Anniversary at Okuma Ai Cottage

Private beach

Free golf cart access

Happy Anniversary!

BBQ dinner

We waited 6 months to stay at Ai Cottage! And I waited another 6 months to write this post! :P Located in the northern part of Okinawa, the Ai Cottage at military resort in Okuma is perfect for couple (Ai means love in Japanese), and also known for its long wait time (average is 6 months). There’s only one like this in the entire resort, it comes with a private beach, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a gas grill. Because it’s tucked in at a relative remote part of the resort, it’s very quiet, and the reservation includes a golf cart to help you commute to and from the cottage. Definitely worth the 6-month wait!

In the evening, UN and I bought some groceries from a nearby market and barbecued on the grill. We read books while watching Okinawa sunset, had dinner by the beach, and fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves. After we woke up, we swam in the ocean. I got some sunburn during my stay, but I love this place so much! Happy anniversary!

Ai Cottage

Woke up to this!

Room set up

Ready to snorkel!

Out to the ocean!

Chinese Translation

等了六個月，終於住到Ai Cottage，然後拖了六個月，這篇文章終於出產了！沖繩北邊的美軍附設度假飯店Okuma Beach裡，Ai Cottage是大家眾所皆知，需六個月前預訂，也是Okuma Beach裡面最適合情侶的住宿。Ai Cottage位在Okuma Beach最角落，有私人海灘和烤肉爐。房間外有浴池能看著海泡澡，環境也比Okuma其他的住宿安靜。由於Ai Cottage位置關係，飯店會附加高爾夫球車，方便客人行動。六個月的等待真的滿值得的！

傍晚時我和UN在附近超市買了些烤肉用品，在海灘旁烤肉。全沖繩最美的夕陽下看書，月光下吃晚餐，聽著海聲入睡，沖繩北邊的景色真的好美！起床後，立刻跳進海裡游泳，雖然三天下來我又大曬傷，但我們還是很愛這裡！結婚紀念日快樂！

Enjoy your stay!

Labor Day Weekend 2020 | 勞動節長週末

Shelter in place seems like it’s coming to an end. We can now dine out where outdoor seating is available, and we can do non-essential shopping. We can even travel by commercial ferry or airplane to nearby islands. This has gotta be the most awesome birthday gift for me. This past long weekend we were expecting the “storm of the decade”, so we made sure we went snorkeling before the typhoon hits. But the typhoon didn’t hit us straight on, and we even got to eat hot pot and watch Mulan. 

自主隔離終於到一段落，能在餐廳室外座位用餐，也能到商場逛街，還能坐飛機和船到沖繩離島。我的天啊，這根本是生日前最好的禮物！這長週末，有堪稱最強颱風來沖繩，我們把握能到海邊玩的時間去浮潛，但颱風路線走歪沒什麼太大影響。週日還吃火鍋看花木蘭。

Okuma Resort

Have you ever gotten dizzy from SUP and kayak? Have you ever seen anyone capsize while riding jet ski? Even though we only stayed here one night, this weekend was very extreme and entertaining. Our staycation at Okuma started with meeting up with our pastor’s family, who happened to be at northern Okinawa too, for dinner. UN and I went looking for stars at night, something we don’t get to see very often. I wish I had brought my tripod. 

你有聽過玩SUP和獨木舟玩到暈船過嗎？你有親眼看到水上摩托車翻船嗎？雖然只待一晚，但這週末也太刺激太好玩了！開啟完美Okuma Staycation，我們先是和剛好也在沖繩北邊的牧師一家人一起吃晚餐！晚上和UN在海邊追星，整片星星是我們在住家附近看不到的畫面，真希望那時有帶腳架！

On the second day, sea conditions improved a lot. We signed up for a couple aquatic activities. I finally got to do SUP! Still the waves after typhoon was a bit choppy, we got a little bit seasick from kayaking and SUP. 

