OK, how the hell does someone to go a tropical island for a week and come back with a head cold?  Malaria, sure.  Bubonic Plague, maybe.  Scurvy, not too likely these days.  But a head cold?!?!?  For cryin' out loud...

Not a whole lot happened on our last day in the great state of Hawaii.  We woke up, packed, took some last pictures, made the epic ( Read more... )

Happy Anniversary, stinky_monky!  Love ya, babe!

Today we went back into Honolulu to return the snorkels/masks/fins to Snorkel Bob's, and ended up back at Hilo Hattie's.  More Aloha wear and trinkets galore!

On the way back to Kahlua, we visited Queen Emma's Summer Palace, but were too cheap to pay $6 apiece for the guided tour, so we went to the ( Read more... )

Day 6 (which was actually yesterday; I lost track of time and didn't post anything) was intended to be a beach day, but the Kailua beach was hosting some kind of regatta that attracted way too many people (and my only knowledge of regattas is from 1980s comedies where the grungy but good-intentioned poor kids beat the pompous rich kids at their own ( Read more... )

Today we went to the world's largest maze (according to the Guinness people in 2001) at the Dole pineapple plantation just outside Wahiawa.  The record for completing the maze by finding six checkpoints is eight minutes.  Relying on my impeccable sense of direction and uncanny ability to navigate strange terrains, I finished in a brisk seventy-five ( Read more... )

Not a whole lot happened today.  We decided before coming here that we weren't going to let an itinerary ruin our vacation.  We slept in late, went to breakfast late, and got going late in the day.  Today was the most gorgeous day yet: just a few sprinkles of rain, unlike every day so far (I'm looking at you, Thursday!).  We drove south along the ( Read more... )

Today we satisfied my geek cravings by visiting Pearl Harbor and the memorial for the USS Arizona, which was sunk during the Japanese attack and took 1,177 sailors and marines with it.  As can be expected, it's quite a moving experience, although cheapened somewhat by the tourists who smile for the cameras in front of the wall naming those who died ( Read more... )

Thankfully, stinky_monky gave a pretty full description (and included pictures) of yesterday's activities because my internet connect crapped out on me in the middle of my update last night and I lost what I'm sure would have earned me a Pulitzer.

Anyway, here are a few pics that she left out but I am particularly fond of:

( Pictures )

Dear Hawaii,

Hello.  I've vocalized this a number of times so far, but I feel I should do this in writing as well, for posterity's sake.  I'd like to apologize for molesting your native language over the last couple of days, and I'd like to apologize in advance for any molestations I perpetrate during the next six days.

Thank you for understanding.

OK, the air conditioner's fixed and things are looking good!  Our four-hour nap this afternoon helped adjust us to Hawaii time rather well.  And we just had an incredible meal at a diner in town (we're staying in the seaside town of Kailua on the eastern coast of Oahu) with the best chili nachos, teriyaki steak, and fried rice either of us have had ( Read more... )

Well, today I can add three names to the list of airports I've visited within the last year.  Oakland, Kahului (Maui), and Honolulu can now share the spotlight with such exotic locales as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago (Midway), Columbus, Manchester (New Hampshire), Seattle, and Kansas City.  And, using my experiences in those airports to ( Read more... )