No Table a Polarizing Battleground

“I really don’t agree with that, but I’m gonna keep my mouth shut. I don’t want to get into a discussion, I know how those arguments pan out.” Sound familiar? I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but this thought crosses my mind a lot. I bet I’m not the only one. And I bet that many of you have made yourself this promise as you prepare for Thanksgiving chats with crazy uncles and loud brother-in-laws. 

Whether I speak with conservative, Christian friends, or hear the overwhelmingly liberal sounds all around me here in LA, I can’t help but strongly disagree with both. Quite frankly, that can feel scary, and lonely, at times. 

I feel like I’m falling into this wide chasm, and can’t allow myself to belong to either side to find some solid ground. I’m drowning in a purple whirlpool, if you will. 

My coping mechanism for this has been mentally checking out, and avoiding all political or controversial topics. I even stopped listening to the news for several years because of it. 

I see this tendency a lot, especially amongst students and amongst church-goers. This causes a structural ignorance that makes a whole generation irrelevant in tomorrow’s conversation that requires sharpened critical minds to come up with creative solutions for pressing problems.

I can’t afford to do that. We can’t afford to continue to do that. Putting my head in the sand is not an option if I want a seat at the table. 

So I’ve started to let myself be affected by the intense polarization around me. I’m allowing it to be uncomfortable, and to challenge any lingering insecurities inside of me.

This Summer, I read “Braving the Wilderness” by Dr. Brown.  I’m starting to think that it was likely the most important book of 2019, even though I didn’t recognize it as such when I was reading it. 

Dr. Brown takes her, now arguably infamous, principles beyond her usual personal and inter-personal perspective and applies it to a macro-level, shedding light on current developments in society. She discusses how in a polarizing political climate, complex issues are presented as having only two options. You either agree, or disagree. She describes how detrimental this is for our families, communities, cities and country. 

No social issue is ever that simple. The most polarizing topics – you know, the ones that you aim to  carefully avoid at next week’s thanksgiving table – are only polarizing when they are stripped down to a simplified black-and-white illustration. For the sake of persuasion, these social issues become an outline of bite-sized ideas, a ghost of the multi-layered issue it really is.

Abortion, immigration, foreign policy, health care, gun ownership… none of these are simple two-option topics. The implications and consequences of each standpoint overlap into many other aspects of society, so a harsh cut-and-dry statement almost always shows a subtle social illiteracy. 

Yet, who has the courage to admit they don’t know enough about the topic to form a solid stance? Quotable tweets and visually pleasing infographics are stitched together to portray a well-informed reputation, yet there’s rarely any real background research to back it up. But who cares whether or not you really understand the complexity if you only need to decide one side or another? 

I can’t help but see the effect of three centuries of a bi-partisan political structure embedded in the cultural norms of popular debate. 

Effective? Maybe. Polarizing? Dear God, yes. 

Any debate that starts with the presentation of only two sides, and demands to pick one early on, is doomed before it even began. It’s a sign of immaturity and a narrow educative input to not be able to let someone share a middle ground, a nuanced opinion, or a unique angle. It seems like there’s only space for bazooka-opinions, aimed to slaughter the opposing side. 

If people around you feel don’t safe to disagree or ask questions, you might want to check your intentions. Do you really want a conversation, or do you need a soapbox to validate your right to have a voice? Only those who don’t have their identity wrapped into their opinions are the ones able to learn, and the only ones truly qualified to teach. 

Nervous about next week? You’re not the only one. Yet mentally checking out or tiptoeing around hot topics won’t help build a bridge. If your Thanksgiving table turns into a battleground with opposing sides digging trenches, dare to sit down and break bread in the middle. Let’s not forget that we are showing the kids at the edge of the table how to behave, talk and interact once they get a seat of their own. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of grayscale or clashing colors. I’ll be painting my Thanksgiving table, and every table thereafter, in a rainbow of colors instead of merely two. 

Share this post if you want your guests to know that you will do the same.

