Travel: Exposure and Experience

 

 

TRAVEL DOES MORE THAN EXPOSE US TO NEW PLACES AND CULTURES

By Dari LaRoche

Traveling is experiencing. Full stop. Seeing new places and revisiting old favorites. It helps us rejuvenate our spirit, relieve our normal life stresses and anxieties, fill our creative well, and expand our cultural acceptance and awareness of others.

I should caveat this by saying that I am a travel junkie. I think it is inherent in my very DNA. My parents did not have as many opportunities to travel as they would have liked. But they loved Hawai’i when they visited the islands, and I have found that I do too. They even strongly considered moving there at one point, getting as far as divesting themselves of many of their possessions. They changed their minds, however, before it all came together. I am sure that the thought of leaving the family behind in the Pacific Northwest factored into their decision. Mom and Dad were voracious readers. Growing up, we owned a set of encyclopedias we used for research for as long as I can remember. Today, we have Google when we want to research other countries, cultures, and life in general before we travel.

But I digress. And that’s okay, because that is what we writers frequently do. Here, I want to talk about one of my recent holidays and about my ultimate bucket list trip.

HAWAI’I ISLAND (The Big Island of Hawai’i)

In the last seven years, the Big Island of Hawai’i has become one of my favorite destinations. I go every chance I get, and this year, that will be a record three times. I never tire of it. My daily walks are regenerative and feed the creative in me, so that when I get back to the condo, I can put in some productive writing time on my current manuscript. I am lucky in that my sister, who most times travels with me, is a writer too, so we are on the same wavelength as far as making time to let the muse overtake us.

Turtles on Punalu'u Black Sand Beach 
Photo by Dari LaRoche

 There is so much natural beauty on Big Island that it is a treasure for anyone who loves the outdoors. You can enjoy hiking, waterfalls, cultural landmarks, chocolate and macadamia nut farms and factories, petroglyphs, and not least of all, the volcano which still spews lava to this day on the southeastern side of the island at Volcano National Park.

The area north of Kona, called Waikoloa, is frequently where I like to stay, at a resort called the Kohala Suites. It is laid back, centrally located in the area, and not as typically touristy as many places that cater to families and island fun. Right next door is Kings’ Land Resort, which is more of a typical family vacation spot in Hawai’i.

Hawai’i Cares about the Environment and Nature

Hawaii is very protective of their sea turtles. It is one of the things I love about the island. Anaeho'omalu Bay in Waikoloa is home to the Lava Lava Beach Club, one of the best places on the island to have dinner on the sand at sunset. This same beach is frequented by green sea turtles. So, while waiting for our table, we walk barefoot in the sand until we find where the turtles are hanging out so we can take pictures.

The Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm in Kona is one of the places I have enjoyed visiting. It is very rare that a wild-caught seahorse will live for long, once captured and sold into the aquarium trade. This company is in the business of raising and breeding seahorses that only eat frozen brine shrimp (mysis), so they do not starve to death due to lack of natural food. Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm raises over thirty species of seahorses and sea dragons. Their operation serves to help protect the wild species and the reefs they inhabit. So, due to their work in farm-raised seahorses, it is not an automatic death sentence to buy and enjoy one of those seahorses in your saltwater fish tank. They have an educational tour that you will find very interesting. 

Pregnant male seahorses at Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm
Kona, Hawaii - Photo by Dari LaRoche

No matter the time of year I go to Big Island, nor how many times I have gone in the past, I always enjoy it and usually find something new to explore. I love the spectacular waterfalls, the lava tubes, and the botanical gardens on the Hilo side of the island. Whale watching trips and sunset sails, as well as snorkeling, diving, and surfing are all fun things to do as well. I do not see how anyone could even consider being bored in Hawai’i.

Rainbow Falls, Hilo, Hawaii
Deposit Photo 10818793

 
The only disadvantage at present is the cost of a rental cars on the island. Perhaps that will even out though as rental companies increase their fleets again after having scaled back during the first two years of COVID.

My Bucket List Trip: Iceland and a Voyage into the Midnight Sun

While I have been lucky to have traveled extensively in my lifetime, I’ve never been to Iceland or any of the Nordic countries. My heritage is Norwegian, and this is the trip that is high on my official “Bucket List.” I happen to love to vacation with Viking Cruises. They suit my taste and travel preferences for a major trip like this with multiple stops. Viking has a special voyage that is called Into the Midnight Sun that I have always wanted to take. If, or should I say when, I manage it, I will spend a few days in Iceland as well. I have to say that I will be saving for this trip for a few years, as it is not inexpensive, but it will be worth it. It is, after all, high on my “Bucket List.”

My Current Work in Progress takes place on St. Eustatius

I love diving and sailing. The Caribbean is one of the easiest places to fulfill that need. Years ago, I made a trip to St. Eustatius, known as Statia. I loved diving there so much that I used it as the setting for one of the first books in my Rescue Series, When the Night Comes. I am in the process of editing this book now and expect to publish it by the end of summer or early fall. 

You can keep up with me and my progress on my website at https://darilaroche.com 

where you will find my social media links and newsletter signup. I am getting very excited as I draw closer to the end of this project and hope you will share it with me.

The prequel to the book I am finishing at present is already available for sale at all your favorite vendors if you would like a fun holiday novella read to find out how and when my characters, Alex and Taylor, first met and started dating. Look for A Sailor’s Perfect Christmas at  https://books2read.com/u/4DxvoO.

Dari LaRoche writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense that will keep you reading long after the witching hour has passed. Her everyday heroes face challenges requiring strength of character, perseverance, and an ever ready dose of laughter to find their way to love and happiness. 

Her Rescue Series takes place in the Pacific Northwest and the Caribbean, settings inspired by LaRoche’s love for travel and passion for safeguarding the natural environment.

Photo Credits:

1. Header pic is Deposit Photos
2. Turtles on Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, Big Island, Hawai'i (Photo by Dari LaRoche)
3.  Pregnant Male Seahorses at Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm, Kona, Hawai'i (Photo by Dari LaRoche)
4.  Rainbow Falls, Hilo, Hawai'i (Deposit Photos 10818793)

TAGS: Hawaii, Big Island, travel, benefits of travel, seahorses, turtles, environment, writing, volcano