. Hana had heard of her tragedy, like everyone else in Valtoria. She pitied her sincerely, but she wished that Alexis was more involved in her future husband's life. The duke was a formidable man. And his future wife didn't seem to appreciate him as much as he deserved.

 Emily Black, Hana's assistant, was waiting for her with a coffee and the guest list for the event. They had been working together for three years, and more than her assistant, Emily was a close friend. 

 "Is she coming?" Emily's contemptuous expression told Hana that she was talking about Alexis.

 "Yes, Emi, the future duchess is coming. The duke told me she'd be here at 11:00."

 "She's always late. She's so lucky to have this life and share her bed with that delicious man, and she doesn't even realize it," Emily criticized.

 Hana scolded her, "Emily! Please show some respect. That is the duke and the future duchess you're talking about, and there are some things you don't know about Alexis."

 "Sorry! I just meant that the great and honorable Duke of Valtoria is extremely hot." Emily giggled. "Admit it, Han, you think so, too."

 Hana shook her head, laughing. She would never confess it to her assistant, but she found Liam Rhys much more than attractive.

 At quarter to eleven, Alexis came into the university in an elegant burgundy suit with nude heels and soft makeup.

 "Alexis might hate to be a duchess, but she looks the part. She's gorgeous," Hana told Emily, slightly jealous. Of course Liam was in love with a woman like Alexis; he would never see Hana as anything else than his loyal right hand.

 Emily shrugged. "Yeah, she's not ugly, and maybe today she looks fine, but she's not you. You're much more beautiful and poised, Han. You'd be a perfect duchess," Emily claimed, convinced.

 Hana blushed. Making a difference in Valtoria was essential to her. But the handsome duke was her forbidden dream, and she would do anything for him. Including helping his fiancée.

 "Ms. O'Brien. Good morning," Hanna said respectfully, when Alexis finally reached them. Emily excused herself.

 "Please, Hana, as I told you before, you can call me Alexis. We'll have to work together often," Alexis said. She would've liked to have been closer to Hana. After all, they were the same age, and Hana seemed agreeable and smart. She could make a good friend when Alexis would be forced to move to Valtoria after the wedding. But Hana had always put a distance between them, and Alexis wasn't able to get past it.   

 Her old self would have been able to befriend Hana. Drake used to tease her because she loved to be friends with everyone she met. But Alexis' new personality wasn't happy and charismatic anymore. It was sad and bleak, tainted by tragedy. Alexis shook her head, sick of feeling sorry for herself.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------

 Drake woke up in good spirits, almost hopeful. For the first time in years, he would be able to practice as a veterinarian again. He hadn't realized how much he missed his career. Drake had been up all night going through his textbooks, files, and old cases. He was determined to be the best again. Before getting out of bed, Drake picked up the picture on his nightstand and sighed nostalgically. It had been taken two months before Tom's death, on a camping trip. In the photo, Drake had Tom and Alexis in his lap. He remembered laughing at Alexis' silly attempts to make Tom smile for the picture. Looking at it was painful, but the photo reminded him why he kept living, why he was fighting. Tom was gone, but Alexis was still there, alive. He took a cold shower and put on a blue shirt and a pair of jeans.

 Before going downstairs, Drake stood in front of Tom's old room. Sadly, he thought that he would have to empty it. It wasn't healthy to keep it as a sanctuary forever. His heart tugged when he realized that he'd have to speak to Lexie about it. On the other hand, it might be a good thing for her to face reality instead of running from it. In any case, he'd have to talk to Alexis; it was a decision that they had to make together.

------------------------------------------------------------------

 After the opening ceremony at the university, Alexis decided to call Olivia and Maxwell. They agreed to meet in a bar downtown for cocktails.

 Thirty minutes later, the three friends were sitting in a trendy pub with a dDirty mMartini, a glass of whiskey and a Cosmopolitan.

 Olivia took a sip of her martini. She observed Alexis, who was absentmindedly fidgeting her engagement ring. "How are the wedding preparations going?"

 Alexis flicked her hair. "Regina is in charge of almost everything. Li and I wanted something small, but the guest list is already up to 200 guests," she said, annoyed.

 "In old Connie's defense, a 200-guest wedding is small for him. According to Father, Constantine and Regina got married in front of 500 people," Maxwell said while he stirred his Cosmopolitan.  

 Olivia arched her eyebrows. "Who cares? The point is that you don't want a big wedding, Alexis. I don't know why you don't say anything. The Lexie I knew would have never taken this shit."

 "The Alexis you knew doesn't exist anymore," Alexis retorted.

 "Yes, she does. Liam has convinced you that you're weak now and that you can't take care of yourself. But that's not true." Olivia paused to let her words sink in. "Look, I know that he means well. Li is a good man who loves you. And I understand that he's so protective of you, especially after you tried to … well, you know."

 Maxwell gasped, interrupting her. It was the first time in three years that they had openly discussed the subject.

 "Come on, Max, it's not like she doesn't know this." Olivia turned back to Alexis. "Liam saved your life, and since then, you've been playing these weird roles. You're the defenseless princess, and he's the knight in shining armor. And it suits you both. Liam gets to marry you, and you can finally stop living. You gave him all control of your life."

 "What do you mean, stop living?" Alexis asked.

 "Last time, Maxwell lectured me  for an hour, so I'll try to say this as gentle as I can." Olivia took a deep breath. "You're not living your life anymore, Alexis. You're like a robot. You never talk about Tom. You're in a job you don't enjoy. You're committing yourself to a life that we all know you'll hate. You are with Liam because he makes you feel safe. Because you know he can't hurt you like Walker did. That's why you're with him. Which, excuse me, seems pretty damn selfish to me. You both deserve better."

 Max shook his head. "That's gentle, Liv? What the hell!"

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m not apologizing for saying that. I just want Alexis to be the strong, independent woman she was before all of this. And for her and Li to be happy.”

“Do you think I enjoy  this? Do you think I like feeling like this? I feel like my life ended five years ago. Most days I miss my son so much I can’t get out of bed.  I’m aware I’m not the same strong woman that I was before. But believe me, Olivia, I’m trying.” Alexis paused to give herself the courage to say the rest. "You have to respect my relationship. And Liam." Alexis sighed. "Of course, it's not the same passion I felt for Drake when I was 19, but I'm not 19 anymore. My love for Drake almost killed me. The main reason I tried to end everything that day was because of my son, but a big part of me also wanted to die because Drake had left. The heartbreak of knowing that I had lost him forever almost killed me, too. Drake and I are over. That's final," Alexis stated.

 "I know you’re trying, darling. And, I'm not saying that you should get back with Drake." Olivia saw that Alexis was going to defend Drake, so she raised her hand. "I get why he left." She squeezed Lexie's hand. "I can't even imagine how he felt when you said those horrible things to him. But I called Drake three months later, I told him how desperate you were, he promised to come back, and then he didn't. So, Drake doesn't deserve you, Alexis. The point is that you shouldn't marry someone you don't love when you're still clearly in love with someone else. Maybe you should be alone for a while," Olivia advised, as she had many times before.

 "If you'd been in the cabin that day, you'd understand why he never came back. I broke him, Liv." Alexis' eyes watered. "Of course Drake hated me. I would never forgive myself for what I said to him. Never. But he's part of the past. A past that I'm trying to leave behind. Liam … Liam is my future," Alexis said, trying to convince herself more than her friends.

 ----------------------------------------------------------- 

 Alexis had arrived at Valtoria that afternoon. She was reading in the duchy's library when Leo's eldest son entered the room. Milos was an adorable four-year-old. He was dragging a teddy bear and seemed lost.

 Alexis closed her book and took him into her arms. He giggled when she lifted him.

 "Hi, Milos! Are you lost, babe?" Alexis asked.

 Milos nodded shyly. Alexis spun him around the room, and he laughed. "You like this, don't you, little bean?" She gave him a nose kiss. "You're so cute, Milos."

 "I love you, auntie!" Milos screamed happily.

 Her heart tugged. Milos' laughter was both blissful and painful. Images of her own son giggling and smiling as she played with him washed over her. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she was happy to spend a few minutes with her nephew. The Rhys assumed that playing with Milos was too much for her, so they tried to keep the boy away. Alexis understood. Only one year ago, the mere thought of seeing a boy that age would've broken her. However, now that she was feeling stronger, she liked to spend time with him. 

 Liam walked in, and his heart sank, seeing Alexis with Milos in her arms. Every time after playing with him, she felt a bit sad and nostalgic. Liam believed that both feelings were a trigger for her. He took the boy out of her arms.

 "I'm sure Leo and Amanda are looking for this little devil." Liam grinned at Milos. "I'll take him to them, my love; I'll be back in a few minutes."

Alexis wished that Liam wouldn't worry about her so much. Sometimes, his concern made her feel suffocated. And Olivia was right, she was an adult woman, capable of making her own decisions.

She stood up and took Milos back. “I’m going to be fine, Li. We’re just playing, aren't we Milos?”

The boy nodded happily. “Yes, auntie. I want to draw trees!”

“That is so cool, Milos!” Alexis kissed the top of Milos’ head. “Let’s go look for a piece of paper and some colored pencils.” 

“I don’t think that is a good idea, my love,” Liam whispered. 

“I do, Li. Trust me. It’s time.” Alexis kissed his fiancé and left the room with Milos in her arms.

 Liam watched her leave the library visibly worried. As much as he wanted to, he didn’t think Alexis was strong enough yet. 

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

 A week later, Alexis was getting ready for her court hearing. She looked at herself in the mirror and ran her hand over the dark circles around her eyes. She hadn't slept all night thinking about her son's birthday.

Liam was worried; he thought that seeing Drake was only adding to her stress. But Alexis was relieved to be seeing the only person who understood precisely what she was feeling.

 Drake put on a grey shirt and a pair of black pants and went downstairs. As he poured coffee into his portable mug, his eyes set on the calendar glued to the wall. In two days, Tom would have turned eight. The memory of his last birthday was still alive in his mind, almost burning. He was grateful to see Lexie today: the only other person in the world who knew what he was going through.

 Alexis and Rashad entered the family courthouse and found Drake already there, sitting on one of the benches.

 "Hi," Alexis said shyly, as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Suddenly, she felt like a 19-year-old teenager all over again.

 "Hi, Lex," Drake replied, smiling. His heart was beating abnormally fast.

 "No lawyer?" she asked softly.

 Drake shrugged. "I don't need it."

 "Me neither!" she answered quickly. "Liam insisted. Rashad is only here in case we need him. Plus, he's a friend. He's Max's future husband; they're getting married in two weeks, at the beach in Portavira. The ceremony will be beautiful," she rambled.

 Drake smiled at her reassuringly. Lexie always rambled when she was nervous. He extended his hand to Rashad. "Nice to meet the most patient person in the world," he said, smirking.

 "There's been some talks about making the title official." Rashad laughed. "I'm crazy about him, though," he added.

 Drake smiled. "I'm happy for you both; Max is one of the best people I know."

 A marshal came out to the hallway. "Mr. and Mrs. Walker?" he called.

 Alexis' heart leaped. She blushed crimson red, hearing her old last name.

 "It's us," Drake answered with a firm voice and placed his hand on the small of Alexis' back to let her pass. The movement was soft and brief, but Alexis felt a jolt going through her body, awakening every nerve. She blushed again, ashamed of her reaction. Drake noticed it and smiled to himself, hopeful.

 They entered a conference room. The judge was sitting at one side of a round table with her assistant next to her. Alexis and Drake sat across from them.

 "Good afternoon, I'm Judge Gina Connors," she said, smiling.

 Drake and Alexis answered back, so the judge proceeded, "First of all, I want you to know that this is a safe space. Nothing you say in here will leave this room." she paused to make sure they understood. "The purpose of this hearing is to figure out whether or not you can save your marriage. I'll ask you some questions, we'll talk, and at the end of the hearing, I'll leave you alone for a few minutes. I'll give you my assessment, but the final choice belongs to you. If you're not ready to make a decision at the end of the hearing, the court will give you one week to think about it. If your decision to get a divorce is final, we'll agree on the terms. If everything goes smoothly, my assistant, Tess," she nodded at a small woman with red hair and big glasses who was typing into a computer, "will send you the divorce papers in one week. Is everything clear?"

 They both nodded. The judge looked at them over her glasses. "Let's start. I'll repeat your complete names for the record. Mrs. Alexis Jade Walker and Mr. Drake James Walker. Is that correct?"

 Alexis and Drake answered in perfect unison. "Yes, Your Honor." They looked at each other and exchanged a small smile.

 Gina Connors was 58 years old and had been a judge for almost two decades. She had seen hundreds of couples come and go out of her office, and she prided herself on having an impeccable instinct. Something about the Walkers told her that they still had a chance to save their marriage.

 The judge read the papers that Rashad had sent her. "So you got married 10 years ago, in 2009. Is that correct?"

 Drake nodded. He turned to watch his wife, but Alexis was suddenly occupied toying with her ring. Drake sensed her nervousness and almost reached out to hold her hand, but he restrained himself.

 "You have a son, Thomas Scott Walker …" Suddenly, Judge Connors stopped talking. The room went silent while she read the boy's death certificate. The judge lifted her head and saw that Alexis was looking down, trying very hard not to cry. Drake had immediately covered Alexis' hand with his and was rubbing it with his thumb soothingly. Feeling instantly calmer, Alexis took a sharp breath and looked at the judge again.

 "I'm deeply, deeply sorry. Most couples have trouble adjusting after the loss of a child, but I can give you the number of an excellent therapist who might be able to help you," the judge advised with empathy. Her chest tightened with sadness for the young, broken couple in front of her.

 Alexis talked through the lump in her throat. "Thank you, Your Honor, but that won't be necessary." She folded her arms over her chest.

 "In the documents that Mr. Domvallier filed, it's stated that you separated in 2015." The judge took her glasses off and leaned against her chair. "What happened exactly?"

 Alexis rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It was my fault."

 Drake shook his head firmly. "It wasn't your fault, Lexie."

Alexis raised her hand. "Please, Drake, let me speak. I've wanted to say this for a long time, but I didn't know how." Her eyes watered as she turned to look right into his eyes. Drake's heart broke, watching her struggle to speak. "I'm sorry. I was so angry at life and at our fate that I needed an outlet." Her voice broke, so she took another sharp breath. "But please, Drake, you have to believe me; it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you. I really, really don't. I know how much you loved him. Love him. I know you'd never have done anything to hurt him." Alexis started crying, and Drake couldn't take it anymore. He raised his hand and, very softly, brushed his thumb on her cheeks to wipe her tears.

"Shh, it's fine, Lexie. I know. Don't cry, I know." Drake tried to comfort her, but Alexis couldn't stop crying.

 Drake took her hand and squeezed it. "Lexie, you have nothing to be sorry about. I know you don't blame me." Her eyes were still fixed to the floor, so he insisted. "Hey, Lex, look at me." Finally, her brown eyes met his. "I know, baby. Please don't blame yourself either."

 The judge observed the exchange silently. After a few minutes, she asked, "What happened next?"

 Alexis spoke. "I left our home because I didn't know how to deal with the death of our son. Drake tried to do everything he could. It was my fault.”

 Drake shook his head. "Please, Lexie, stop protecting me."

 The judge interrupted them. "I'll admit that I don't have a lot of couples in here who fight to take responsibility for the divorce." She gave them a benevolent smile. "Let's make this simple. Who left the marital home?"

 They both answered at the same time. "I did." The judge smiled again.

 Alexis added, "I did first. We fought, and I left. Drake must've thought that I wasn't going to come back, and he left for Spain." She looked sideways at Drake.

 Judge Connors looked at Drake. "Is that true?"

 "Yes. It is, Your Honor." He turned to Alexis. "I was a fool. I thought you were gone for good."

 The judge nodded. She kept going through the documents. "In June 2015, you were committed to a psychiatric clinic," the judge looked at Alexis, "and Mr. Walker couldn't come back."

 Alexis looked at Drake, puzzled. "What does she mean you ‘couldn't’?" she asked him.

 Drake rubbed his beard. "Olivia called me to tell me how bad you were. I was desperate to see you, but the night before my flight back to Cordonia, I got into a stupid fight. I was sent to prison for almost a year; that's why I couldn't come back earlier."

 Shock. Confusion. Surprise. Anger. Sadness. A mix of emotions invaded her. For four years, Alexis had lived convinced that the person she loved the most in the world had abandoned her because he hated her. Not one night had passed without her reliving the night she had lost him, over and over again.

 Alexis was unable to talk. After a few minutes, she looked at Drake, wide-eyed. "You couldn't," she murmured. "That's why you didn't come back, because you couldn't." Her eyes teared up again. "Why the fuck you didn't tell someone, Drake? Max or Li? Someone?!"

 "No one could help me anyway," Drake answered. "I wanted our friends to be focused on helping you."

 Alexis ran her hand through her hair angrily. "Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep because I thought you didn't care? How many times I crumbled because I was sure you hated me?" Her eyes were filled with tears; her voice was trembling with rage. "I would have done anything to help you, Drake." Alexis threw her hands in the air. "Anything. You didn't have to go through that alone. And I would've known that you didn't hate me. It would've changed everything."

 "I thought you hated me back then too," Drake replied simply.

 "Why?" she asked, almost seething.

 "Why what?"

 "Why did you have to get into a fight the night before coming back? What was so important?"

 Drake knew that he needed to be honest. It was going to be hard to talk about his feelings, but if he wanted a real shot with Alexis, it was the only way. "It wasn't about that. It's like you said, I was so fucking angry all the time that I needed an outlet. I hated myself, Lexie. The guilt was too strong; it became so unbearable that the only way to be able to breathe was to drink and fight. The physical pain made the grief easier somehow. When Liv called, I tried to leave that same day, but there weren't any flights available. I shouldn't have gone out that night; I wasn't thinking straight. I only wanted one drink to take the edge off the idea of seeing you again. But one drink became two and then three and then a bottle. And once the fight started, I lost all control of myself. I'm sorry, Lexie."  

