The last week of my 9 week leave of absence from work was spent in Hawaii. From Ecuador, I flew to Portland first to visit with family before flying on to Oahu with my mother. The rest of my family was going to be in Hawaii for a cousin’s wedding, so I had to come too!

The Hawaiian islands are paradise. White sandy beaches, warm clear water, mild weather, lush green mountains, tropical fruit, and fresh seafood.

The first few days were spent on Oahu. We hiked up Diamond Head, Lanikai Pill boxes, and Pali.

The beaches near Kailua were stunningly beautiful and peaceful compared to many tourist beaches. I am very grateful to have been able to spend a few days soaking it up.

Next it was on to Kauai. I had visited Kauai before and really wanted to relax during this portion of the trip. Therefore, I used Hyatt points earned while working as a travel nurse, to stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. It was a luxury resort in Poipu. Since I have Globalist status with them, breakfast, snacks, happy hour, and dinner were included. The days were filled with sunrise yoga on the beach, spa time, aqua aerobics, swimming in the pools, lounging in the saltwater lagoon, sleeping under a cabana, listening to live music, walking along the beach, and eating a ton of fresh local food. My globalist status will expire next year and we absolutely made the most of it on this stay! I love living in luxury, especially when the total bill was $161 (only paid for lunches and drinks on the beach).

Sadly, I missed my cousin’s wedding since I had to rush back to St. Louis as I was a bridesmaid in a college friend’s wedding. Time with family and friends is so special and I’m glad I got a little of both!