If youāre reading this review, it means youāre already in the right mindset and interested in a uniquely Oahu adventure. The upfront investment in airfare, lodging and food for my family of four (hubby and I are each 49 & sons aged 18 and 12-going-on-25) left me a little breathless about how we could maximize our experience and not be āvacation poorā with going to an exotic vacation destination but unable to fully enjoy it. We spent seven nights/six days in Oahu. It didnāt take much research to figure out that chain restaurants and sitting on Waikiki Beach is not the Oahu experience I wanted. Anyone raising kids knows the struggle of getting them to āunplugā and enjoy being unplugged. My research led to committing two of our six vacation days with Jacob J. Scarlett of True Hawaii Tours.
WARNING: do not let his warm Matthew McConaughey accent and superbly built physique throw you offā-Jacob is substance beyond measure. He is personable, worldly, engaging, has a fantastic sense of humor, spiritual, patient, and classy. A tour guide being classy? Yes. And let me explain how these intangibles come into playā¦.
Imperfection is part of the human condition. Having someone spend quality time with you/your family as you are hot, tired, and tested by nature may bring out your not-so-glamorous side. Jacob is grace personified. His easy way gently guides you to the fun and joy of dominating your goal. There were a couple times where I was willing to bail or scared but he reassured me I could do it. Iāll never forget the high-five he gave me after kayaking 45 minutes as if I were genuinely his partner and not the weak link. Additionally, and perhaps, unfortunately, both sons were a bit over-confident and over-zealous in adventuring. Jacob had the core strength to save them. From dying? No. He never put us in any crazy situations. But saved from serious injuries? ABSOLUTELY YES!
We approach parenting as a gift from God. This leads to an extremely high standard of care. Jacob earned our 1000% trust in taking the lead of our safe adventure-to-the-max! Emphasis on adventure but thank goodness he knows the ins-and-outs of how to safely experience it. Oahu hikes are not manufactured by Disney. A simple Google News search of Oahu hiking will convince you that safety absolutely needs to come first. He has the experience and sensibility to gauge which adventures fit you while also sharing little treasures of his beloved Hawaii. Favorite candy, ice cream, mid-day snacks, local eateriesā¦.all superb without the plastic tourist vibe nor price tag.
One last bit of advice: take advantage of the media package he offers. He is an extremely gifted videographer and photojournalistic with an artistic eye.