 - It breaks my heart every single time I look at you. You're hurting me. You killed my son -

Her own horrible words came back, rushing at her. "No one knows better than me what it feels like, Drake. I'm sorry, too. It's just that I can't believe you went to prison. That you had no one there to help you." She paused, thinking about all the things they had lost. Alexis turned to the judge apologetically. "I'm sorry for my outburst, Your Honor."

 Judge Connors smiled at her playfully. "I'm a family judge. If someone doesn't yell at a hearing, I feel like I'm not doing my job correctly." She turned to Drake. "Continue your story, Mr. Walker," the judge demanded.

  "I came back to Cordonia when I was released, but Lexie wasn't ready to see me," Drake explained.

 Alexis shook her head in disbelief. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?"

 Drake pinched the bridge of his nose, reluctant to tell the truth about Liam. Again, he decided to be honest. "I came back when you were about to leave the psychiatric clinic, but Liam thought that it was better if I didn't see you. I agreed," Drake said, placing his hand on his chest, "so I went back to Spain."

 "You came back," Alexis muttered. "You came back for me. Liam knew how much I missed you. Why did he do that?"

 Drake's heart leaped in his chest. Alexis had been waiting for him all that time, and he had failed her. He should have known better. "Of course I came back, Lexie. You were the only thing on my mind all that time. I didn't think about anything else. I tried to be the perfect inmate, so they'd let me out sooner and I could come back to see you. You have to believe me that when I was in prison, I didn't know that you had tried to --” Fuck, it was hard to say. “ -- to kill yourself."

 Alexis nodded. "I believe you, Drake." She hesitated before asking, but she needed to know. "And Liam knew? All this time, he knew?"

 Drake knew that Liam was Lexie's rock. He didn't want her to feel lost, so he decided to leave the suicide letter out of the story. "Liam didn't know I had been in prison, Lexie. And I'm sure that he honestly thought that it was best for you if we didn't see each other. I believed it too," he answered honestly.

 "So, both of you decided for me what I wanted, what I needed?" She was beyond angry.

"We were just trying to protect you."

 "From you? You were the only one who could've helped me." Her voice broke again.

 Drake's heart jumped at her last words. "No, not from me. From strong emotions. You weren't ready."

 Alexis didn't reply. She needed to speak with Liam.

  "Well," the judge finally intervened, "after what I observed here today, I don't think you should file for a divorce so fast. I'll leave you alone for a few minutes, but my professional opinion is that you shouldn't make any decisions today. As you know, you can make a request to postpone the decision for a week, or, better yet, suspend the process altogether." The judge stood up and left, followed by her secretary.

 Alexis stood up and opened the window. She needed fresh air. Drake stood up as well and cut the distance between them.

 "Are you okay, Lexie?" Drake asked, worried.

 Alexis nodded. "It's just that all these years, I was so sure of everything. I thought you hated me. I thought Liam was perfect."

 Drake shook his head. He had to be very careful if he didn't want to scare her off. He took another step and raised his hand, slowly placing it on her face. "I could never hate you, Lexie." She didn't move, so Drake raised his other hand as well, cupping her face. "I love you, Alexis. Like crazy, like a madman. Even more than 10 years ago." He sighed. "I miss you so fucking much, baby. I miss everything about you. Give me another chance. Give us another chance."

 Alexis' heart was beating so fast that she was sure that Drake could hear it. He was only a few inches from her. His manly presence was intoxicating her, making it impossible for her to think straight.

And for a minute, she considered it. She thought about leaving everything behind and running away with Drake. But Liam's image popped into her head. Despite his lie, he had done everything for her. He had saved her; he had helped her to come back to life. She took a step back.

"I'm sorry, Drake. It's too late now. I can't do that to Liam."

 Drake took a step in her direction. "You're the only reason I still fight, Lexie." He looked at her, at her flushed cheeks, at her nervousness, at the way she was avoiding his eyes. "I know you still love me too, Lexie."

 "I don't." Her trembling voice betrayed her. She darted her eyes to the window. Drake took a step towards her.

 Drake took her chin with his hand and raised it to him. "Repeat that looking at me."

 Her breath hitched; they locked eyes with each other, both knowing that she wouldn't be able to repeat it.

 Drake loved that Alexis was still using the same cherry fragrance that she used when they were together. He smiled, thinking of the numerous times he had inhaled her scent while he made love to her. Drake would do anything to kiss her again. To feel her again.

 Drake's eyes turned to her lips. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm going to kiss you now, Lexie. If you want to stop me, just say the word and I will."  

 Heat rose from Alexis' stomach to her chest. Drake's lips were getting closer, and her heart skipped a beat; the smell of sandalwood was mesmerizing. His large hands were tenderly rubbing her face, but she felt them everywhere. Alexis parted her lips and felt Drake all over her, filling all her senses as the taste of him nearly silenced all her guilt.

Drake's heart pounded in his chest as every breath he took smelled like cherry. He pulled her in, claiming her mouth again, hungry and intense, until her knees gave in. She tasted precisely as he remembered. Her lips felt so soft on his. As his tongue explored her mouth, he decided that he was never going to let her go. Alexis was his, and he was hers. It couldn't be any other way. Alexis got lost in the kiss for a few minutes until Liam's face came back to haunt her.

 She gently pushed Drake away. "I'm sorry, Drake. I can't. It's too late now. Liam-"

 "I know. You can't do this to him," Drake said, disappointed.

"No, I can't! Liam not only saved my life, but he fought day and night to make me happy again. Liam lied, yes, but he doesn't deserve this. I'm not going to leave him, Drake. I'm sorry." Alexis felt her heart breaking, but she added, "It's too fucking late for us."

"Just one week."

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"Just give me one week. You can't possibly make a decision right now. Not after everything you just heard. And you can't lie to me, Lexie. I know you're not happy." Drake looked at her. "I'm just asking you to take one week and really think about this. If, in the end, you're still sure that you love Liam and want to divorce me, I swear, I'll sign the papers."

 Alexis tucked her hair behind her ears. She couldn't resist Drake’s pleading eyes. "Alright, one week, so we get used to the idea. But that's it."

 Drake shook his head no. "You have to promise me that you'll think about everything that happened here today; please, Lex."

"Ok, I promise," she assured him.

Judge Connors and her secretary reentered the room and sat in their chairs.

 "Did you reach a decision?" the judge asked.

 "We'd like to take one week to think about it," Drake replied. He couldn't help the hopeful tone in his voice. 

Judge Connors smiled. Her intuition never failed. "You have one week to reconsider. At the end of that week, if you still want to, you have to come back here to sign the agreement for the divorce," she paused and added, smiling, "but if I'm honest with you, I prefer if I didn’t see you ever again."  

She stood up and shook their hands. 

 They both went out of the building in silence. Rashad was waiting for Alexis. 

"Was everything all right?" he asked.

"Yes, Rash, thank you. I'm sorry that you had to come here for nothing."

"Well, I have to verify the divorce agreement. Is it ready?" 

“No, it’s not. We asked for one more week,” Alexis replied without further explanation. 

Rashad arched his eyebrows. He hadn't known them as a couple, but even after a few minutes with them, their chemistry was palpable. He worried about Liam, though; the duke wasn't going to be exactly happy about the news. "All right, let me know what you decide."

"Rashad, please, don't say anything to Liam yet. I'll tell him in person, but he's in Valtoria today," Alexis pleaded.

"Don't worry, Alexis, I won't. It was nice to meet you, Drake."

 "Same, man; give my best to Max," Drake replied.

 "I will! Bye, darling." Rashad kissed Alexis on both cheeks and left.

Drake looked at her, unsure of what to say. They were both exhausted. Alexis probably needed time to process everything that she had heard that day. Drake walked her to her car.

"Are you okay, Lexie?" 

She nodded slowly. "I am."

 "I know you're strong, but this was a lot to take in."

 Alexis bit her lip: her universal sign when she hesitated to say something. 

"What's going on, Lex? You can tell me anything." 

"His things." Alexis turned to Drake as she played with her ring again. "What are you doing with them?"

 "I was actually thinking about emptying his room. What do you think about that?" Drake asked carefully.

 She nodded with tears in her eyes. "I understand. I don't know how you do it, to live in the cabin with his room still intact." She surprised herself by asking, "Can I be there?"

 Drake gave her a sad smile. "Of course. When do you want to do it?"

 "I don't know." She hugged herself, feeling suddenly cold.

 Drake had to actively stop himself from hugging her as tight as he could. "I thought that we could do this on his birthday. We hate that day anyway. Maybe it'll be less horrible if we're together."

 Alexis nodded slowly. "Maybe." She thought about it for a few seconds. "I agree. Let's do it next Wednesday. We'll see each other only for that." She looked at Drake knowingly and he nodded.

 She looked for her car keys until she found them at the bottom of her bag. They stared at each other; Drake leaned in to kiss her on the cheek as he brushed her face with his fingers longingly.

"See you Wednesday, Lexie."

She smiled, flustered. "See you Wednesday, Drake."

Alexis got into her car and drove away. 

Drake was right; she had a lot of things to consider and think about. But at that moment, she was more furious than anything else. Alexis couldn't understand why Liam had lied to her all those years. She decided to go to Valtoria immediately. Her conversation with Liam couldn't wait another day.

PERMATAG (Drake x Alexis): @ac27dj​ @twinkle-320​ @kimmiedoo5​ @marshmallowsandfire​ @loveellamae​ @burnsoslow​ @mskaneko​ @pedudley​ @lauzales​ @debramcg1106​ @ravenpuff02​ @pug-bitch​ @princessleac1​

TIH: @ao719 @yukinagato2012 @kingliam2019 @texaskitten30 @cordonia-gothqueen @bebepac @nomadics-stuff @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @msjr0119  @forthebrokenheartedthings​ @bascmve01​ @marshmallowaremyfavorite 

[withabackpackandcamera]

March 29th, 2021

Day 6: From Snorkeling With Sea Turtles to Climbing to the Island’s End

Today, we started the morning early with the hopes of taking advantage of good weather and calm waters to snorkel at Kapalua Bay. With vacation time almost over, we knew that today might be our only chance at snorkeling in Maui. After finishing our brunch leftovers from yesterday, we drove up to Kapalua Bay. Because parking wasn’t easy to find, I dropped Cynthia off and found parking further down the street. After meeting up with Cynthia at Napili Bay, where she had mistakenly walked, we made our way over to Kapalua Bay. 

By the time we arrived at the beach, it wasn’t yet super crowded. However, there were already plenty of people who had scoped out their spots for the day or were already in the water. As we walked down to the beach, we spotted a equipment-renting stand where we stopped by to rent goggles, snorkels, fins, and a floaty device for the morning. 

Once we found a spot in the corner of the beach to camp out at, we quickly applied our sunblock and got ready for the water. The weather was partly sunny today, with enough wind that the clouds overhead kept floating in and out, blocking the sun intermittently. Even though the sky wasn’t completely clear, the conditions today were much better than those from yesterday, which was all we could ask for. 

When we were renting the snorkeling gear, I wasn’t quite sure Cynthia would actually snorkel with me today because I knew how poorly she did with anything cold. And the morning waters here in Kapalua Bay were not warm. But surprisingly, Cynthia was up to the challenge! After we waded in the cool shallows for a bit, getting our bodies wet and accustomed to the cool bay waters, we finally got into the water. 

At first, the water was a bit chilly but as usual, our bodies slowly got used to it and it got less and less cold as we swam further into the bay and away from the shore. Once we warmed up, we started the day’s adventure of snorkeling and it was fun! Cynthia and I went snorkeling together for about 30 minutes or so. During that time, we snorkeled along the north side of the bay where all the coral were lined up. As we swam above the coral, we spotted a ton of different types of fish, from Moorish idols to parrotfish to other types of fish I couldn’t identify! So cool to see so many fish in such clear waters! But the coolest thing we saw, and the animal we actually came out to see, was the Hawaiian green sea turtle! Once I saw the green sea turtle gliding through the water below, I grabbed Cynthia’s attention and we made our way over to the area where the green sea turtle was hanging out and got to watch it do its thing from afar. So awesome seeing these very crazy-looking, ancient-appearing creatures in their natural habitats! In her 30 minutes of snorkeling, Cynthia was super lucky to see her first and only green sea turtle in the water! 

The reason why we spent only 30 minutes in the water was because I had poorly planned the morning and had to go back to the Royal Lahaina to grab our luggage and check out of the resort. The plan originally was to be out on the water earlier so that we could snorkel for two hours before going back. However, due to the difficult parking situation and the long walk to the beach, we ended up starting way later than intended. We agreed that Cynthia would stay behind on the beach and hold our stuff while I drove back to the Royal Lahaina to check out. Luckily, the trip to the resort and back to Kapalua Bay took less than 30 minutes and before long, I was back on the beach, ready to jump back in.

By this time in the late morning, the sun was out and it didn’t take long for me to get used to the water’s temperature again. For about 1.5 hours, I snorkeled and swam around the bay, looking for cool coral, fun fish, and the difficult-to-find sea turtles. I swam around for a while and further into the ocean in the hopes of finding some new sea creatures to glimpse at. Before long, I decided to work my way to the opposite side of the bay to see what was over there. I slowly swam my way across the bay and made it to the other side after what seemed like a very far swim. 

After checking out that side and not spotting any sea turtles (but spotting some seemingly bigger fish), I kicked my way back to the northern side of the bay and swam along the coral and rocks once more. Until I spotted what I was looking for. Green sea turtles! As I swam, I saw one turtle gliding through the water and down into the depths of the bay toward another sea turtle hiding out in a little spot between the rocks on the bay floor. The first sea turtle looked like it harassed and bothered the other sea turtle before it swam away. Then I watched as the second sea turtle woke up from its slumber and slowly swim its way up to the surface for a few breaths of fresh air before it dove back down into its hole where it holed itself up once more. What an awesome experience! 

Before long, I was done. After swimming across the bay twice and seeing the sea turtles I had set out to see, I was ready to head back to shore where Cynthia was hanging out. I chilled with Cynthia for a bit in the warm sun as I dried off and took some photos before we left the beach for Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie. The drive to Leoda’s was a little longer than I expected but it was a drive we wanted to take to get the pie Cynthia wanted to buy. Once we arrived, there was a little line that Cynthia had to wait in but before long, she returned to the car with her Apple Crumble Pie. 

With pie in hand, we drove back to downtown Lahaina for lunch/happy hour at Down The Hatch, a cool restaurant with an open courtyard for seating located in the middle of downtown on Front Street. We ordered some delicious Crispy Coconut Shrimp, Mermaid Fries, their Ahi Poke Special, and a Mango Daiquiri served in a Tiki Glass. Whether it was because we were starving after our morning workout and adventure or because the food was delicious, we scarfed it all down and it was great. The Crispy Coconut Shrimp was delicious. The Ahi Poke Special was pretty good too, though Cynthia didn’t like it as much. The Mermaid Fries were so very good but became too much and too heavy at the end, after I had eaten it all. And the Mango Daiquiri hit the spot. What a nice happy hour we found. Plus, we even had a chance to eat some of our (very) sweet pie with some milk at the restaurant after happy hour!

Super carb-loaded, we returned to our car to make the most of what was left of our last full day in Maui. And the places we marked on our maps that we had yet to visit were the two places in the far north of West Maui: the Olivine Pools and the Nakalele Blowhole. 

We decided to drive to the Olivine Pools first since it was the further of the two places we wanted to visit. The drive there was slow and windy, similar to our drive on the Road to Hana. Even though the distance to the Olivine Pools wasn’t that far, the drive took some time. Luckily, there weren’t many tourists driving in this part of Maui so there wasn’t much traffic or slow cars to deal with. 

After we parked at the car lot for the Olivine Pools, we walked down the path toward the ocean until we saw, in the distance, where the Olivine Pools were located: all the way at the very bottom of the cliffs and next to the ocean. Before driving here, I hadn’t done much research on the Olivine Pools so I literally had no idea what this place was or what I would see. But from what I could see, the Olivine Pools looked pretty sweet and photo-worthy, and it would take quite the treacherous hike down in windy conditions while wearing flip flops to get to the oceanside pools. 

For a little bit, Cynthia and I hiked down the rocky slopes, taking one careful step at a time. It wasn’t long until Cynthia felt a little nervous about the descent and found a safe place to wait for me as I continued on. Hiking down in flip flops wasn’t the best of ideas but it was too late at that point to go back up and change footwear. So I slowly climbed down the cliff until I got near the bottom where the Olivine Pools were. Because of how dangerous the area was with the unpredictable crashing waves, violent winds, and rough waters, I decided not to hike all the way to the Pools and, instead, found a nice vantage point from where I could enjoy the beautiful scene surrounding me. I stayed down there for a while as I found some really cool scenes in the area to photograph. But conditions were slightly difficult to shoot in, with the sprays of water, the wind, and lack of tripod all making life difficult for me. But I couldn’t resist staying put and enduring the conditions to capture some good shots. 

Once I was satisfied with what I had photographed (while hoping that the conditions wouldn’t get even more picturesque after I left at sunset because I would miss out on it), I slowly climbed back up to meet with Cynthia at the top. After some deliberation about whether the skies here at the Olivine Pools would get more epic as the sun set and we should stay or if we should keep moving to see everything and make it back to Kapalua Bay by sunset as originally planned, we decided to get a move on and returned to the car to drive back to the Nakalele Blowhole. Just as we had at the Olivine Pools, we parked and hiked our way down toward the Nakalele Blowhole located at the island’s edge. Again, Cynthia stayed behind as I ran down the cliff to the blowhole. This time, I was prepared and changed into my hiking shoes I had stashed in the car, making the climb down much easier than the descent to the Olivine Pools. 

In no time, I reached the Nakalele Blowhole, which was just a hole in the rocky cliff near the ocean under which the ocean waves crashed and pushed water through the hole, making it a blowhole. I stayed down there for a few minutes until I captured a good picture of the blowhole in action before climbing back up to the car. 

With the sun starting to set over us at the Nakalele Blowhole, it was a race against time to get back to Kapalua Bay for sunset. Because I was stuck behind some pretty slow cars, the drive took a little longer than I anticipated but eventually, we made it to Kapalua Bay as the sun was setting in the sky. Even though we made it in time, the sunset was a dud because the horizon was way too cloudy for a colorful sunset to develop. 

