Long update: Those who know me know I love tropical islands and the beach. My Facebook intro reads, “Island girl trapped in Massachusetts.” A branch of my family tree has lived in Hawaii since the 1940s, and I’ve always dreamed of going there, but it’s so far and so expensive that a trip like that seemed out of reach. Also, Rich and I usually have to take separate vacations because it’s just easier for one of us to be home with the kids, although we did go back to Bermuda for our 30th wedding anniversary in 2022, since we were married in Bermuda. We went “Back to the scene of the crime,” as Rich says.
Anyway, over the years, I got to know my Hawaiian cousin Berin via Facebook. We never met in person, but we have kept in touch virtually. I remember Berin’s mother, Joella, who is my first cousin, from old family reunions, which were in Lexington, MA, at the home of my great-grandfather, Joseph Winterkorn (Berin and I share this great-grandfather on our Winterkorn lines). Joella and I were sort of pen pals, writing letters (actually letters via snail mail) and sharing annual holiday cards. But it’s been about 60 years since I’ve seen Joella, and I’ve never met Berin in person.
A couple of months ago, I got a Facebook message from Berin just checking in to see how I was doing following my big fall and medical issues. I told him I had pretty much recovered from my strokes, finished rehab, and as long as I got plenty of rest, I felt pretty good. He was happy to hear I was doing well and said that if I ever wanted to visit Honolulu, Rich and I could stay with him! WOW, what an incredible invitation; an opportunity we could not pass up. He didn’t have to ask twice. We were able to get coverage for the kids, we picked a week that worked for all, and got a direct flight from Boston to Honolulu last Monday, June 2nd. We just got back yesterday, and we are still recovering from this trip of a lifetime and the 6-hour time difference. We had the most amazing time, especially spending time with our long-lost cousins Joella and Berin. They were so gracious and generous, and we had so much fun. They treated us like royalty. We stayed on the island of Oahu, and our cousins took us on a grand tour of the whole island, out to eat, and even let us use their car and their beach equipment. We learned so much about the islands and the culture, including so many interesting island and family stories.
Of course, we visited Pearl Harbor, and I was able to visit Diamond Head and capture the most breathtaking view. We spent lots of time just sitting on Waikiki beach, as well as visiting a few smaller beaches. We also happened to be there during Rich’s birthday, so the family and their friends put together a birthday dinner for Rich as well as tickets to the show ‘AUANA (a Hawaiian version of Cirque du Soleil), an incredible show!
A year ago, I thought I was going to die. In spite of being given a pretty grim diagnosis, I was told to just “live life to the fullest,” and to do the things I wanted to do while I was still able. Fast forward to last week, I was in Hawaii visiting family on a trip that I had dreamed about since I was a teenager! It was a trip of a lifetime and truly on my “bucket list,” all made possible by my wonderful Hawaiian family. Life is good.
Of course, we took lots of photos. Here are just a few of the hundreds of photos we took. When I have time, I’ll post a few more scenic photos to Instagram and some videos to TikTok and Youtube.
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