I just got 11×14 prints of these pictures – they are A.MA.ZING.  Seriously, adoramapix.

My seventh day in Hawaii (this time) started as a lazy day, too. Dad worked in the morning. When Dad got home, we packed up our beach stuff and headed out. It was a cloudy enough day that the water was cold, and late enough in the afternoon that there were NO waves… So we left the beach and headed east to hike up to the Makapu’u lighthouse. It was a fun trail – a beautiful walk.

On the way to Makapu’u, we stopped at a Macadamia Nut Farm.

Us at the beginning of the hike

The view from that rock

Mountains

We’re pretty high up, and only a quarter of the way

The lighthouse (which wasn’t actually the prettiest thing we saw)

This was our “lazy day” – we’ve spent and will spend most of our time doing things, going places, and seeing people, so today was the day to relax and do nothing. Nothing except shop, that is. Mom and Leah are getting ready to go back to Pennsylvania for a couple of months (Dad will stay here), so they’re picking up souveniers and such for the PA folk and relatives back on the mainland – and buying me clothes while they’re at it. I love “living” with my parents again! For dinner (lunch?) we went to an Italian restaurant my parents love.

Me and Leah at Bravo’s in Pearl Ridge

I had a phone interview this morning with Keith at Clarian Health about doing some technical writing for them when I get back from Hawaii – we’ll see how that turns out. I have another phone interview tomorrow morning about a web design job. That’s unlikely to produce results, but it’ll at least give me something to put on the unemployment voucher. =)

Leah with my favorite kids here, Kyle and Bianca

We spent a lot of time this week with Debbie and her two kids, Kyle and Bianca. Bianca is very social, and right away engaged me in conversation. That I was Leah’s sister is all she needed to know. Kyle, I thought, would be a little tougher to get to know – the first time we met, he spent most of the afternoon hiding behind his mother when I tried to talk to him. =) I’ll tell you what, though… Me and that kid are tight now! Yesterday, his mom found him putting on his daddy’s aftershave (his dad’s in southern CA training for a year in Iraq). When she asked him what he was doing, he told her he put it on so I could smell him! I love little boys!

My main man, Kyle. No, he’s not touching the ground.

Kyle, practicing his lounging.

Today, we began with breakfast at Mom’s friend’s house. We spent about an hour with Kim and her kids, eating fresh fruit and malesadas (hot custard-filled donuts rolled in sugar) and enjoying the spectacular view from their lanai. It overlooked all of the famous sites on the island – Diamondhead, Waikiki, Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, etc… It was breathtaking. (Click for a larger image…)

After breakfast, we went to the Punchbowl (why is it called that? I have no idea) – the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific. This memorial was erected to honor (and provide burial grounds) for soldiers who fought in all the Pacific battles (Pearl Harbor, Midway, etc…). It’s gorgeous – the graveyard is situated on the top of a mountain overlooking Honolulu.

The lawn in front of the memorial structure

Soldiers’ names are etched into the marble walls all over the memorial

A view of the memorial’s grounds,
Diamondhead crater in the distance

The edge of the cemetary, overlooking Honolulu

Honolulu, Diamondhead in the background

After leaving the Punchbowl, we went to the Hale Koa for a concert of military bands (a “Twilight Tattoo”). All the branches were there to play – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines – as well as a Drum and Fife corps from Washington DC and a local bagpipe group (ugh – have you ever heard 15 bagpipes all playing the same tune at the same time?). It was a very impressive event… quite a spectacle. It was a beautiful day.

The Pacific Fleet Band

The Marine Band

Yesterday, Friday, we met some friends at home in Mililani and drove across the island to Bellows Air Force Base. Bellows was a lot more fun this time than at Christmas… the waves were a lot bigger. I have to say that Bellows is my favorite beach spot on all of O’ahu. I’m no expert, but we’ve certainly been to most of the big beaches around here (between the last trip and this one).

We spent the entirety of the time between 11 and 4 on the beach, in the sun. I have a nice (and painful) pink tinge to all of my skin. I arrived in Hawai’i wearing my Indiana winter white and will leave with a nice, healthy tan (for me) – thanks to my time at Bellows. =)

Beach at Bellows

Beach at Bellows

Beach at Bellows

Bellows AFB

After the beach, we got dinner and went home, stopping on the way to rent a movie.

On the way home, Aiea bay

On Thursday, we went to a book signing (the author of one of Leah’s favorite books was at the Kailua Library) and wandered around Kailua. We stopped for a little while at a beach that (Leah tells me) is famous for its wind. Sure enough, there were quite a few people there (none were just beachgoers and swimmers) who were windsurfing (on a surfboard with a sail) and parasurfing (feet attached to what looked like a snowboard, holding onto and being dragged by a massive kite).

Kailua Beach, East shore of O’ahu

Kailua wind surfer

Parasurfing kite

Daddy at Kailua

Daddy, Leah and me at Kailua

My trip from LA to Hawaii was a little better than the trip from Indy to LA. For one thing, I wasn’t in the second to last row of the plane with a woman behind me loudly complaining about people in my row typically leaning back chairs and squishing people in her row (so of course, I couldn’t recline without feeling quite guilty). For another, I had an entire row to myself! I also had a three-hour-long conversation with a Mormon man named Roger. He and I had a good talk – I had quite a few questions for him and knew my Bible (which he led me to understand is not the norm when Mormons evangelize), so we had a lively (respectful) discussion.

The last plane ride went much quicker than the first, once we got off the ground. Our plane was delayed in LA for an hour – they had a radio go out waiting to take off, so we taxied back to the gate and had it replaced. Radios, I gather, are quite important when flying over a thousand miles of ocean. =) Personally, I didn’t mind the delay – I’d much rather take off with a fully functioning plane than a defective one.

Last night, when I got to Honolulu, I met my family at the baggage claim… ‘Round and ’round the luggage went, but my suitcase never appeared! After much waiting and much mom-stress, we discovered that my suitcase and its destination tag were separated in LA. The suitcase never left the city. Northwest kindly arranged for it to meet me in Honolulu today.

Leah at the airport

Me and Daddy

So.

Today, I got up early (because my body is still 6 hours ahead of Hawaii time) and went on a 3-mile walk with my mom, two of her [fun] friends, and little sister Leah. We returned to shower, then met another of my mom’s friends (and her 2 darling children) and my dad and went to lunch at the Dixie Grill.

Leah under the Dixie Grill security system notice

a prop in the women’s bathroom at the Dixie Grill

the sign on the women’s room door

Next, we went to the “Swap Meet” (aka, if you hear my mother talk about it, the “Swamp Meet”) – an outdoor flea market that stretches the whole way around the Aloha Stadium. We walked all the way around it, which took about 2 hours. I am pink. =)

We went to a Coldstone Creamery for the kids, then picked up my suitcase. I was glad to see it again (even though it was looking a little worse for the wear). This trip, of course, was the first time I put all my toiletries in the checked luggage instead of the carry-on. I would have been in trouble, but (fortunately) little sister, mom and I all wear about the same size clothes. I borrowed pjs and shorts and a tank (because all I had was jeans and a sweater).

That’s all. That actually took most of the day, so when we came back, it was dinnertime. We’re making spaghetti in this neato contraption Grandpa sent Leah recently. (see, Grandpa? I told you we’d use it while I was here!)