Running through the streets of Oslo: an interview with a digital nomad

Trending Instagram accounts feature people who travel across the States in a van or backpack through Europe. This lifestyle is popular, and seems to no longer be reserved for the elite or the retired. It’s the age of digital nomads: people who can work from anywhere, using technology to perform their job. 

Gene Zaino, CEO of MBO Partners told Forbes in August: “It’s important to recognize that the way we work is changing, and that remote, dispersed work, including digital nomadism, will only continue to grow in the future.”

Internet-enabled work takes on a more prominent role every day. Businesses are quick to move their sales and structures to online platforms. 

Andrew is one of these digital nomads, he’s been working in a primarily remote position for almost two years.

Andrew had already been traveling extensively in between jobs, which solidified his desire to grow financially independent and not get stuck in a 9-5 office job. He started working for his company when it was only a small start up. As the company grew, some of the first employees were moving away, but the company wanted to retain them despite of these relocations. Andrew’s employers started to create remote positions for these valuable employees. As the company evolved, the work culture became more and more “as long as you’re getting the work done, it doesn’t really matter where you work,” according to Andrew. He took advantage of this, and started his transition into remote working during this time period. 

Manny Pantoja

Andrew still lives in California, but travels very frequently. “My daily lifestyle is quite dynamic,” he says. His schedule is different depending on which timezone he’s in. He tries to get most of his tasks and projects done early in the morning, so he has time to explore and be with friends later in the day. The only thing that is still fixed in his schedule are the conference calls with his team and phone calls with clients. “We have the privilege of working with and meeting our clients where they’re at, including time zones. If my client is on the East Coast, we will have to get up early. If I’m in Australia, that morning meeting starts at midnight for me.” 

Managing different timezones is a big part of the digital nomad’s life. Andrew recalls one time where he was running through the streets of Oslo, Norway. He muted his phone to drown out the city sounds as he desperately looked for a quiet place to have this unexpected phone call with a client. It was the afternoon in his client’s timezone, so the background noises of the night club that Andrew was in when he got the work-related phone call, would have raised questions – and eyebrows, too.

Andrew says another challenge to the remote working lifestyle is that you’re losing a lot of communicative bandwidth when you’re not able to have face-to-face interactions. However, this is also the reason why he thinks remote working increases productivity.

“It helps me to focus on work rather than office dynamics. You miss out on the relational aspect of being one-on-one in person with people…, but at the same time, I’m not sitting in an office being self-conscious of everything that’s going on. We’re looking at a screen at the work itself”.

Remote work requires a higher level of self-management. “In a remote position, you manage your own workload and deadlines. For me, that means that work largely influences my travel abilities.”

Related: “One Semester As A Digital Nomad”

However, he says that the benefits outweigh these challenges – mainly having more flexibility and freedom.

The main reason why he could never see himself to go back to a traditional job is that he believes his creative personality thrives on a frequently changing environment.

“It makes my life and job more enjoyable. It enables me to spend more time with family and friends and see the world,” he says. “I’m not limited to sitting in a fluorescent lit box, I can work outside in the sunshine.” 

Avi Richards

Andrew struggles with back issues, and the ability to work from home have helped him to manage the pain. “I can work in lots of different places, positions, holding my laptop in different ways.” If the back pain is really bad, he sometimes even works on his stomach. “Working at home allows me to work in positions that may not be appropriate in an office.”

Andrew expects that the future job market will see two opposing movements. One is a movement where companies are increasing their amount of remote working positions, and the other is an approach that’s being pioneered by Google, where companies are creating a work environment that employees have everything provided for and enjoy a work environment that stimulates innovation and creativity.

As for aspiring digital nomads, Andrew emphasizes the importance of being a trust-worthy employee. “Building trust with a company is the same as building trust with a person: you meet their needs.” This means providing quality work over an extensive amount of time. “You can try a transition period with your work where you are working less and less in the office. Try half days or 3 days a week, but make sure that during this transition time you don’t get distracted and your performance doesn’t decrease.”

