Day 1: The plane breaks down!
We are all excited and ready to take off for Hawaii! We upgraded our seats to First Class! =D Very nice. So we're on the runway, the plane speeds up, and... we start slowing down?! o_O We stop... and eventually they de-plane us!
WTF? Bad omen? Delayed - We ended up waiting in the lobby for 3-4 hours while someone fetched a part from SF... drive back to SJ... and install. One awesome thing about the delay was because I saw Jessica's parents and brother! O_O whoa... they were on the same flight. Her dad said that Jessica was already in Hawaii and they were going there for her wedding! Congrats Jessica! ^^ Anyway, everything's good and we fly and arrive at Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club in Oahu.
And just in time for a lovely sunset!
Day 2: Respect
A quiet day. We went to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.
We also did some shopping for souvenirs and hawaiian shirts. There's also this local restaurant called Anna Miller's. My parents used to eat there a lot with my oldest brother (when he was young). The place has been open 37 years.
Day 3: Pukadog, Waikiki, and Shopping... oh my!
Time to drive over to the "big city" of Oahu. First stop... Pukadog! XD Christy saw this place on Travel Channel. They make awesome hot dogs with fruit relish... so it's sweet. ^^ Yum.
Here's a good shot of Waikiki beach and Diamond Head in the back:
And we did plenty of shopping around at the International Market Place & Ala Moana Shopping Mall.
Day 4: Pineapple Express & Polynesian Luau
We rode on the Pineapple Express! =P At the Dole Pineapple Planation. They gave us a little tour ride and some history. Free pineapple samples! =) Most of our day was spent at the Polynesian Cultural Center. You can think of it like a small Disneyland where there are sections dedicated to different islands (like Tahiti or Samoa). You learn about their culture and there are even activities you can participate in (like drumming! XD). We got the ticket package which included a Luau and Night Show!
Day 5: Swimming with the fishies
Snorkling fun! We went to Hanauma Bay.
First time snorkling. =) We saw coral reef and tropical fish. Too back we couldn't do deeper in because I suck at swimming. x_x If I get better at swimming, I totally want to try surfing! We also went to Pali Lookout which overlooks the island! Nice view.
Day 6: Relaxation
Mid week... it's just chill at our resort. We tried out a lomi lomi massage. ^^ We also went swimming in the lagoon just outside our resort.
Day 7: Horseback and Movie Sites
Kualoa Ranch day. They have all sorts of activities here. We chose Horseback Riding and Moviesite & Ranch tour. The horses were very tame. They knew where to go and it was walking pace, so nothing to fear. Nice first experience. The ranch was very pretty... and we saw some movie locations like Jurassic Park and Lost.
Day 8: I don't wanna go
But alas... we have to head back home... unless... I must've misplaced my airplane ticket! I guess I'll have to stay a few more days until things get settled. =P
Randomness:
Chickies!
Mmm... Pineapples!
For Johnny! Proof that I wrestled that shark and yanked out a shark tooth for him.
"Are you looking at me?"
"So, uh, why did the chicken cross the road?"
Remember kiddies...
Hey look! We saw Jack from LOST!
Here is the full photo album! It's organized by Day, so click on the folders on the side. Enjoy!
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/cc422/Hawaii%202009/
