It is possible to travel with children. You can even recharge with good, new energy. This was our intention when we booked the flight and a hotel in Waikiki, last year.
We knew Honolulu from previous trips, and we had no high expectations. It quickly turned out, we were not the only ones who came up with this idea. There were at least three pairs of parents with two small children, on the Oakland – Honolulu plane. Dean’s friends stayed at the same hotel, and that was also nice, psychological support.
There were plenty of attractions for the girls. We visited the Waikiki Aquarium (a great collection of seahorses), Waikiki zoo, (phenomenal giraffes, Rose got to watch elephant feeding time). We also got to experience the Honolulu Festival, promoting the Pacific region. There was a parade with Chinese dragons, dance shows from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hawaii. The girls learned to make flower Lei necklaces. We watched the traditional Hawaiian hula dances. Everything was very accessible. We did not need a car, we could walk anywhere, which was very convenient, as we did not have to load our stroller on the city bus.
My best memories are of our very long walks, pushing our double stroller. Inside: two cute little monsters napping, and Dean and I walking along the Waikiki promenade, for an hour or two, Diamond Head in the far distance. A postcard view from the amazing Pacific shore. Sometimes, elderly ladies, usually Asian approached us to say how cute our girls were.
I recommend the route to Leonards Bakery, a famous malasadas bakery. On the way, the typical tourist landscape changes. A bit of trash, fewer rich tourists, and more of the ordinary life. School, bank, real estate for rent. Now, a small anecdote of cultural differences. I had thought Dean would buy two, three tops donuts for us for a nice afternoon snack and a regeneration for the return trip. In the bakery he was left alone (the line was too big). After some time, to my disbelief, he returned with 16 donuts (some were for friends) – how could he not take advantage of the discount when buying more?
Rose was super happy in the water. She cannot swim yet, but she has become more accustomed to water. Maya also took pools and ocean baths, but much shorter. The afternoon fun in the pool and in the sand were our daily ritual. Another was the dinner at Paina Lanai food court. We easily found there something good for everyone. It was much cheaper than the Waikiki tourist restaurants, and offered a much more relaxing atmosphere. Girls usually devoured spaghetti with meatballs (meatballs, meat in general is Maya’s favorite), Dean preferred fish tacos, and me, to my surprise, the Vietnamese pho soup with the won-ton dumplings. The dishes were amazingly of a good quality.
We were also happy to have lunch at our favorite Japanese restaurant, which we discovered pre-having kids. It was a different experience, but we survived, thanks to rice and noodles, and an additional side of cucumber side.
Did we rest with small children on vacation? No too much. Our hotel provided a children’s daycare. We thought we would give it a try. It turned out, however, the girls would have to be in separate age groups. Of course, it would have been expensive help.
The girls, however, had a great time (nota bene, while having almost no toys) and that was the most important thing for us. What is better than showing children what makes us happy? We did not hang out at the fantastic infinity pool, but in the children zone, it wasn’t that bad.
Everything did not always go smoothly. Dean forgot to pack diapers on the way back, and he was completely clueless about it. Fortunately, at the airport, we quickly bought a spare set, featuring Mickey Mouse.
Well, who needs to do laundry in the evening, and instead of going for a drink, head to the store for formula? Rose and Maya survived breakfasts at McDonald’s. There was no problem with the sun. Rather, I accidentally scalded Maya a bit, when I turned on the hot water, but it wasn’t serious.
Our parental trick for this holiday was to pack as little as possible, so we could get ready quicker.
We needed this trip. It was important to change our everyday surroundings and everyday routine. We spent a lot of time together, the four of us. We came back changed and in good spirits. Dean has even started fantasizing about a trip to Japan (much too early in my opinion).