Companies in every industry continue to add remote positions and require local alternatives to cheaper foreign outsourcing. Whether it’s remote position with a traditionally structured company like the one Andrew works for, or a freelance job that’s fully online, building a career while sitting on a beach in Thailand might become possible for more and more people.

The weight and honor of journalism

This is David. Without knowing it, he taught me an important lesson about journalism today.

David lost his wife, who was German. He did what most people do when they speak a bit of German and recognize my accent: start a conversation in a language that’s far more foreign to me than they want to believe. After I struggle through some “wunderbar’s and “ein bisschen” (which was a way too generous reply to his question whether I spoke German), I was thankful to switch back to English.

David doesn’t have a job, or as he put it: “every day is Sunday for me.” I didn’t ask, but I had a feeling he may not have a permanent home either. None of that really matters though. We chatted about photography, the superiority of Canon and the gorgeous mural behind him.

I didn’t tell him that I pretty much had slammed on my brakes, circled around the block and parked nearby – just because of the visual of him hunched over in front of this giant motivational phrase caught my attention enough to forget about my approaching deadlines and stop.

I didn’t tell him that I had been asking myself what the hell I was doing while I was in my parked car putting my camera gear together.

I didn’t tell him I was a little nervous to point the camera in his direction when he wasn’t looking yet, and even more nervous to approach him and introduce myself afterwards. But David and his kindness and his smile that lit up when I shook his hand, taught me something that Amber taught me this morning as well.

Amber was one of the students I quickly interviewed about the benefits of Math Therapy, a program that helps minority students overcome math anxiety. Without much eye contact, she told me she was glad to be in Math Therapy, because most math instructors didn’t pay much attention to “students like her, black and brown kids”.

She didn’t say much else, and her quote ended up getting cut from my final draft of the article. Yet she was the one I walked away thinking about. It was something about her facial expression when she talked, something about the way her comment revealed so much.

I probably read between the lines and I’m most likely being overly sappy, but I can’t shake the feeling of the honor and weight of what I get to learn and what I’ll get to do. A reverence, if you will.

This pen, camera and blue press badge allow me to give people a voice.

Now don’t misunderstand me, this is not me saying that she needed me, or that anybody does. This isn’t about me doing them a favor, quite the opposite. They’re the ones doing me a favor, they’re gifting me with a little bit of trust. They’re the ones lending me their words or face for just a moment, trusting that I will represent them accurately later.

And that’s journalism. The weight of it, the responsibility, the joy.

“To go to where the silence is and say something” – broadcaster Amy Goodman

You know, David and Amber taught me today what I need to overcome to become a great journalist. I need to stop feeling like a bother.

David’s smile and Amber’s comments made me think today: what if I’m not bothering people by taking their photograph or taking a few minutes of their time? What if I’m asking them for a gift, and giving them something in return? If nothing else, I can give a listening ear and undivided attention, a handshake and a genuine wish for a nice day.

Sure, none of that matters in the grand scheme of things. But maybe I might leave something lingering with whoever I meet, interview and photograph: a renewed sense that their voice matters. Because it does, doesn’t it? It does.

One Semester as a Digital Nomad

Maybe another coffee will help. The cubicle’s walls are closing in, the stack of papers on the desk are even higher than when the workday started, and the office dropped down to arctic temperatures thanks to the freezing AC. This is what four years in college has lead to. Eight hours a day, five days a week; this is the reality for the average working American. But it doesn’t have to be, and it won’t be for much longer. The job market is changing.

Digital nomads are people who can work from anywhere, using technology to perform their jobs. This career path is becoming more popular and more common. The job market is changing as more companies switch to online platforms. As such, college students should take at least one semester of online classes to prepare themselves for the benefits and challenges of a remote job.

6 steps to start shopping ethically

Your clothes are killing people.

That was as much of a shock to me as it probably is to you. I had no clue about what my shopping dollars were allowing the industry to do. Once I found out, I knew I had to change the way I spent my money.

