A-friend-of-a-friend stabbed me in my wanderer's heart recently with a comment that was something like, "Hawaii... I dont get it... it's just sand and palm trees, like Florida."
I sputtered as I tried to keep my composure and restrain from launching into a diatribe about the differences between the two tropical retreats.
OK, it's true that both of these disparate locations offer soft white sands laden with beautiful greased bodies soaking in the sun, and palms that rustle when breezes flow in from the omnipresent oceans. But that's where the similarities (exquisite as they might be) stop. To say these locations are the same is to say that rock and classical music are the same by virtue of the fact that they share a world of tone and pitch. Would anyone believe that a hamburger from McDonald's can be mistaken for a steak au poivre from Le Bec Fin, simply because they share the parentage of beef?
The difference between Hawaii and Florida is like the difference between the sun and the moon (two solar bodies), or between red and blue (both primary colors) or even between man and woman (two delightfully companionable but decidedly different human forms).
Florida: Think oranges and boiled peanuts, flat land, water skis and jet skis, alligators, Everglades, trendy South Beach, kitschy inner Miami, Disney characters, retired Northerners, mainland culture.
Hawaii: Think plumeria blossoms and sweet pineapple, volcanic mountains jutting up from the sea, surfboards and outrigger canoes, sea turtles, Diamond Head, Wakiki juxtaposed to downtown Honolulu, hula dancers, adventurous relocaters, the spirit of Aloha.
Florida is a wonderful escape from northern chill; Hawaii is a wonderful escape from the mediocrity of life. Florida is a Spring Break romp; Hawii is a visit into heaven itself.
I understand that some people "go on vacation" while other people "travel." The difference lies in discovering what rests beneath the surface --- it is not sand or palm trees or four-star hotels that suggest the personality of a destination. Rather it is found in the culture, the traditions, the languages, the dress, the history, the hopes and dreams of indigenous people, the pride and sorrow they maintain and overcome. It is always, for me, the personal discoveries that cause me to love an island, a city, a state, a country.... And just as I love two friends for the individuals that they are, so do I love Florida and Hawaii--- for their completely different character and willingness to transport me to two vastly contrasting worlds.
Final note: Last time I referenced free air travel. And one of my blog readers (and I don't have many!!!) asked me how I did it. That trick was accomplished by opening a Southwest Airlines credit card which offered enough bonus points as an incentive to qualify the recipient (me) for a free trip! Nice! Will I go to Florida, or Hawaii, or..................