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N is for Never Never Land

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Girls Just Want to have Fun in Gulf Shores, Alabama

In the wonderfully imaginary world of J.M. Barrie, Never Never Land (or Neverland) symbolizes a place of eternal enchantment without boundaries.

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Celebrating Chinese New Year in Seattle’s International District

Here time slows, days become occupied with magical adventures, and residents refuse to grow up any time soon.

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Surfer Girl in Hawaii

So where exactly is Neverland? J.M. Barrie doesn’t say, though we sense a place far offshore from the mainland – literally and metaphorically – where visitors can return to their child-selves, engaged in a spirit of play.

Where’s your Neverland, wanderboomers?

 

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Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa

With so many choices available in Waikiki Beach, how’s a wanderboomer to choose where best to stay? Fortunately, I had the chance to try out the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa for a couple of days on a recent vacation. Here’s why the resort ranks high on my list for solo and family travelers:

Location, Location, Location

The resort lies at the southernmost end of Kalakaua Avenue, the main road through Waikiki.  Kuhio Beach Park is right across the street, for easy beach and ocean access, with Diamond Head and the Honolulu Zoo close by. Even the Waikiki Sand Restoration Project, well underway during this visit, couldn’t diminish the pleasure of having the beach just footsteps away, since most of the beach still remained accessible.

The good news is that the restoration is now complete!

Ocean View

Guests can book a room in one of two towers at the resort: the beautifully renovated oceanfront Kealohilani Tower with its own private balconies or the older Paoakalani Tower. Can you guess which one gets my vote?

Bright, tropical colors and cozy down comforters inside sheeted duvets define the look and feel of rooms in the Kealohilani Tower. Having reading lights mounted into the headboards is a welcome touch, along with outlets and connecting jacks for electronic devices.

Cultural Connections & Activities

So much of why I love to travel is wrapped around learning about and experiencing different cultures. The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort rests on land that was once the summer palace of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. To honor her legacy, the resort renamed the twin towers, together translated as “heavenly fragrance,” to represent her two homes.

Lucky VIP guests can book the Queen Liliuokalani suite, thoughtfully designed to include her love of flowers and music composition.

In a further nod to the Queen’s musical background, nightly entertainment at the resort presents authentic Hawaiian music. What a treat to sit in the warm open-air of Moana Terrace overlooking Waikiki Beach, listening to music masters George Kuo, Martin Pahinui (slack key guitar) & Aaron Mahi (bass)!

And if watching hula dancers is on your must-do-in-Hawaii list, you’ll be happy to know that performances are presented throughout the day in the resort’s enormous main lobby.

Active wanderboomers  can also take advantage of the Surf Package offered by the on-site Pro Surf School Hawaii, owned and operated by professional surfer Kai Sallas. For $244./night, guests can stay in a deluxe room with balcony, and receive a two-hour lesson with professional surfers and a two-day surfboard rental. Classes are offered at all levels in how to surf, stand up paddle and bodyboard.

Amenities

With 1,310 guest rooms, 5 dining facilities, plus Seattle’s Best Coffee House, two outdoor pools and whirlpool, a free 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center and a spa salon, is it any wonder that staying at the resort feels like living in a small village? Oh – and don’t forget over 55,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space and a Business Center (if you must work while you’re here), plus a host of places to shop throughout the property, including the always popular ABC Store.

Hawaiian Hospitality

Maybe it’s because the ever-present sun and timeless, natural island beauty bring out the best in people. Whatever the reason, the spirit of warm hospitality runs deep in Hawaii. From the fragrant floral leis presented to visitors at airport arrivals to the heartfelt expression of “Aloha” in greetings and partings, Hawaiian hospitality is legendary. A little bit of kindness extended by chef Chuck and server Janice in the Kuhio Grill, for example, went a long way in making this WanderBoomer a happy camper.

* Special thanks to the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa for hosting a portion of my stay.

There’s still time to enter our special Travel Writing Contest, Wanderboomers! Win a 5-night stay (and fantastic extras) on Hawaii Island at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. For details, click here:

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2012/hawaii-island-travel-writing-contest-announced

But hurry – entries must be submitted by September 14, 2012 11:59 p.m. PST!

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I’m in a Hawaiian Island State of Mind

Aloha, wanderboomers! Can’t you just hear the rustle of the wind, feel the warm tropical breezes, smell the salt-water air when you look at this palm tree photo? Yeah, me, too. There’s something about summer that makes me long for easy island living.

Oh, the windmills of my mind . . . I can look at this photo, close my eyes, and zap! I’m back on the beach in Hawaii, with not a care in the world, just enjoying the sun, the warmth and those lazy, crazy days of perpetual summer.

Are you with me? In case you, too, have a hankering to hit the beach in Hawaii, how about entering our very special travel writing contest? All you have to do is write a non-fiction travel story that takes place anywhere in the state of Hawaii or is about Hawaii. Make sure it fits into 1 of the 3 categories: Earth, Sea or Sky and submit it no later than September 14, 2012 11:59 p.m. PST.

