Since arriving in Kailua nearly two and a half months ago (where has the time gone!) we quickly established the ohana (a small cabana-type abode) we are staying in into a home. We landed great jobs, particularly our Morning Brew jobs, which we both love and adore, and established a routine consisting of morning work-outs, reading our library books on the beach, working or hanging out at Morning Brew while the other is working (because let's be real, we practically live there), grilling fresh veggies, sampling the bins at Whole Foods, swimming & snorkeling at the local beach, and Dex-ing it up (aka watching Dexter). But on days when we both don't work, there is no room for routine. There is only room for adventure!
Last Friday we both had the day off, which means an action-packed day of nonstop adventure. We started the morning off at Kailua Beach, just a hop skip and a jump away from The Cabana. The morning water greeted us with refreshing warmth and perfect waves to splash around in. You would think after living here for the entire summer we would be used to the perfection and splendor of the ocean, but we are continually blown away by the pristine colors and beauty of the water. And how could we not?
After grabbing some lunch at Whole Foods we headed over to the house where a couple of our Morning Brew coworkers live. During this past week our manager Courtney's sister, Teeney, was visiting from the east coast. Of course they wanted to show her what North Shore was all about! So naturally, they invited the girls who are obsessed with North Shore - us!
Once arriving at the house we were quick to inquire about Courtney's cat, Eugene, a large, handsome cat we found tucked away in his cat fort. Yes, I said cat fort. After therapeutically petting Eugene (cat lady problems) ourselves, Nick, Courtney, and Teeney piled into Nick's car and headed out.
Taking the route along the coast, it wasn't long until the first stop. Tucked away off the side of the road was a glorious macadamia nut farm.
Nick & Courtney (being all kinds of precious) showed us the ropes of this oasis tucked away in the woods where free coffee, macadamia nuts, and peanut butter were all waiting for us to indulge in.
As professional samplers, it wasn't long until we spotted our favorite samples on the island - Mac Nut butter. Never have you tasted a more delicious, smoother, or satisfying nut butter before. Our favorite flavors include Coconut Macadamia, Lilikoi Mango Macadamia , and Banana Macadamia. If only I could just bring a suitcase worth of this stuff home!
More samples! All these bags were filled with fresh, and fun flavored macadamia nuts, with flavors ranging from Honey Roasted, Maui Onion, Kona Coffee, to our personal favorite, Cinnamon Sugar. We took full advantage of this opportunity, taking several laps around the table. That's allowed, right?
There were also fun little ornaments made out of starfish.
And to our greatest delight - chickens casually roaming around!
Back on the road, Nick acted as our unofficial tour guide of the island, using his vast knowledge of the history and local spots to inform us about anything & everything! He was pointing out all of the cool spots along the way, such as the valley where Jurassic Park and Lost were filmed, the locations where Forgetting Sarah Marshall was filmed, ornate temples, and our next stop - a tasty local fruit stand! We tried star fruit, guava, mangos, dragon fruit, and strawberries.
As we headed onward, we were greeted at our next stop by a large, brightly colored parrot whose name we discovered to be Kevin. We quickly became friends, and snapped some quick pics to prove it.
Nick took us to a spot called "Secret Beach", which was accurately named. The area was quiet, peaceful, and secluded. We set up camp and were quick to jump into the clear, cool, and refreshing water.
He couldn't have picked a more perfect location to gear up and snorkel around. We were soon swimming with huge, brightly colored fish. The rocks were huge and provided a great habitat for marine life--so naturally the marine biologist of the group was in heaven! We spotted several boxfish, triggerfish, sea cucumbers, and huge sea urchins the size of our heads! As we headed back to shore to take a quick break, we ran straight into a gigantic sea turtle! The large, majestic animal was casually swaying in the tide, scavenging the bottom for food. We made eye contact several times, and he assured us we were on good terms. What an incredible experience to be so close to one of nature's most incredible beings. To our great delight, we were joined by several other turtles in the water.
Of course, with every adventure comes abundant opportunities to take ridiculous pictures. So, enjoy our said ridiculousness...
After spending ample time laying in the sun, reading our books, chatting, & watching Courtney hula hoop (and I mean, REALLY hula hoop--very impressive), it was time to fill our stomachs with some nourishment. We headed to the best Thai food restaurant in the North Shore, Opal. Parched and overheated, none of us were too keen on a huge meal, deciding upon a small dish or two to tide us over. However, the owner of the restaurant had another plan for us. After enlightening us on thai cuisine, he decided to plan our entire meal for us. Seven dishes and five bursting bellies later, we all easily agreed that was one of the best, most satisfying, and most delicious meals we had ever experienced. And yes, it was absolutely something to be experienced.
Glancing at the time, we had to book it to the nearest beach to catch a glimpse of the setting sun. And what an incredible way to end the day. The sun, in all its splendor, set upon the ocean as we dipped our feet in the water, and crawled over rocks to catch a better glimpse. As we sat on a blanket in the sand, taking in the beauty and reveling on our day well spent, turtles swam off into the horizon and a cool breeze rolled in.
Days here can go on for a lifetime. One thing after another amazes us and brings new excitement to our life, extending moments into days, and seconds into hours. Never has God's love and faithfulness been more tangible, more concrete, and more easily acknowledged. He continues to shower us day in and day out with reminders of his power and sovereignty. He delights in us. He enchants us. He loves us. And we give Him all the glory for these amazing experiences we get to have.
Tess & Torr power stance, a declaration and celebration of life!
Until next time, North Shore. See you soon.
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