Ignorance is a choice. Not knowing is no longer an excuse in a time where the information is literally at our finger tips. You can read in my previous post what fast fashion is and the impact it has on people like you and me.

YOUR CLOTHES ARE KILLING PEOPLE (AND THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT)

After hearing about the impact of your fashion choices, are you ready to change your shopping habits? Do you want to join the Charity Revolution and change your lifestyle instead of merely donating money? Let’s empower each person involved in the making of your clothes, instead of endanger and dehumanize them.

Here are 6 steps to get you started on having an ethical, sustainable wardrobe:

Your clothes are killing people (and this is what you can do about it)

To all my fashionistas, handsome friends and stylish trendsetters, this is for you. For my social justice warriors, anti-trafficking advocates, “be the change”-comrades, this is for you.

Well, actually, this is for anyone who wears clothes. That would be everybody, except for that one guy who runs around butt-naked on the Venice boardwalk. You’re excused, good sir. Everybody else, I want to tell you something:

Your clothes are killing people.

In the rat race of mass consumption, a bed-to-grave marketing attack and the pursuit of profit over value, most companies have sacrificed a value for human life.

After I found the truth behind my favorite brands, I realized I had to completely change the way I shopped. If my life goal is to be an advocate for human rights, I cannot justify continuing to shop at OldNavy.

I meet a lot of people who are passionate about social justice, or want use their life to makes the world a better place, but they don’t know where to start. My dear friends, here is a baby-step that will make a GIGANTIC impact: change the world by changing your shopping habits.

Conquering FOMO in the Capital of Entertainment

My New York friends had warned me about this. Probably alarmed by my frantic travel habits that tried to squeeze an irreplaceable memory out of every minute, they advised me to also take evenings for a long hot bath, or a Netflix binge.

“You have to stay in to stay sane sometimes,” they told me when I was preparing for my move to LA this Fall and my future move to New York. I laughed and told them about my seemingly bottomless reservoir of energy and my solid practice of saying no, and silently thought they were exaggerating. 

FOMO and FOID. The Fear Of Missing Out and the Fear Of Imperfect Decisions. These two will have you running around living someone else’s life, or passively standing by as life whirls around you. Or both. Often both.

I thought I had a good handle on FOMO and FOID, until I moved to the city. There’s an event every moment of every day, and another coffee shop or exhibition around every corner, and new potential friends in every group of strangers. FOMO and FOID have now become daily battles. 

Like… I sat in my car for 18 minutes yesterday, trying to decide which coffeeshop I wanted to work at. Side note: I ended up at a table across from an INCREDIBLY handsome guy, and after an hour of that eye-contact-chemistry and me kicking myself that I didn’t keep up the conversation when he asked me a question, he left 🙄.

Like… I may or may not have already adopted the LA mentality of canceling plans without notice, or being scandalously late. Glory to the always-valid excuse of crazy traffic, or the lack of parking.

Like… I had 7 different options for my Friday night and went to none of them.

I spent the first Saturday after moving to the city, hiking in Runyon Canyon Park to get this view of downtown Los Angeles. 

It’s hitting me hard, and I realized my city-expert-friends had been right. Whether it’s LA, New York, London or any other city that never sleeps, it’s hard to fight the urge to be in the midst of it all, lest you miss out. 

How hilariously paradoxical that I was brought to this sparkling city for my season of rest. Really, God?! Wouldn’t a cabin in the woods have been more appropriate? 

It’s time I honestly admit that what I really need now is introvert time. I’ve been around people 16 hours a day for almost 2 years straight and that’s not counting the nights I slept next to someone or I had an all-nighter shift. I’ve worked my little ass off for the majority of those waking hours, and went wild with bucketlists and wanderlust for the remaining days. It was perfect for then, but now I’m tired.

Right now I want weekends spent behind my sketch book and sewing machine. 

On the perfect hardwood floors of my room – making choreographies in mismatched styles. 

In my favorite velvet chair – reading books until I’m so filled with words that I can’t help but write. 

