Hawaii
“Life is precious, so it’s worth everything good.”
More than thirty years ago, my dad’s first trip abroad was a twelve-day tour of the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. He traveled with my third uncle, third aunt, and fifth uncle. For this trip, he specially bought a suit, a watch, and sunglasses—after all, a country bumpkin can’t be recognized as one the moment he steps into the city.
Doesn’t it feel like a scene from some movie? A group of Asians in suits touring a Western neighborhood in America, while the locals wear casual shirts and look at them with curious eyes.
But for a kid raised on American flour, traveling to the U.S. felt very familiar. After all, the most popular TV shows back then weren’t Korean dramas or Japanese dramas—they were MacGyver, The Beachcombers, and The A-Team with Lee Majors.
The tour cost about 60,000 TWD at the time, and a bowl of braised pork rice was about 5 TWD. Considering the prices back then, it wasn’t cheap. But to my dad, everything was fresh and new. The tour guide taught everyone how to eat Western food with knives and forks. He stepped on Waikiki Beach, saw the crystal-clear waters of Hanauma Bay, and even after more than 30 years, those travel memories still vividly come to mind.
Dad said: People should travel often, so they won’t get dementia, because the world is so beautiful and worth remembering.
On the third day in Hawaii, I drove along the H-1 Freeway from Waikiki Beach to the east coast. It was raining, and the volcano was shrouded in clouds, like driving along Taiwan’s North Coast. I stopped at a scenic overlook to gaze at the distant islands. The sea showed different shades of blue, so beautiful it made my heart skip a beat.
The beauty of Hawaii isn’t just blue skies, white clouds, beaches, and surfing—it’s the various shades of blue and green intertwined, as if they represent freedom and ease overlapping.
Today’s self-driving route took us along the east and north shore highways: Hanauma Bay (closed), Halona Blowhole, Makapuʻu Lookout, Byodo-In Temple, Turtle Beach, the surfing hotspot Banzai Pipeline, Sunset Beach, and Haleiwa.
In the afternoon, we ate at the famous Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck on the North Shore. You could see red soil and gravel in the middle of the road because Hawaii had experienced heavy and prolonged rain the previous week, causing floods. It was even reported in Taiwanese news, which made me nervous.
But island weather is changeable—often after rain comes bright sunshine. Before setting out, I checked the road conditions, and the news showed all main roads had green lights, meaning they were clear for travel.
The scenery changed from mountainous terrain on the east coast to flat beaches on the north shore. After eating shrimp rice at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, the dark clouds had completely cleared, replaced by Hawaii’s blazing sun. So I drove to Turtle Bay for snorkeling, watched the long waves at Sunset Beach, and strolled around Haleiwa town.
I asked Dad, what’s different about Hawaii now compared to 30 years ago? He said: Of course it’s different! Now you’re driving, going wherever you want. When you’re on a tour, you only have a fixed itinerary and can’t see so many different sights.
Hawaii is actually perfect for self-driving. The highways are free, and although gas is more expensive than on the U.S. mainland, Oahu isn’t big—usually one day is enough to cover the main attractions.
Finally, before sunset, we returned to Waikiki Beach. From the 27th floor of the Marriott Resort, we watched boats come out to sea and the beach fill with crowds, completely different from the stormy weather of the previous two days.
I grabbed Dad’s hand and ran straight to the beach. The soft white sand rolled with the waves. Sitting on a beach towel, I saw tourists of all skin tones taking photos of the sunset glow.
At that moment, I was so grateful to be alive and witness such beauty.
My 75-year-old father, wearing swim trunks, admired the sunset in the water, happily waving at me. He said life is already counting down, money can’t be taken to heaven, and no matter how much savings you have, it’s useless. Being able to travel the world in the remaining years makes him happy and content.
Some people say Hawaii is expensive, with accommodations costing over 10,000 TWD per night. Dad replied that a single hospital room is even more expensive—and once you go in, you might not come out.
He’d rather stay in a five-star hotel than a five-star hospital room. He’d rather spend money enjoying life than leave money behind to cause family disputes.
In the 1950s and 60s, they experienced poverty, education, and economic growth. Being able to travel abroad was already much better than the previous generation who suffered through war and displacement. As for the next generation—us—every family has its struggles, and we should slowly learn to let go and cut ties.
Yes, letting go of the next generation is how you can have a good life.
(But a daughter can still take her dad abroad—that’s one thing you can’t let go of.)
He said: I hope every elderly person can be like the Hawaiian sunset, full of memories.