Life's a Beach

1. I love writing in the sand.

2. and 3. My beach essentials:

a. Hawaii beach towel from the ABC store

b. Le Sportsac vinyl mini backpack

c. Neutrogena Ultimate Sport SPF 55 sunblock spray (I was originally using Hawaiian

Tanning lotion SPF 4, but let's just say it worked too well)

d. Sunsilk Waves of Envy hairspray - I had searched high and low for this spray and of course
I found it in a Longs Drugstore in Ala Moana. It gives me that "straight from the beach"
look without actually going to the beach. I just brought it along to make my hair SUPER
wavy. I ended up buying two bottles because it works so well. And it just smells.. beach-y.

e. Fujifilm water camera - the last time I was in Hawaii, I didn't even develop the pictures,

but I swear I'm going to do it this time.

f. iPhone and portable charger - I managed to get my phone wet while hiking up to Manoa

Falls. Somehow I knew that would happen during this trip, which is one of the reasons I

didn't buy the new iPhone. Luckily Irwin had this portable charger with him so I could still

play Godfinger while on the beach.

g. book - I finished reading "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" and am now a huge Haruki

Murakami fan. I absolutely loved that book, all 600 something pages of it. Luckily I

brought the other book on my list, "Illustrado" by a Filipino author. First time reading

anything from a Filipino author, and I must say I like it. It's a bit verbose in the beginning,

but I like the way the story flows.

h. sunglasses - these are my wannabe Grey Ant sunglasses that I could not take off during

this trip. I managed to bend my aviators in some weird way, but these proved to be

the perfect substitute.

i. Aloe drink - Aloe + mangosteen + mango = perfectly refreshing island drink. Who knew?

j. Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut shortbread cookies = this is my favorite brand. The ones
that come in the box, or those Honolulu Cookie company ones, just don't compare to these.

4. Lanikai Beach - the most perfect beach on the island. We kept coming back to this beach for

the breathtaking view, the soft sand that was so fine that even when my skin dried, I would
still be dusting it off my body.

5. and 6. Irwin and I enjoying ourselves at Waikiki beach (right across from our hotel)

7, 8, and 9. A few of the beautiful views of the Waikiki strip/beach from our hotel room.

10. Palm trees against a bright blue sky - my view when laying on the beach.

11. I'm ridiculously happy right now.