In my now-messy kitchen – repotting, pruning and reviving my 27 plants that all miraculously survived the gross neglect during international trips and bravely conquered a 10-hour drive in the blazing sun. 

Behind my desk filled with too many coffee mugs – collecting the best of my travel photographs and stories to finally share them with the world.

I want to be by myself. With Dermot Kennedy, Brolly, Ruben or Lucas and my other favorite male voices on a bone-chilling volume in my ears. Allowing thoughts to be the only conversation for a while.

 

So here I am, trying to selah my way through the capital of Entertainment. Because there’s something this angel-city can teach me that a cabin in the mountains never could: to give myself permission.

Permission to unapologetically own every need of my artist’s soul. Permission to let this whole bustling city be just inches away and choose to stay in.

Permission to not get that spectacular adventure that would do great on my InstaStories. 

Permission to look, and feel, like a bit of a loner, when I stay in my pj’s the entire Saturday (even when I take myself to the movies, because one of America’s greatest wins compared to Europe is that sweatpants & an old T are a perfectly acceptable outfit in a mall. Or on a college campus, as I discovered recently 🤔).

This life is mine, and the only “imperfect decision” I’d regret is not designing it exactly like I want it.

So here is the permission slip for me and anyone else in sparkling LA, hustling New York or small town anywhere. Miss out. Say no. Cancel plans. Make a wrong decision. Stay home, or take yourself on a date. 

You have permission. Let’s enjoy the Fun Of Imperfect Decisions and the Freedom Of Missing Out. 

You have nothing to prove, and everything to gain. ♥️ 

Photo Journal: Mount Maunganui, New Zealand

Mount Maunganui: A New Zealand Must-See

When you visit a nation that is so spectacularly beautiful that you have to choose between one gorgeous view over another incredible waterfall, creating an itinerary can feel overwhelming. New Zealand has a plethora of options when you love the outdoors, especially because it provides such a wide variety of landscapes.

Mount Maunganui was our final stop on our road trip through the North Island. Mount Maunganui’s Main Beach has been crowned the ‘Best Beach in New Zealand’ by TripAdvisor, and ranks among the top 25 best beaches in the world. I wanted to share it as the first New Zealand recommendation of the series, because this beautiful city should definitely be included in your trip to this country.

If this view from the top of the mountain doesn’t convince you, maybe the gorgeous beaches, cute restaurants or vibrant shopping street will. We spent the afternoon peddle boarding in the harbor, before heading on a barefoot hike up the mountain. It’s a fairly steep climb, but wide roads and no crazy cliffs, so a very suitable walk for families with smaller kids. It’s an easy hike, you may be out of breath, but you’re at the top within the hour. The views on the ocean and city below get more breathtaking the higher up you go, motivating every step forward.

The weather in New Zealand is apparently the best in the beginning of December, which is the start of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. It felt surreal to exchange raindrops and crispy leaves for blossoms and little lambs. Even more surreal were the Christmas hats with swimming trunk outfits and the Christmas lights around a bbq on the beach. I can’t imagine celebrating the holidays in the summer, but it sure looked like they were having fun!

Like I mentioned earlier, the beach of Mount Maunganui is rated as the most beautiful of the whole country. Rightly so, as it’s long stretch of white, clean sand next to the city. We walked to the peninsula during sunset, and had the most perfect evening to end a wonderful week in New Zealand. Apparently the surfing here is amazing as well, according to TripAdvisor and my local friend. 😉

Next post on Open Horizons will show you the itinerary of our roadtrip through New Zealand, including many local recommendations for hikes, natural hot springs and more outdoor adventure fun. For now, I hope this little photo journal inspired you to put Mount Maunganui on your bucket list, because it quickly conquered my “favorites list”.

An afternoon in Houston, Texas

A Corner of Houston, Texas

One of my travel mottos is to always take advantage of your layovers. My trip to South America went definitely less than smooth, so I unexpectedly ended up staying two nights in Houston. As a first time visitor to Texas, I was excited to see what all those stories were all about.

