Okay, so I always feel weird about posting photos from my trips, because it feels like I’m bragging and a big part of me worries that  ya all are rolling your eyes right now and thinking “Again!? More photos of you with in some cheesy photo with an unidentified object?” Or, “No, not again! Not another photo of a sunset! Please! For the love of God, noooooo!”

But then I think well, this IS a travel blog. And what’s a travel blog without some travel photos?

So here’s a photo recap of my trip (and you’ll be happy to note that although I took 30918730923 photos of sunsets, I resisted the urge to post any of them here. It was tough…but I held strong).

Anyhow, last week I went to Hawaii with a friend from high school. And while staying in my parents’ condo in Waikiki for the weekend, we:

Hiked up a volcano (Diamond Head):

Here’s the view from the top!

Hiked to a waterfall (Manoa Falls)

The waterfall wasn’t in full force when we went and you can’t really swim there (it’s too shallow).

Saw where they were filming “Catching Fire” (Hunger Games 2)

Sadly, there were no celebrities there at the time (it was a Sunday and the security guard said they were off that day). But there was a lot of equipment lying around, including packages of moss they must be using to make the jungle look even more jungle-like (?). It was hot, humid and extremely muddy…I wouldn’t want to be stuck filming out there all day.

Slid down the hill in the mud

That hill is a lot steeper than it looks…Trust me.

 Ruined our flop flops

Word to the wise…do not go hiking in Manoa in flip flops (or “slippers” as people in Hawaii say). The mud will eat them and you’ll have to walk the entire way back barefoot. True story.

 Posed for 1293740192 Photos with Inanimate Objects

I mean, come on. Would you expect anything less from me?

It was really nice to return home for a while (I spent the first 16 years of my life there) and it was doubly nice to go with someone who’d never been. We got to do a lot of the touristy things I hadn’t done since I was a little kid.

Anyway, now it’s YOUR turn. Have you ever been to Oahu? What did you do while there? Did you like it?

Reannon Muth

Reannon Muth is a full-time writer, social media consultant and owner and manager of the Taken by the Wind travel blog. Born in Hawaii, Reannon has lived in five countries, at Disney World and on a cruise ship. She currently lives in fabulous Las Vegas.