
Before we left for Hawaii, there was a short period of time when I was going through emotional fatigue. My days involved many unproductive hours just laying in bed. Thankfully, I snapped out of it and soon found solace in walking. After everyone had gone off to school or work in the morning, I looked forward to my walks.
Walking, somehow, provided a sense of relief– a relief from my often humdrum days. I know it sounds a bit crazy but during my walks, I imagined being in places I haven’t been, picturing myself on a trek to Machu Picchu or in the foot of a mountain somewhere in the Himalayas. My imagination transported me to another world and because of this I was able to overcome some of my torment and get through my day.

When we arrived in Hawaii, I was set to do a lot of walking despite the occasional objections from my kids. I planned to do some hiking, an unusual itinerary for the whole family. I’m not sure if my husband and the boys noticed the changes within me but they never did inquire. They knew the type of vacations I’ve always enjoyed–mostly traveling to big cities, shopping, hunting for the latest and hottest spots or eating at trendy or highly acclaimed restaurants. But this vacation was different. I did not seek the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle but instead I sought out for the real jungle!
The scenic stroll through the tropical lush greenery transported me into an isolated island off Costa Rica, imagining myself in a thrilling scene in Jurassic Park. But wait, this is where it actually happened! Most of the movie’s wild jungle scenes were filmed here at Mānoa Falls. Also true for the TV series Lost, some of the episodes were filmed in this same location.
The first thing I noticed when we started our hike was the smell of the rainforest. Breathing in the clean air, surrounded by the fresh smell of trees, hearing the birds chirping, and the sound of the water running all brought an inexplicable feeling of excitement.
The trail is very well maintained but it can get muddy and those large boulders can become very slippery during the rainy days. A good footwear is highly recommended but as an inexperienced hiker such as myself, I found this hike quite easy. It took us about 1 1/2–2 hours of total walking. It was definitely the most fascinating couple of hours I spent in Oahu.
When we reached the waterfall, we were a bit disappointed that it hardly had any water (above photo). Apparently this is the result from the lack of rain in the island lately.
I found an image of the waterfall in the Internet just to get an idea of what it would look like had there been an abundance of rain. Photo
Another tidbit of information: They have now deemed it dangerous for anyone to swim in the base of the waterfall since the rockslide in 2002.
My husband asked what I thought was the most memorable part of our trip. For me, the hike at Mānoa Falls was certainly one of my top two most unforgettable moments. The other was trekking Diamond Head.
Mahalo, Mānoa Falls, for an experience of a lifetime!
I know what you mean about taking a long walk, marvelling at the scenery and using your imagination. I love the smell of the air and tropical rain forest too. Your photos are wonderful. Ps. I am posting your Snapshots tomorrow 🙂
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Hi Ting! Yes I noticed you do a lot of walking in your blogs as well. Oh I can’t wait to read it!! Thanks for choosing me to be a part of your travel snapshot posts!
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wow that was really a great place. thanks for sharing that. I also love traveling to rainforest and the like. I think thats how we connect our soul to nature.
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Thanks so much for dropping by! Glad you liked my post! Yes rainforest do give that inexplicable feeling of joy!
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I’ve been doing (or at least attempting to do) walks during my recent travels too. They’re good for the spirit, certainly. Maybe we just reach a point in our life when we start to enjoy walks. 🙂
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Yes it is definitely good for the spirit! 😊
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The forest looks incredible, it must have felt really strange to walk amongts this weird vegetation. And the waterfall looks nice when it’s not dry 😉 It’s always the problem if you go there during the dry season…
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Yes that’s true and yet during the wet season, you can’t really enjoy these type of activities. So either way we lose 😄
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Yes, we always have to make a choice 🙂
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Well, I shouldn’t say we lose….because the experience is still pretty amazing!!
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The opening image makes me feel like entering a heaven! What a beautiful place for hiking. Truly impressive. Thank you for bringing us to this beautiful place!
and wishing you a wonderful easter weekend with your family! Happy Easter!!
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Happy Easter to you too Indah! That’s what I actually felt- like entering heaven 😊
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Sounds like a lovely, relaxing vacation. Walking helps me to clear my mind as well. Your photographs are wonderful! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Thanks so much! Walking sure has many benefits. It is not only good for your health, but also helps alleviate depression. And in my case, it surely fired up my wild imagination 😉
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I’ve read that not does walking have lots of health benefits, but walking in nature is even more healing. Happy trails! 🙂
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Oh that’s good to know! Thanks!
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What a beautiful hike! That banyan tree in the one picture is amazing (not that everything else isn’t amazing, but I think I just like banyan trees!).
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Hi Sarah! I do like banyan trees too! They are amazingly beautiful!
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My parents’ had one outside their cottage in Kauai – it was amazing. People kept coming by to take pictures with it (even people who weren’t staying there).
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Hawaii looks beautiful. I’m a big fan of hiking and like getting out of the city and into the mountains as often as I can! I dream of visiting Machu Picchu and the Himalayas too 🙂
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I wish we had mountains here in Dallas but I will have to do with the not-so-exciting hiking trails they have (it’s better than nothing)! I wish one day we can visit Machu Picchu and the Himalayas. I often wonder if I’ll even get to it. Thanks for dropping by Celia!
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