What makes hiking Koko Head memorable

Be determined in achieving your goals, fuelled by passion and sacrifice,
no matter how difficult it might look as long as you have perseverance
 there is nothing impossible. 

View from the parking when we arrived at the Koko Head Park.

Before you raise your brows and ask if I was able to really survive, let me just first state that it was difficult and it took me an hour and a half to hike Koko Head which has 1,048 "torturous" steps and this mountain is 1,200 feet above Hawaii Kai. The weather then was so fine and not sunny so the heat was bearable. 

Looks so minute from this view but
totally opposite when you're hiking it. 

It was almost 7 o'clock in the morning when we arrived and started our hike. We passed by these cables wherein these shoes are hanging onto. Some of the shoes are clean, do look like new ones, and what made it unbelievable is the fact that some shoes hanging here are all brand-new. Accordingly, those who were able to survive hiking Koko Head started a tradition of just throwing their shoes above and leaves it on these wires if it gets on to it.  

Ate Den-Den who was here during our hike on her 7th time at Koko Head, led the trail. She was prepared and got her belt bag on and got water tumbler.

On our first set of photos are fine- we can still put a smile on our faces and everything seems okay. 

Tito Rey walked this part of the trail which served as a bridge- totally no land but huge rocks on the bottom, but not for me. Auntie Belen took this photo as I literally crawled going up this part. Some tourists also crawled while others used some trail walking poles- just like that lady at my back with yellow walking poles. 

I have to stop for twenty or so times to rest because aside from the steepness of the trail, what made it more difficult is a number of people passing by. Some are fast and that they were going down already while others just started. Both though were fast except for us.  

 It took me an hour and a half to reach the top! While Ate Den-Den, Ate Pam, Robie, and Uncle Roland hiked for only 40 minutes! Perhaps, being a first-time hiker is a good excuse!  

Accordingly, Koko Head was used during the war to combat attackers. 

Train rails which we passed were used to deliver bombs and other artilleries for air-to-ground weapons. 

Overlooking Hanauma Bay.

The view from the top is breath-taking!

I am grateful to this Filipino family, Uncle Rey and Auntie Belen, Uncle Roland and Auntie Virgie, Ate Pam, Robby, and Ate Den-Den. This is also a chance to reconnect with them since the last they saw me was when I was still little. My mom grew up with Auntie Belen and their family as neighbors in our community.  

With Uncle Roland.

Uncle Roland, Uncle Ben, and Auntie Belen proved that they can still hike this far and this difficult despite their age! Salute! Note that we did not even have stretching first prior to hiking. (BUT for safety purposes, before going and doing physical activities please do stretching first.)

Auntie Belen and Uncle Roland

We stayed on top for 20 minutes to rest, drink water, take photos, and eat pandesal!

Pandesal! 

Check out this Facebook live video.

 Going down the mountain was easier! It took me only 30 minutes to trail down. Of course, this part which is the "bridge" still made me crawl though I tried walking I failed when my foot slip.

See this gap between the rails?

Yeah, that's my haggard face. LOL!

I think that this hiking journey does not only give us the view of nature. It gives us moments to ponder on our life goals. It teaches that no matter how difficult the problem or situation may look, as long as we are determined and passionate about the things we do, we can overcome every obstacle. We can take pauses, but we should never give up. 

  

Survived Koko Head!

Visiting the Valley of Temples

 

With mountains on its background, a pond, and a temple on its foot, this definitely is another paradise here in Hawaii. 

By the beauty of its view, who would have thought beside this Buddhist temple lies a memorial park where thousands of Buddhist, Shinto, Protestant, Catholic residents of Hawaii are buried. This is Valley of Temples located at windward part of O'ahu island and at the foot of the Ko'olau mountains which is just near Kaneohe.

This is one of the spots my fraternity brother Andrew brought me into when we met. I find it timely then because it was Halloween and that was also the first day of November in the Philippines when Filipino come to churches and cemeteries to pray for the soul of their departed.  

Accordingly, thousands of Buddhist, Shinto, Protestant, and Catholic residents of Hawaii are buried here. On this part of the valley, a hill of tombstone are located. 

This year should have been the second year when we have to go to the cemetery and visit the tomb of my dad, and since I cannot visit his tomb, went instead to this peaceful place where I remembered and prayed for his soul. What's good about this place is aside from the connection that you have with God is the connection that you also have with nature. 

I also visited the Byodo-In Temple where an Amida Buddha is located here and lit a candle. According to sources, this temple has been established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of first Japanese immigrants in Hawaii.

Aside from the beautiful beaches and hike activities, this temple is definitely one of the must-go here in Hawaii- not just because of its beauty, more its peacefulness, but also because of how people value and respect religious beliefs here.  

I am grateful for this fellowship opportunity because I did not just learn about legislative process and governance, it took me to new heights in understanding diversity and culture especially here in Hawaii which I think is a melting pot of varied culture. 

Thank you to the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, American Council of Young Political Leaders, and National Movement of Young Legislators in the Philippines!