Flyin'

On March 4th, after we checked out of the hotel; we took the city bus again, this time to the Bishop Museum. It was a very nice if small history and science museum, consisting several buildings and a planetarium. Then we fetched our luggage and headed to the airport for our 9:40pm flight from Honolulu to San Fransisco.

Then at 6:00am the morning of the 5th we flew to Kansas City with a very short layover in Denver.We arrived in Kansas City about 12:30pm to meet Pam and Sue (Carroll Cousins) who picked us up and let us stay with them for the night. thanks again

Today we came home!

Thanks to everyone who checkout our posts and have a great Spring!

Honolulu and Pearl Harbor

After we flew into Honolulu, on the 1st, we checked into the Hilton Hawaiian Village-Rainbow Tower. That evening we went to a Luau; we had traditional Hawaiian food and watched professional dancers. Although it started raining half-way through the performance it was still very good, my favourite is always the dances with fire.

On the second of March, we took the city bus to Pearl Harbor where we saw the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri. They show you a short film about Pearl Harbor and how the attack by the Japanese was planned and carried out before taking you to the USS Arizona Memorial. The USS Missouri was very interesting, we spent five hours exploring her continuous passageways and deck, she was HUGE. Our tour guide, Max, showed us everything from her guns to her galley and brig. Although still a (decommissioned) navy ship the USS Missouri is maintained by the USS Missouri Memorial Association and permanently docked at Pearl Harbor to commemorate the ending of WWII because the Formal Instrument of Surrender was signed on her deck on September 2nd 1945. See interesting facts at http://http//www.ussmissouri.com/visitor-information/interesting-facts

The next day Dallas, Nathan, and Mom went back to see the USS Bowfin, a submarine, and the Pacific Aviation Museum while I layed in the sun and went swimming at the hotel.

P.S. Sorry I haven't written in so long, can't believe the Hilton doesn't have free internet in the rooms.

Yesterday afternoon we took a boat ride up to the Fern Grotto. It was rather disappointing actually, in 1992 a hurricane had torn most of the ferns out and in 2006 they stopped allowing people to walk into the cave because of loose rocks. Also i forgot the camera so no photos.

Today we took a plane around the island looking at the big coffee plantations, the Waimea Canyon, and the north shore called Na Pali. It was a little rough on the way back and we had a tough time holding down our stomachs. It was too windy and cold to swim this evening.

Tomorrow we fly out of Lihue to Honolulu.

Kayak and a Tan

Today, we went kayaking on the Wailua River and hiked up to the "Secret Falls." It took all morning, we found out Dallas cannot steer the kayak, Nathan took a few falls in the mud, and mom in the river (not out of the kayak.) Where we hiked was overgrown with trees and very slippery, but at one time had been properly irrigated and farmed. The falls were pretty and the water cold. This afternoon more swimming, tanning, and hopefully some Heavenly Hana Ice Cream. *yum*

Now i am finally caught up with our adventures.

To Kauai

On the 24th, we flew from Hilo to Kauai with a connection in Honolulu. We arrived before noon at the airport in Lihue and went to the rental car place, only to find out that (guess) mom's drivers license had expired (yep.) No car for us! We took a taxi to Kauai Sands Hotel where we are scheduled to stay for our time here on Kauai. The hotel has a nice beach where we spent the afternoon and later mom and i walked to Wailua (less than a mile) for some cold cuts and snacks for supper.

Yesterday we slept in. Then i walked to town to the coffee shop because our hotel has no Internet connection. Then we went shopping in the Coconut Marketplace next to our hotel, went swimming again and tried to figure out our different options for transportation.

