Sand Between My Chubby Toes - My Trip to Oahu
Updated: Aug 8, 2019
Let me start by saying that I have never been to Hawaii. In fact, I like to avoid most warm-climate, tropical places as I tend to overheat easily - I HATE SWEATING - and I have very fair skin. And, being a plus-sized woman with body image issues, I tend to stay away due to my fear of having to show an uncomfortable amount of my natural fluffiness to beat the heat. Learn more about me confront my fears of swimsuit shopping, visit my post here.
My cousin, his wife and their 3 kids moved to Oahu a couple years back. And, during that whole time, I kept promising I would visit them there. But with the news that they would be moving from the islands next year to somewhere even further away, I decided that now was the time to go. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going to this tropical locale.
I was a bit worried about finding activities I'd enjoy doing that didn't require...
1) Swimming in the ocean (I mean look at me, I'd be a delicious snack... eh erm meal... for any shark!)
2) Spending long hours in the sun (my transparent white skin and susceptibility to sun rash won't let me last more than 10 minutes before getting fried)
3) Have me hiking long trails (hiking is the equivalent to torture in my opinion. I am too clumsy and walking that long on uneven ground, 90% of my attempts have resulted in me with a rolled ankle and scraped up knees)
My ideal relaxing but culturally educating and visually stunning vacation includes:
1) Hopping on a narrated tour bus to get the inside scoop about the city with plenty of views to snap photos of
2) Wandering through the halls of art galleries or museum exhibits soaking up as much historical facts that I can
3) Stepping into the remains of historic sights like castles, monasteries or village and imagining going back in time rebuilding it all in my mind to their former glory
4) Setting up shop in a coffee house at the center of a busy city people watching whilst working away at some of my creative writing taking inspiration of everything in my view
5) Tasting the best of what the city or country has to entice me with
Here are a few highlights from my time on the island. And, guess what!? I only got sunburned the first day (forgot to put sunscreen on a small portion of my leg - whoops). I found plenty of activities even the fluffiest of girls can enjoy, as well as ones that satisfied my list of must-haves above. And, with my strategic packing skills and outfit planning, I roamed the island with confident style while still showing my curves comfortably.
A Place to Retreat
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