T O S T A Y

I stayed at two hotels close to the airport, because one of the nicest things for a weary traveler is a free and frequent airport shuttle and a smooth check-in process that doesn’t include small talk with your AirBnB host. I avoid chains as much as I can, but for the days my itinerary has become complete chaos, I’ll take the predictability of a chain hotel. I always book through Hotwire, because they give great deals by not revealing the hotel name until after you’ve booked.

The Red Roof Inn was a pleasant surprise, and I preferred that one over the Ramada Inn (South) even though the Ramada has 3*** instead of 2.5.

T O  E X P L O R E

I opted to take the bus to Downtown Houston, because that’s usually where all the fun in a city is at. Not Houston. It was mostly skyscrapers, a few rushing men in suits and a lot of homeless people on drugs. I immediately headed to Westfield Street instead, and found a cute corner of the city that multiple local people had recommended.

I’m so glad I landed myself in this corner of Houston at the Montrose. I mean, look at these murals! The pops of color were a warm welcome after the grey and smelly experience of downtown. It seemed like almost every parking lot wall was covered in another amazing art piece!

T O S I P

Cafe Brasil / 2604 Dunlavy St

Two large back patios and more seating inside: this would do great if you’re with a large group. The coffee was excellent, and although the service staff was fairly snobby to me, I’m sure that’d be different if you order food and you’re not by yourself (apparently someone just ordering coffee to write wasn’t as normal here as I thought it would be?).

Across the street, there’s also Comrade Coffee that looked amazing, and a little further down there’s a Greek specialty coffee shop called Agora.

T O S H O P

Pavement & Leopard Lounge // 1657 Westheimer Rd // Thrift and Vintage Store

I have a #nonewclothes policy, which means that I’ll grab any chance to visit a great, new thrift store! A friend recommended Leopard Lounge, and it was funky and fun! Pavement has a mix of some new, discontinued items as well as thrifted, but it’s either slightly on the pricey side or very poor quality. Nevertheless, both stores are definitely worth a visit.

Space Montrose // 1706 Westheimer Rd

Over 200 local artists in one store: Space is filled to the brim with inspiration and great gifts. Squished in between two great coffee shops (Agora and Comrade), you should definitely pop in here once you’re caffeinated.

T O E AT

Empire Cafe // 1732 Westheimer Rd // American, $$

Classic, good food inside a building that used to be an old gas station: hello Empire Cafe. Again a cute patio and plenty of seating, and amazing food. Apparently the cake here is to die for, a friend recommended it and I think I saw 80% of the customers order at least one slice with their lunch or coffee order. I went for the speciality of the day and indulged myself with a tasty pizza.

T O W A N D E R

Although I only had a few hours to spend in Houston, I’m glad I spent it in this little corner of the city. I highly recommend putting Westheimer Street on your Houston itinerary, even if it’s just for a quick stroll around lunch time.

30h Solo-Trip Guide for Maui

30 hours in paradise: Maui, Hawai

Sure, you can find plenty of blogs with recommendations for Maui. Most of them will be geared towards couples, honeymooners or families, and most of them will include tours and resorts and add-on options that will make this a once-in-lifetime trip. But what if you’re a solo traveler? Or if you have just one day on the island because of a layover? Or what if you’re trying to get the most out of your days in paradise on a very tight budget? 

Enter the…. Maui On A Budget, 30 Hour Solo Trip Guide. Catchy, I know. For those travelers that want to explore the beautiful beaches and outdoors the island offers, but without the price tag and the high-stakes of a long vacation. 

Postcard beaches, learning how to snorkel and discovering if the hype about Hawaii can live up to its expectations: these were my goals when I stepped on the early morning plane to Maui.

Up until 10 hours prior to my trip, I thought I was going to Kona. When I saw that the planes to Maui were wide open, I decided to change my plans and go to this island instead. I booked my hostel while my plane was already boarding, and booked a car while waiting at the baggage claim belt. For someone who LOVES planning and whose middle name is Preparation, I’ve gotten quite lazy when it comes to traveling. The more trips I go on, the more I realize that 90% of your trip you can just “wing” it. That is, if you’re able to completely let go of any expectation or time pressure.

