Stories from the Suitcase...Aloha

We're introducing a new idea for Fridays here at Girl With A Suitcase.  Most people have great travel stories that they'd like to share.  We want to know the good, the bad and the ugly!  Inspire other people to see different parts of the world or share what's special in your neck of the woods.

This week we have Alex sharing her Hawaiian adventure.

1. Destination?

Island of Oahu, Hawaii.

2. What time of year did you travel?

We flew from Sydney, Australia to Hawaii.  Jetstar had some great air fare specials and it was really cheap for us to fly over.

We flew to Hawaii in February.  I expected it to be balmy and tropical but it was actually a little bit chilly.  Luckily, we'd all packed a few jumpers to keep us warm.

It was quite windy on the North Shore but Honolulu was warm and we spent most of our time at the beach in Waikiki.

3.  Who did you travel with?

It was our first international family holiday, so it was the husband, myself and two kids.  I was also pregnant with baby no. 3.  Flying for 9 hours on a plane when you are pregnant is not very comfortable. Make sure you pack a pillow or cushion.

4.  How did you get around?

We arrived in Honolulu early in the morning (morning sickness is a great way to get acquainted with the local toilets!) and hired a Hummer.

This is the valley where they film Lost.

We hadn't booked any accommodation because I hate booking from brochures and discovering that you are stuck with views of brick walls or cockroaches.  Don't worry, we're not completely loopy, we had a week of time share for week 2 of our stay.  But week 1 we wanted to explore.

Waikiki is a mass of high rises.  We decided to give that a miss.

Hawaii isn't as big as I expected so we decided to drive around the island until we saw something that we liked.

That being said, we were exhausted.  So we pretty much all passed out as soon as we got in the car.

The husband drove around the island and luckily for us, we discovered the Turtle Bay Resort.

If you haven't heard of it (we hadn't it) it has an amazing golf course and they filmed Forgetting Sarah Marshall there.

Beautiful resort.  Kids loved saying Aloha to everyone, we snorkelled in the lagoon, the restaurants were fabulous and the husband played golf.

Rainbows every morning.  This was the view from our room.

5.  Food?

I have to admit I find US inspired food...disgusting.  Over processed and generally unhealthy.  We were served soft drinks as big as my son's head (medium) and hash browns are a plate of potato slop.

On the other hand we we visited the Polynesian Cultural Centre for the day and stayed for the Luau.

So for pregnant me, this was divine.  Yum.

6.  Trip Highlights?

The husband taking the kids for the day while I went shopping in Waikiki.  I have a GUESS addiction and it was bliss.  Can you tell?

Taking a submarine cruise with the kids.  I get sea sick but I survived and the kids loved the adventure.

We visited Pearl Harbour.  Once we were there, it was one of the saddest placest I have ever been.  The area is so beautiful but you can feel the spirits of all the people who died there.

Visiting the Polynesian Cultural Centre for the day was amazing.  You get to experience so many cultures in one day.  There was so much to do, in a lot of ways it was better than a theme park.  The kids LOVED it.

7.  Trip low point?

Waikiki.  I know for a lot of people it is an amazing destination.  There are boats for you to jump on, straight off the beach and lots of cocktail bars to play in (Duke's on the Beach).  For an Australian girl like me it was just too crowded and the beaches were too small.

We also didn't see any big waves.  Sunset and Waimea Bay were flat.  Pretty, but flat.

8.  What would you like others to know about your destination?

Oahu is a small island.  For a true Hawaiian experience, spend a little more and head to the North Shore. It's a good base to explore the area and the resort is beautiful.

Waikiki is great for shopping and partying.  With kids?  Not so much.

We didn't explore the other islands (pregnancy and volcano fumes don't really mix) but it's something we hope to do in the future.

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Ahhhh Bliss....

The word holiday means different things to different people.  My husband's idea of a holiday is flying for hours to an international destination, checking into an expensive hotel and sleeping for a week.

This drives me mad.

As a mother of several small children I've learnt that sleep is overrated (sleep? What is this sleep that you speak of?) and on holidays I want to DO something.

And I'm not referring to the same old tourist activities that are offered everywhere that we seem to visit.  The ones that leave your wallet empty and credit card company in business.

Let's do something interesting and CHEAP.  Something that gets you into shape (bonus after having babies), increases stamina and pushes you to new heights.

Let's go bushwalking.

Okay, okay.  I can see that you're a bit hesitant.  Bush walking (or hiking) doesn't quite have that wow factor.  You're probably thinking that all it involves is walking...through the bush.

It does.  But let's make it interesting.

If you've been following this blog, you may remember that I've been exploring the wineries and cheese makers of Tasmania.  I've decided that combining a walking trip with my gastronomic holidays is a great idea.  Best of both worlds.

Throw in stunning scenery, a great lunch and exercise to work off the camembert.  Bliss.

If you're holidaying with the kids, bush walking provides quality time without the distractions of video games and television.  It's a great opportunity to develop a real connection to the natural world and to see wild life up close.  And all that fresh air makes them really, really tired.  Double bonus.

 

If you're lucky enough to be able to ditch the kids for a few days, then a walking holiday gives you the opportunity to take a break from your ordinary routine and a chance to reconnect with the natural world and ourselves.  You can go totally zen.

Why have I jumped on the promote Tasmania band wagon?

I've travelled to a lot of places, in Australia and overseas.  And I've discovered that sometimes the most spectacular places are at home.

Tasmania's location in the Southern Ocean has preserved it as not only an island of rare beauty but also one of the most unspoiled places left on earth.

Much of its ancient glacial formed mountains and lakes, temperate rainforests and undeveloped coastline are protected as World Heritage Area, national parks and marine reserves.

This means the rains that fall, the rivers that tumble through its valleys and the oceans that brush its shores are still clean.

Sounds pretty good to me.  And you know I'm a sucker for mountain views.  It's that whole Sound of Music obsession I had as a child.

So I present to you Cradle Mountain in Tasmania.  It has world renowned walking tracks.  Really.  I googled it.

And guess what?

After a day in the wilderness, you've earned some special pampering don't you think?

I've found a spa that will take special care of your tootsies after a long day of trekking.

WALDHEIM ALPINE SPA - Cradle Mountain Lodge.

Doesn't this sound like heaven?

"Waldheim Alpine Spa invites you to embark on the ultimate sensory journey designed to indulge the senses.  The pampering begins with a traditional Hot Lime Foot Cleansing and Thai Foot Ritual, using warmed aroma-therapeutic oils, applied to nourish and condition the feet, followed by the decadent experience of soaking them in Elemis' award - winning Skin Nourishing Milk Bath.  Exfoliating with Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow, feet are lavished with an application of warmed Frangipani Monoi Oil to seal in moisture and leave skin feeling silky soft.  With feet and mind in a blissful state, the focus shifts to the upper body with a customised back, neck and shoulder massage and is completed with an energising foot massage that will leave you floating on air as you leave the Spa."

See, a bushwalking holiday isn't as daggy as you thought, is it?

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