Without much of a sunset to enjoy, Cynthia and I stuck around for a few minutes before returning to the car and driving to the Westin Maui Resort and Spa to check in for the evening. Once we got to the Westin, we checked in and brought our stuff up to our room on the 11th floor. Though we couldn’t see the ocean from our room, the view of the moon rising over Pu’u Kukui (a mountain in the center of West Maui) was a pretty cool surprise. 

After we were settled in our new room and had ordered food to-go from Hula Grill Kaanapali, located just a short walk away from the resort, we finally went downstairs to explore the resort grounds. We poked around the grounds briefly before we strolled towards the restaurant to pick up our dinner. We walked through Whalers Village and made a pit stop at the ABC Store to grab some drinks before returning to our resort lobby to find a place to enjoy our dinner. Luckily, the firepit we had spotted earlier was being vacated and we quickly swooped in to grab our seats next to the fire, the coy fish ponds, and the flamingos across the way. There, we sat enjoying our dinner of Kiawe Grilled Flatbread, Local Style Pork Potstickers, and Coconut Calamari. Not bad, but not as good as if we had enjoyed it fresh at the restaurant. 

With the night winding down, we went upstairs to drop off our stuff before returning to the ground floor to continue our exploration of the Westin. Even though it was getting late, we knew we had to make the most of the 24 hours here and the money we paid for our stay. So we peeked around and briefly toured the grounds, ending our late night visit at the crazy outside pool area that reminded me of a mini waterpark! This resort is so freakin’ cool! 

Because it was getting late and Cynthia needed to rest before her early morning interview, we called it a night and headed back upstairs. Tonight was just a quick sneak peek into the resort amenities. Can’t wait to actually take advantage of it all day tomorrow and make the most of our last day in Maui! 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. Green sea turtles can hold their breath underwater for 4-7 hours depending on their size and if they are resting or sleeping. That is crazy! Turtles are pretty amazing!

2. The weather forecast in Maui can be totally different from what actually occurs in certain parts of the island. And things can change so quickly! The perfect example of microclimates on Maui. It’s crazy to think that it can be super windy and heavily cloudy in one area and that another area just 5-10 minutes drive away can be calm, sunny, and dry. I guess that’s just the island life here on Maui, where North West Maui is always windier, cloudier, and rainier than West and South Maui.

3. The fish of choice in poke and in different dishes on Maui seems to be ahi tuna. The Safeway poke is all ahi tuna. Sushi places have all types of sushi with ahi tuna. And restaurants serve all sorts of things ahi tuna. I miss my Alaskan salmon... 

4. For the most part, I’ve noticed that restaurant waiters and other workers here in touristy Maui have been extremely nice and welcoming! Compared to a lot of other touristy places I’ve been to in the U.S., the people here have been really nice and open to conversation and small talk. One waiter even gave me a glass of milk to enjoy with my pie after we were joking about not having milk to eat with a sweet pie! So great! 

5. Today, I learned that banyans are figs that start life after their seeds land and then begin to germinate and grow in the crevices and cracks of a host plant. Crazy to think that something so small can germinate and grow and then take over and look crazy like the banyan tree in downtown Lahaina!

[chyrstis]

WIP Wednesday/Thursday

Okay, let’s do this. A day late, but still close enough, right?

@raisinghellinotherworlds​ @shallow-gravy @painterofhorizons (I’ll totally take your tag ;) ) and @fadedjacket​ were all kind enough to tag me (and to those that tagged me before, you’re all just as wonderful, I’m just horrifically late!), and I think I’ve fussed at these current ones enough to be able to live them with, darn it. Well, for the most part.

Tagging: @sharky-broshaw @amistrio @tommymillers @softmillers @foofygoldfish @redroci @jackalopestride @geronimo-11 @finefeatheredgamer @shellibisshe @sneaky-apostate @scarlettkat86 @hawkfurze @shelliechen @fromathelastoveritaserum @unclefungusthegoat @ofravensandgenesis @risenlucifer @tomexraider @strafethesesinners and anyone else that’s interested! There’s never an obligation intended with these tags, though, so no pressure either. <3

A small bit from the start of the 'Let’s Trap John’ fic, because the actual beginning of this I’ve been dragging my feet on, and finally managed to jot something down for it.

---

Hana had this down. Knew their goal, knew the car she was driving well enough to trust it - and knew the following stretch of road almost inside and out by this point of time.

But that didn’t stop any of her nerves from sinking their claws in deep.  Flexing her fingers, she clamped them down tight on the steering wheel as she puffed away at the cigarette in her mouth. Two stubs were already sitting in the car’s ashtray, and at this rate, she’d have to put out another, because nothing official had come through yet.

She adjusted the mirror above her, and jumped when she caught Grace eyeing her.

“Better?”

Grace watched her fiddle with it further, and sadly each move continued to adjust it well past the point where it felt right to be.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

---

I might also be trying to get back into some Sharky/Hana/John fic because I miss them terribly, and picked up an idea I started a few months back. Just a moment together in the future, but before the first fic in the series where they’re taking things a little slower and playing the get-to-know-you game. 

---

“You see, there’s no shortage of books here. Fiction or non-fiction, you’re welcome to pick your poison from a variety of topics. History, science, technical manuals, autobiographies, recipe books-“

“Romance?”

“Romance, even. Some of it quite lurid,” John replied, his mouth twisting.

“Ooh, that bad, huh?” That had her biting down on a snicker. “That’s what you get for digging into anyone’s personal stash and choosing to take it. You’re not getting much pity from me here.”

“Well, I’m going to be merciful for once and not quote any of the passages I happen to remember. Almost word-for-word, detailed descriptions of acts that would be humanly impossible to pull off without spraining or breaking something.”

“I bet,” Hana said, and was tempted to make him spill it anyway. Just to see how he’d handle it. If he’d be able to keep that calm and cool expression in place all while saying things he’d probably get slapped for.

Yeah, she was tempted for sure, and the challenge she caught in him didn’t help any at all.

“…But I digress. Our focus centered on what was needed to survive, ensuring that those supplies came first and foremost. Clothes, food, tools, and the like.“ John paused, and Hana raised an eyebrow. “However, I made an allowance for added books as well.”

“For more than what was needed?” John didn’t reply, and that put the start of a smile on her face. “Didn’t think I’d ever peg that as a soft spot for you.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked earnestly. “There’s much to gain, and as I mentioned before, there’s a variety of things to read about. To enrich yourself with.”

That got him an eye roll, but John didn’t bristle at it. Just kept on aiming a look at her that she couldn’t put a name to yet.

Walking side-by-side with him down the hall, he could’ve easily outpaced her, but slowed his steps. Made an effort to make sure she was right there with him, slowing down whenever she did, and speeding up if she had a mind to.

Right now, however, she was content to keep at the pace they had set. Slow and easy, their steps almost in time with one another.

“So, Deputy,” he began, curiosity now coming through clear as day, “do you read?”

---

And finally, more from the No Cult AU, but this time Sharky’s getting a chance to chat with ol’ Joe. And boy, do I need more practice writing him.

---

“Need me anywhere else here, Broseph? ‘Cause I’m free, and-”

Joseph’s eyebrows rose above his sunglasses, and Sharky caught the slip a beat too late.

“Er, uh, shit-um. Sorry. Father, Pastor, Preacher…any of that about right?”

The quick correction didn’t put him off, however. Instead, Joseph chuckled to himself softly. “Joseph. You can call me Joseph.”

That was easy. A little too easy, but Sharky breathed a sigh of relief, because the last thing he needed was to run down the list of titles every time he’d make a trip out, and to somehow manage to piss him off. He’d done okay so far, but

“Uh, cool. And you can call me Sharky. Everybody else pretty much does, short of John, and that’s just gonna be his thing, I guess.”

“…Sharky.” It was weird as hell hearing from him, but after he nodded, Joseph set a hand on his shoulder. “All right. Come this way.”

It was interesting being walked around like this. Having the chance to see all of it up close for the first time, without being rushed back and forth from truck to truck, because Sharky had never really looked before. He’d peeked, sure, but it was all about what John wanted him to do. Where he was being directed and pointed, all while hoping to get in and out as quick as he could.

Now, he’d made the choice all on his own to come here, and like it or not, curiosity was having a fucking field day with him the more he was able to see.

He’d been right about things being low-key, though. Short of him timing this all wrong to miss any wild parties, or the odd orgy night, he wasn’t going to find anything strange here, and a part of him was starting to be okay with that.

[twilightvolt]

My Favorite Anime OPs and EDs from 2010-2019

No one asked for this, but i’m doin’ it anyway cuz there’s so many songs out there that i’ve never heard anyone talk about. like, y’all sleep on Yu-Gi-Oh! apparently. lmao

Going by release year, here’s all the OPs and EDs i can remember that i luv (and still do to this day). i may or may not have gotten all the years right. hell, i’m not even sure i got the OP and ED numbers right.

It’ll go by: Song Name - Artist (Name of Anime and Which OP/ED it is) an asterisk means i REALLY like it above the rest.

Hopefully this’ll help introduce you to some new jams you missed out on! ^  ^

2010

Going My Way! ~Road to Tomorrow~ - Masaaki Endoh (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds OP5)*

Close to You - ALvino (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds ED4)

Future Colors - Plastic Tree (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds ED5)

Gravity 0 - Aqua Timez (Star Driver OP)*

Never Give Up! - Sonar Pocket (Digimon Xros Wars OP)*

Period - Chemistry (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood OP4)*

Rain - SID (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood OP5)* THE. FEELS.

Uragiri no Yuuyake - THEATRE BROOK (Durarara!! OP)* Y’all remember this one? Lmao

Trust Me - Yuya Matsushita (Durarara!! ED)

Ice Cream Syndrome - Sukima Switch (Pokemon Zoroark: Master of Illusions ED)*

My Soul, Your Beats! - Lia (Angel Beats OP) WAIT HOLD ON, ANGEL BEATS WAS THIS DECADE? I THOUGHT THAT WAS 2009 OR SOMETHING. DAHEQ?

ChAngE - Miwa (BLEACH OP12)

Calling - FLOW (Heroman ED)*

SHIVER - the GazettE (Black Butler II OP)

2011

Samurai Heart (Some Like it Hot!) - SPYAIR (Gintama ED17)* And on this day I realized….SPYAIR is lit.

New World - Twill (Digimon Xros Wars OP2)

Masterpiece - Mihimaru GT (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL OP)

Boku Quest - Golden Bomber (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED)* I luv watching the actual ending sequence. It fits my cyber aesthetic to a T.

BRAVING! - KANAN (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL OP2)

Setsubou no Freesia (Longing Freesia) - Daizystripper (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED2)* I’ll be completely honest, this song has been my favorite anime theme over most, if not all others, ever since. It’s kinda held a special place in my heart as it’s got memories of what transpired during 2012 that i don’t think i’ll ever forget. From the summer trip we took down south to me creating my very first OCs, Takuya and his Charmander partner Drake, on paper, i’ll luv this song with all my heart. ^  ^

Lovers - 7!! (Seven Oops) (Naruto Shippuden OP)

Counter Identity - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Soul Eater Repeat Show OP)*

Ai Ga Hoshii Yo - Shion Tsuji (Soul Eater Repeat Show OP2)* WANTCHU WANTCHU, I WANT CHUU~

SHINING STAR - 9nine (Star Driver OP2)*

Crossover - 9nine (Star Driver ED2)

Sky's the Limit - Shihoko Hirata (Persona 4 the Animation OP)

We’re Not Alone - coldrain (Rainbow Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin OP)

One Reason - Fade (Deadman Wonderland OP) I can bet you right now half of y’all forgot about this show. I mean i did. Lol

Mayonaka no Orchestra - Aqua Timez (Naruto Shippuden ED16)

Hacking to the Gate - Kanako Itou (Steins;Gate OP)* THIS SONG CLEARED MY SKIN AND RAISED MY GRADES.

Ranbu no Melody - SID (BLEACH OP13)* That main chorus tho. N o i c e .

LISTEN TO THE STEREO!! - GOING UNDERGROUND (Katekyo Hitman Reborn OP8)*

Core Pride - UVERworld (Blue Exorcist OP)

2012

Mask - Aqua Timez (BLEACH ED30?)

Soul Drive - Color Bottle (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL OP3)*

Wild Child - Moumoon (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED3)* Whenever I hear this song, I either think of school shenanigans or, if school isn't a thing in their world, a high school AU. Lmao

Unbreakable Heart - Hideaki Takatori (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL OP4)

Artist - Vistlip (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED4)*

Stand By Me - Stereopony (Eureka Seven AO ED)* Ok I know some people don't wanna remember AO, but hear me out here. Lmao 

Brave Blue - FLOW (Eureka Seven AO OP2)*

Key Plus Words - Shihoko Hirata & Yumi Kawamura (Persona 4 the Animation OP2)

Harukaze - SCANDAL (BLEACH OP15)*

Crossing Field - LiSA (Sword Art Online OP) I like making SAO jokes as much as the next guy, but let's be real here. Crossing Field was still a pretty good song.

STAND UP! - Twill (Digimon Xros Wars Hunters OP)* Hunters sucked, but the OP slaps.

Kyomu Densen - ALI PROJECT (Another OP) This show gave me a temporary fear of umbrellas, but this OP is good.

Complication - ROOKiEZ is PUNK’D (Durarara!! OP2)

Light My Fire - KOTOKO (Shakugan no Shana III Final OP)

Mite Mite Kochichi - Memoiro Clover Z (Pokemon Best Wishes ED3)

2013

Dualism of Mirrors - Petite Milady (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL OP5)

GO WAY GO WAY - FoZZtone (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED5)

Challenge the GAME - REDMAN (Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL ED6)* I swear to god, this should’ve been the final OP rather than Wonder Wings. I really don’t like that song.

Oh, and if you wanna hear more of the lead singer's voice, he's the lead singer of GIRUGAMESH. They didn't do any anime songs while they were still active afaik, but totally check it out if you like J-Rock.

Sakura Mitsutsuki & Genjyou Destruction - SPYAIR (Gintama OP13 and Gintama: The Final Chapter OP)*

After Cherry Blossoms (all quartets lead to the?) - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta OP)*

Non-Fiction Compass - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Yozakura Quartet: Tsuki ni Naku OP)

Sayonara Memory - 7!! (Seven Oops) (Naruto Shippuden ED)

BLOODY STREAM - Coda (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Battle tendency OP)* I mean, how could i NOT put this song on here? Lmao

Be An Arrow! - Rica Matsumoto (Pokemon Best Wishes! OP2)

Natsumeku Sakamichi (Summerly Slope) - Daisuke (Pokemon Best Wishes DA! OP)* While the Black & White series was absolutely terrible, I can thank it for spawning some nice OPs.

Egao - Ikimono-gakari (Pokemon Genesect and the Legend Awakened ED)

Take Your Way - Livetune adding Fukase (From SEKAI NO OWARI) (Devil Survivor 2 the Animation OP)* I swear I will never get tired of this song.

Be - Song Riders (Devil Survivor 2 the Animation ED)*

Watashi no Bara wo Kaminasai - ALI PROJECT (Rozen Maiden 2013 OP)

Moshimo - Daisuke (Naruto Shippuden OP)

Burn My Dread ~Spring of Birth~ & More Than One Heart - Yumi Kawamura (Persona 3 the Movie #1 Spring of Birth OP and ED)*

Eden - Aqua Timez (Magi: the Kingdom of Magic ED)*

Out of Control - Nothing’s Carved in Stone (Psycho Pass OP2)*

HERO -Kibou no Uta- - FLOW (Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods ED)

2014

Silhouette - KANA BOON (Naruto Shippuden OP16)* Everyone rise for the weeb national anthem.

BelievexBelieve - Bulletrain (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V OP)

ENAMEL - SID (Black Butler: Book of Circus OP)

Masayume Chasing - BoA (Fairy Tail OP15)

STRIKE BACK - BACK-ON (Fairy Tail OP16)*

Burn! - Bulletrain (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V OP2)

DAYxDAY - BLUE ENCOUNT (Gintama OP)* Before Polaris, there was this. lol

Goya no Machiawase - Hello Sleepwalkers (Noragami OP)* I swear Noragami has great taste in OPs. lmao

Fate is in Our Hands - Lotus Juice (Persona 3 the Movie #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream OP)* Y'all know Lotus Juice makes EVERYTHING badass.

One Hand, One Heartbeat - Yumi Kawamura (Persona 3 the Movie #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream ED)* I swear I literally feel like crying every time I hear this song. It's just that powerful.

Unravel - TK from Ling Tosite Sigure (Tokyo Ghoul OP) Ok, lemme explain. I used to hate this song cuz I thought TK's singing voice was whiny as hell. But after a long, LOOOOONG time, it finally started to grow on me. I think it's because of all the song covers I've listened to and, after understanding the meaning behind the lyrics, I appreciate this song a bit more nowadays. 

V (VOLT) and MEGA V (MEGA VOLT) - Yusuke (Pokemon XY OPs 1&2)*

daze - Jin ft. MARiA from GARNiDELiA (Mekakucity Actors OP)

Monochrome - Dancing Dolls (Soul Eater NOT! OP)

2015

Saigo Made ii - Aqua Timez (Gintama ED15 i think?)

Kyouran Hey Kids! - THE ORAL CIGARETTES (Noragami Aragoto OP)* IN THIS HOUSE, WE JUST WANNA HOLD YOUR HAAAAAAND~

Getta Ban Ban (Mad-Paced Getter) - Tomohisa Sako (Pokemon XY OP3)*

XY&Z - Rica Matsumoto (Pokemon XY&Z OP)*

Raise Your Flag - MAN WITH A MISSION (Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans OP)*

Hello, World! - BUMP OF CHICKEN (Kekkai Sensen OP)*

Sugar Song and Bitter Step AKA the song everyone makes fan animated parodies of it’s opening sequence - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Kekkai Sensen ED)

Kirifuda (Trump Card) - Cinema Staff (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V OP4)

Speaking - MRS. GREEN APPLE (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V ED4)* before Great Escape from Attack on Titan and Inferno from Fire Force, there was this OP and ED. both of which i feel are better songs. lmao

Tweedia - Rei Yasuda (Pokemon Hoopa and the Clash of Ages ED)*

Diver - KANA-BOON (The Last: Naruto the Movie ED)*

Butter-Fly 2015 - Kouji Wada (Digimon Adventure Tri. OP)

Sono Chi no Kioku ~End of the World~ - JO☆STARS ~TOMMY, Coda, JIN~ (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders OP2)

Lapis Lazuli - Eir Aoi (Arslan Senki ED)*

Clattanoia - OxT (Overlord OP)*

L.L.L. - MYTH & ROID (Overlord ED)

Nazo 2015 - La PomPon (Detective Conan OP41)* Hearing this brought back memories of hearing the original during my childhood back when Cased Closed was still a thing.

