The Best Gifts for Those Who Love to Travel

Christmas is right around the corner. It's time to figure out the perfect gifts for everyone.

Well, if you have someone in your life who loves to travel, I'm here to make your life a little easier. I've compiled a list of the best gifts to give them!

• Samsung Gear 360 Camera 

This camera is perfect for travel lovers. I use mine a lot! It allows you to get 360 videos and pictures of the places you visit. It's not super expensive and allows you to get unique, one of a kind shots of your travels.

• Travel Journal

Every traveler needs a reliable journal to write about their adventures. I, personally, love the Midori Travelers Notebook. It's compact and sturdy. Plus refills are available to expand it, so you never really have to worry about running out of room to write.

• Passport Holder

There are so many designs available so you can pick the perfect one for your Traveler. It's a great stocking stuffer and will protect their passport while traveling.

• Scratch off Map

This is honestly one of my favorite ways to keep track of all the places I've traveled. It's also a great decoration for someone's living room or even office. 

• Travel Adapter

This is perfect for world travelers! It can be used in 160 countries! 

What's your favorite gift to give a traveler?





This post contains affiliate links as part of the Amazon Affiliate Program,  for which I receive compensation but it does not increase the price of your purchase. Your purchase helps keep this blog up and running. But, as always, all opinions are my own. 

The Mighty Mo!

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to take a step back into our military history. Anyone who knows me, knows I love to study and learn about WWII. It was the war that changed everything. So this weekend I decided to visit the USS Missouri.

If you don't know about the USS Missouri, here's a little history lesson for you. (It's really interesting, I promise!)

The USS Missouri, also known as the "Mighty Mo," was built during WWII in a Brooklyn shipyard. She was launched on January 29, 1944 and was commissioned as the USS Missouri on June 11, 1944. It is an Iowa class battleship.

On April 11, 1945 the USS Missouri was hit by a Japanese "Zeke" aircraft northeast of Okinawa. A fire erupted on the plane but no bomb exploded which meant no loss of American lives. It's no secret that Kamikaze pilots were a big part of WWII. But this story isn't finished with just the death of the pilot. In fact, I never knew the rest of the story. I'm sure most people don't. So I want to share this super IMPORTANT story.
The crew of the USS Missouri pulled the body of the Japanese pilot from the wreckage. The officers and crew created a Japanese flag and paused the next morning to pay their respects to their fallen enemy. They stood at attention and offered a salute for the fallen pilot. The Marine Honor Guard fired a three rifle volley and the Chaplain on board said "Commend his body to the deep."
When I heard this story while visiting the Mighty Mo, I couldn't help but tear up. People tend to forget that the pilots of these Kamikaze missions were people who were doing their duty to their country. In fact, the youngest Kamikaze pilot was only 17 years old.

Years later, a couple of WWII vets were visiting the USS Missouri from Japan. They made it a point to learn the identity of the pilot who was honored by the sailors and marines that were aboard on that fateful day. They did just that.

His name was Setsuo Ishino. Please remember that name. So many lives were lost on all sides of WWII and many of them have been forgotten.

On September 2, 1945, representatives from the Allied and Axis powers met aboard the USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay to "conclude an agreement by which peace can be restored." It was aboard the USS Missouri that the Empire of Japan signed the two copies of Instrument of Surrender. General MacArthur signed on behalf of the Allied nations that were in attendance.

The exact spot of surrender

In 1955, the USS Missouri was decommissioned.

In 1984-1986, the ship was modernized and reactivated.

May 10, 1986 the USS Missouri was recommissioned.

September- November 1987 the ship was underway in the Persian Gulf as part of the Operation Earnest Will.

January 17, 1991 the USS Missouri was the first battleship to fire Tomahawks as the start of Operation Dessert Storm.

March 31, 1992 The USS Missouri was decommissioned again.

Overall, my trip to visit the Mighty Mo was a success. I had a great time and learned so so much. If you're ever visiting Hawaii, please be sure to stop by.

Have you ever visited the Mighty Mo?

Queen Emma's Summer Palace

Over the weekend I got to visit Queen Emma's Summer Palace. I've been meaning to go for quite a while now, but I haven't had the chance.

The back of the palace

The palace was a place of retreat and comfort for Queen Emma Kaleleonalani Rooke, King Kamehameha IV and their son Prince Albert between 1857-1885.

The house was built in 1848 by John Lewis. The house was sold to Queen Emma's uncle, John Young II for only $6,000. The house was then given the name Hanaiakamalama which means foster child of the moon. In 1857, John Young II left the house to his niece, Queen Emma, in his will.

In 1885, after Queen Emma's death, the home was bought by the monarchical government and leased. In the early 1900's it was bought by the Daughters of Hawai'i and was restored, in an effort to preserve a piece of Hawaiian history.

Upon entering the palace, you are asked to remove your shoes. Photos are allowed, but don't use flash.

