Swede’s Photographs<p>Good morning, friends. 💮 💮 💮 </p><p>23 April 2025</p><p>Here I am again, alone with my thoughts—or at least trying to think. Yet all I can seem to focus on is the fact that I’m alone with my thoughts. It’s a tough cycle to break, especially in the mornings. Back in 1996, when my wife and I were both stationed in the Republic of Korea, we took mid-tour leave over Christmas and flew to Waikiki, Hawaii. We stayed at the Hale Koa Hotel, an exclusive yet affordable beachfront retreat for active-duty and retired military members. The hotel offered everything—beach access, a pool, a tiki bar, the works. Reservations were booked months in advance, but I got lucky when someone canceled at the last minute, and just like that, we were in. We flew Korean Air out of Seoul to Honolulu and back. Last-minute luck led to tropical holiday bliss.</p><p>"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." - Helen Keller</p><p><a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/photo" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>photo</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>photography</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/photographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>photographer</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>nature</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/morning" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>morning</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/flowers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>flowers</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/vacation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>vacation</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/adventure" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>adventure</span></a></p>