Hawaii is colorful. From flowers to fruits to community to culture, its vibrancy shines through. This abundance of color and brightness was one of the first things I noticed when I arrived, so I thought it would be fitting to recap some of my favorite colorful moments as the summer draws to a close.
Red
Since day one, we have all been just shy of obsessed with the sunsets. Though they blinded us some nights sitting around the dinner table, they would just as frequently send us scrambling outside together to take photos and admire the show. While most of our photos were actually of the sky, here is one of my favorites from a beautiful night sharing the view with these beautiful people.
Orange
I didn’t know how happy a flower smaller than my fingernail could make me until I found this little guy. We were doing a plant scavenger hunt at work, and I happened upon this flower tucked away under a bunch of weeds. I immediately plucked it off to bring it back, curious about what it was and enthralled by its delicate beauty. While neither the botanists we were with nor my coworkers knew what it was, it reminded me that things don’t need to be big and showy to be beautiful.
Yellow
Before arriving in Kauai’i, mangoes were never something I craved. However, after tasting mango fresh from the tree at our first Waipa poi day breakfast, I couldn’t get enough. Thankfully, mango is easy to come by here. From juice to kombucha to acai bowl toppings to just plain, I tried it all. This picture shows a particularly blissful mango moment that Danielle and I shared on a hike to Hanakapi’ai Beach. It was unforgettable from the fruit to the friendship.
Green
Having worked in the garden and preserve all summer, being surrounded by green became the norm. However, the fact that it is always around doesn’t make it any less breathtaking. The scenery is a constant reminder of how awesome it is to be here and gives me perspective any time I get tired or frustrated. It marks my day-to-day life at work and our amazing weekend adventures, like the hike to Hanakapi’ai Falls.
Blue
During our first week, we went on a walk into the Kiluea Wildlife Refuge and were graced by this view of the coastline. I was blown away. Compared to the beaches I am used to on the east coast, these beaches look like a painting. They still take my breath away in week 7, and I know these are views I will never forget.
Purple
I thought it would be fitting to close out my rainbow recap with another sunset photo. Though I was exhausted from work, I remember reluctantly pulling myself off the couch to look at this one when Dana told me the water was purple! It was so worth it. Here’s to hoping our last week closes as spectacularly and specially as a purple sunset after a hard day.