TO DRIVE

I like to save money where I can while traveling, but there are a few things that are “off-limits” when it comes to saving money. Safety, for example. As a female traveler, and in case of this trip, even a female SOLO traveler, I gladly spend a bit more in order to be (and feel!) safe. Another thing that I’m willing to spend more on is anything that gives me more valuable time to actually explore, instead of be caught up in the logistics of traveling from A to B. If you want to take on the hurdle of bus transportation on Maui, by all means, go for it. It’s cheap, but the routes are limited and they are very infrequent. I also discovered that they only take cash (okay, no problem, I just took out $20 from an ATM) BUT they don’t give change. Que a very frustrated Eline who refused to pay $20 for a $2 ride and was now stuck with the next bus going almost two hours later. Don’t be like frustrated Eline, and carry enough small bills with you.

I opted to rent a car through Priceline.com, and made sure I opted for one that doesn’t give me a crazy under-age charge. I ended up with Fox-rent-a-car and was absolutely satisfied with their service. I covered my floor with a blanket and a towel to avoid having to pay $15 for cleaning the remnants of beach life out of it. Again, traveling on a budget may require you to be a little creative to save on the small things, but spending some extra funds on a reliable car was worth every penny.

B E A U T Y

Before I say this, I’ll admit this first: I was in a slightly exhausted, quite emotional state when I stepped on the plane in SFO. My heart really needed a little piece of paradise. BUT I don’t think that my personal affairs were the only cause of the tender emotions I felt on the island. I literally bawled my eyes out while driving past the coast. Whether you drive south towards the beach, or north up to Lahaina, nothing beats driving past gorgeous green hills and white beaches in front of a blue ocean. I cried because it was so breathtakingly beautiful. Yes, I warned you that I was emotional. But I was just so thankful to visit a place of so much beauty.

T O S I P

Okay so it won’t come as a surprise to you that paradise (aka honeymoon destination, aka the island everyone and their mother wants to visit) is expensive. I didn’t even bother trying to find a reasonably priced restaurant. Since I was only there for two days, I decided to pack my food and bring it on the island with me. I made sure to book a hostel with a kitchen, and filled my suitcase with frozen water bottles, that served as a cooling element on the plane, and some much-needed hydration while driving around on the island. I couldn’t help but get myself a nice coffee though, especially not after my 5am wake up call to watch the sun rise up from the ocean. I borrowed the cutest beach cruiser bike from the hostel and biked to a coffee shop in Lahaina. I didn’t like the first one, or the second one, i found, but I eventually landed at Cafe Cafe Maui. A good cup of local coffee and a place to sit and open my book for the first time this trip: it was all I wanted.

T O S N O R K E L

So I may not be able to give great recommendations when it comes to food, but I sure do have something to tell you! In 30 hours, i think I probably visited about 10 different beaches in Maui. I was looking for the perfect spot to learn how to snorkel, and then I was looking for the beach that would show me turtles, or the perfect sunrise, or just a hidden spot to write and pray and do yoga.

I bought my own snorkel gear in the States, because I had a feeling that I would love it. I was right, I’m hooked! But there are plenty of spots you can rent snorkel gear, and most hostels will let you borrow theirs for free. The only thing you might want to bring is a set of flippers that actually fit you, because trying to swim against the tide with flippers that are almost slipping off, or worse, cutting off the circulation in your feet, is no fun. Trust me on that one.

