Oahu, Hawaii - Kahala Resort
Hello Darlings, With a missed morning flight, detour through Atlanta and 15 hours later I landed on the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii. The warmth hitting my face for the first time as I stepped off the airplane felt like heaven after the frigid temperatures in Toronto. In a taxi on the way to Kahala Resort I was mesmerized my the urban metropolis that was unfolding in front of me as we neared the city of Honolulu.
It was around 6pm local time and 11pm Eastern time, the jet lag has yet to present itself. As we drove up to the lobby of Kahala Resort, upon greeting us I received my first welcome lei. Traditionally Hawaiians present lei as a sign of hospitality and welcome to the guests. Upon checking in, I was just in time to catch the golden hour.
I AM WEARING: Masabni Silk Dress // Tory Burch Sandals // Hatattack Fedora // Miu Miu 03PS Sunglasses
It that moment as I sat on the balcony of my suite overlooking the golf course and as the homes on the mountains began to light up one twinkling light, I never felt farther from my home. In fact this 7,482km journey was the farthest trip I've ever taken. Just the thought that Australia was closer than home, was a crazy feeling! That very moment of watching the twinkling lights taken over the mountains one at a time was one of my favorite memories of the trip.
I AM WEARING: Body Glove Bikini // Tom Ford Daria Sunglasses
I AM WEARING: BCBGeneration Frill Bikini // Miu Miu 03PS Sunglasses
After a long bath, I was ready for a night out on the town at Waikiki. The area was an overwhelming surprise of hundreds of designer stores lining the streets. Any designer that your little heart desired was there! My main disappointment was that many of the stores catered to a tiny shoes sizes of 4 and 5 as the predominant shoppers come from Asia. So my 6.5 foot had absolutely no luck in finding its neutral Louboutin So Kate but as a souvenir home I did find a pair of Miu Miu sunglasses that I've searched for low and high in Toronto. So my lesson was that if I was to ever return to Oahu, I am not to go shopping for 3 months leading up to the trip as every set shopping budget is bound to be depleted.
Typically as a rule of travel, I do not like to go shopping. I find that when travelling it is best to explore to local area and historical sights than to spend hours on end at shopping malls, which we all know typically look the same. Since Canadian shopping is not quite as extensive as in US, I do like to shop online prior to a trip and order a few items to my hotel without having to pay insane duties. Plus, arriving at a hotel and with a parcel full of goodies awaiting is always that much more welcoming!
While in the evenings Oahu offered a great selection of restaurants, by far my favorite was Nobu. Having have been to their locations in Malibu, Bahamas and Las Vegas this location was definitely on par with the strong reputation. It was delicious and the atmosphere was wonderful as well! For a fun place to grab a drink check out RumFire.
The days were spent on the beach either enjoying the sunshine or paddle boarding. Over the past few trips I've taken up boarding and enjoy the combination of experience and the fun that it offers.It definitely beats going to the gym during vacations. It was just nice to unplug and enjoy the sunshine and also catch up on pleasure reading.
Overall, Oahu is bustling island with an urban culture and 1.3 million citizens and in essence felt like a combination of New York, Miami and LA. While I adore the urban oasis, I was looking to get away and hence the next leg of the trip was to the remote Big Island.
For more images from the trip, check out #WLGtravel on Instagram.
With Love...
Marta