When I first arrived at Honolulu International Airport in the mid 1980’s, I was 18 years old and I hadn’t a clue what I was in for. The Air Force had sent me to the Hawaiian Islands, and to me it seemed like a cruel joke. I didn’t WANT to be in Hawaii. I didn’t know anything about Hawaii. There was no internet I could consult to see what living there might be like. The only thing I had to go on was my weak recall of the Brady Bunch episode where they all went to Oahu and had tarantulas in their beds. Now that I think of it, tarantulas weren’t even native to Hawaii! I’ve never seen one. Hmm.

Anyway, so the plane erupted to cheers and claps from passengers onboard as we touched down. I was in a mild state of shock. When the door of the plane opened – I felt a mix of dread and excitement, but far more dread.

The BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN HAWAII?

The feeling. The feeling I got when walked down the endlessly long metal tube leading to the airport reception area… the feeling when I saw dozens of people handing out leis and smiling. The feeling I got as I sensed I wasn’t really on Oahu to work for the Air Force, I was there to work on myself. I was there to enjoy nature at its utmost beauty.

Hawaii is stunningly beautiful and there is nothing like it visually, but more importantly, there is nothing like the feeling you’ll get as you come to the realization of what it is to live or even just visit the Hawaiian Islands.

Paradise on Earth? Absolutely.

What is the Worst Thing About Living in Hawaii? (click to see this other video)