Did I mention that the winner receives a 5-night stay (and fantastic extras) on Hawaii Island at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (value: $3,282)? Each of the 3 best-in-category winners will receive a pair of La Paz Sandals from KEEN Footwear (value $60 – $70). For more information click on the link:

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2012/hawaii-island-travel-writing-contest-announced

Why not give it a try? Surf’s up! and the water’s warm ~

What about you, Wanderboomers? Share your favorite Hawaiian memories with us here – and enter our Hawaiian travel writing contest!

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A Visit to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial

Memorial Day 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial.

When planning our trip to Oahu, several friends had insisted, “You have to visit Pearl Harbor.” Now that I’ve done so, I would urge the same to anyone visiting the island.

A visit to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial is a sobering experience, a poignant reminder of the 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives here on December 7, 1941. On this sunny Spring day on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, the scene at the New Visitor Center is quiet and peaceful, a fitting tribute to our nation’s fallen soldiers. A self-guided audio tour narrated by actor Jamie Lee Curtis is an informative, inspiring companion as I stroll the grounds, contemplating the weight of history from that Sunday morning long ago.

The audio tour begins with a stop at The Tree of Life, a sculpture designed by architect Alfred Preis to symbolize rebirth, renewal and a reminder that we are all interconnected. Nearby the USS Arizona Bell, one of two salvaged from the ship, stands silent.

I stop at the Road to War Museum to learn about the events that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor and observe a detailed model of the USS Arizona on display. But inside the Attack Museum, recordings by survivors  who share their memories of the assault leave the deepest impression.

A US Navy boat shuttles us to the USS Arizona Memorial, a site visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. The long white, airy structure echoes the beauty of the Tree of Life sculpture at the Visitor Center. The building was designed to stand strong on either end with a sag in the center, symbolizing initial defeat but ultimate victory.

As we walk through the entrance, the mood is somber, heightened by the realization that we are standing over the submerged hull of the ship, the final resting place for many of the crewman.

A guide refers to the “Black tears of the USS Arizona” in pointing to the oil slick that continues to stream onto the water surface from the sunken battleship.

At the far end of the memorial lies the shrine room where the names of those who lost their lives aboard the ship are engraved on a white marble wall.

Learning that several surviving crewmen of the attack requested that their ashes be entombed here alongside their fallen brethren adds to the poignancy of the scene.

What You Need to Know If You Go:

  • The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open from 7AM – 5PM daily, but the timed visits to the USS Arizona Memorial start at 8AM and end with the 3PM visit.
  • While there’s no ticket cost to visit the USS Arizona Memorial itself, other nearby Pearl Harbor historic sites do charge a fee.
  • In the past, long line waits of two hours or more was not uncommon. But the situation has improved with the ability to reserve tickets on-line (for a service fee of $1.50). Tickets must be picked up one hour before the reserved program time.
  • Pay the $7.50 for the audio tour if you want to fully enjoy the experience of your visit.
  • Strict security measures prevent bags of any kind – including diaper bags, purses, camera bags – anything that conceals the contents – past the entrance. Cell phones, cameras and wallets are allowed. Prepare to store your bags at the storage facility for $3.00 a bag.

Do you have any memories to share of Pearl Harbor and/or the USS Arizona, Wanderboomers?

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Shave Ice: A Hawaiian Treat

I used to love having a snow cone on a hot summer day when I was a kid. Served in a cone-shaped paper cup, this crunchy ice treat was topped with basic flavored syrups like cherry, blueberry, lemon-lime, orange and grape. Once you made your way through the snow cone itself, there was the promise of slurping up all the juice that had drained into the bottom of the cup. It was cold, messy, and above all, very sweet. My friends and I would smile, open our mouths wide and say “Ahhh!” to show each other how the rainbow colors had stained our teeth, tongues and lips. In other words, snow cones were our kind of treat!

But before visiting Oahu, I hadn’t heard of the Hawaiian alternative to my not-so-secret childhood pleasure.

Shave (without the “d”) ice is a different animal altogether. Gone is the crunch of the snow cone’s coarse ice, replaced by a soft, fluffy confection that more closely resembles the texture of powdery snow. The server pats the ice into a rounded ball, pokes a few straw holes around the cone, and tops it off with yummy island syrup flavors like coconut, pina colada, guava, mango and passion fruit. But wait – there’s more . . . In the center of the rounded ball, underneath the razor-thin packed ice, lies a surprise: ice cream! Of course, you can have the shave ice without the ice cream if you so choose. Either way, the entire concoction is served in a colorful plastic cup and served with a spoon and a straw. Mmm . . .

What was your favorite childhood sweet, Wanderboomers? Have you tried shave ice?

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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