CAN'T TAKE THE PRESSURE FOR LONG

I had an amazing summer break! i know what your thinking..."you needed a break?!" well, maybe not but we got a 5 week break from school anyways and it was very nice! One of the best parts was that i was able to move off campus for the break and live in 'the back-bridge house'. all the houses here have  names that they are commonly known by, as opposed to using addresses. My apartment was right across the street from Hukilau beach! I could literally walk from my front porch to the beach in a minute or less! waking up to the sun rising on the ocean outside my window was incredible! My biological clock woke me up most mornings at 5:30 am to say hello to the new day! i love and cherish those mornings!

The next great thing about break that I needed more than anything was one of my best friends coming to visit. I can't begin to express my thanks for this friend coming to me at a time that I just needed a girl around to be crazy with me! (emphasis on the crazy). 

Maddie, my tender mercy! 

I was lucky enough to have Maddie with me for 13 Glorious days, 12 Incredible nights, and countless adventures had! Many of the things we did were to put more check marks on my "Hawaii summer Bucket list".  first of which was "China man's Hat". I think the picture illustrates pretty well why this small island is called that! we snorkeled out to this island then hiked to the top and watched a storm pass on by! it was beautiful! ....also the warning sign of the Portuguese Man-Of-War should have been taken more seriously on my part, i got stung and still have a scar on my ankle to prove it!

On top of China Man's Hat! the Humidity does wonders for hair. 'nough said. 

This was in the PCC (it's the number one paid attraction in HI, so it's kind of a must do especially since i work there and can get us in for cheap!) we also did a luau that night in the Samoan village which was pretty fun! gotta love shirtless men throwing around sticks on fire!

this is paddle boarding, also on my  bucket list. It was my first time paddle boarding and it was pretty fun! we went to Haleiwa- seriously one of my favorite towns in Oahu. I just love the pace and the feel of all the little local stores and surf bums walking around. North Shore is where it's at. Period. 

unofficially on the bucket list: catching one of these cool green geckos!

This is taken on the "stairway to heaven" hike on the morning of the 4th of July! i can't think of a better way to be more grateful for the country i live in then to greet it from such great heights! 

i LOVE this picture! me and mads!

If you look closely you can see what kind of conditions this hike consisted of. Small slick (from the moisture) metal steps going up the ridge of a mountain. cliffs on either side! This hike has to be started at late hours of the night or early hours of the morning (however you want to look at it) in order to avoid the security guard since this hike is technically illegal. On the way down the security guard was fast asleep in his truck! i've been told that he often asks hikers how the hike was coming down! because it was the 4th of July there were over a hundred people with the same idea as us to hike that night!

BRIDEVIN-Brittney, Maddie, Tavin combined?

The next thing that was on my bucket list was to make a human size sand castle! and two hours later we did it! This was also on the 4th of July. It was a busy day along with snorkeling at sharks cove! 

Next on the bucket list: Snorkel at Hanauma Bay! it was a lot different than sharks cove. a lot more varieties of fish but i think i still like sharks cove better because of the caves...and sharks cove was free!...but so was this for me since I'm a local now and have ID to prove it!:)

Maddie and I got to rent some scooters for over a day for super cheap thanks to her banks "thank you points" and we literally went around the ENTIRE island with the exception of the west side. we made all kinds of stops along our way back to home from the opposite side of the island in Waikiki where we picked up the bikes. we stopped at Hanauma Bay, The blow hole, Chinese memorial, the light house hike, past Lani Kai, and back to Laie! next day back to Waikiki going through North Shore, went to Dole plantation, swap meet, pearl harbor (basically all the touristy spots) I highly recommend scooters to go exploring! it was a blast! wind in our faces and being one with the road!

Light house hike

I would have to say one of the best purchases I've made since being here in Hawaii is this lovely hammock! words can't really explain the way i feel laying in the sun by the ocean in this thing...  it's freedom. oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world....NIRVANA.

We slept over night in these. 

sunset from my porch

Thanks Maddie for making my break memorable and wonderful! I'm grateful for the light you carry, and for you entertaining my child-like, adventure-seeking spirit! only great friends can do that kind of thing for each other. The people worth keeping around in life are the ones who stick around through the pain, the challenges, the sometimes drama, the laughter, the tears, the times where your being good, and the times your being dumb, the ones you can be your complete self around for better or worse and they still love the ever changing and imperfect you! 

(Title from "Officer"-Slightly Stoopid)