Imagine you’ve been hand picked out of a number of influencers to represent a premium fashion brand. Then that premium fashion brand asks you to travel to Hawaii for a photoshoot. You’ve been working so hard on your blog for years and you’re finally reaping the rewards and getting recognition for your determination.
So you’re invited to do a fashion shoot in Hawaii for a few days, but your stalker is back and you can’t risk going without security. Good thing your fake-boyfriend is the CEO of his own security company right? Our FMC Stella Alonso has caught the eye of Christian Harper, a no-nonsense, incredibly serious CEO who doesn’t believe in love.
Travel to Hawaii – Kauai to be Precise
So when he offers to accompany her to Hawaii to keep her safe, how can she say no? He upgrades everything. And after her photoshoot and work commitments are done, real feelings are starting to become stronger and stronger. And even if our main man can’t accept what’s happening, we know he’s completely smitten too.
He offers to extend the trip and show Stella around the island – and why not? He’s been here before and knows just what the island has to offer. Can Stella and Christian’s relationship stay fake? Or are the lines being blurred more and more each day?
If you haven’t read Twisted Lies – what have you been doing? I would say out of the four Twisted books by Ana Huang, this is my favourite. I love both Stella’s and Christian’s character development throughout the book. Stella is hard working and determined and Christian only encourages her to stand up for herself more and take a chance on her blog and brand.
“If you saw yourself the way other people see you, you’d never doubt again.” HEART SWOON. And this was before he admitted to being in love with her. I mean come on people. A man who doesn’t believe in love turning into a complete puddle around this girl, what’s not to love?
OK so we’ve done Twisted Lies Italy – a MONTH LONG Italian itinerary – thank you Ana Huang for making us all weep for never being able to take a month off to wander around Italy. Now we’re going back to their first trip together – just a few days in the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Day One – Travel to Hawaii
For those who haven’t seen images of Kauai – google it. It is unreal. Think Jurassic Park – the scenery is incredible so flying to this island is a bucket list item in itself. And when your CEO multi-millionaire fake-boyfriend upgrades to first class, you know it’s going to be a good trip.
OK so unless you’re the new face of a luxury goods brand, you’ll travel to Hawaii on your first day. Once you arrive and check in your luggage at your luxury villa.
There are a few places you can stay in Kauai, and it depends on what vibe you would like as to where you should stay. Hawaii Guide provides a good run down of the different areas and the pros and cons of each.
If you are looking to progress your fake dating arrangement, maybe like Christian Harper, you should (consensually of course) only book a one bedroom villa. It should certainly spice things up with the inevitable forced proximity.
Day Two: Helicopter Tour over Kauai
We’re starting to pack in the activities now. Get up nice and early and take a helicopter tour of the island. Most of the helicopter tours are a four person max so you won’t have anyone in the middle seat. Can you travel to Hawaii and not do this trip? Locations that you will pass by include:
Manawaiopuna Falls (Jurassic Park Falls) – yes from the movie! Didn’t I say this island has serious Jurassic Park vibes?
Waimea Canyon State Park – you’ll be hiking here on Day Four
Na Pali Coast – You’ll be sailing here tomorrow
Hanalei – beautiful waterfalls and rivers
Mt. Waialeale – the wettest place on earth with a staggering average of 450 inches of rainfall per year
The flight is for approximately 50 minutes unless your multi-millionaire fake-boyfriend has the urge to extend I suppose. I’m sure Stella could convince Christian to fly it to the moon to be honest.
After lunch, there is the option to do a kayak and hiking trip. You’ll paddle 2 miles upstream before tying up the kayaks and continuing on foot. This is quite an adventurous tour. You’ll be wading across rivers and hiking through muddy terrain so be prepared. You do finish the 1.5 mile hike at Uluwehi Falls, also known as Secret Falls where you can take a dip to cool off.
In the evening, of course, you’ll be telling your Butterfly things you’ve never told anyone and she’ll be breaking down that hard exterior and making you question why you never believed in love to begin with. OR you might just have a nice dinner and relax by the pool. Who knows?
Day Three: Snorkel tour in Kauai
Today will be a bit more of a chilled day. It will be an early start for the Half Day Snorkel Tour. The catamaran will take you up to the north western Na Pali coast which you would have flown over on the helicopter tour.
Here you can snorkel, swim, jump off the boat and really relax and have fun. You may even be lucky enough to see some dolphins – something unfortunately money cannot buy. You’ll have to rely on sheer dumb luck.
Snorkeling and sailing always seem to exhaust me. So after this half day tour, I’ve left the itinerary clear. For me, I would read, relax by the pool or hit up the spa (come on, you know Christian Harper would have made sure there was a spa at the hotel).
Day Four: Hiking in Kauai
This is our final full day. I know, I know. The book says that Christian and Stella only stay an additional two days but to be honest, THERE IS TOO MUCH TO DO AND TWO DAYS IS NOT ENOUGH. Sue me. (Please don’t actually sue me, I am poor and only write these for fun.)
OK back to it, today, you’ll be hiking and where better than a little change of scenery to the dramatic coastline than Kauai Waimea Canyon and Koke’e Valley. Compared to the emerald greens of the coastline, the Canyon is contrasted with bright orange and red cliffs. The views look absolutely incredible and I have no doubt this will be a great addition to the trip. People travel to Hawaii to see these amazing views.
However, it is hiking and no doubt you will be exhausted, so the plan is to have another chilled afternoon – soak up those final rays before heading back tomorrow.
Day Four: Evening
For the final evening, head out on a sunset tour of the Na Pali coastline where you had previously snorkeled and flown over.
In the book, Christian describes this particular coastline as “a work of art forged by nature’s most talented artisans, the closest to Shangri-La in the modern world, but it wasn’t the most beautiful thing present. Not by a long shot” SPOILER – he is talking about Stella. Good grief I love this book.
If a sunset sail isn’t your style, perhaps you could take a leaf out of our fave MMC Christian Harper’s playbook. Organize a private picnic for you and your Butterfly on a secluded beach on the northern shore. You may have to define your relationship after a blip in the conversation about seeing other people (which of course you absolutely will not tolerate) but all’s well that ends well. You’ll become official – no more fake dating with your Butterfly.
Day Five: Fly Home
So this is longer than Ana Huang had anticipated in the book but it is still significantly shorter than I would have liked. If you do have more time to explore, here are a few more tours I would have liked to have fit in:
Hawaii Movie Tours – Movie location points from films such as: ‘Tropic Thunder,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ ‘Castaway’ and ‘Jurassic Park’.
Whale Watching – only in winter
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. This is the final one for Twisted Lies. Christian and Stella are my favourite Twisted couple. I think they both come so far from where they were to begin with and they really do bring out the best in each other.
As always: here is the Twisted Lies – Hawaii spreadsheet. There’s not too much moving around as it’s such a small island, but it’s nice to have it all mapped out either way.
For Twisted Lies Italy – click here.
Love Ana Huang? Here are some other itineraries inspired by her books:
