When I was a student at Michigan State University, one of my roommates, Jasmine, was from Hawaii. She spoke a lot about her home, the people, the culture, the scenery, the beautiful flowers and the clarity of the water. I met her parents at graduation and they encouraged me to visit. It was a place on my ‘bucket list’. Finally, in 1993, I was able to vacation in Hawaii, traveling with Jasmine, who was headed back to visit her parents. It was great to have an expert tour guide. I enjoyed it so much (visiting Oahu, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii) that I traveled back in 1995 with my husband (visiting Oahu, Kauai and Maui). I’ve traveled to the top of Mt. Haleakala to watch the sun rise on Easter morning, and enjoyed my first open water saltwater dive to 80 feet in Molokini Crater. I can still remember stepping off the plane and smelling the sweet smells of the blooms of the plumeria like it was yesterday.
