As we drove through the winding narrow roads, the view was unbelievable. To the left, there were tall mountains covered in lush greenery, with a rushing blue waterfall cascading down the side. To the right, there were sparkling dark blue waters as far as the eye can see. My trip had just commenced, and the views were already stunning. And this was just the view from a highway! I couldn’t wait to see them up close.

“The best views come after the hardest climb.” I never fully understood that phrase until this day. We embarked on our first Hawaiian adventure less than an hour after arriving at my cousin’s apartment: a mountain hike just a few minutes’ walk from the apartment. After two hours of uphill climbing, we finally reached the reward. Standing on top of a brown cliff edge, I looked down to see the expansive mountains dense with lush green trees, framed by a picturesque Hawaiian sunset. The deep greens of the mountainous vegetation contrasted with the pastel colors of the sunset—pink, orange, and yellow—to create a view so perfect that a camera could not fully capture. One that was worth more than the burning pain in my legs from the long hike. The best views truly do make the hardest climbs worth it. 

The next morning, it was time to hit the beach. When we arrived at Kailua Beach, we got out of the car to see the turquoise waves crashing onto shore. My family walked along the beach to the ocean, the white-hot soft sand stinging the bottoms of my feet. The water was cool and salty—the perfect relief from the warm, thick air and the blazing sun. After a few hours at the beach, my skin was tingling with a slight sunburn, despite the sunscreen I had slathered on before, and my face had a smile on it that hadn’t left since we arrived at the beach. The turquoise blue waters and the powdery white sand had made this the paradigm of a perfect beach in my mind. 

After several more days filled with plenty of aloe to placate my sunburns, delicious Hawaiian food, and the most beautiful views of nature that I had ever seen, it was time to return back to Wisconsin. While I was sad to leave, I knew I would carry the memories of the exciting experiences and the unbelievable sights with me for years to come.