Just Fly Away - EDGE of LIFE (Gundam Build Fighters Try OP2)

Flyers - BRADIO (Death Parade OP) Like Another, this was one of those where i wouldn’t have touched the show itself if my anime club didn’t watch it.

X.U. - Hiroyuki Sawano (Seraph of the End OP)*

Hikari - ViViD (Magi: the Kingdom of Magic OP2)

2016

DiVE!! - Amatsuki (Digimon Universe: Applimonsters OP)*

Ai - Ami Wajima (Digimon Universe: Applimonsters ED2)

The Day - Porno Graffitti (My Hero Academia OP)

HEROES - Brian the Sun (My Hero academia ED)

RAGE OF DUST - SPYAIR (Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans OP2)*

Believe in Myself - EDGE of LIFE (Fairy Tail OP21)*

CRAZY NOISY BIZARRE TOWN - THE DU (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable OP)

Chase - batta (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable OP2)* Screw the haters. This song is a bop.

Great Days - Karen Aoki & Daisuke Hasegawa (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable OP3) As you can see, i luv all of Jojo Part 4’s OPs. lmao

Kaze no Uta - FLOW (Tales of Zestiria the X OP)* Zestiria may have been the most uninteresting experience i’ve had in the Tales series, but at least it’s OPs are straight fire.

Dream Lantern, ZenZenZense, Sparkle and Nandemonaiya - RADWIMPS (Various themes from Your Name) I'm still miffed that they didn't kiss at the end. >:v

Re:Re: - ASIAN KUNGFU GENERATION (Erased OP)

Brave Shine - Aimer (Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works OP)*

Starting Over - Mr. Children (The Boy and the Beast ED)* Mamoru Hosoda never ceases to make me smile and/or cry, huh?

GO - BUMP OF CHICKEN (GRANBLUE FANTASY the Animation OP)

KINGS - angela (K Project OP) i don’t even know how i remembered this one. I watched K at my local anime club years ago cuz one of my friends suggested it. I barely remember what it was about, though. ^  ^’

Vision - Kusou Linkai (Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V ED5)

Light of Hope - Unknown Number (Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V OP5)

Pendulum Beat! - SUPER DRAGON (Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V OP6)*

2017

Peace Sign - Kenshi Yonezu (My Hero Academia OP2)* SURE IT’S POPULAR, BUT IT’S POPULAR FOR A REASON.

Datte Atashi no Hero - LiSA (My Hero Academia ED3)

Little Pi - Ange☆Reve (Digimon Universe: Applimonsters ED3)

Perfect World - Traffic Light (Digimon Universe: Applimonsters ED4)*

With the Wind - Hiroaki “TOMMY” Tominaga (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS OP)* I’ll be honest, this one took some getting used to, but now i luv it!

Fake Town Baby - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (Kekkai Sensen and Beyond OP)

Tonari Au - THE ORAL CIGARETTES (Sakurada Reset ED)*

Rain - SEKAI NO OWARI (Mary and the Witch's Flower ED)* I really liked the movie and I just luved the fantasy vibes given off by the instrumentals in this song.

Baton Road - KANA BOON (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations OP)* Y'all say Boruto is trash, but at least the theme songs still boppin'.

Boku wa Hashiri Tsuzukeru - Melofloat (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ED3)

FEED THE FIRE - coldrain (King’s Game OP)* Thank you Fire Force for introducing me to this wonderful band. ;w;

2018

PAiNT it BLACK - BiSH (Black Clover OP2)* Never thought I'd ever find a band actually named bish. Lmao

Black Rover - Vickeblanka (Black Clover OP3)

Guess Who is Back - Kumi Koda (Black Clover OP4)* Now, if this ain't a bop fit for a triumphant return like "SURPRISE BISH I'M BACK." then idk what is. Lmao

Gamushara & Tenge Tenjou - Miyuna (Black Clover OP&ED5)* i’m mainly referring to Gamushara, but i luv Tenge Tenjou too.

ODD FUTURE - UVERworld (My Hero Academia OP4)*

Make my story - Lenny code fiction (My Hero Academia OP5)*

The Future is Now - Straightener (Digimon ReArise OP)* Yes, I know I'm cheating cuz it's a video game, but it's an opening sequence much like an anime, so yeah.

Breath - Porno Graffitti (Pokemon the Power of Us ED)

Katharsis - TK from Ling Tosite Sigure (Tokyo Ghoul OP3?)*

Here - JUNNA (The Ancient Magus Bride OP)

Renai Circulation - Kana Hanazawa (Bakemonogatari OP4) Imma be honest, i found this song through those Coldplay mashups and other memes. Lmao

I Wanna Be - SPYAIR (Gintama Shirogane no Tamashii Hen OP)

Hana Ichi Monme - BURNOUT SYNDROMES (Gintama Shirogane no Tamashii Hen ED)*

2019

Hana ga Saku Michi - THE CHARM PARK (Black Clover ED7)* I SWEAR NO ONE’S COVERED THIS SONG YET AND I’M SAD. I LUV THIS SONG.

Inferno - MRS. GREEN APPLE (Fire Force OP)

Veil - Keina Suda (Fire Force ED)* This ED gives me feels and i luv it. ;w;

MAYDAY - coldrain (Fire Force OP2)* This sounds like a song i’d hear at Hot Topic and i feel blessed. lmao

Nounai - Lenny code fiction (Fire Force ED2) I swear this anime doesn’t have a single song i don’t like. I’m not kidding. lmao

WILD SIDE - ALI (BEASTARS OP)* IN THIS HOUSE, WE DO NOT SKIP THIS OPENING I STG.

Le Zoo - YURiKA (BEASTARS ED)

Nemureru Honou (Sleeping Instincts) - YURiKA (BEASTARS ED2)*

Kawaki no Ameku - Minami (Domestic Na Kanojo OP)

Polaris - BLUE ENCOUNT (My Hero Academia OP6)* THIS IS THE BIGGEST BOP SINCE PEACE SIGN OML

Touch Off - UVERworld (The Promised Neverland OP)* This show was too creepy for me to continue, but I luv it for what it is. Also NAA NANANANANANAA NANANAAAA~

Sangenshoku - PELICAN FANCLUB (Dr. Stone OP2)* Sorry, but Good Morning World didn’t totally do it for me. I luv this OP way more tbh.

Suisou - Megumi Nakajima (Hoshiai no Sora OP)* The bits before the chorus are just so good.

1•2•3 - After the Rain (Pocket Monsters 2019 OP)

Dark Crow - MAN WITH A MISSION (Vinland Saga OP2)

MOTOR CITY - Kenichi Asai (No Guns Life OP)

Game Over - DATS (No Guns Life ED)

[miyoron]

Miyo’s Anime of the Decade though Actually Just 2019

***Before I start this list, I would like to continue to send out good vibes and hope to all those affected by the Kyoto Animation arson attacks this past summer. It still hurts and I hope things can get better for everyone affected by it, even though I'm sure some things will take a long time to heal, if they ever will. Just know that you will always have me wishing you the best I can and sending out hope for you to recover at your own pace.***

I like writing these things every year. Whether it lets me know if my tastes are changing or staying the same, or if I'm just sentimental, writing about things I like is fun. Anime is good and I like watching it. I watched a good amount of stuff this year even if some seasons I couldn't find anything I say would fit this list.

For example, I started watching the Symphogear series and it's fun but I wouldn't say I liked it as much as any of these shows. Anima Yell is a very cute show but I didn’t have much to say about it, same for Aggretsuko again. I liked the main characters of JoJo part 5, but I wouldn't say I liked watching that, especially as the villain was revealed more and more. Fire Force was fun for me for like 5 episodes or so but then I bailed so take that as you will.

But I don't want to sound too mean here. No, this is for stuff I liked a lot and I wanted to write about things I enjoyed. This year I actually kept track of shows I liked as opposed to figuring out what I'd go on this list at the last moment. Crazy, I know, but this could be a good idea. Don't worry, I didn't take TOO many notes so this will be pretty off the cuff of my head like normal though I'm sure. As always, I will be using whatever title is easier for me to write/preference.

With this bit of text out of the way, let's la GO!  In no particular order (as always)...

Mob Psycho 100

This entry counts for both season 1 and season 2. I kind of sped through the first one a little so I could catch up in time for the second one. I feel it stuck with me just as much though. Mob Psycho is a solid action series with very silly things going on in the background of it...and foreground honestly). I suspect ONE is very good at making this sort of series. Honestly though, every character in this show is great and there's so many feel good moments. Mob  himself is a wonderful character. The most powerful psychic force in the universe but he just wants to get buff to go out with his crush.

There's a lot to like about this series. The humor is on point and anything with Reigen is going to be hilarious, especially if it takes a while. Animation is consistently top notch, especially in season 2, and I love the psychic effects. They end up looking like an old 90's video filter or trapper keeper or something. However, the most impressive thing this series does is show that maybe fighting isn't the way to do things all the time and that the most important thing you can show isn't just sympathy, but empathy.

Mob is a really good show and both of the OVAs are fun as heck. I dunno why I originally slept on Season 1, but I'm glad I came aboard.

Kaguyasama: Love is War

You probably know this one from that one ending with the pink haired girl dancing, that was going around for a while even though it was only for one episode. This series actually took me a little bit to get into mainly due to being WAY too tired to keep up with it. The set up being that the smartest boy and girl in the most elite high school both want to ask the other out. However, being the one to ask the other out would be to give up all power and admitting defeat. Basically it's a battle of two love struck idiots trying to get the other to ask them out.

As dumb as that sounds, the setups are often hilarious. Seeing the main characters trying to out scheme each other and keep a straight face while watching is a challenge in itself. It's like that 4th dimensional chess but the end result is seeing who will hold the other's hand first. Then throw in the wild card of Chika who seems to both not know what's going on while understanding how easy it is to end up on top in these battles and...look it's very funny ok? Even if sometimes the joke is just "weiner".

Shows that made me tear up count: 1

Kemurikusa

Similar to the Kemono Friends and its big gold star award, I felt like Kemurikusa deserved a shoutout this year. It's still janky like Kemono Friends before it, but after everything that went down with that series, it was definitely telling when this was the better of the two. This is a weird series and only some of that is due to the animation. The studio does a wonderful job of making a world that's both interesting and haunting at the same time. Everything that happens all ties to a big mystery that isn't revealed for quite a while.

The characters are fun enough. From the serious Rin to the caring Ritsu. From the voracious Rinas to the dweeby Wakaba. It's a fun cast going on a road trip throughout the apocalypse as they try to find good water for their big plant friend that drives around their husk of a bus. It can get pretty dark at times even with the neon bright colors the titular kemurikusa shimmering softly in the background. Oh also there's a roomba friend and a girl with sharp teeth so I mean, it's got something for everybody.

Hitoribocchi

This series is a cute little show with a setup which is potentially mean if you think about it. Bocchi's best friend is afraid she won't ever be able to make any other friends since they're going to different middle schools. Because of this, she says they can't be friends again until she befriends everyone in her class. The biggest hurdle to this challenge being Bocchi is horribly shy and socially awkward which just makes things seemingly impossible for her to overcome. Luckily, this is a cute comedy series.

The show is basically about Bocchi trying to make new friends so she can hopefully one day reunite with her bestie from the past. As I said before though, she's kind of bad with knowing how to communicate with people so she has a bad habit of say following friend making tips she read in books or online to a t and not deviating from them. Thankfully she is able to meet with lovable weirdos like blunt Nako, pitiful Aru and ninja girl Sotoka. It's a cute little series that also has a lot of heart, especially if you've ever had to overcome your own social anxieties to interact with others before. It's also funny too so there's a bonus even.

Shows that made me tear up count: 2

Carole and Tuesday

Shhhh. Don't let Netflix know I finished this before they did. Carole and Tuesday is a fun show from the creator of Cowboy Bebop, as evidenced in the fact it takes place on Mars and uses the same currency. It's a fairly simple plot, two girls meet up one day on the streets and start playing music together. One's an orphan who's basically lived alone for most of her life, the other is a rich girl running away from her politician mother (whose politics are a little too close for comfort these days). They just wanna make music man, and with a former big time agent with them, how can they lose!

Carole and Tuesday are fun characters and the show has a fun future sci fi vibe while still being grounded in reality. One of the biggest highlights is definitely the music though with lots of new songs in every episode and a good number of them being certifiable bangers. There's an overarching plot that also hits too close to home at times but the big finale at the end made it all worth it in the end really. This is an easy show to recommend and I am doing so to you right now. Go see these girls trying to make it to the big time!

Shows that made me tear up count: 3

Fruits Basket (2019)

I skipped out on Fruits Basket the first time around. I always told myself I'd go back and check it out but, knowing how I do things, this never actually happened. Part of me is kind of glad I waited to check it out though since I really like the style of the new show compared to the one from the early 00s. What I'm saying is I should have checked this out a lot earlier than I did but I don't feel visually bad for doing so.

Fruits Basket is a show featuring Tohru, the most helpful lovable girl, and a cast of characters who all start to love her because she is the most helpful lovable girl. This might sound like a bad thing but it's not. All of the characters are really fun, save one who I don't know WHY they don't just beat up, and I love seeing all their interactions. I just grew really invested in all of them and keep hoping everything will end up ok for them in the end, while in some cases waiting for a really big shoe to drop and biting my nails in the process.

I dunno if I have a super bunch to say about it other than my favorites are Uo-chan and Hana-chan and I can't wait until part 2 shows up. I am ready to see more of these Zodiac weirdos get hugged by Tohru and become animals and have her solve their problems in that order.

Shows that made me tear up count: 4

....Now, as usual, I will take a break to talk about the Precures I watched this year...

Futari wa Precure

This year, my friend Cheapsteaks and I decided to go after the OG Precure scene by watching the series that started it all. School girls run into fairies being pursued by weird monsters from another dimension/world/whatever and have to become legendary warriors to help them out. It's a story we all know well, just with lots of dropkicks and judo tosses.

As much as I like Honoka and Nagisa, and the opening theme...Futari wa has a lot of growing pains which is to be expected. Being the first one, it feels more like other magical girl series of the time compared to the style of later Pretty Cure series. From the rather uninspired villains, including one named Pissard, to the bland crush of Fuji P-senpai, and especially the obnoxious fairies, this is definitely one of the weaker series in my eyes. Again, it's probably not fair to judge it though since they didn't know what they were doing yet with this series.

That being said, there is a dumb fun to watching the Crunchyroll subs for a nostalgic taste of hard yellow subs and often not great audio. Again, the best parts of this are Honoka and Nagisa and I can see why they still get to be super popular today.

Smile Precure!

The other older series we checked out this year was Smile Precure which is much more my speed. The characters are all really good and they're all super good friends and it just makes me feel good. Like just in general they'rea really good and strong cast and I love all of them. Reika/Cure Beauty is the secret funniest character just by being the straight man on a team of doofuses and it works so well.

Miyuki's desire to make everything around her "Ultra Happy" just makes you feel good seeing a character who just wants others around her to be as happy as she is. All she needs is a smile and that makes me also smile. Akane is fiery and powerful, Yayoi is a big sweetie whose artistic trials and tribulations I SUPER identify with, Nao is a super cool big sister and I already brought up Reika being great. This is really one of my favorite Precures I've watched so far and I'm going to be sad to see it go in a few weeks.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that I love the stupid villain trio. Especially Akaoni. I love you big red oni doofus. (Please see oni times in the link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXA5jfSJz_c&feature=youtu.be

Shows that made me tear up count: 5 (ANY NAO EPISODE AAAA)

Star Twinkle Precure

The newest Precure series! One we also dragged fellow anime friend Metalray into and I feel like it was a fun enough one. Cute alien encounters trying to help space zodiac princesses with a fluff unicorn and a tentacalien? Sign me up my dudes. Star Twinkle is a fun series and has a lot of things going for it, while also having weird similarities to Smile sometimes like soccer related attacks from good big sisters and prim and proper arrow girls.

The characters as always really make the show I feel when it comes to Precure and Lala is adorable enough to carry it entirely herself? But the enthusiasm of Hikaru is always fun because it usually just involves her being really into outer space and everything in it. Hey there's even Elena who is Mexican-Japanese and the show even explores a bit of her growing up being different from others so like, that's pretty cool I think? If it helps little kids learn to accept others and be cool through lil hermit crabs and dog space police officers, I think that's a real good thing.

...Now Precure time is over but I'm looking forward to next year's offering and seeing what old ones we go after next. (Spoilers, we will probably do Max Heart and Fresh!)...

How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift?

So this series has some problems in that like...wow sometimes during the exercise segments of the show, it just gets way too horny like...I dunno if I needed to see sensei in nothing but a bedsheet to show off how she worked her lats fellas. But I digress.

The main reason this show is on here is because it affected me enough to actually look at myself and start wanting to become healthier? Like the show is just a framing device for jokes and showing off exercise routines but the characters are all really sincere and the translation of the opening is even moreso? Like I feel this show helped me out a lot and I'm gonna let you all know about it cuz maybe it can help you out too if you need it.

I don't have a whole lot more to say but I will leave you with the opening I mentioned. Turn on the captions for this banger and remember that you can do it too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxi2Y4-NNXY

Wasteful Days of High School Girl

Hey, so can I say something amazing? Much like Asobi Asobase last year, this series was a very weird comedy that I absolutely ended up loving a lot in the end. The cast is full of delightful idiots, one aptly named Baka by her friends being the standout moron of the cast. The title pretty much says it all but you will find all sorts of high school girls here just wasting their youth away in their favorite ways.