第二天海況改善許多，我們排滿水上活動，我也終於能玩到SUP！但由於颱風過後，海況還不太穩定，我們划著SUP和獨木舟到暈船，一度需要跳下水裡清醒一下。

Our favorite and most impressionable activity has got to be jet ski. What an adrenaline rush. Another couple who started the same time as us flipped and capsized as they were attempting a sharp turn. That didn’t deter our racing spirit. We pedaled to the metal. Jet ski is a must try activity when you are at Okuma. Before leaving Okuma, we made reservation for the one room there that is so hard to make reservation for. Most ppl say you have to book it 6 months in advance. It’s the Ai Cottage, and it has its own private beach!

整個行程我們印象最深（也是最愛）是玩水上摩托車，超刺激超瘋狂。和我們同時間出發的另一對情侶，在我們還在研究如何飆車時竟然翻車。但完全不影響我們想當飆仔的心情，我們開始狂飆狂撞海浪，來Okuma一定又玩水上摩托車！離開Okuma前，我們訂到最難訂的房間，就是傳說需要六個月前訂好的AI Cottage，聽說有私人海灘！

Kouri Shrimp

Time flies when you are having fun! After leaving Okuma, we stopped by a tourist favorite Kouri Shrimp over rice. They only do takeouts right now. You must wash your hands and wear your mask when ordering. We ate the Kouri Shrimp over rice by the beach and watched the sun set to end our long weekend. 

美好的時光總是過得特別快，下午離開Okuma後我們到觀光客必吃、疫情之前總是大排長龍的超有名蝦仁飯。目前只提供外帶，入店時必須戴口罩和擦乾洗手。我們帶著蝦仁飯到海邊欣賞黃昏，結束好玩的長週末。

Thanks to COVID-19 we are able to truly enjoy Okinawa. But I still wish COVID-19 would go away soon! 

現在能好好認識沖繩這美麗的小島得感謝COVID-19，但COVID-19可以快點離開嗎？感謝感謝！

Girls’ Staycation at Okuma | 閨蜜沖繩遊

I didn’t think Okuma would rival our original girl’s trip planned for Vietnam and Bali, but this weekend changed my view. Here there is a 9-hole golf course, mini golf, and various water sports, including glass bottom boat for the gram! Wish we could’ve stayed longer. 

以為這裡無法和我們原先計畫的越南、峇里島旅行相比，但這週末讓我完全改觀。有9洞高爾夫球場、mini golf、海邊各種設施幾乎應有盡有，還有網美必坐的透明小船，真希望我們能在那待久一點。

We stayed at a condo with 7 rooms with ocean view. Kitchen and living room included, plus a barbecue area outside. But all of us were tired from cooking at home during shelter in place, so we decided to dine at the restaurant on the establishment. The best thing is that it only costs $35 per person, UN thought we are camping out in tents. By comparison, the other nearby resorts cost an average of $350 per night, some even without the ocean view. But you need a US military ID to enter this property, thankful to the military for letting us enjoy this perk!

這次我們住的是獨棟含7間房間，窗外便是一大片海景，附有廚房和客廳，外面有烤肉區。但大家在病毒期間以厭倦煮飯，我們都在附設餐廳裡用餐。誇張的是一晚一人只需美金35元。便宜到UN以為我們搭帳篷，連附近飯店（無連接海邊）都必須美金350元起跳。好吧，講這麼多，但這裡需要美軍證件才能進來，把這篇當作炫耀文吧！感謝美軍這麼貼心，對我們這麼好！

Back to my main point, I’m grateful for this group of ladies that I got to know over the past year. Thank you for supporting me and lifting me up, trusting me to serve as the VP for the group, and nourishing my leadership and management skills. Although many of you are PCSing (military move), a typical military lifestyle, this world is small and I’m sure our paths will cross again. Thank God for bringing these friends into my life!

回歸正題！好感恩去年來沖繩時能認識這些朋友們。雖然短短一年的相處，很感謝朋友們願意提拔我，讓我有機會在軍眷團裡勝任重要職位，也教我許多活動管理和籌備技巧。雖然朋友們準備搬到不同國家，但這就是軍眷的生活。但我相信世界如此小，我們一定會再次相遇。感謝神能讓我認識這群朋友！