Week in Oahu

Hello Blog! 

My most recent treks took place in Oahu, Hawaii. This is where I spent my spring break, and it was slow and relaxing, with beautiful, engaging scenery. I appreciated seeing the mountains, greenery, and diverse plant life while there. 

One of the most interesting parts of the trip was experiencing different weather conditions within just a few days. From Thursday to Saturday, we had heavy, constant rain that made the entire island feel a little somber. Then on Sunday, the weather suddenly shifted, and the sun was out for the rest of the trip! 

Another thing I noticed on my last day of the trip was how different the waves were from place to place. By the sixth day, we had gone to many beaches along every part of Oahu (Kailua, Waikiki, East Oahu, North Shore), and I began to make distinctions in the waves I was seeing. The beaches were minutes apart, yet had different wave patterns, different sand, and different landscapes surrounding the water. Some beaches had volcanic rock, and others had plants. Some were off-road, while others were in neighborhoods. I noticed that the first beach we visited, Lanikai Beach, was calm with barely any waves. Then, the last beach we visited at the North Shore had waves that were rolling onto each other a hundred feet out! They would get slightly smaller as they approached, before breaking on the shore. 

Beyond the landscape, the culture and food were also noticeably different from the mainland. There was a slower, more relaxed energy that matched the environment, which helped me slow down and remain present during the trip. 

Since we left, the island has experienced another devastating flood. This made me reflect on how powerful and unpredictable nature can be—a theme I keep coming back to this semester. Experiencing both extremes made the environment feel more like a living ecosystem rather than just a vacation setting. Overall, the trip made me more aware of how much there is to notice when you pay attention to your surroundings. Instead of just a "beach", I started to notice differences in movement and weather. This experience made me appreciate the beauty of Oahu and the diversity of nature! 


Beach at the hotel in Waikiki 

A tree that fell during the storm :( 

I enjoyed this tree

Rainy day

Chicken(?) I saw in Kailua at a restaraunt 

Lanikai Beach in Kailua

Volcanic Rock pool!! Halona Beach Cove

Lots of greenery and strong shore breaks here (Makapuu Beach park)

Beach on the East Coast. Nicely swimmable and blue! 

North Shore -- I think Pahipahi'alua Beach

Visited this regenerative farm on the North Shore (you can see a chicken walking her babies!) 


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