You want a girl who draws BL doujin while listening to vocaloid tracks? We gotchu. What about a girl who is more invested in micro organisms in Petri dishes than her friends? Yo, we're set. A dipshit chuuni who climbs on top of absolutely anything tall and regularly needs to be rescued/leap out of trees because of it? Yea, that's here too. The show is not afraid to be weird any chance it gets and there's something I can respect about that. This series also had one of my number one laughs in an anime this year in one of the last episodes too and it still makes me laugh as I recall it right now.

Also like Asobi Asobase, it has the plus of having a lovable witch girl who is as pure as she is into weird occult shit. Majo you're a sweetie. Even if your room is creepy.

The Demon Girl Next Door

This show feels like something that should have come out about 5 years ago in terms of animation style, story set up, characters and even the jokes. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing though because not only is it pleasant and cute, it also knows when to step back from teasing its unfortunate main character. Shamiko, the demon girl formerly known as Yuko by everyone who isn't her family, is a kind of pitiful character and this series could easily just make jokes that punch down and humiliate her way more than it did.

Thankfully, the show actually does it's best to show that she is comic relief but also that she is genuinely a good person. She's not very good at being a demon as she is still learning so maybe she gets easily tricked by resident blase magical girl Momo more than she should. However, she will go out of her way to make sure her rival is eating more than the crappy instant food she frequently microwaves. Like I said, it's ultimately a silly, kind of dated feeling series but the character interactions are nice and it's just genuinely good

hearted to see these girls become friends, even if sometimes it's due to trickier. The show makes sure not to be mean at all times to Shamiko compared to say Satania in Gabriel Dropout's treatment, or the snake girl in that Dropkick show I dropped after one episode. Shamiko is good and hopefully one day she will be able to use her demon powers to rule the world so her family can have a bigger, non cursed, budget to live on.

O Maidens in Your Savage Season

Puberty is hard. Puberty is also maddening, wanting to drive you up the wall with new urges you are not used to. Simple joys like trains are replaced with weird videos you order off websites or somehow get from the back of a video store. Puberty is an inherently frantic time but it's also kind of funny if you think about it enough.

Maidens explores the tales of the Literature Club members as they go through this important stage of life and that's the fun of this series. All of the girls are each trying to find out exactly what it is they want out of a relationship. Is it just friendship? Is it Ess Ee Ecks? There's a lot of fun to be had as the series goes on. Whether it be Kazusa trying to get a bit further with a childhood friend, President Rika questioning her stance on relationships being even proper to have in high school or the writing adventures of HItoha going to sex chatrooms, there is a lot of different things going on in this show.

It's got a very good sense of drama as well; there were more than a few episodes where I found myself worried about what would happen next and hoping things would be ok. Niina's arc is very intense and gave me creeper vibes any time her old mentor appeared. The show is very good in general at just showing emotions and none of it felt like it was shoehorned or phony. The writing is top notch and I love all these girls. Puberty is a weird time but...they got this I'm sure.

Here are a couple of other shows I watched that didn't come out this year but enjoyed a lot!

SSSS.Gridman

Thank God Trigger was able to come back from its previous offering to give us Gridman. At first I was afraid that all of its Transformers color scheme easter eggs were just trying to lure me in with a mediocre show. This was not the case because Gridman just rules hard. A sequel/spinoff to the old 90's series, localized here as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, this show was a love letter from the creators to the show and other tokusatsu shows in general.

Kaiju appear to devastate the city, shown from low angles that just make it seem even more like you're watching an old toku show. The toyetic nature of Gridman's various powerups and the design of Gridman himself just further pay homage to this. There was one Kaiju for a moment I swear you could see a string operating it (for the record, it was not a string but was in fact part of the Kaiju). It's not just a cheap nostalgic trap though because the animation is superb, the action is top notch and the main theme song just kicks ass. This is a really cool series and if you have any passing interest in toku shows, are a Trigger fan, or like seeing Actionmaster Thundercracker's color scheme, go and check this thing out!

Other highlights include another version of Inferno Cop and Rikka's mom who is always fun and good.

Dirty Pair (TV series)

Dirty Pair is a series I watched a good chunk of before but never actually finished. Thanks to the #DirtyDecempair hashtag though, I finally went and did it and well...Dirty Pair is still really good y'all. It's got space babes who kick ass and are not afraid to go after hunks along the way. Seriously, it's great when you watch a show older than you and it lives up to its hype.

Kei and Yuri are really good characters because they will snipe at each other but in the end, they are still besties and will mess up anything that gets in their way. I appreciate that they always try to get more PTO and pay out of their boss. Even more, I appreciate that the chief will put up with all their shit, whether it be the aforementioned blackmailing for vacation or the sheer amount of destruction they leave in their wake,  and still is 100% behind them. He knows they're the best he has and nothing will get in their way.

So yea, Dirty Pair. Still a good show over 30 years later. You should check it out next December! Or sooner, whatever!

That abut wraps up my list of anime I watched this year, but I'm also gonna throw a little bonus round on you! Some anime movies I watched and liked! Lightning round go!

Promare Good fucking movie, good fucking soundtrack. Good Trigger things this year. It lives up to its hype for sure. Go see this when it is out on DVD and Bluray!

Sound Euphonium - Our Promise: A Brand New Day This was a nice movie that felt like a good third season condensed into about 2ish hours.

Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow I actually like the music from this one more than the movie itself but seeing Ruby's arc gaining confidence is good and I love it.

Bonus Saint Snow Track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUNNWxK2Dfs

Redline A movie I kept meaning to see and finally did thanks. Stylish and cool as hell, and the dub is really good too.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly They made Broly a compelling character finally, holy shit. Also some good Frieza comedy.

KonoSuba! Legend of Crimson Imagine a village full of dipshit chuuni wizards. This movie was fun and funny as shit. Warning: It does have one awkward joke related to gender but it thankfully passes by it real quick.

So I think this is my list. I hope you enjoy it. The next time you'll see one from me will be in the distant future of 2020! Hopefully things will be cool by that point to go with the good anime.

[dcbbw]

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words....Together

This is my submission for the Choices Fandom Game: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. My picture was given to me by the very awesome @blackcatkita and is below. This is a one-off taking place at the end of TRR Book 3. I went way over a thousand words. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please excuse any typos and/or grammatical errors.

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Song Inspiration: Why, Annie Lennox:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG7I4oniOyA

Word Count: 2311

Madeleine x Hana, Hana Lee

Writer Tags: @speedyoperarascalparty @ao719 @leelee10898 @riseandshinelittleblossom @zaffrenotes @drakewalkerwhipped @stopforamoment @annekebbphotography @lizeboredom @boneandfur @mind-reader1 @jovialyouthmusic @ooo-barff-ooo @bobasheebaby @ownworldresident @hopefulmoonobject @sleepwalkingelite @likethetailofacomet @silviasutton1989 @blackcatkita @blackcoffee85 @kennaxval @andy-loves-corgis @callmetippytumbles @iplaydrake @the-everlastingdreams @brightpinkpeppercorn @agent-bossypants @tornbetween2loves @jlouise88 @choicesbyjade @breaumonts @thehonorarybeaumont @pixelsandkink @innerpostmentality @katedrakeohd @darley1101 @carabeth @sirbeepsalot

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“So where are we headed?” Hana’s hair blew around her face as she stared out the passenger window at the passing scenery. The rolling green hills were beautiful to watch as the car zipped along the road. The day was warm, but not warm enough for air conditioning, so she had let her window down. The smell of nature filled her nostrils.

Madeleine turned her head briefly to look at Hana. God, she is so beautiful. “It isn’t far from here. We’re staying on the grounds, just on the outskirts.”

“I had no idea your estate was this huge.”

“One of the oldest and largest in Cordonia. I think only Duchy Krona and the Palace grounds rival it.” There was unmistakable pride in Madeleine’s voice.

“And why are we going to wherever it is we’re headed?”

“Can’t a girl want a weekend away with her favorite person?” Madeleine grinned at Hana. She wanted to take a hand off the wheel to stroke Hana’s cheek, but the careful driver in her wouldn’t allow it. She settled for saying, “You are so beautiful, Hana. Maybe the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”

Hana was uncomfortable with compliments. She never knew what to say, so she gave Madeleine her default response. “No, my dear, you are the most beautiful.”

“Stop that!” Madeleine’s voice frustrated. “I do not compliment you looking for one in return. Hell, I am not even complimenting you.” Madeleine shook her head as she took a deep breath. “Hana, when I tell you these things, it is what I see in you. What I notice about you. I offer you these observations for you to accept them, that’s all.”

Even after months of dating, Hana still got wary of Madeleine when she was too nice for too long. She was used to the Madeleine of the social season and the engagement tour. That Madeleine she could handle, and she broke out her trusty argument yet again to goad that Madeleine into making an appearance.

“I hope your surprise has no chocolate, you know given your allergy and all.”

Madeleine smacked the steering wheel in anger. “How many times are you going to bring up the chocolate allergy thing? Look, it was wrong. I know you put a lot of thought and effort into the event. But I was insecure, and trying to wield as much of the little power I had while I could. I can’t keep on apologizing for that.”

“You can and you will!” You know why I keep bringing it up? Because I have no idea when this Madeleine”, she gestured to Madeleine, “will leave and that one will show up. A snake without fangs is still a snake.”

Madeleine pulled the car over and looked at her stunned. “So you think I am a snake?” She asked the question slowly.

Hana continued to stare at Madeleine, the resolve in her eyes wavering. “Sometimes.”

“Jesus Christ, Hana! I have been called many a thing: crown chaser, she-devil, bitch even. Never a snake. Wait, that one time Riley said it as a joke, but never by a lover, of all people.” Madeleine exhaled a long sigh. “Think what you will, but since we have been together, I have been nothing but sweet, caring, considerate and accommodating of you, your feelings, your needs. I am trying really hard to be a better person for you. A little acknowledgement would be appreciated.” Madeline pulled back onto the road. As she concentrated on driving, she said evenly, “The devil isn’t as black as you paint her, Hana.”

Hana looked out the window, blinking back tears. Why did I say that? Why do I keep starting that argument?

“I’m sorry”, she said softly. “I just…I just get scared.”

Madeleine was silent the remainder of the trip.

Twenty minutes later, Madeline spoke abruptly, breaking the silence. “We’re here.” The car pulled to a stop in the back of a wooden cabin. Behind the cabin, there were lush woods. The cabin backed onto a lake, and a red canoe sat at the edge of a makeshift deck/dock.

Hana looked around, her eyes wide. “This is amazing, Maddy! Do you come here often?”

Madeleine was busying herself with unloading bags from the car. “I used to when I was younger. I would come here on weekends to escape my parents, and pretend I was an adult, living on my own. I would sit in the canoe in the evenings, and read books.”

“Did you ever bring anyone with you?”

“No. You are the first person I have ever brought here. Well, aside from servants.” She looked over at Hana as she set pieces of luggage on the ground. “Just so you know, no servants this trip, so cooking and cleaning are on us. I had them bring groceries this morning, so we do have food.”

“You can’t cook”, Hana protested.

Madeleine arched an eyebrow, and there was a hint of teasing in her voice. “I pour a mean bowl of cereal, and make excellent sandwiches, thank you very much.”

Each lady grabbed her bags and trudged to the back door. Madeleine unlocked the door, and stepped inside to disarm the alarm system. Hana walked in behind her, eyes wide as she took in the state of the art kitchen. Hana dropped her bags in the kitchen as Madeleine kept going to one of the bedrooms.

Hana was looking in the refrigerator when Madeleine returned. “We have steaks, chicken, fish, potatoes and veggies. Maybe we’ll have steaks, baked potatoes, and salad for dinner?”

“Sounds fine. I’ll check the wine cellar to see if there’s anything that pairs well with rustic.”

Hana shook her head, a small smile spreading across her face at “rustic”. Anything not brought to Madeleine on a platter by a servant was rustic. “Will you make the salad?”

“Sure.” Madeleine’s tone was neutral, but Hana knew she was still hurt.

Hana busied herself cooking dinner, while Madeleine searched the wine cellar. She emerged 30 minutes later with a bottle of Bordeaux. She then rummaged in the fridge for the vegetables to make a salad. She rinsed the ingredients, then grabbed a bowl from one of the cabinets. She did not speak one word to Hana.

After a few minutes, she announced the salad was ready. Hana was removing the potatoes from the oven. “Oh, good! Can I see it?” Madeleine slid the bowl across the counter to her.

Hana looked in the salad bowl and back up at Madeleine, a frown on her face. “That salad is making a pretty passive-aggressive statement.”

Madeleine looked at the bowl of whole lettuce, two whole tomatoes, an uncut cucumber, and a whole, unpeeled onion. “What? I promised cereal and sandwiches only.”

Hana grabbed the bowl. “I’ll wrap it up and make us a proper salad for lunch tomorrow.”

Madeleine shrugged. “Fine with me.”

Hana plated their dinners and brought the food to the table. They ate in near silence as they alternated between gazing at their food and out the window at the peaceful lake. Both wrapped up in memories.

Liam and Riley were away on their honeymoon. Madeleine had just been named the Royal Communications Director, and Hana had been appointed a Guardian of the Realm, as well as a member of the newly formed Royal Council. Hana was still at the Palace while she debated whether to move into Valtoria before or after Riley’s return. She wanted to wait until Riley’s return because Valtoria would be empty, but so was the Palace. Liam and Riley were honeymooning, Drake was splitting time between Lythikos with Olivia and Rashad’s estate working on some public land negotiations, and Maxwell was gearing up for his upcoming book tour.

Madeleine was still at the Palace because her new position would keep her in the Capitol more often than not; until she got a good feel for her duties and time actually needed in the office, it seemed best to stay put for the time being. The two women passed each other nearly every day, Hana avoiding Madeleine’s eyes and speaking only when necessary, and Madeleine gauging when to shoot her shot. Again. Hana had already refused her offer to dance at the bachelorette party, and had barely accepted her apology after the wedding.

Then one day, she came across Hana playing a game of ring toss by herself and asked if she could join. That led to having breakfast together, then lunches on a weekly basis, then dinners, and eventually Saturday date nights. The more time they spent together, the more fascinated Madeleine became with Hana; for Hana, she began letting her guard down slowly, and found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss Madeleine. One Saturday night, after too much wine and too much food, Hana found herself stretched out across Madeleine’s bed, watching her undress, preparing for bed..

“I like you. Like the way Liam likes Riley.”

“Liam loves Riley”, Madeleine laughed at Hana.

“I like you and want to kiss you.”

Madeleine looked at her in surprise. She had wanted the same thing for weeks, but wanted to be cautious. She did not want to scare Hana or be rejected again, and being with a woman was uncharted territory for her. But if the lady was asking….

Madeleine walked over to the bed, lying beside Hana. Green eyes met brown eyes and held. Madeleine’s hand reached out to touch Hana’s cheek as she leaned in to kiss her. Soft lips met soft lips, tongues lightly darting before Hana pulled Madeleine in closer, deepening the kiss. Their first time was amazing, wonderful, and for Madeleine, she knew why it never worked out with anyone else. If she was unsure of her feelings for Hana before, she was certain now. She was in love with Hana Lee.

And they had been together ever since…..

They finished dinner, Madeleine offering to do the dishes. “I’ll dry”, Hana said. They quickly tidied the kitchen and Madeleine went into the den to pull a book from the bookshelf.

“Going to the canoe to read.”

Hana looked at her. “May I join you?”

“Do what you want”, Madeleine’s tone was noncommittal.

The two women crossed the yard, headed towards the dock. Hana reached her hand out to grab Madeleine’s; Madeleine immediately took it. They made their way down the stairs, and Madeleine helped Hana into one end of the canoe, then settled herself into the other end.

Hana looked at Madeleine with sad eyes and blurted out, “I’m sorry! I keep pushing your buttons because I just can’t believe you want me, you love me. All my life, no matter how pretty I am, how smart and talented I am…I always lose. And since the wedding, you have been incredible, like a whole different Maddy, and as wonderful as she is, I keep waiting for this to be a cruel joke. I keep waiting to lose again.” Hana’s voice was breaking.

After a few moments of silence, Madeleine spoke. “You’re infuriating.” She scooped a handful of the cool water and flicked it in Hana’s direction.

“I know in my efforts to keep you from leaving, I seem to keep pushing you away. Please…please give me a little more time to trust you. To trust myself.”

“I’m not leaving”, Madeleine said simply. “I know better than most what that feels like. I’m going to stay and fight for us.”

“Are you sure it’s just so you aren’t rejected a third time?” Hana’s hand flew to her mouth.  Oh, crap! That came out all kinds of wrong! “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It didn’t sound like that in my head.”

Madeleine winced inwardly, but heard the sincerity in Hana’s tone. “Maybe I’m staying because I found someone worth the fight.”

“It’s just that I have never been enough.” Hana looked out at the water.

“You have been giving the right parts of yourself to the wrong people. You will never be enough for the wrong people.”

“Why are you willing to fight for us?”

“You love me.” Madeleine said simply. “I can be a horrible person, I am a difficult person. When we first met, I treated you as less than and that is something I will always regret and will forever be sorry about. But you gave me a chance; a chance for true friendship, and then at true love. I am in love with you Hana, and if it means having the same argument every day for the rest of our lives, then we’re having that argument.”

“Our parents….” Hana’s voice trailed off.

“Screw our parents. We have lived every day for their approval, and die each night from their rejection. I want to live my remaining days for your approval, not theirs.”

A breeze came across the lake, causing Hana to shiver. “You’re cold”, Madeleine observed. “Come here.”

Hana made her way gingerly to Madeleine, and settled against her, her back pressing against Madeleine’s chest. Madeleine wrapped her arms around Hana. “Better?” Hana nodded. Madeleine leaned in to kiss Hana’s neck.

“What are you reading?” Hana snuggled in closer.

Madeleine picked up the well-worn paperback, and read the cover. “Wuthering Heights.”

“Oooohhhh, scandalous!” Hana squealed. “Read it to me?”

Madeleine smiled. “Of course.”

And as the sun set over the lake, the two lovers sat cuddling in the wooden canoe, reading Emily Bronte. Together.

