Live simply, travel,laugh a lot and don’t forget to breath

“Write it in your heart that every day is the best day in the year”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

As the year ends, my days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is also nearing to an end.

It was a wonderful 32 years! Thank you!

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Year 2018 was a year of traveling … emotional turmoil of losing loved ones, yet the gratitude is tantamount to the blessings. May we have all a Happy New year and more blessings for the year 2019!

I compiled photos on air while traveling, the perk of having the window seat! All photos were taken with an Iphone 🙂

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Cheers,

jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Mermaid’s Secret Haven – airbnb

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Photo credit: Edge Suarez

AirbnB – stands for airbed and breakfast, but that was then …today you can actually rent the whole place and make your own breakfast. 🙂

I heard about airbnb from my two sons, the first time I was going to visit them in Los Angeles. It’s cheaper than hotel and it feels like your home, but I want to feel like I’m on vacation… I don’t want to cook my own meal, clean my place, I like to stay in a hotel.

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Photo Credit: Edge Suarez

Try mom!

Alright! We stayed one week in Sta. Monica, the host is kind and the place is neat and clean, though I still think , hotel is way better but if you’re thinking to save some money for shopping 🙂  airbnb is a choice!

This is the second time I tried airbnb, this time in Hawaii for two weeks. My children would like to feel local, ok ladies, I am not rolling my eyes but my kind of holiday is like..staying in the hotel, spa,guided tours and shopping, I guess that’s my definition of a tourist. (in my own vocabulary)

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Photo Credit: Edge Suarez

What is like being a tourist and a local at the same time?

 

One thing is to rent a house far away from where the tourist usually crowds. I rented “Mermaid’s Secret Haven” in Kaneohe,Hi. Indeed, the place is far from the airport and a car is a necessity . If you have used the airbnb app, the pictures are exactly what you can find at Katrina’s place. I find her very charming and polite host.

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welcome treat from the host

It’s a one bedroom/bathroom apartment which is attached to the main house but has a separate entrance. It is complete with all the things you need while on vacation, plenty of different kinds of towels, even picnic basket,cooler and snorkelling gears are available.

Though the place is far from the centre, it is a few minutes drive from the malls and nice beaches around the island. Nearer to the North shore and Kailua beach.As the days passed, I really didn’t feel that was a far place.

I love the serenity of the place, the garden …though it was raining every now and then, I had the chance to enjoy my coffee outside and taste the sweetness of the freshly pick papaya every morning, it was heaven to my palate. Thanks Katrina!

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Photo credit: Edge Suarez

This is our family photo on rainy days inside the Maiden’s secret haven. I love it!

I’m looking forward to another family holiday,another adventure.

Will I use another airbnb?

Hmmm… maybe yes..maybe no!

Cheers,

jamilamimi

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Weekly Photo Challenge – Trio

I took this picture on my recent trip to Polynesian Culture Centre in the Islands of Hawaii. Although every village in the Island had shown their culture through dancing, this three Samoa dancers took my attention because of their vibrant energy while dancing.

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<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/trio/”>Trio</a&gt;

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Along the streets of Kalakaua Avenue to Waikiki Beach

 

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What’s a holiday in Honolulu without visiting the world-famous Waikiki beach! This the most vibrant, populated gathering of all tourist around the world. We walk along the avenue where mostly of high-end designer stores lined up and finally we found Oakley store where we can customised my bro sunglasses :-). I was tempted to get into the Prada and Louis Vuitton but I refrained, knowing this is not my first intention of being here anyway. Wow! Is that me? Beautybeyondfifty has a self-control 🙂 for shopping aiyeeh 🙂

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While looking for a space to park I took a lot of pictures along the road and here’s some ..

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Finally found one ! and I started just to shoot whatever I thought would be interesting to post.. Actually this is my first time to do street photography, a kind of.. off,  but at least i tried my best!

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look at her smile..beautiful!

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Seriously, are you really trying to read it upside down?

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And who would not recognise this? Duke Kahanamoku statue, welcomes all the tourist with an open arms. He is the father of modern surfing, the Hawaii first ambassador of goodwill.

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The beauty of the nature at the heart of a city..what else can I say?

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Ladies, I’ve been here year 2009 at Hilton Hawaiian Village,I haven’t had any idea yet of blogging and sharing my photos , we had fun visiting the zoo and the aquarium. Try and visit them as well!

Coming back is another blessing and for sure will be coming more 🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi

Weekly Photo Challenge : Careful

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Careful.”

Iphone shot of leaving Honolulu International Airport to Los Angeles airport to King Abdulaziz International Airport.

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