We just spent a wonderful week in Hawaii.
This is a trip about a year and a half in the making.
We stayed with my cousin, who was so great to us and also let us borrow his car!
We were able to do so many fun things! Here's a glimpse!
DAY 1:
Church, talked to our siblings on missions via Google Hangout, and then drove around to explore the area.
Our first stop was Laie Point, this is a big rock that a Tsunami broke a huge hole in, in one day!
It was pretty cool.
Then we stopped at the Laie Temple and walked around and looked at the beautiful temple and scenery.
Then we drove around and enjoyed the scenery in Laie.
This was a pretty cool shelf the water had carved into the rock.
Then we stopped and we were going to get just a piece of pie, but the piece was $3.50 and an entire pie was on sale for $6.50, so obviously we bought the whole pie!
DAY 2:
We started off the day at Hanauma Bay, where we went snorkeling.
The snorkeling was GREAT!
The sunburns weren't so great, but definitely worth it.
We did put sunscreen on before we got it, but we forgot to reapply it later and snorkeled for like 2 hours!
(Right before we got in the water)
Then we hiked Diamond Head Crater.
It was a pretty steep hike, but it was really fun.
With a beautiful view!
Ready for a crazy story?
So we are going back down the mountain,
part of the hike goes through a tunnel,
we were just about out of the tunnel when we pass a family.
It looks like two 20 something-year-olds and their grandparents.
The older woman is holding on the railing and shaking a little,
the older man is helping his wife take her backpack off.
The tunnel part is after a fairly steep part of the hike,
so I figure she is just tired.
So we continue on.
We walk a ways down the mountain and hear an ambulance
and then a while later we see a man in a search and rescue shirt with a radio and such running up the hill.
I start to worry that it was little old lady that we totally walked passed without helping!
I felt terrible!
We get to the bottom and they have a ladder truck, a hose wagon, a search and rescue truck, an ambulance, and there is a helicopter flying overhead.
The helicopter circles a few times and then acts like it's going to land, but then it doesn't.
So we decide it's going to take too long, so we get in the car.
My sweet husband starts looking in our travel book to see where to go next when the helicopter lands in the field!
The firemen hook up the bucket and rope to the helicopter.
Then it flies up to where the tunnel is and people get it.
As it gets closer, we realize it was the older woman!
They land and the lady walked from the bucket to the gurney,
so we figured she must be okay if she can walk.
So that made us feel a little better for not stopping.
Then we went to Waikiki Beach and swam in the beautiful water!
We also took the 23 week baby bump picture.
DAY 3:
We started off day three by going to Shark's Cove,
don't worry, there weren't any sharks.
Shark's Cove has tide pools right next to it that we snorkeled in.
The tide was pretty rough in shark's cove so we just looked at it.
But the tide pools were fun to snorkel in!
Then we went to some old temple ruins, at the back of the ruins we had a great view of the ocean.
(Please don't mind the power lines.)
Next stop, turtle beach.
That little black dot in the middle of the picture is a turtle head.
As you can see, the surf was pretty rough, but the turtles were having a great time in it!
It was really neat to see their little families all together.
No trip to the North Shore is complete without a stop at Matsumoto's Shaved Ice.
It was pretty good.
But quite messy... lol!
We walked around after that trying to find a restroom to try to clean up a bit,
but apparently Hawaii does not believe in public restrooms in stores.
So we finally just went to a drug store and bought wipes,
as we were cleaning up I saw a public restroom sign... lol!
Then we went to Turtle Bay Resort where they have a public access beach and went snorkeling there and threw our frisbee. But apparently I just enjoyed being there and forgot to take a picture.
For dinner we went to Ted's Bakery (where the pie came from) and bought some yummy food.
We decided to try and find this beach that is a little bit hidden.
It was definitely worth it!
When we got there, there was an older couple and a girl getting ready to swim,
and us.
Soon the older couple left and the girl swam to some other part of the beach
and it was just us!
It was pretty awesome!
As was the sunset.
DAY 4:
Wednesday, we went to Pearl Harbor.
It was really humbling.
We weren't sure how long we'd have to wait to get to go over,
but we figured we'd go and get tickets and go to the swap meet if had to wait a while.
Turns out, we only had to wait about an hour.
So we got the audio tour guides and did the tour on the land before we headed out to the Arizona.
It worked out perfectly.
After the tour we went to the swap meet for a bit,
this swap meet was HUGE!
After about 15 minutes, we realized we aren't swap meet people
and left and decided to go swim somewhere because it was pretty hot!
So we went to these man made lagoons.
We swam and played frisbee in the water for a bit and then my sweet husband went snorkeling,
while I sat on the beach and read.
That night we went back to Waikiki Beach and my sweet husband rented a surf board.
He's one of the many people sitting on the surf boards waiting for a wave to come.
He did really well!
He got up several times and had a great time!
I had a great time watching!
DAY 5:
Our plan for Thursday was to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC),
but it didn't open until noon,
so we decided to go to Goat Island
which is a little island that is accessible by walking over the reef.
When we got to the island a seal was on the beach!
He looked dead,
but as we got closer he kind of lifted up his head and then later he swam around the bay!
We sat and read on the beach for a while until it was time to get ready for the PCC.
The PCC was really neat!
At first it was a little confusing,
we weren't sure exactly what we were supposed to do because we weren't in a tour.
But after we asked someone for help they told us to go to the shows.
The shows were really neat!
And most were REALLY funny!
My favorites were Tonga and Samoa!
We went to the buffet and to the night show, it was amazing!
DAY 6:
Friday was my sweet husband's birthday,
so I told him we could do whatever he wanted!
So we started the day by renting a kayak and kayaking out to this amazing sandbar a mile from the harbor.
It was really neat!
We enjoyed the warm shallow water for a while and then kayaked back to the harbor.
If you go,
we recommend bringing a rope to tie the kayak so you don't have to hold it the whole time,
like we had to... lol.
My handsome birthday boy!
We took the scenic route to Waikiki from where we were kayaking.
Here is one of the pretty views from our drive.
Then we went sailing at Waikiki Beach.
It was so peaceful
and really fun to watch the drunk people get soaked on the trampoline part of the catamaran we were on.
We ended the night by going to Duke's for dinner,
it was super yummy!
And my sweet husband got serenaded TWICE for his birthday!
And free cake!
We drove back to my cousin's house and then we packed up and got ready for our flight the next day.
It was sad to leave,
but such a great trip!
It's always good to leave wanting more,
I think it is safe to say that is how we left!
Thanks again to my cousin for letting us stay with him and use his car!