[progotirbangla]

Climbing Hawaii - The Perfect Way in Which to Experience the Islands

At the point when my sweetheart and I were making arrangements for our first excursion to Hawaii we confronted a large number of similar inquiries most explorers do. What number of islands would it be advisable for us to visit? Which islands do we go to? What sights and attractions do we participate in? What about sea shores??

It happened to us that most voyagers, basically those that we were familiar with went to Maui or Oahu, or both. Visiting Honolulu, going to a luau, visiting Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center alongside Diamond Head and Waikiki turned out to be important for our plan as I am sure it has been for some.

All things considered, we have now visited the Islands twice and in spite of the fact that we ultimately saw Diamond Head and invested some energy in Waikiki we presently can't seem to go to a luau and have not seen Pearl Harbor or the Polynesian Cultural Center.

In the blink of an eye prior to finishing our outing, I beginning reasoning what may be the most ideal approach to really encounter the islands and their normal magnificence. I then, at that point, concocted climbing, did a lot of exploration on the web and at last bought The Hikers Guide to the Hawaiian Islands by Stuart M. Ball, which I strongly suggest.

In spite of the fact that my sweetheart and I are in acceptable actual shape; we work out, lift loads and love to walk; we have never really went climbing. I was more than fifty and her quick drawing nearer. One of the numerous things that spoke to me about climbing the islands was the absence of risky untamed life. There are no bears or noxious snakes or something like that. So we felt open to going off all alone and investigating the excellence that Hawaii brought to the table.

We took a 360 degree turn and arranged our excursion to Kauai and Hawaii (We would return the next year and climb Maui and Oahu) got some great climbing shoes, a rucksack, some downpour rain guards, bug repellent, stuffed our cameras and off we went.

A couple of tips I may share from our experience. Contingent upon where you are remaining, you might need to drive a significant distance to the path head. We drove somewhere in the range of 45 minutes to 4 hours to arrive at our objective. We began early every morning, normally by 5:30 so there was next to no traffic and we had the path essentially to ourselves (We would take ten climbs, two of which we never saw another sole) Bring a pullover, it is cool toward the beginning of the day. I viewed a mobile stick as staggeringly supportive because of the lopsided territory and the ceaseless trips and drops. Perhaps it was a result of the time we went out, however messes with were never an issue for us best time of day to hike the narrows.

The ten climbs we winding up taking (three each on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii; one on Oahu) were all somewhere in the range of 4 and 6.8 miles with rise gains somewhere in the range of 500 and 1600 feet and were viewed as amateur to halfway in level of trouble. Coming up next were our five top choices.

5) Pipiwai Trail, Maui - Often alluded to as the Oheo Gulch trail. Anybody setting out on an excursion to Maui should encounter the Road to Hana. It is viewed as one of Hawaii's should see attractions and is appraised #2 on America's rundown of most grand drives. One should venture to every part of the Hana Highway to arrive at the Pipiwai trail, there could be no different means. The actual distance is under 60 miles, however with it's around 600 clasp turns and 60 one way spans it took almost 3 to drive ceaselessly. It was near an extra hour drive past the town of Hana to the path head.

The actual climb is an extremely loosening up one, with an effectively voyaged and very much kept up with trail. The height gains are negligible and the distance (4 miles full circle) is entirely sensible and relying on how long you spend checking out the sights, can be finished in two hours.

You will stroll close by and across two extensions along the Seven Sacred Pools. The main other couple that we saw on this climb was swimming when we moved toward them. There is a bamboo timberland that towers 100 feet or more into the sky nearly shutting out all daylight and the path ultimately finishes at the 400 foot Waimoku Falls where we viewed as the ideal spot to eat. You should cross the stream to arrive at this point. Buy a modest pair of water shoes to make the intersection.

4) Kilauea Iki, Hawaii - Located in Hawaii Volcano National Park, this path is a four mile circle with a most extreme rise gain of 400 feet. It starts and finishes in a delightful tropical jungle which is so serene and quiet you never need to leave. The path is all around kept up with and the assortment of exceptional trees that you won't see elsewhere was a feature of this climb. That is obviously until you complete your decay to the Kilauea Crater.

This climb will take you across the cavity shrouded in magma more than 400 feet thick. You will pass many dynamic steam vents as you cross the harsh territory. You will see a lot of new development as it attempts to arise through the breaks in the magma and you can not help yet consider what it resembled back in 1959 when Kilauea emitted regurgitating lave just about 2,000 feet noticeable all around.

3) Awaawapuhi Trail, Kauai - situated in Kokee State Park, this was the most truly requesting of each of the climbs we took. At 6 miles with a rise gain of 1,600 feet we were completely depleted when we were done. Obviously this was our third day of climbing in succession, so that might have had something to do with it. Like the vast majority of the path we climbed, this one was extremely simple to follow. It gets going intensely lush and en route turns out to be less thick and a lot drier in scene. The feature of this climb is the point at which you arrive at the Nualolo Cliffs. The view from here is completely astounding; sheer bluffs with probably the most intriguing stone arrangements possible and only the excellent blue Pacific behind everything. There is an outdoor table making it the ideal spot to stop for lunch and partake in the view prior to taking off for your bring trip back.

We didn't actually see the 1600 foot rise contrast while arriving at this spot, yet you better accept we saw it on the return. Be ready, albeit extremely progressive (You have more than three miles to cross this height) it ends up being exceptionally overwhelming on occasion. For us it nearly appeared as though we could never observe the path head and when we at long last did, we sat in the vehicle depleted, yet happy we did it.

2) Waipoo Falls (Waimea Canyon), Kauai - There are a few climbs in the Waimea Canyon region, this one takes you to the highest point of the Canyon. It gets going on what gives off an impression of being a help street, at last transforms into a very much kept up with way and incorporates a genuinely simple to explore rough move towards the end. (Here is the place where a mobile stick becomes possibly the most important factor) The distance like so many of the climbs is four miles and in spite of the fact that you will end up at a rise of almost 3500 feet, must of this was concealed during the ride to the path head. You just wind up climbing a little more than 500 feet.

The perspectives on the Canyon from up top are astounding. The various tones of green, red and brown in the Canyon dividers can be seen until the end of time. You need to continue to take a large number of pictures and that is essentially what we did.

As far as I might be concerned, the most charming of the multitude of climbs.

1) Kalalau Trail - The path everybody discusses and films have been made of. The whole Kalalau trail is 22 miles in and out and you really want to gain a setting up camp license to finish. There are two days climbs that can be brought the path also. The eight mile climb to Hanakapiai Falls or the most regularly ventured out 4 mile climb to Hanakapiai Beach which is the climb we took.

Indeed, even the four mile climb can be trying to most. The territory is extremely sloppy and shaking and you should represent your balance consistently. You start to climb quickly through lavish tropical vegetation. Toward your left are the sheer precipices, on your right side, an abrupt drop to the Pacific Ocean. Albeit not to be trifled with, it isn't quite so risky as it would appear. I'm not totally alright with statures, yet felt sure on this climb. When you travel a distance of around one mile and arrive at a height of a few hundred feet the primary perspectives on the Napali Coast become noticeable and this by itself merits the whole excursion.

[putyourselfinmysuitcase]

Maui, Hawaii January 2018

Turns out I didnt have as much time as I thought I would to upload and post about my travels and I apologize to those who followed along. That’ll happen when the time you allocate on a bus or a train ride to post and write end up being hours spent looking out the window :) I think I’ll try to retroactively post, since I did keep a written journal while I was traveling, although even that has plenty of missing portions. It’s hard to keep up, okay!? Besides trying to exist in the moments of passing through from place to place, it was also a bit dizzying on a plane, train or bus to try and type on a phone.

But it’s a new year and sure to be filled with more adventure. It’s already been off to a good start, actually! Here are a few snaps of a six day trip I spent in Maui with one of my best friends. We did A LOT in the time we had, but also made plenty of time just to relax in the pool and hot tub at the resort every night. It’s been decades since I’ve been on a tropical vacation, in fact, not since I moved to the US from an island far, far away. So instantly, upon landing in Maui, I was hit with a huge wave of nostalgia just feeling the warm, humid air, and seeing palm trees with coconuts still hanging from them. You can take the girl out of the island but you definitely cant take the island out of the girl. I was so crazy happy to be there, especially after a whirlwind November and December since landing back in the States.

Some things we did included a snorkel trip to Molokini Crater, a midday hike around the Kapalua Coastal Trail, a full day excursion on the Road to Hana including getting to drive on the backside of the volcano (sooo super cool), an early morning drive up Haleakala volcano, beach days at Big Beach, Kamaole Beach, Kaanapali Beach, Ho’okipa Beach, and catching Ulalena, a fantastic show that celebrates the history and legend of Hawaii. 

I’d definitely say the highlight of the trip was the adventure on the Road to Hana. In some ways it was familiar to my eyes, not in the sense that I’d seen it before, but the foilage and beauty reminded me so much of my birthplace. And in other ways it was seriously one of the most beautiful days of my life. I went for a swim in Black Sand Beach when the tour stopped there. I was the only person in the group to jump in and man, did those others miss out. The undertow was strong and it did take a bit of effort to make it back to shore, but when I wasnt diving under 15 foot waves or making sure I wasnt out too far in the water, the beauty surrounding the beach was so visually stunning. While the views of the beach from the lookouts or the trails were great too, there was something special about seeing this magical place from the ocean looking to the land, and having a different viewpoint of how this beach came to be.  

Something about island life is so laid back and I absolutely love it. I’m trying to chase that same feeling being back in a big city. Life is less complicated there and people seem happier. The locals are friendlier, the food is fresher, the air is cleaner, the positivity emanating from the island is addictive. As if the unofficial motto is something like drive slow, be nice. I dig these vibes and know I need more beach vacations in the future. It’s always a good reality check when you’re somewhere that reminds you that you don’t need a screen or cell phone service to have the time of your life.

I have our full itinerary mapped out, complete with notes, companies we used for tours and a long list of food/restaurants to try, so if Maui is on your list, I’d love to share! 

[withabackpackandcamera]

March 25th, 2021

Day 2: Chasing Waterfalls on the Road to Hana

Today was supposed to be an early start for our Road to Hana day trip… But we didn’t get up as early as we intended. After we got ready, we headed over to Baked on Maui in Haiku for a quick breakfast that was supposed to be eaten on the road but ultimately eaten on the patio there. For breakfast, we enjoyed their ham and tomato eggs benedict and cinnamon knot (as they didn’t have any cinnamon rolls available). We scarfed both down and quickly started our trip, hoping to get as much of a head start on everyone else as possible before traffic and crowds picked up. 

What we had read about the Road to Hana was that it was literally a road trip to the town of Hana, located in the southeastern part of the island, a trip that usually takes up an entire day. Usually, people make tons of stops along the route to Hana to see the scenery, which consists mostly of waterfalls and other tropical island sights, and to try different foods from different stands and food trucks along the road. 

Our first stop of the day was at Twin Falls, located just a short drive south of where we were staying. When we got to the site, the owners of the private property on which the waterfall flowed said that access to the waterfall was closed. So instead of being able to walk right up to the waterfall, we enjoyed a view of it from a distance before moving along to the next stop, which was the Bamboo Forest Hike to the Na’ili’ili-haele Four Waterfalls. 

When we arrived at the location marked as the Bamboo Forest Hike, we found a lot of cars parked along the road so assumed it was the right place to be. I found a spot to park in but was wary of it because there seemed to be a large hole in the ground between the road and the trees that looked troublesome to park next to. However, in the next moment, I saw some tourist heads pop out of the hole. Must be the entry/exit point to the hike! We stepped down into the hole in the trees and found ourselves standing beneath a canopy of bamboo trees with a muddy dirt path leading through the forest. 

We followed the path and the tourists in front of us as we wove down a hill and through the trees until we reached a creek. At the creek, we spoke with one of the other tourists on his way out of the area. He informed us that there was a waterfall hidden further into the forest that was definitely worth seeing and that it was only a short hike away. With that information, Cynthia agreed to cross the creek and follow the trail a little further until we reached the waterfall. We crossed through the creek and hiked a bit further, slipping past thick brush and climbing over fallen bamboo trees until we spotted the waterfall located upstream of the creek we had just left. We again crossed the cold creek at a deeper upstream area until we had a good view of the waterfall from a distance. 

Cynthia and I took a short break on a boulder to enjoy the views of the waterfall and surrounding area before we turned back and retraced our steps back to our car. Supposedly, only afterward did we find out that we only saw the first of about four waterfalls (Na’ili’ili-haele Four Waterfalls) that fed into each other in this area, not realizing that there was more to be discovered at the end of the hike before turning back. Oh well. It was already hard enough trying to hike into that first waterfall in flip flops. Don’t think it would’ve been possible to push much further with better footwear. 

Our next stop was at a roadside grove of Rainbow Trees, also known by its real name Eucalyptus degulpta or by its common name, the Painted Gum Tree. These trees are well-known and well-photographed for their colorful tree trunks, which look like they have been painted in a myriad of colors, from lime green to rusty orange. A very unique sight indeed.  

Because we couldn’t get much closer to the trees than to see them from a distance, we quickly returned to the car and drove off toward the next stop: Waikamoi Waterfall. Instead of hiking to the waterfall, we drove past the trailhead and arrived at a little parking area located a couple hundred feet away from the waterfall. The first thing we noticed when viewing the waterfall from the car: lots of people sitting around the edge of the plunge pool and other people standing above the pool near the ledge of the waterfall preparing to jump in! This totally reminded me of cliff jumping and canyoneering in Cebu and I started to get excited! 

Cynthia and I hiked down to the plunge pool and stood there for a moment, enjoying the sight of people happily jumping from the cliffs into the water probably 20-30 feet below. For a few minutes, I wasn’t sure if I was going to join in on the fun. One, because the water was a bit cold. And two, I was a little nervous since it’d been a little while since I stood up to my fear of heights and jumped off a cliff into the water. But after standing there for a few moments and going back and forth about whether to jump or not, I finally decided, what the hell. Why not! I’m in Hawaii on vacation and what better time to jump from a cliff next to a waterfall than here and now? So I left my shirt and flip flops with Cynthia and climbed up the rock path to the ledge. I stood there for a couple of minutes as I watched a father and son duo jump ahead of me. Again, I was a little nervous, so standing there for a moment allowed me to catch hold of my tucked away courage before I jumped. I could feel my heartbeat beating a tad faster than usual as I got ready to jump. And just like that, I jumped, feet first into the oh-so-cold water below! Even though it was nerve wracking, it was also thrilling and fun, just as I remembered it being when I jumped so many times in Cebu that one day a little more than a year ago. At first, the cold water was cold but it quickly became a refreshing escape from the humidity and heat above. As I swam back to the rocky shore to meet Cynthia, I couldn’t help but be pleased with my decision to jump. 

After briefly drying out in the sun, we continued our road trip and made a brief stop to check out the free admission Ke’anae Arboretum. We did a quick one mile stroll in and out that was highlighted by more Rainbow Eucalyptus trees. But other than that, there wasn’t much else to see there. So we left and drove only a short distance before we hit our next stop, which was one of our most anticipated stops of the day: Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread shop. 

We had read online about how good banana bread was in Maui and found that many travelers especially enjoyed the fresh banana bread made at Aunty Sandy’s, located right off the Hana Highway. Because some time had elapsed since our last meal, we made a quick pit stop here to enjoy their fresh, warm loaf of banana bread. And it hit the spot! Though it was a hot day, the warm banana bread was delicious and we really enjoyed it, even if it was lacking a scoop or two of ice cream to complement it. Cynthia and I only made it through half of the banana bread before we drove off down the side road to check out the Ke’anae Lookout Area where we watched the crazy waves beat against the rocky coast for the first time this trip. But we didn’t stay too long, knowing that there was still a lot of distance to cover before the end of the day.

Our next few stops were all waterfalls. Upper Waikani Falls was the coolest of them all, with three good-looking lower waterfalls next to each other that you could appreciate from the road and a veil-like waterfall streaming down from above that looked pretty cool too. We also saw Pua’a Ka’a Falls, Hanawi Falls, as well as Makapipi Falls, which was also cool in a different way. 

The last stop that we made before reaching Hana was the Hana Farms Roadside Stand and Restaurant. We checked out their merchandise and pondered buying a cookie (that we ended up not buying) before finally driving into Hana. We tried to visit the Hana Cultural Center to culture ourselves but unfortunately they were closed. Instead, we stopped at a little parking lot where a few food trucks were parked and bought ourselves a late lunch at Ae’s Thai Kitchen. Lunch was not Thai food (since it didn’t look great) but fish tacos and fried chicken quesadillas from the food truck, which weren’t terrible but not fantastic. To refresh ourselves after a heavy lunch, we bought a nice smoothie made of liliko’i, mango, kale, honey, and coconut water which we enjoyed in the hot, humid weather. 

Rejuvenated, we drove through town to the Road Past Hana to check out one last site: The O’heo Gulch and Pools of O’heo. This site was located within the southernmost part of Haleakala National Park so we had to pay for our entry ticket (which would be good for tomorrow as well) and see what we needed to see and leave the park by 5:00pm. So we quickly hiked in to see the O’heo Gulch, which was pretty dry, and hiked back out so we wouldn’t get fined for leaving late. Funny enough, as we walked to our car and were about to drive off, I spotted two people with familiar faces hidden under their masks walking by us. It was Peter Nguyen and Karen Nie, my former residents at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center! What a small world that we would run into them randomly on the way out of a national park in the most isolated part of an island during a pandemic at closing time! 

We only caught up briefly before Cynthia and I headed back on the road to slowly make our way back to Haiku. By this time, the sun was starting to set. Because we wanted to avoid as much driving in the dark as possible, I really made an effort to drive as quickly and safely as possible to get back. We only briefly stopped by Wailua and Paihi Falls on the way back to take a couple of photos before driving two hours back to the AirBnB with the occasional car-side glimpse at the other waterfalls we had visited or missed on the way in. For much of the trip, we were stuck behind slower cars but I guess it was good since it made me drive safer. 