The house is filled with beautiful portraits of the royal family. About 80% of the furniture in the house is original and belonged to the royal family, many of which were gifted to the family by other royalty throughout the world.

The Front Bedroom

The entry hallway

The beautiful 3 tiered cabinet in the Edinburgh Room

The Edinburgh Room

In the back bedroom, there is a tall glass display case. In the display case is a small fireman's jacket. It belonged to Prince Albert, who died at the age of 4 due to sudden illness. He became an honorary member of the Honolulu Fire Department.

The house is filled with so much history and it was a great honor to be able to see the furniture that the royal family had and to be able to walk in the rooms that they once filled.

If you're ever in Hawai'i I recommend visiting.

2913 Pali Hwy
Honolulu Hi 96817

What's your favorite museum you've visited?

A Unique and Fun Experience on Oahu

This weekend I had an amazing opportunity to do something I've never done before. I'm always looking for new and unique coffee shops to try. Well, this weekend I got to go to Oahu's new and only Cat Cafe. It was so much fun!

So anyone who knows me knows I'm allergic to cats. But I wasn't about to let that stop me from having this incredible experience. So I put on my battle armor (a hoodie, long pants and closed toe shoes), took allergy medicine and walked into the cafe.

The Cat Cafe partners with the SPCA. All the cats are available for adoption. In the two weeks and three weekends that they have been open, they've been able to adopt out, I believe, 17 cats. That's amazing!

The cafe itself is cute. Their menu board is shaped like a cat head.

They have various coffees and pastries you can order. I ordered my coffee and paid for my half hour to spend with the cats.

Before going into the cat area, you have to sign a waiver saying that they aren't responsible if you get hurt or if you have an allergy. But trust me, none of these adorable cats were mean in the slightest. I sat at a table and played with a couple of kittens. I mostly spent the time watching them play.

This cat was sleeping. How cute is she?

These are the kittens I played with!

Overall, I had an absolutely amazing time at the Cat Cafe. I would highly recommend visiting.

This is me in my "battle armor."

Hawai'i Cat Cafe
415 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu Hi 96815

What's the most unique cafe you've been to?

How to Make Your Travel More Eco Friendly

It's no secret that our planet is being overrun by garbage and pollution. It honestly breaks my heart to know that humans have done such damage to our planet and done so much harm to the animals that inhabit it,

But it's important to remember that all hope isn't lost. We can each make small changes in our lives that have a huge impact on the environment. There may even be things that you haven't thought about. So I wanted to take the time to share with you all the small things that I like to do while traveling.

• Bring your own water bottle. 

When traveling I always carry a water bottle with me. I keep it empty when I go through security at the airport and then fill it up at a fountain or even at a restaurant in the airport. Not only does it help me save money (I mean who really wants to pay $5 for a bottle of water?) but I don't add to the plastic waste that is ending up in our oceans and landfills. I personally use this water bottle. It doesn't leak and it keeps my water cold.

• Reusable cups, mugs or jars. 

If you're a regular reader on my blog, then you know how much I love coffee. One of the first things I do when I go someplace new, is find a small coffee shop to try out. One day I was sitting in a coffee shop, drinking out of my paper cup and I realized that I've added so much waste to our planet simply by drinking coffee. Sure paper is biodegradable, but the plastic lids are not. So I've made a conscious effort to bring my own cup when I buy coffee. In fact, a lot of places even offer a small discount for doing it!

• Reusable straws. 

I'm sure you've all seen the image of the sea turtle with a straw in its nose. If that doesn't bread your heart, I don't know what will. Some scientists estimate that there are 7.5 MILLION straws currently polluting the US Shorelines alone. That doesn't include other countries or the straws that have washed away. You may think that you making a change to not use straws won't help the planet. But think of it this way: on average each person uses 2 straws a day. That's 14 straws a week, 56 straws a month and 672 straws a year. That means there will be 672 less straws in the ocean if YOU refuse to use them. Think of the change we could make if we get our friends and family members to also not use them.

• Reusable produce bags. 

When I travel I love visiting farmers markets or local markets. I love trying all the produce that different places have to offer. I noticed that quite a few stands I'd visit would give me plastic bags to hold the produce that I bought. I hated that I would get so much plastic. So I bought reusable produce bags to take with me. They're sturdy, don't take up much room and super easy to wash. I use these and I absolutely love them.

• Reusable shopping bags. 

When I travel I like to bring a reusable shopping bag with me. I don't usually buy a lot, but I like to have it with me just in case. I carry it in my purse that way I have it if I need it.

These are just small changes that each of us can make while traveling and even in our daily lives.

What are ways that you help stay eco-friendly while traveling?



 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for which I may receive compensation. Your purchases help me to continue to share tips and adventures with you. But as always, all views and opinions are my own. 

Perfect Date Night

So I recently had the opportunity to try out the Pravette Projector C7 Series.

The size is a little too big for me. I think it's perfect for a date night at home or even a movie on the lawn night with your family. But I don't think it'd be good for taking on trips. You couldn't really take it camping with you due to the fact it needs an external power source.

