She Speaks: Biannual travels inspire plans for new adventures

Traveling feeds my soul. The same way a warm bowl of jidori ramen makes my heart smile on a cold, rainy day.

I make it a point to travel at least twice a year. It helps that I’m not tied down to a mortgage or debt.

Some studies say we millennials can’t buy homes thanks to expensive habits of spending our hard-earned money on avocado toast and overpriced lattes. As if the high cost of living and Oahu’s housing situation doesn’t factor into the homeownership equation. But hey, that’s a different column for another day.

Traveling is my vice. I tend to visit the usual suspects: Las Vegas, California and Oregon. These past two years, however, I explored places I had never been to.

Last summer, I traveled to Japan for the first time ever. This summer, I made my first trip to Maui (thanks to cheap round-trip tickets). Surprise, surprise, I fell in love with these two destinations.

While wandering around the streets of Tokyo, I geeked out at the cool vending machines, which offered both *gasps* hot and cold items. I tried interesting flavored drinks: clear milk tea, salty lychee and melon soda.

Japan spoiled me. I usually spent less than $20 on a full-course meal, which often included a drink, salad, entree and dessert. Of course, I Instagrammed most of my meals.

I sampled everything with matcha: ice cream, tea and KitKat bars.

I came across the occasional reminders of home: a bowl of loco moco and Hula’s potato chips.

I spent most of my day exploring the multiple levels of Bic Camera, a gigantic store selling everything from rice cookers and cameras to snacks and cosmetics.

I hung out with the cute hedgehogs, which felt like petting hairbrush bristles, at the hedgehog cafe near Harajuku, Tokyo’s pop culture and fashion district.

I felt safe wandering around the streets alone at night in Tokyo — something I don’t feel comfortable doing alone as a woman in New York City or even Honolulu’s Chinatown.

My trip to Maui was a stark contrast. I spent more time relishing nature and taking in the scenery.

It has always been on my bucket list to visit Haleakala National Park, which sits more than 10,000 feet above sea level in Upcountry Maui.

My friend and I spent a day exploring the dormant volcano, which can be seen from Makawao and as far as Lahaina.

We hiked nearly two hours round trip along the steep, curvy valley floor at the Keonehe‘ehe‘e Trail, also known as the Sliding Sands Trail. It felt like we were in a scene straight out of “The Martian,” which depicts a dry, barren, but stunning landscape of Mars.

After catching my breath, we ascended toward the summit and watched the most spectacular sunset. As the glowing sun dipped below the fluffy clouds, bright orange and yellow colors filled the sky like an impressionist painting.

Now I understand Mark Twain’s assessment of Haleakala, which he described as “the most sublime spectacle I have ever witnessed.”

The experience made me feel tiny like an ant roaming the gigantic world outside its colony. There’s still so much left to explore.

Gotta go, time to start planning my next trip.

“She Speaks” is a column by women writers of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Reach Diane S. W. Lee at dlee@staradvertiser.com.