This dude couldn't afford a trip to Hawaii, so he green-screened himself there

You gotta get creative when you're broke.
 By 
Sage Anderson
 on 

When you're scrolling through an Insta feed full of vacay pics it's hard not to imagine how much it would cost to get there. It's only when your parent's voice pops into your head -- "do you have vacation money?" -- that you're snapped back to reality.

You could always go back to sulking, binge-listening to Jimmy Buffet songs, or swimsuit shopping online when you know damn well you won't be going anywhere near a body of water anytime soon. You could even fake a vacation for clout. Or you could just green screen yourself there.

Twitter user @aanthonyy07 posted his fictional trip to Hawaii using images and videos from beaches, pools, and the airport while he works it in front of the green screen. Of course, the video is set to the song "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" from the soundtrack of Lilo and Stitch.


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He goes through all the typical motions of an influencer's vacation: posing by the pool, doing a Shakira-like approximation of the hula, posing at the beach only to get bowled over by an incoming wave. But he also throws in some bizarre moments, like burning his hand from volcanic lava, and again, riding the waves with Lilo and Stich.

Everyone's broke selves could relate — sometimes you just have to create your own low-budget fun.

While everyone loves some wholesome vacation daydreaming, several comments pointed out that it's hard to view Hawaii through the singular lens of a tropical tourist destination amidst protests currently happening on the island. Native Hawaiians on the Big Island have organized to stop the building of a telescope atop the sacred mountain of Mauna Kea.

We can't ignore the negatives effects that tourism has on the areas we visit, especially spiked by influencer and social-media driven culture. One person's tropical paradise is another person's home. But if you're still craving a getaway, may we suggest a virtual vacation?

UPDATE: July 22, 2019, 11:13 a.m. EDT KAYAK has decided to make aanthonyy07's virtual vacation a reality and fund a round trip ticket to Hawaii. Vacay dreams do come true, folks!

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Sage Anderson

Sage is the newest Culture writer on the block at Mashable NYC. They recently graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, and have previously worked for The Dr. Oz Show, NorthSouth Productions, and on Netflix's 'The OA Part II'. Off the clock, they can be found testing out cupcake recipes, collecting dolls, and watching Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure for the millionth time.

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