Aloha!

The good news, my finger has healed nicely and we made our flight!

The bad news, Hawaii was experiencing record temperatures and humidity, the tail-end of a hurricane AND the day we left, a tsunami warning because of Chili's earthquakes.  The  heat kept us driving around a lot - as the car had air conditioning and our condo did not.

I COULD give you details - but as I was reading through my notes - I decided they were quite entertaining and left enough unsaid to add mystery and intrigue. I have added photos.


Tuesday
Met lovely couple who lived in Makaha but had vacation property in Stevens, WA.
Helped young girls get unstuck from sand, Peter hurt his back being macho
Got rolled in surf fully clothed - flashed life guards and some now traumatized children

Wednesday 
Saw sea turtle basking on our beach
Went west of Makaha
Walked/jogged along road
Went to north shore - stopped at dole pineapple plantation
Ate lunch in Hale'Iwa
Cruised the beach
Toured the coffee farm


Thursday
Our Turtle and her little friend were back on the beach in the am
Went to Honolulu and dropped in on Dale.
Went to Islands restaurant in the mall and had lunch, (including mai tai's)
Lost car in parking garage
Went to the punch bowl and war memorial
Drove east - saw the blow hole and two turtles playing in the surf
Came home through a long tunnel through the mountains
Took a sunset swim in Makaha. Fell asleep by 9:00





Friday

Rain!  Thunder, lightening!
Headed into Honolulu
Took a turn down Luauluaulei rd on a whim and ended up on a military base with very nice MP's who let us turn around without arresting us.
Went to the Hawaiian Plantation Village.  Peter played with a poisonous cane toad while I panicked and frantically googled cane toads to see if he was going to die.
Ate hot malasadas from a hot malasada truck
Pearl Harbor with realistic thunder and lightening sound effects and a plentiful mongoose population
Following Siri's directions went looking for a mai tai ended up on another military base (Fort Shaftner) and fortunately, again, didn't get shot.
Found somewhere else to enjoy a mai tai (or two)




Saturday

Headed north
Went to Wai'mea valley and waterfall. Beautiful place filled with horrific blood-sucking, pleasure depleting mosquitoes. Could not get back to the car fast enough.
Lā'ie state wayside with natural bridge

Spied two island pigs strapped to the hood of a Honda CRV.  Can you say Luau??
After failed attempt to find Kona brewing ended up with happy hour dinner at the MonkeyPod on Ko'Olina (yummy lilikoi foam & macadamia nut mai tai and then a lilikoi martini)
Sunset swim in the ocean followed by a dip in the pool






Sunday

Started the day with rain and laundry.
Peter went for a swim by himself
Then we headed west and explored the coastline
Stumbled upon a movie set for a web series.
Stopped by the Maunalahilahi botanical garden. Peter explored.  I stayed in the relative mosquito-free safety of the car.
Again, following Siri's directions, dined at Cisco's Cove - on a military base guarded by the same fellow who didn't shoot us in Fort Shaftner.
Went for a sunset swim on Makaha beach - a turtle swam right past us. I startled and screamed like a little girl!

Monday
Surfing at 8:00 am. Got stuck in traffic and arrived 15 minutes late.
After an awesome lesson took a long walk on Waikiki beach.  Not impressed - too crowded!
Sneaker wave, shoes got wet. Had no shoes to wear. Bought a pair of flip flops for $3.49 at Longs drugs - which saved my life as my toes had been rubbed raw by the surf board
Drove east past blow hole and along the beach then home again (after Peter went the wrong way on H-1)

Tuesday
Up at 5:00. Coffee and breakfast
Visited the NW corner of the island so lovely in it's emptiness. Saw turtles in the water. Finally and luckily Experienced Mackey's Shrimp Truck.  Fed little sparrows and chickens our leftovers.
Dinner at Roy's in Ko'olina with Dale and Cathy.





Wednesday - our last day
Drove west of Makaha again. Poked around on the rocks.

Peter rescued three little fishies stranded in a tide pool. Headed back toward our condo and stopped so peter could show me the 'dead sea lion' he had spotted days before.  It had moved to a different location and was wiggling.  Not dead at all!!
Got home, went swimming in the ocean, then the pool.
Peter chatted up a man with a Dutch accent by the name of Hank Zandberg who, freakishly, turns out to be related to Dini of the Holland Cafe in the Windmill in Lynden.
Got permission to check out later so we went back to the ocean.  As we were bobbing about in the water a sea lion swam by within about 10 feet of us!!
Got sunburned.
Made lunch of all the food we had left: Salad, banana, coke, popcorn, cheese, celery, juice, peanut butter, milk. A fine, but bizarre meal. Then we napped and finally left about 4:00
Enjoyed a farewell beverage and pupu's.
Now - sitting at the airport waiting for our flight.

Mongoose

Peter, being Peter

A dog on a surfboard

Lilikoi Martini