Busy...and Loving it!

Mark and I spent three whole nights in the new digs before we went with his entire family on a trip to Hawaii.  If you haven't traveled in a group of 24, you should try it. It is an adventure in and of itself. Mark is a seasoned Hawaiian tourist. I, however, was a rookie this trip. My first impression wasn't too positive. Honolulu was old, dirty, and crowded. Graffiti everywhere! As the week went on, I realized Hawaii is a pretty amazing place--as long as you aren't driving. My favorite part? The 5 degree difference between the night low and the daytime high. I badly wish that would happen here, in a good way. I am sure in the winter we are pretty close to that some days, -5 below to a whopping 5 for a high, but I would like it in the summer. I hate that no matter how hot it was in the day here, I inevitably will put on a sweater at night.

The weather didn't cooperate too well. We had lots of wind and lots of rain. Fortunately, that is bearable there and it was awesome to not be cold. Mark and I are horrible at taking pictures. I tried to be better this trip and still discovered when I got home that we had no pictures of the Polynesian Cultural Center, no flowers, no Dole Plantation plant, and a few other activities. Our favorite places were Manoa Falls, Blowhole, Sandy Beach, and the North Shore. We did get to go the Laie Temple open house which was pretty awesome as well. Mark did manage to take some incriminating video of me on the the plane ride home. I took a sleeping pill and was pretty much asleep, but doing  my best to visit with people and stay awake. Not the best idea. I don't remember any of it. But apparently I had participated in a disastrous service project packaging Christmas sweaters, thought highly of the guys at the PCC, and asked a random stranger, "Will you help me, help you?" I can't handle my drugs so well.

Here are a few pics of the trip we did take:

Right outside our hotel, The Outrigger Reef. Pretty nice view of Diamond Head.

Sailboats and the sunset that night. Once again, outside our hotel. I would have to be on those sleeping pills to go out in one of those boats. I am slightly ocean nervous.

Pearl Harbor and pretty much the standard Mark pose. No smile, sunglasses on.

My attempt at cool photography at the Arizona Memorial.

On the Missouri. This was awesome. In high school I almost joined the Navy strictly because I can never say no to people. The recruiter would call and chat with me all the time. We became friends and I then had to break it to him that I was seriously afraid of the ocean and looked like a second grader--not military material. Being on this ship confirmed that I would not have been a great sailor--unless I could have just gotten things from the snack shop all day long, and was able to not throw it all up later.

At Manoa Falls. It was seriously muddy and muggy, but so awesome. We don't enjoy hiking, but could love it in Hawaii! Honestly my favorite part of the trip. The vegetation made the lighting pretty dark, but the flash would drown out the picture, so this picture is with no flash--hence the blurriness. I know the cool thing is to have a nice camera. I have a point and shoot and no talent. This was after Pearl Harbor, just so you don't think we wore the same clothes everyday haha.

Finding a stinking huge leaf to try and wipe my poor white Adidas off. I don't think they will ever recover. It was no Magic Eraser, but at least the leaf got enough off that I could get in the car. Doesn't the scenery just remind you of home? Hahaha. I really feel like I could become a runner again if I could trail run in Hawaii.

Sweet outfit right? We took a seriously late flight home, and I wore pants this day so that I wouldn't freeze on the plane. Well the weather was terrific the last day (just our luck) and I wanted to die. I was allowed to squeeze some shorts out of the luggage lounge at our hotel, and this was all I could get out of my suitcase. Don't worry, wore that outfit all over the place! No shame. Right around the rocks behind us is Hanauma Bay. We are somewhere  in between the bay and Blowhole.

Hanauma Bay. I am sure I am spelling this wrong, but I am too lazy to look up the correct spelling. Don't be deceived, it was cold and windy. This was the Saturday after we arrived. Water visibility was not great and I thought for sure I would see a shark two feet in front of my face. I braved my fears and managed to enjoy snorkeling for the most part.

Just above Sandy Beach. We tried to walk down the coast a ways and we got stopped here. They were filming "Journey to the Center of the Earth 2" and Mark and I were to scared to try to make it past the huge security guard in the yellow. I wish they had actually been filming a cool movie with an actor somebody has heard of. I was hoping for a "Lost" reunion so I could stalk down Matthew Fox. That might have been worth it.

In my next life when I can actually go on a big trip again, I think I would like to go to Hawaii again, just a different island.  I must be a small town girl because I don't like the crowds. Mark and I are grateful to his parents for taking us. It really was a great trip and a once in a lifetime.