By the time we arrived back in town, it was getting late and food options were slowly dwindling. Because we really wanted poke and most places that offered it were already closed, we ultimately decided to grab some of that pre-mixed poke and rice we saw yesterday at Safeway. The food wasn’t bad and we finished it up at home before cleaning up and preparing for a very early morning at Haleakala for sunrise. 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. Liliko’i is the Hawaiian passion fruit. It is slightly different from the passion fruit we most commonly know because its outside is yellow compared to the purple passion fruit that is normally seen in various places. The lilko’i flavor is seen and used everywhere in Hawaii, especially as shaved ice flavoring and in smoothies and drinks. 

2. On Maui and on the Road to Hana, they sell a product called the Hana Tonic that is a drink or elixir with the active ingredients of organic ginger, pineapple, B vitamins, lemon, and cayenne that supposedly helps with the motion sickness associated with zooming through the Road to Hana. I wonder if it works...

3. Jeep Wranglers are the rental car of choice in Maui. And they come in all colors, from red to yellow to blue to black! Must be fun to drive in but I’m sure it’s way more expensive than my little compact car... 

4. There are tons of honor code fruit stands dotting the roadside along the Road to Hana and in Hana itself. At these fruit stands, you pick up fruit and you leave money. I hope that we tourists have been trustworthy! 

5. Even though the Road to Hana is all the way out there and not a prime tourist area, beware of the police. Even though it’s so far away from most big towns and cities on the island, there are still police that lurk in the area finding reasons to catch you off guard and ticket you. Don’t be that guy we saw who got ticketed for parking his car right in front of a waterfall and a sign that read “No Parking.” 

[chyrstis]

To cleanse, rinse (but don’t repeat)

Firing up this game and actually playing it has been a fun challenge. Mainly, because for each bit of progress made, I can’t help but want to write about it.

It’s been a while since I’ve sat down to write, so this almost feels like shaking the rust out, but here’s to the first of hopefully more than a few ideas focusing on this series (and my poor Dep trying to make sense of it all).

Rating: T Word Count: 4.5K

Link to AO3!

---

The Deputy starts to make progress in John’s region, and with progress comes consequence.

______________________

She’d been warned about this. Warned to approach the Woodson’s Pig Farm slowly and quietly, without much of a sound.

That meant no theatrics. No warning shots, no driving through in a burning truck in the hopes of bowling someone over, and certainly no pushing through the brush only to get snagged on every branch on the way through.

Sadly, the Pastor didn’t know exactly the person he was asking this of.

Jerome had looked at her with such an intense expression of hope she’d nearly tripped over her next few words in response. And even now, as Hana sat on her haunches holding up a set of binoculars, she still wasn’t sure how to even approach this situation.

Two hostages could be seen ahead, both kneeling with their arms bound behind them. The property had become a small outpost for the county’s growing resistance, but holding each place proved to be a bitter fight, and judging from the scene ahead, they’d all but lost it.

Still, they were alive, and that still counted for something. They were separated, but one of them had two men hanging close by, both arguing fiercely over the next shift of watch. One cultist had a rifle, which was pretty typical of the Peggies she’d run into throughout the county.

The other, however? A goddamn flamethrower.

Great. Positively effing great. This was not going to be easy, or quiet, and if she played her cards wrong, she was going to end up extra crispy at that. Worse yet, the people waiting for help would be, and she wasn’t keen on them being at the mercy of her questionable attempts at sneaking.

Still, she had to move at some point. Putting the binoculars down, she swallowed hard and took a tentative step forward.

Her foot rolled down over a twig, snapping it.

She shifted. It broke further.

Biting her lip in frustration, she heard someone call out to her. Whoever it was had ears to be envied, because she was still a good thirty to forty feet out, and the damn stick hadn’t been that loud.

The next few minutes were going to count, and as she raised her rifle, she started counting to ten.  

Ten. Nine. Eight.

She crept forward, keeping her aim trained on them.

Seven. Six. Five.

The man with the rifle moved towards the dirt path leading out towards her.

Four.

She slowed her breaths, going for calm. Needing any kind of calm, contained focus.

Three.

The tremors from being forced to sit still and wait threatened to ruin everything.

Two.

She wouldn’t let it.

One.

She fired and the shot found its mark, hitting him in the neck. Grasping at the wound, the man fell to his knees, and she fired again to silence him before running full-tilt towards the property.

This wasn’t exactly smart or calculated. But surprise was a viable tactic too, and she took advantage of it before panic was able to set in. She sliced through the bonds of the woman in front of her in record time, swearing under her breath all the while, and handed off her spare handgun before booking it to the next person.

This one she dragged up and off of the ground towards cover behind the nearby shed. Bullets pelted the wood, tearing through it as they tried to tuck themselves behind it, but the small structure wasn’t going to last much longer.  

Helping to undo the man’s bonds, she told him to stay put, ducking around the opposite side. The Peggie she’d missed before redoubled his efforts to hit something the minute he caught movement, letting loose a spray that had her jumping back. But he had to reload at some point, and she waited for just enough of a gap in the shooting to risk it.

Taking a potshot at his midsection, she aimed higher on the shot after and nearly whooped when he went down.

That’s two. How many more are we looking at here?

Scattered gunshots went off in the distance, but when no one else ran in with guns blazing, she left cover to investigate herself.  The SMG on the ground went to her newly freed friend, and after nodding at each other they both circled the house. Part of it had caught fire – courtesy of Mr. Blaze-It still being active – and she peeked through the charred window.

It gave a clear view into what used to be the bathroom, broken glass and ceramic fragments littered everywhere. Angling her head, however, she saw something shift to her right in the room. A person was crouching by the open doorway to the rest of the house, their face drained of all color, and Hana quickly held a finger to her lips when they noticed her.

I’m here to help, she mouthed, hoping they could understand her.

The blank stare she received wasn’t promising, but they nodded after a few beats. She crept closer to the window, and when it seemed clear, hoisted herself up and into the room.

Heavy footsteps echoed ahead, each falling one by one as the cultist kept on moving, but they weren’t coming any closer. She crouched down low and kept her rifle close as she crept into the hall. From here, she could see a figure ahead in the living room, the light traveling over the large propane tank strapped to his back. Moving to the wall bordering the outside of it, she swallowed against the dryness in her mouth and waited.

A small peek around the corner was all she needed now, but was it clear…? She poked her head out, too curious not to.

The masked cultist looked her dead in the eye and she winced. “Aw, hell.”

Flames exploded out, catching everything within range of her on fire, and she barely made it back into cover as a wave of searing heat came with it. The wall wasn’t going to last like this. Hell, she wasn’t going to last like this, and she racked her brain for options. She was still looking for decent ones when she settled for quick and dirty, popping the pin off of the lone grenade by her side.

The angle was odd, but the second the flames stopped bursting forth, she lobbed the grenade directly at his feet and dove into the bathroom.  

It went off, shaking the foundation as the proximity made her ears ring. Smoke flowed into the room, obscuring everything, and she tugged the checkered bandana hanging around her neck up and over her nose before creeping back out.

Two shots finished the job after that. The woman she’d freed earlier stood above the man on the ground, handgun at the ready, and lowered it only when she saw her waiting nearby.

“Clear?” Hana asked.

She nodded. “Clear.”

Up until the last few days, the group at the farm had been a team of eleven, holding down the property as others kept watch on the roads for any survivors or convoys. One of them, Gloria, told her they’d been particularly happy about stumbling across a truck loaded up with produce, and had planned on stashing it until they could safely get it to Fall’s End.

It didn’t last the night. John’s people had come in, commandeered the truck and nearly razed the property trying to flush them out. Those they didn’t kill outright they’d rounded up, taking them to wherever the Seeds needed them most.

The few that remained had been lucky, but that didn’t change the looks they traded with each other as they gathered up any remaining ammo and supplies.

A pack of cigarettes rested on the remains of a desk nearby, and Hana made a beeline straight for it to fish a cigarette out. It’d been too long, and after the last fifteen minutes of playing touch and go with the cult she was a mix of grateful and desperate. Lighting it off of the dying flames of the singed carpet, she stood up and took a long drag, exhaling the smoke in a short puff.

The sound of static at her hip nearly made her drop it, however. A voice came in over the radio, one that wasn’t Dutch’s.

“Tut-tut, Deputy.”

She held the radio up, confused at first, but didn’t immediately respond.

“How bold. With fire and flames, you are hardly a figure that can stand to be ignored for long, aren’t you?”

“John.” For a few seconds she froze completely, wondering how the hell he’d found her, or the frequency she was on. “Guess this is as good of an intro as any. Short of that lovely video testimonial.”

The large ‘Yes’ sign covered with lights as he raised his hands up to frame it, wasn’t hard to forget. Neither was the sight of Hudson. She was alive, but she was with him, and there was no telling how long that was going to last.

“Ah, I see. While you may have watched it, I don’t believe you’ve taken any of my words to heart. We all sin. We all revel in it, and at times savor it. What I offer you and all others is a release. A chance to face it, shed it, and become greater for it. To scrub the soul free of all that would weigh it down.”

Scrub the soul? Oh, geez. “A, you’re not getting any of your brand of soul-grade Scrubbing Bubbles near me, and B, have you actually ever stopped to listen to the words coming out of your mouth?”

“It’s a gift. One I’ll share freely with any that will listen.”

“And those that won’t?”

“Like you, Deputy?” he replied, his tone shifting. “Well, you seem to require more direct intervention. Don’t fight it. Be cleansed. Welcome it freely. It’s a beautiful thing, not without pain, but allow me to help. To guide you as we work towards something greater. My people are coming for you regardless, but if you come forward freely this can be a celebration. A confession.”

She laughed. “I’m going to have to give that a hearty pass, hon. Group confessions and the whole navel gazing thing’s really just not my bag.”

“A shame. I think we could come to a better understanding of one another.”

“Understanding? What the fuck could we possibly share during your little kumbaya session that could help us come to a better understanding of each other?”

“Plenty of things. You may be surprised at just how much we may have in common with one another. But that’s another discussion to be had later once you’ve been delivered to me safely. I would tell you not to run, but…”

“Funny, I’ve been running ragged out here so far, and you haven’t found me yet.”

“Now things are different,” John said, intent coloring every word. “I want to.”

“Good, because I fucking dare you to.” She shoved the radio back in her pack, and spat at the ground. “Prick.”

Thankfully no one was nearby to catch that exchange, but within seconds her radio crackled to life again, and a familiar voice picked up. “Shit, kid, that’s not a good sign.”

Judging from the bitter tone Dutch’s laughter took on – and the entire conversation that preceded it – she had to agree. “I’d ask you to be gentle, but I think I already have a good idea of what you’re going to say.”

“You’ve officially pissed off John Seed. I’d congratulate you on royally pissing in his cornflakes too, but that usually only leads to one thing.”

“What?”

“ He’s going to work over the entire county searching for you, and won’t stop until you’re found. To fight that, lay low and keep moving. People vanish for less, and like hell do we want to lose you to that son-of-a-bitch.”

And she’d just dared him to do it at that. Fucking A. “…Copy that, and thanks for the heads up. I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon. Deputy, out.”

Making her way back to the outside of the farm, she ground the last of her cigarette under the heel of her boot and tried to shrug it off. John was miles away, if she had to guess. Hiding out in a location conveniently close enough for radio contact, but…no. Though he’d likely try in a day or so, he wasn’t about to roll in with his men to swoop her up like it was nothing.

Her skin still prickled at the thought, however, and she rubbed at her arms until the sensation left. After getting the others settled safely in the only truck left running on the farm, she felt the last of the lingering tension melt away.

Jumping into the driver’s seat, she radioed Jerome. “Hey, Pastor? Good news incoming from the farm. I’ve got a few new faces inbound, and we’re all eager to raise hell.” She paused and wanted to smack herself. “For the, uh, the greater good, of course.”

“Message heard loud and clear, Deputy. Glad to hear you’re all on your way back, but watch the roads closely. Each step we take we will be watched, and much as we want to change this, you won’t be safe out in the open for long.”

“Don’t go and jinx me now. I’m running high from a good luck streak.”

“Well, you should revel in some regained hope. Just don’t take it for granted. See you all soon, and may His light guide you along the way.”

“Yeah,” she muttered to herself. “We’ll see about that.” She forced a smile at those with her, and got the truck going after a few turns of the key.

It was far enough from Fall’s End that they were sure to pass by any cult convoys if they took the main roads, but with a few detours they could make it work. Take a few of the less-traveled paths, or any shortcuts that the others knew. She’d make it work. Somehow, someway.

“Deputy? Deputy, look!”

She snapped out of it, looking out at the road where they were pointing. It was difficult to see up ahead, but the white objects on the road started to take on more detail, until it became quite clear what they were driving straight into.

A roadblock. Right into their eager, waiting arms.

“Motherfucker. Everyone, hold on tight!” Banking the truck to the left, she careened straight through a nearby fence, the boards shattering as they plowed through it, and gave as much gas to the old truck as it could take.

The men at the roadblock up ahead scattered, running to their vehicles, and she nearly bit through her lip when they roared over a nasty bump. Those in the back held on for dear life, and it was only going to get harder out in the field until they were back on the pavement again.

That’s when a loud horn rose above all of the noise surrounding them, and another two trucks came roaring into view from the rear.

Shit, shit, shit, shit!

Trucks were not her forte. Driving straight through brush and debris was not her forte either. Things had gone south, faster than she thought they could, and with one look at the people riding with her, time was ticking down and she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Hey, take the wheel!”

Gloria gave her a panicked look as Hana threw open the door and bailed, jumping out onto the grass. She’d killed the speed just enough to not make this straight up idiotic to attempt, but that didn’t soften the impact as she rolled and came to a stop. The truck with the survivors kept on going, veering off towards the road, but the cult trucks were still fixed on her.

Scrambling to get to her feet, she lit a stick of dynamite and threw it towards the nearest truck. It swerved, trying to avoid it, and she snuck a glance over her shoulder before the ground exploded beneath it.

Shots pelted the ground, more and more of them coming as she kept moving. Just gotta get to the woods ahead. Just gotta get to the woods ahead…!

A sharp sting hit her right shoulder blade. Two more hit her in the back, and everything slowed to a standstill, her legs, her arms, and even her breath. She tumbled towards the ground with stars in her eyes, her limbs like lead weights.

That’s when it finally settled over her. Bliss. Tranquil bliss. She didn’t need to move. She didn't need to worry about the work boots making their way towards her.  

All she needed was this.

She used to love the water. Used to head down to the local pool and sneak in after hours to swim the entire length of it, calmed by the lights glowing just under the water below. It was an escape, one that she longed for whenever she and her mother would find herself in a new town, or a new state, and couldn’t spend another second waiting to see how long it would take for them to move this time.

One night when she was older and living with her mom down south, she’d received a call from one of the few people she’d known in town. Callie, a friend from her bio class, had 'borrowed' her older brother’s car. She’d picked them all up - along with enough liquor and beer to guarantee they'd get shit for it - and drove them down to the beach.

It was late, and feeling buzzed, she’d dared Callie to swim out with her past the docks to see how far they could go. It was partly the alcohol, partly a silly crush, but she’d been thrilled for her to say yes, and both had run to the surf as fast as they could go. They made it pretty far, adrenaline making her push her arms and legs hard as they paddled on, and her vision started to fade out.

It came back when she had just sunk below the waves, the water near-black. She flailed, trying to push herself up only to feel the current yank her down, her lungs burning as she watched Callie pass by above.

The world went black again, her muscles tensing and failing as her panic grew, and she couldn’t reach it. Not the light up above, or anyone that would find her.

She came to on the beach, convulsing as she woke up to a sea of faces and pain lancing through her chest. Dead to the world, she’d been lost for a good two to three minutes before being resuscitated. She'd always hesitated after that. Thought long and hard before diving into any body of water that threatened to rise up and over her head.

Now, she wasn’t sure where she was. Only that she was floating. Something holding her in place.

When she opened her eyes, the world above was muffled and muted. Twinkling lights danced as everything moved in slow motion, and when she tried to inhale, it all came roaring back. The weight of the water surrounding her. The movement above. The pressure keeping her down.

Help. Help, I can’t – I can’t – Her lost breath escaped her as her throat constricted.

That was when the figures floating above shifted. She was hefted up, and the minute she broke the surface of the water, she coughed and hacked out as much as she could. Two sets of hands were on her, and they forced her to stand on unsteady legs. Her wrists stung, strapped together with a zip-tie, and every time she clenched her hands, they dug further into her skin, rubbing it raw. Nothing else seemed to cut through the fog clouding her brain, and she clung to the sensation for dear life.

Her teeth chattered, soaked to the bone as they moved her along, and others joined them on the same path. They were restrained like her, walking with a cultist at their backs, but all were heading towards the same point. Towards the stark, white light.

A figure ushered them forward, and as Hana drew closer her breath caught in her throat.  John had been speaking this whole time, blessing each as they passed by, a white book held in his other hand, and she tried to dig her heels into the rocky bank below, but couldn’t.

He turned to face her directly, and handed the book to one of the men by her side. She waited for him to administer his ‘blessing’, but when he raised his hand, it was to hold them in place.

“Stop,” he said, eyes set on her. “Not this one. This one still needs to be cleansed.”

He was on her before she could say anything to stop it.

The water surged up to engulf her, and she spasmed, her legs kicking out as her arms twisted. His hands gripped her shoulders tight and she wanted to scream. Not here. Not like this.

Her vision swam, an ugly, pulsing smear when she was dragged back up, and she rocked on her feet. Fell forward as her skin prickled, then burned. Every inch of her was on fire, cutting through the bone-deep chill that had nearly done her in as threads of light danced in the corners of her vision. Everything soon came into clear focus, however. Focus aimed forward, at John.

His grip hadn’t loosened. If anything, it was starting to bruise. The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes, and the dissatisfaction came off of him in waves.

“You missed a spot,” she rasped, her lips curling into a sneer. He shoved her back towards the water, his own teeth bared, and she braced for it.

“John!”

He stopped abruptly, letting her regain her footing. Just over John’s shoulder she saw Joseph, standing tall. Clad in a white collared shirt and dark vest, he was back to the image she’d been met with in videos. The Father, watching, waiting, and as of right now no closer than she would ever want him.

“Do you mock the cleansing, John?”

