The plane from Honolulu, Hawaii touched down in California at 6:31 this morning. I should be sleeping now, but my body hasn't recognized the time change yet. It will pay for its obliviousness when work resumes later today.

For a little over seven days, I stayed in a Waikiki hotel, with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. I can't express how much I actually enjoyed getting up early in the morning, stepping out on the patio and simply taking in everything around me. No matter how early I awoke, people were always up and outside before me, especially the surfers.

The trip was a nice combination of celebration, exploration and relaxation. It was an early celebration of my parents' 30th wedding anniversary. They had spent their honeymoon in Hawaii and it was their first time back in many years. To make it a complete family vacation, my sister and I joined them.

For many years, I longed to visit the islands, which made this trip very special. Although we only explored Oahu, there was still so much to see and experience. I hope to record and share some of those experiences over the next few days. It was so fantastic, I'm already longing to return.

Lastly, this past week has been relaxing. For once, my natural tempo seemed to match the pace of my surroundings. It was so easy to slow down and disconnect from my regular routine. Unfortunately, the routine begins again in a few hours. There is more to share, but it will have to wait.