Through My Cooked Lens

A truly cooked up adventure!

The morning of Day 4 started way too early—again. I’m convinced we were waking up before even the sun had its coffee. Our first mission? Pick up our Turo rental. Simple, right? You’d think. The directions were clear, but apparently, we are not. After a minor detour (read: wandering around like confused tourists), the building’s security looked at us like we were plotting a heist. Once we finally got inside, the night manager—yes, night manager (I repeat, too early)—greeted us with a look that screamed why are people even awake right now? Then, upon hearing our plight, he simply nodded and said, “Oh yeah, that tenant rents out cars all the time.” Mystery solved.

With our trusty Turo in hand, we set off for the North Shore—aka my favorite place on the island. But first, survival mode kicked in, and we stopped at McDonald’s. I know, I know. Not very “scrunchy” of me, and definitely not the beachy, aesthetic vibe I was going for. But it was early, and we were in unfamiliar territory. The real highlight of this stop? Wild chickens with their chicks. I’d seen solo chickens roaming Honolulu, but this was my first official hen-and-chick sighting. (Spoiler: This would become a recurring theme of the day.)

Swimming With Sharks—And a Slightly Nervous Husband

Now, for the main event: SWIMMING WITH SHARKS! Yes, you read that right. And before you ask, yes, I did it in a cage because self-preservation is still a thing. Next time though, full send-no cage. It was incredible. Easily a 100/10 experience. My husband, on the other hand, took a hard pass on getting in the water. His official excuse? “It was too early, and I didn’t feel great.” Mmmhmm. Sure. The boat ride to the cage was a bit rocky, and a few passengers got seasick, but thankfully, we were spared. Motion sickness? Don’t know her.

North Shore Adventures

Post-shark encounter, we continued exploring the North Shore. First stop: the legendary Banzai Pipeline, where the waves do terrifyingly cool things. Then, we hit the Dole Plantation. Our verdict? Not much to do but plenty to buy—which, honestly, is still a valid experience. The real star of the visit? The Dole Whip. We got ours with Li Hing, and let me tell you, game-changer. That sweet, salty, tangy magic had me hooked. But then, in a moment of curiosity (or betrayal?), I checked the ingredient list when buying some to take home—cue the dramatic gasp—artificial dyes. What a buzzkill. Just another thing my inner crunchy self conveniently ignored while living my best life in Paradise. Even if the plantation itself was just okay, that alone made the stop worth it.

Another highlight of the Dole Plantation? I spotted my first—and only—gecko! Where, you ask? On a trash can. Truly the epitome of glamour. And, of course, do I have a Nat Geo-worthy shot of this rare encounter? Absolutely not. Because who thinks to bring their camera into a full-blown tourist trap gift shop? Rookie mistake.

Next, we strolled through the Wahiawa Botanical Garden, which was lovely. We had another garden on our list—Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden—but thanks to our poor sense of time, we got there too late. Oh well, just another reason to return!

Wrapping Up the Day

We ended the evening packing up and exploring the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which was a fun little adventure in itself. But, let’s be real—one of my favorite parts of the day? The wild chickens. Truly, nature’s funniest little rebels.