Call me brave or call me stupid, the line is usually thin between those two anyways, but I decided I would teach myself to snorkel in the ocean on a deserted beach, all by myself. The perfectionist in me hates people watching me learn, so I waited until everyone left and the sun was going down to figure out what strap goes where and how to avoid the very sharp coral to get into the deeper water. Avoiding the sharp volcanic rocks wasn’t very successful, so there wasn’t much left of my toes by the end of it, and the straps also took a while to get adjusted. Suffice to say I had my yearly intake of minerals #thankssaltywater. BUT I got the hang of it within 30 minutes or so. Here are a few basic tips if you’ve never done this before either:

1. Don’t go alone.

2. Buy anti-fog solution or make your own or get anti-fog lenses

3. Find a shallow spot without crazy waves to practice first. You may not see anything spectacular yet, but you also won’t swallow half the ocean in an hour like I did.

4. Wear flippers. It’s really not safe to go out further into the ocean, especially not when there are waves and a strong current, if you don’t have flippers. If you want to see turtles, fishes and pretty coral, you’ll want to go out further than just the shallow end, so make sure you buy or rent them. 🙂

 

Here’s a GREAT article I found about the best beaches in Maui: Maui Beaches With Fantastic Snorkeling , but keep reading to find out which ones were my personal favorites.

T O  B E A C H   A R O U N D

Like I said, I’ve seen quite a few beaches in my 30 hours on Maui. I would highly recommend Kalepolepo Beach and Wailea-Makena Beach if you just want to have a beautiful beach to sit, tan (or become a lobster, if you’re a redhead like me) and go for a swim. Maluaka beach, just slightly more south, is a lot more peaceful and secluded. It’s also great to practice snorkeling if you get into the water on the far right side, just before the rocks begin.

Another thing that I WISH I had time for is the Kapalua Trail. You can park for free at Kapalua Bay, and watch the sunrise there like I did. When you start walking north, you’ll eventually end up at Honokahua Bay. Cue gorgeous ocean views and walks through the jungle. Yes please.

If you’re short on time, you can also drive there, but the bay and the short walk through the jungle to get to the water is something you absolutely can’t miss. Park at your left just after the bridge, there’s a little open spot with a fruit stand and a porter potty. The trail starts with a bunch of signs telling you coconuts could fall on your head, and you’re most likely going to be accompanied by some chickens. Welcome to a completely different side of the island.

So apparently this Bay is one of the best snorkel spots, but only if the water isn’t brown and without waves, which is exactly how I found it. Nonetheless, the little walk through so much green and bird sounds was the highlight of my trip.

T O  S T A Y

Again, I was on a budget so I opted for a hostel. After one horrible sleepless night in a shared dorm in NYC, I swore to never do that again, but ah well… I could try again right? I found one hostel closer to the airport that offered free tours (think: road to Hana, snorkeling with turtles etc) and free airport shuttle – and they are most definitely going to be my pick for next trip. They’re called the Banana Hostel (not to be confused with the banana hammock hostel that I almost called it a few times. I don’t think I would stay at a hostel with a name like that, things could get.. you know.. interesting.)

Instead, i decided to stay at the Hakuna Matata hostel. They had free bikes, kayaks, peddleboards, snorkel gear and other fun things you could borrow and the bunk beds were decent. I actually was able to fall asleep early and sleep all the way through the night, so my hostel experience was somewhat redeemed. My friend Gustavo stayed at a hostel right next to it, only a few weeks later, and he SWORE by that one – so I guess you can’t really go wrong with a hostel in paradise 😉

 

T O  R E C O M M E N D

30 hours in paradise does one thing to you: it leaves you wanting more. Even though it was such a short trip, I felt refreshed and inspired – like only the truly beautiful places on earth can do. If you have longer in Maui, here are some great recommendations for day trips: https://hulalandblog.com/5-maui-day-trips/ I’ll be going back soon to do the famous Road to Hana, and I’ll post everything about it once I do!

Here’s a Google Map with all the places I visited or that I mentioned in this blog post:

Eline’s Google Maps with Recommendations

I also found a similar map of recommendations for Maui on Pinterest, you can check that out here: Google Map with Recommendations

My final recommendation? Don’t postpone your Hawaii dream until you’re planning your honeymoon or your 50th anniversary. Solo exploring of the island gives you a completely different look on this little piece of paradise, and it’s a destination that rightfully belongs on your bucket list. 😉