John shifted in place, but didn’t turn towards Joseph or try to meet his eyes. “No, Joseph.”

The next few words she struggled to reconcile with the amount of emotion used to deliver them. “You have to love them. Do not let your sin color your actions towards them.”

Hana’s head swam as he continued to address John, but before long, Joseph asked for her directly. Beckoned her closer as they delivered her straight to him.

And just like at the church, he held his hands out to her and waited.  

She couldn’t resist. Couldn’t push back against whatever lingered in her system, and knew her face was twisted into a scowl. That was the only defense she had left, and she prayed no one could see what was really twisting inside of her.

Once she was close enough, Joseph rested both hands on her shoulders and drew in closer. He spoke to her about salvation, about how her presence here was far from a mistake. Not by fate, but by holy intervention. God’s grace. God’s will. “You’ve been given a gift,” he intoned, his touch threatening to burn her. “A precious one. It is up to you to decide whether to embrace it, or cast it aside.”

He let her go after that, and she let out a shaky breath through her clenched teeth. Turning towards John, she watched as Joseph laid a hand on his shoulder, speaking to him in the same calm, steady tone as her before coming to rest his forehead against John’s. It was a comforting gesture that seemed damn near alien compared to the cruelty she’d seen from him previously.

The words Joseph had to share with John, however, didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. “This one will reach the Atonement. If this does not come to pass, the Gates of Eden will close to you, John. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Joseph,” he replied. There no anger there, or disappointment. None that she could clearly read, at least. Only acceptance in what he was being told to do without question, and she watched him long after Joseph left.

Clarity eventually came back to him, the look in his eyes no longer thousands of miles away, and John centered all of it directly on her.

“You will confess. Any sin, no matter how petty, small, or insignificant, I will pull them from you. All of them until none remain. Maybe then you’ll be worthy of atonement.”

That was the moment the two men standing nearby took her by the arms, dragging her off to join the others. That didn’t stop her from looking straight at him as she left. She held eye contact, determined not to sway once until a hand on the back of her head forced her to, jerking her attention to the path in front of her.

Ahead the vans waited, and there was no telling where they planned to take them to next. Only to wherever John wanted them most, leaving her with an entire trip to figure that out.

And if she guessed wrong? She'd find out soon enough.

---

Jerome’s face was the first thing to greet her after the crash. The van had crumpled in on itself, nearly crushing them  all as it careened off of the road. She was barely coming back to herself when the doors to the back opened, and when Jerome reached for her, the relief hit her just as hard as the last few bumps had.

This was a debt Hana knew she’d struggle to repay, but she’d do so gladly.

From the farm, to the lake, to the van, she’d wondered when it would actually stop. When she’d have a chance to let it all sink in so she could process what was happening.

As she climbed into a helicopter after somehow winning a mortar fight against the Peggies, she didn’t know if this moment was going to give her the chance either. The adrenaline rush of it all faded away the further she drifted away from that place, leaving her feeling more like a living bruise than a person.

But it all came surging back the minute she caught the giant sign lurking up in the mountains.

John could go fuck himself. With a long and rusty rake, at that. That was too close, too soon. She’d dared him to go for it, and he hadn’t needed any encouragement at all. A cold spike ran through her, and she pushed it back as she dug into her rising anger instead.

Yes. That was exactly what she needed. Not fear. Not panic. Just a sliver of pure, unadulterated rage.

No one was even remotely in her airspace at the moment, but if they had been, they would’ve heard the tail-end of a long, uninterrupted scream.

Her hands were still shaking at the controls when she came back down, and she took in a deep breath. That had been her first real brush with any of Joseph’s Heralds, and a part of her wondered if they’d all do the same thing once pushed. Push back, and move to drown her while they were at it.

It was far from over, and wouldn’t be for a while, but she took the moment to herself for what it was; time to focus and come back stronger.

For the county’s sake and hers, she had to.

[duncanbarker-blog]

Planning a trip to Hawaii is something many people dream of. With its stunning beaches, dramatic volcanic landscapes, and lush green hills, it’s one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited but also the most expensive.

While we do think the islands are worth the high price, to make the most of your stay, it’s essential to plan in advance.

These tips will help you plan the perfect trip to Hawaii.

Best Island to Visit in Hawaii

Hanalei Bay in Kauai

Choosing the best island to visit is one of the most challenging parts of planning a trip to Hawaii. They are all diverse with lots to offer, so it just depends what you are looking for.

Most visitors to Hawaii visit one of these four islands:

Oahu – The most visited and developed island is home to the large city of Honolulu and the famous and very crowded Waikiki Beach. You can surf huge waves on the North Shore and visit the museum and memorials at Pearl Harbour. You’ll find the most shopping, dining, and nightlife options here. It’s the easiest island to get around by public transport.

Maui – The second most visited island has beautiful beaches, world-class whale watching, and the Road to Hana drive where you can see waterfalls, bamboo forest, and red and black sand beaches. You can also watch the sun rise above a volcanic crater and visit wineries and lavender farms in Upcountry. There’s a wide range of resorts, dining, shopping, and activities as well as natural attractions.

Big Island – The largest island is the youngest, so it’s not as green as the other islands and has more lava landscapes. If you want to see an active volcano, this is the island to visit. The landscapes are incredibly diverse from beautiful white sand beaches to snow-capped mountains.

Kauai – Known as The Garden Isle, Kauai is the most lush and green of the islands. The jagged green cliffs of the stunning Napali Coast are the big draw, but there are also lovely beaches, waterfalls, and multi-coloured canyons. A helicopter ride over the island is spectacular, and there are plenty of hiking trails. Kauai has become popular, but it isn’t as developed as Maui or Oahu.

Kauai’s Napali Coast

If you are looking to get off-the-beaten-track, you could consider visiting one of these smaller, much less visited islands:

Molokai – Known as The Friendly Isle, on Molokai you’ll find a slow pace of life and more native Hawaiians, but less choice of accommodation and activities. It’s also home to the leper colony of Kalaupapa, which I became fascinated with after reading a couple of these Hawaii books.

Lanai – For many years Lanai was a pineapple plantation and it’s now home to a few luxury resorts. If you want to enjoy the secluded beaches without the high price tag, the ferry from Lahaina on Maui only takes an hour so you could visit on a day trip.

The character of each island also depends on which part you visit. All the islands have a rainy side where the scenery is lush and green and a dry side where you’ll usually get more sun. They are both worth visiting, which is why we decided to split our island stays between two or three locations.

We had 3.5 weeks in Hawaii and chose to divide our time between Kauai and Maui, with one night in Honolulu before our flight to Japan. We loved them both, and there’s so much to do on each island that we’re glad we didn’t try to add in an extra island.

We plan to visit the Big Island and maybe Molokai on our next trip, although we’d also happily return to Kauai and Maui.

For more details on our trip, see our Maui itinerary and the best things to do on Kauai.

Our friends Tom and Jenny have visited the Big Island many times and share their favourite things to do. 

The black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park, Maui

Before You Arrive in Hawaii

Do

Save up – Hawaii is expensive and you’ll enjoy it more if you aren’t worrying about every penny. We spent $267 per person per day including everything except flights from the mainland US. You could spend less by travelling in the off season, choosing non-beachfront accommodation, and skipping pricey tours. You could also spend a lot more by staying in luxury resorts and eating out for every meal.

Visit in the winter to see humpback whales – We were astounded by how many we saw in Maui in February. January to March are the best months, but you might see a few from November to May. Winter weather can be cooler and rainier, but we still had mostly sunny days and the ocean is swimmable year round.

Visit in the off season to save money – In the spring (April and May) and autumn (September to mid-November), the islands are less crowded, prices are lower, and the weather is excellent.

Book your accommodation far in advance – Especially if you are travelling in the high season, want an ocean view, or are travelling to places like Hana or Upcountry on Maui where accommodation is limited. We searched for options on Booking, Airbnb, and VRBO.

Consider a condo rather than a resort – For families, stays of a week or more, and for those on a budget, renting a condo with a kitchen is a great way to save money. There are many to choose from and some have resort facilities like pools and beachfront locations. We stayed in condos for most of our stay and Kiahuna Plantation on Poipu Beach in Kauai was one of our favourites.

Kiahuna Beach

Search on Kiwi for the best flight deals – The cheapest rates will be from Los Angeles or other West Coast cities. Southwest now flies to Hawaii at low rates. You can also get affordable flights from Asia (especially Japan) to Honolulu.

Fly in and out of different islands – Maximise your time on the islands by flying into one island (such as Kauai) and out of another (such as Maui). I was surprised by how many affordable direct flights there are from the US mainland to places other than Honolulu.

Rent a car – It’s the best (and often only) way to get around. At busy times they can run out, so book far in advance. We used Rental Cars to find the best deal and just booked the cheapest economy car.

Consider splitting your time between two or three locations on each island – If you want to do a lot of exploring, this will help avoid long drives to attractions. We did this on Kauai and Maui and it worked out well.

Red Sand Beach in Hana

Book Haleakala sunrise in advance – If you want to see Maui’s most popular sunrise, you must book up to 60 days in advance. If you miss out, try again two days before when more tickets are released.

Bring reusable shopping bags – Plastic bags are banned on the islands.

Pack a sweater – While most of the time you’ll only need summer clothing and beachwear, it can get chilly on morning boat trips or if you go to higher elevations (like Upcountry in Maui or Waimea Canyon on Kauai) especially in the winter. Sunrise at Haleakala is literally freezing and you’ll appreciate as many layers as possible.

Bring spices – If you are self-catering, you’ll save money by bringing a small amount of spices with you. We bought some at the bulk-buy section of a supermarket on the mainland.

Pack hiking sandals – We wore these all the time and they were perfect for beaches and hiking. Many beaches have rough access trails so you’ll appreciate something more than flip-flops. Simon wore the Teva Terra Fi Lite sandals and I have the Merrell Terran Lattice sandals.

Learn a few Hawaii words – Even if it’s just Aloha (hello and goodbye but also love and compassion) and Mahalo (thank you). I picked up vocabulary by reading the astounding novel Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport (which I highly recommend every visitor reads).

Don’t

Plan to visit more than one island per week – You’ll spend too much of your precious vacation time travelling and there’s so much to do on each island.

Forget hidden fees – The listed price for hotels and resorts is rarely what you’ll actually pay. You’ll have to add tax and often a resort fee, cleaning fee (for condos), and parking charge. Check the final total price when comparing accommodation options.

Visit during holidays – Try to avoid the busiest times of year, especially Christmas and New Year when crowds and prices soar. Thanksgiving week is another busy time. If you must visit then, book far in advance.

Stay on the beach (maybe) – If you are on a tight budget you’ll save by staying a short walk or drive from the beach. Airbnb is a good place to look for budget accommodation. That said, we splurged on beachfront accommodation and loved it.

Sunset at Kiahuna

In Hawaii

Do

Read novels set in Hawaii – Learn more about Hawaii’s fascinating culture and turbulent history by reading one of these books about Hawaii while you relax on the beach.

Schedule your most important activities early – Weather can change and cancel activities like boat trips and helicopter rides, so make sure you’ll have time to reschedule.

Waterfalls in Kauai from a helicopter

Use reef-safe sunscreen – Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreen that uses coral-harming chemicals. You can pick some up from Longs Drugs, which we found surprisingly affordable.

Sign up to the Snorkel Report on Maui – You’ll get an email every morning with tips on the best beaches to visit that day. They also rent inexpensive snorkelling and beach gear.

Check the Hawaii Beach Safety website – To find out which beaches are safe for swimming or best for surfing. The Kauai Explorer Surf Report is also useful. 

Go whale watching – It was one of our favourite experiences in Hawaii. We chose a small boat trip with Makai Adventures from Lahaina in Maui and loved it so much we went twice.

Hike – All the islands have beautiful trails from easy coastal walks to challenging multi-day treks. It’s a great free way to enjoy the beauty of the islands.

Hiking the Pipiwai Trail in Maui

Rent a Tommy Bahama beach chair and umbrella – Our condos came with these, but you can rent them on the islands inexpensively. They have backpack straps for easy carrying and make beach hopping much more comfortable.

Visit a farmer’s market – The fresh produce is usually cheaper and better quality than the supermarkets and there are lots of tasty treats and foodie souvenirs to enjoy.

Cool off with shave ice – This delicious icy treat is so much better than we expected. Add a scoop of macadamia ice-cream on the bottom for maximum tastiness.

Enjoy a Mai Tai on the beach – Touristy yes, but it’s a classic Hawaii experience and these tasty rum cocktails come in cool Tiki glasses.

Drive the Road to Hana on Maui – Most people do this in one day, but we loved spending a few nights in Hana to explore without the crowds.

Wai‘anapanapa State Park is a Maui highlight

Eat all the banana bread – Especially in the Hana area, homemade banana bread sold at farm stalls is so good.

Indulge in chocolate-covered macadamia nuts – We were addicted to the ones by Moana Loa.

Let local drivers pass you – They know the winding roads better than you and drive at a faster pace, so pull over and let them pass.

See Kauai from above – Our doors-off helicopter trip on Kauai was mind-blowing.

Don’t

Eat in restaurants for every meal – Restaurants are expensive and by self-catering in our condo we saved a huge amount of money. Even if you don’t have a kitchen, you can pick up a pre-made picnic lunch from a supermarket and enjoy it on the beach. Some of our tastiest meals were from food trucks which are far cheaper than restaurants. Hana in Maui and Hanalei in Kauai had the best selection of trucks.

Underestimate the ocean – Conditions can be dangerous and change quickly and drownings do happen. If you’re not sure it’s safe, don’t swim.

Turn your back on the ocean – Huge waves can come out of nowhere when you are swimming or even walking along the shore.

Fight a rip current –  If you get caught in a current, keep calm, float, and wave for help. Go with the current and conserve your energy.

Touch sea turtles or monk seals – You are likely to come across wildlife on the beaches, but it’s illegal to get too close or touch them.

Monk seals and humans share Poipu Beach on Kauai

Trespass – Please respect private property. While all beaches are open to the public, they don’t all have public access routes.

Litter – Don’t leave anything behind on beaches or hiking trails.

Steal any rocks or sand.

Touch or step on coral.

Leave valuables in your car – And keep any luggage hidden out of sight in the trunk. 

Laugh at the hula – It’s not just a dance for tourists, but a serious part of local culture.

Refuse a lei (flower garland) – It’s a symbol of affection and Aloha so wear it with gratitude and don’t take it off in front of the person who gave it to you.

Wear shoes into someone’s house.

Rush – Don’t feel the pressure to do everything. Make sure you allow time just to relax by the pool or on the beach. Slow down and enjoy these beautiful islands.

I hope this post helps you plan a trip to Hawaii. Let me know if you have any questions below. You can also read these other Hawaii posts:

The Ultimate Maui Itinerary: The Best of Maui in 7 to 14 Days

17 Stunning Road to Hana Stops & Why You Should Stay in Hana, Maui

Where to Stay in Kauai: The Best Areas and Hotels

17 Unmissable Things to Do in Kauai

A Doors Off Helicopter Tour on Kauai: Is It Worth it?

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[oldmancopper]

Maui:  Things I did not expect

I’m going to get a few more thoughts out of my head before I resume my regularly scheduled silliness.  This list (probably in a couple parts) is the things that surprised me in Maui. It’s probably shorter than I wanted because my tumblr is on hold, so just gonna spit this out :-P Again, I had a local host who took a vacation to ferry me around, so I did not do detailed research on Maui in advance of the trip.  My goal was to be happy with the places she picked to show me, and grateful for what I could see. 1.  The mountains are deceptively flat This one was interesting - from most places on the island, you could see up at least one peak (there are two) or both.  And, looking around and across the islands, with the clear air and the small slope, you would think you were 15 minutes from the airport/beach, and it was easily a 40 minute highway drive.  Not to mention a drop in elevation of 4,000 ft. 2.  Two tiers - mountain and valley It seemed to me that there were two cultures of people - the freedom loving, non rule following, independent, people, mostly living in the mountain regions - and the rule following folks living in the valleys and towns.  Obviously they blended, but it definitely was a big difference. 3.  Lack of diversity in wildlife/fauna Interestingly, for such a lush area, there was an amazing lack of diversity and abundance in wildlife.   Most areas were very mono - here’s the bamboo forest, where one strand of bamboo has taken over acres and acres.  And that pattern was repeated.  It makes sense when you think about how all of these islands started as harsh volcanic ash and rock . . . in the middle of the ocean.  Standing on the side of a road in Massachusetts, I see many more birds and variety in plants. 4.  Narrow roads - rent small cars With limited population, there is no real incentive to upgrade many of the roads, which means they are tight, windy, with many one lane areas, yielding to oncoming traffic.  Which means - rent the smallest car you can. So much easier to get around, so much easier to park.  I felt sorry for the people who upgraded to full size convertibles. 5.  Many picturesque places were on private property or private access - often dangerous and unsafe Yes, I had a local host, but many of the spots we visited, on the Road to Hana and elsewhere . . . we were trespassing.  Often with implicit permission, but it amazed me how much we went to that was obviously unsafe, obviously trespassing. 6.  Sugarcane and Pineapples not grown in bulk here - shipping costs appear to be the culprit? I was expecting cheap fresh pineapple.  I was expecting sugar cane.  I was expecting ethanol to be cheap and marketed aggressively . . . and none of that is true.  Possibly due to high costs of packing and shipping, all of the commercial sugarcane and pineapple have shut down on Maui.  Coffee is still grown. And ethanol - I was expecting ethanol to be cheaper than gas - all of which has to be imported . . . but no, the ethanol is also imported, making gas cheaper. 7.  Billionaires in lairs owning islands . . . 2 of the 8 Hawaiian islands are owned by solitary white families . . .  And finally, the cliche of rich supervillains owning volcanic islands . . . well, 2 of the 8 islands are owned by one person/family.  Nihau has been in private hands since 1864  (with a family comparing government taxes to Ruby Ridge and Waco these days) - and Larry Ellison bought Lanai in 2012  (Which had previously been consolidated by a Mormon colony and then the Hawaiian Pineapple Company - again, starting in the 1870′s) It’s stunning to look across the ocean at a 90,000 acre island and have your host say, yeah . . . one guy owns that.