Smooth Getaway Postcard From Pacific Rim

When I recently had the opportunity to do some traveling, I quickly realized that, in addition to coffee, I'm strongly attracted to Japan, Hawaii, and the Pacific Northwest. One thing Kobe, Honolulu, Seattle, and Vancouver all have in common is that they are convenient urban hubs set next to green mountains and blue ocean offering fantastic scenic vistas.

Hawaii is green because of its trade showers and tropical locale. The Pacific Northwest and (to a lesser extent) Kobe are green because of their moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall, due to the maritime effect of the Pacific Ocean. The moderate temperatures, mountains, and scenic views also make for some great sight seeing and outdoor sports. Hiking, which is simply fantastic in all the above locations, is my most recent hobby. I enjoy trekking the Ko’olau Mountains on Oahu and the peaks in North Vancouver most of all.

These regions also host other adventurous activities that I've fully enjoyed. Skydiving over Hawaii was a thrill, though my last jump was a little nerve racking due to loss of control when executing turns in free fall. For those willing to take the plunge, I want to highly recommend skydiving on the North Shore of Oahu. I've also been fortunate enough to run the Honolulu Marathon, which runs from downtown Honolulu through Hawaii Kai. It's held every December and is a favorite event for the many Japanese who love and frequently visit Hawaii.

Finally, these locations are all fantastic centers of international culture, melting pots of global commerce, people, and food. Ahh … the food! For connoisseurs of global cuisine, all these locations are succulent places to dine. I immensely enjoy eating at many different restaurants in Honolulu, including Mongolian, Nepalese, Japanese, Indian, Egyptian, as well as American food. Honolulu has so many different restaurants that it’s easy to find one to love. I personally prefer the Japanese food in Honolulu to that of Tokyo.

If you are planning on doing some traveling, let me highly recommend a vacation in one of these four cities. They all have great culture, food, views, and activities. Drop me a line, if you happen to stop by Honolulu. I’ll be happy to make some more local recommendations.

Roy Huff grew up on the East Coast of the United States, but has lived more than half of his life in Hawaii. He holds five degrees in various fields, such as satellite meteorology, education, business and real estate. Roy is an avid traveler with a passion for the outdoors, learning and science. He's the author of the bestselling epic teen fantasy novel Everville: The First Pillar and is currently working on the next in the series Everville: The City of Worms.