Around the Island (in one day)

On the 23rd we drove all the way around the island of Hawai'i (about 500 miles). We started out at the place we were staying in Volcano and drove south past the black sand beaches and almost to the southernmost point of the United States (we couldn't go on the South Point Road as it would have been pretty rough on the rental car). Then we started back north towards the Kona side of the island, coming to Captain Cook where some friends of some friends live. Vickie showed us all around their coffee plantation where all the coffee beans are harvested by hand and all the weeds are controlled by flocks of geese. She also gave us some Dragon Fruit to eat which was absolutely wonderful, it grew on a cactus-like plant with spikes but originated in the South American mountains. Then we took off driving along the shore on Alii Drive, eventually we came to the north side of the island where the famous Parker Ranch is located and seriously it reminded me of Nebraska. With the lovely rolling green hill filled with cattle and some goats, if only there was no ocean, no mountains, no lava rocks, okay not exactly like Nebraska but the feel was the same. We stopped in Waimea to eat and then finished our trip back to our Inn.

Volcano, etc. . .

Sorry I haven't written for several days. On the 22nd, we mainly visited the few attractions of Volcano, HI. First, we walked down the street from Volcano Inn, where we were staying, to Volcano Garden Arts which is basically a craft store surrounded by several decorated garden paths. It had very beautifully handcrafted jewelry, sculptures, and masks. Later, we visited a hand blown glass store and workshop called 2400 Fahrenheit. The couple wasn't blowing glass that morning because they had been gone to a craft fair on the mainland and it takes almost a week to heat up the furnace, but she showed us around the equipment, telling us stories about the work they create and the business they run. We saw their store and marvelled at the magnificent pieces of colourful artwork. We ate some more pizza and, of course, it rained.

Hilo, etc. . .

Today we just checked out Hilo and the surrounding area. We looked into a greenhouse full of orchids, toured the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory, and visited a really neat little zoo called Pana'ewa. This afternoon we drove down to the Black Sand Beaches outside of Punalu'u watching the surf on the rocks and the turtles in the ocean & on the beach. That's me on the beach!

Hawai'i

Yesterday we flew out of Kahului, Maui to Hilo on the island of Hawai'i, which was only a 25 minute flight. We didn't do very much beyond scouting out Hilo and eating some wood-fired oven pizza.

Today we went to the Volcano National Park seeing plumes of sulfufic, ash-filled gases and walking several miles through jungle, a lava tunnel, and devastated landscape. Plus, this evening we drove out to where the lava flows hit the ocean; even though we couldn't get very close we could definatley see the steam that floated hundreds of feet in the air.

Lahaina

Yesterday, we travelled to Lahaina via Highway 30; the rocky scenery was beautiful and the ocean was deep blue. We visited Hilo Hattie's, walked for several hours along the mainstreet, ate at the Fish Company, had dessert at a corner ice cream shop, stood under the Banyan Tree (which shades almost an acre) and saw a whaling museum in an old courtroom. On the way back to the hotel we finally got to go swimming and got some sun!

Road to Hana

On the 17th, we woke up around 4am (8am CT) and were lazy for most of the morning, except for mom who was doing laundry. Around 9:00am we pick up a rental jeep (with the top down) and set off to explore the island. Although it was looking like rain all day, we decided to take the Hana Highway up to the "Seven Sacred Pools." It was a very interesting and sometimes difficult journey as the 68 mile highway is primarily made up of winding road and hairpin turns with nearly 60 bridges, mostly one lane, and one section of 25 miles that is especially hazardous. There were so many tourists, even on the narrow roads people were parked everywhere. We finally got past Hana (nearly to our destination) to find the road closed for bridge construction but only until 1:30 that afternoon. So we walked around for a while near the Venus Pool (though we never saw it) and ate lunch; then we found this neat little beach maintained by the locals, called Koki Beach. By that time it has started to rain so we stoped to put the top on the jeep and FINALLY got to the Haleakala National Park. The rains pass quickly in the mountians and we were soon swimming and cliff jumping (shhhh) in the "Sacred Pools"; after that mom cohersed us into a two mile hike to see the Waimoku Falls which falls 400ft. When we retuned to our jeep we were ready for a nap but it was still many, many miles back to the hotel, plus mom was getting nervous about having to drive down the mountian in the dark. I offered to help drive but apperently you have to be 25 to drive a rental car (who knew?). Although we made it saftley down the mountian, the rough 25 miles, with rain, took us an hour and a half.

By the way, we were glad to get to the hotel that night.