Everyone posts about Honolulu like it’s heaven on earth — turquoise waves, luaus at sunset, a mai tai in hand. So when I finally went, I expected peace. Instead, I felt trapped inside a postcard. Waikiki was wall-to-wall tourists, sunscreen in the air, and $22 cocktails served with plastic flowers. Locals worked double shifts at resorts they could never afford to stay in. I asked a bartender if she ever went to the beach after work — she laughed. “Are you kidding? I can’t even afford the parking.” The island’s beauty is undeniable, but it’s guarded by walls of money. Tourists chase “aloha spirit,” but many Hawaiians say it’s been stolen — replaced by hashtags and hotel slogans. Maybe paradise isn’t supposed to feel like someone else’s job. #Travel #Hawaii