But I do think this projector is pretty good. The image quality is great and even the built in speaker is pretty good. If you plan on using it outside or in a large room, you may want to use external speakers to make it a little louder.

Overall, I think the Pravette Projector C7 Series is a great buy for the price.

Pros:

• Good built in audio. Pretty loud
• Great image quality. Bright, clear and vivid.
• Uses multiple sources for the movies (HDMI, USB, etc)
• Has a remote so there's no need to get up to change any settings.
• Perfect for an at home date night.

Cons:

• A little too big and not great for travel.
• Requires an outside power source. 

So go ahead and pop some popcorn, grab your lawn chairs and have your very own "drive in" in the comfort of your back yard. 

Click here if you'd like to purchase you're own Pravette Projector C7 Series.

Disclosure: I have received compensation in the form of free or discounted products for this post, but as always, the views and opinions are my own. 

More of the Best Coffee Shops on Oahu

Since writing my previous post The Best Coffee Shops on Oahu I've discovered a couple more hidden gems. I mean, I'm sure that comes as no surprise for any of you, since you all know how much I love coffee! 

Honestly, most of these I just happened to drive by and I had to try them. 

• Ali'i Coffee Co

I was driving around downtown and I looked over and happened to see it. I immediately pulled over into a nearby parking area and went in. 

They have tons of unique options of drinks (they're known for their cold brew). I decided to try the  iced Taro Ube Latte. 

The barista shook my drink as though it was a cocktail and handed it to me. The vibrantly purple drink was absolutely delicious! If you're ever in Honolulu I totally recommend trying it. 

35 S. Beretania St

Honolulu Hi 96813

Also, they offer reusable straws for $1. You should totally get one! Help save the environment!

• Drive Thru Joe

Drive Thru Joe is a local coffee truck. They offer unique takes on cold brew coffee, such as Caramel Cream and Hawaiian Tropic.

Caramel Cream Cold Brew

 All of their coffee is delicious! And the owners are absolutely lovely people.

Drive Thru Joe is currently located at Schofield Barracks. You will need base access to try their delicious coffee. 

Here's their Facebook where you can see any updates or changes in location.

• Chad Lou Coffee Roasters

This small, cozy coffee shop is hidden in Kailua Town. It's the perfect place to stop and get a coffee and just hang out. 

 They even offer bagged coffee for purchase, that is roasted in store.

45 Kihapai St

Kailua Hi 96734

• Morning Brew

Morning Brew just opened in downtown Kaka'ako. The coffee shop itself is very modern and clean. They have local art displayed on the walls.

The view from upstairs in Morning Brew

The coffee is amazing! They also offer a pretty large food menu that includes waffles and sandwiches. It's a great place to hang out with friends or even bring you laptop and do some work. 

685 Auahi St 

#113

Honolulu Hi 96813

Have you tried any of these coffee shops?

Moloka'i: Day One

This post may contain affiliate links for which I may receive compensation. But as always, the views and opinions in this blog are my own. 

Since living in Hawaii, I've made it a point to try to visit all of the Hawaiian Islands. Most people only know about Maui, Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai. Well, I wanted to visit the lesser traveled island of Moloka'i.

So I packed up my camera and my bag and hopped on the tiniest plane I've ever been on.

The tiny plane I had the pleasure of riding

I literally sat directly behind the pilots

The island itself is only 38 miles long and 10 miles wide. It's very rural and most of the inhabitants of the island are of Native Hawaiian descent.

Moloka'i coming into view

Upon arriving in Moloka'i, I learned that it is known as the Friendliest Isle and that title holds true. The people were warm and welcoming to us everywhere we went.

The signs greeting us as we leave the airport. "Slow Down. This is Molokai."

We got in our car and left the airport. We just picked a direction and drove. No map. No GPS. I mean, why limit yourself?

We were taken aback by the pure beauty that the island had to offer. It is so much different than the scenery that we see every day on Oahu. We drove the entire length of the island. Each area had something different to offer.

We drove all the way to Halawa Valley. The road was curvy and scenic the entire way. We didn't have the opportunity to do the hike though. If you're interested in doing the hike, you have to book the tour to do so. I would absolutely love the opportunity to go back so I can swim in the waterfall!

We drove the opposite way and ended up at Papohaku Beach, or Three Mile Beach. It is one of Hawaii's largest white sand beaches. We stayed for sunset and it was beautiful! Once the sun goes down, there is no light pollution, so the sky fills with stars. It's absolutely stunning. If you ever visit, please take the time to appreciate the beauty of the sky.

Look how beautiful the sand is! 

Look at this cute arch that was on the beach! 

We ended our night by grabbing dinner at one of the few restaurants on the island, Moloka'i Pizza Cafe and headed back to our Airbnb. We had dinner and showered. Overall, I'd say our first day on the Friendly Isle was a success.


Would you ever visit Moloka'i?