Travel Monday

Leaving Honolulu soon, and maybe taking home a little garlic breath. It was some good stuff!



No limo, just a big green bus like this one is expected to pick us up at 11 to take MM, me, and our bags to the airport. After we make several stops to pick up a whole bunch of other visitors, of course. Yippee.

We are definitely looking forward to being home. The overnight flight...not so much, but it will get us to ATL at about 7a. I'm sure MM will get some sleep and with the aid of caffeine, get us safely home.

Add our 50th state to your bucket list, especially if you haven't been here. It is beautiful, and the folks are friendly.

Aloha. I'm needing my sweet GA Alps, y'all!

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Sunday rolling in Honolulu

What else to do during liquid sunshine but to hop on the bus and rise around town.

Aloha!

We just rode up to Diamond Head, and are now heading back to town. We got to FaceTime with Haley before leaving our room. Love having that ability.

So, after our much needed nap yesterday, we enjoyed a good, local garlic shrimp dinner and a walk on the beach sidewalk.

It is finally good to have totally free time to wander. The rain won't last all day, on this final full day on the island.




This is a former sugar plantation turned coffee plantation, with lots of iron ore in the lava soil. Lava is the basis for all the islands...and is surprisingly full of nutrients. All this rain makes everything green and lush. And beautiful. But enough is enough.

Yes, we fly home tomorrow. And happy to do so. I sure miss my chitlins. And kitties.

Life is good, y'all. Aloha!


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Pearl Harbor Saturday

Visiting this special memorial was worth the early wake up call...you have to get there early because they limit the daily number of visitors.






After first watching the historical video, we were ferried over to that famous white building (on the far L in the first photo) built over the sunken US Arizona. A number of the 1,100 men who died on it are still inside the ship. It was quite a moving experience. The talkative visitors were shushed by the officer on duty. I gave him a smile and a thumbs up for reminding these foreigners that this was a place that deserved a quiet respect. Soo many lives lost that day...about 2,400. We need to remember our history.

Last night, MM and I walked over to a buffet restaurant...like we needed tons of food!...that also had a Polynesian show. After being on a cruise ship, well...there is no comparison for the quality of either the food or show, but they were both decent...and we enjoyed it.

Earlier we walked the block over to Waikiki Beach and watched the people and watercraft. The area is beautiful and a hustle bustle of activity. There is something to do for folks of all ages. And the weather has been sunny, hot, windy and beautiful!

What shall we do Sunday? We will wing it. No tours planned...no getting up at 0 dark thirty. Yes! It won't be dull. We are in Hawaii! It will be good, even if we just sit at the beach (in the shade) and enjoy our surroundings.

Life is a beach, y'all!




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Honolulu aloha!

We are now off the ship, finally wearing a fresh, fragrant lei, waiting on our transfer to the hotel.

See those big rocks? They are mostly sea turtles that we saw on the beach just before Marilyn dropped us off at the ship yesterday. I zoomed in as best as I could, since we were up high on an overlook. The turtles were funny in that they waited for a new wave to help inch them up onto the beach:



That's a lot of weight to move!

The Polynesian show last night was great. We enjoyed Sky, our fave guitarist for the last time. Sniff sniff. We wanted to take her with us. Oh, the piano bar had two ppl in it at 10:30 last night. Hmmm...sez a lot.

So the next part of the adventure begins. On to the hotel to settle in...soon. And then go wandering.

Aloha, y'all!

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Maui Thursday

MM booked us on a private farm tour for today, a driver with a van, with 8 other customers from the ship. Our driver is quite talkative, but seems to know her flora and fauna.

First visit was to a lavender farm, where many different varieties of lavender. We got to enjoy lavender tea or coffee, and a scone laced with lavender. Yum!

She had picked up our picnic lunch, which we enjoyed overlooking the fields and bay from 4,000'. It was cool and mostly cloudy up there.




We are now about to take a wine tour, complete with tasting, at Maui Wine, then we will head back to the ship. Oh, we took a wee side trip to see where Oprah has bought a house.

Our guide is filled with tidbits. Filled! As in Chatty Cathy. Our ears are tired, but we are having fun.

Cheers. Aloha, y'all!
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Wednesday in Kauai

We toured the whole island by air this morning:



MM got to be co-pilot. He was thrilled. We saw many beautiful and famous sights. Here is where a J Depp movie scene was made:



It is a lava arch where the famous actor stood. Not that I would know about that. Also, the movie South Pacific was shot nearby. And the pilot pointed out the houses of J Roberts and that Pierce 007 guy. He also gave us much history of the island. Great tour.

We went back to the ship for lunch, and still had lots of time on our hands, so we figured we would join the crew and take the free shuttle to KMart. Why not!

After the awful fiasco with the tenders yesterday, the captain is hosting free appreciation drinks in the lobby for 45 minutes before dinner tonight. I'm sure it will be a zoo! They also promised leis for everyone. Finally!

More photos will follow alter we get home.

Life is good. Aloha, y'all!

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Kona Tuesday

Kona is a tender port, so we booked the Historical Kona bus trip through Carnival, guaranteeing our safe and prompt delivery...at least BACK to the ship. Using only five tenders, the trip to land was long and late departing. Oh well...

Our bus driver/tour director is doing a good commentary here in our Barney bus. Yes, it is purple.

First stop, a stop for genuine Kona coffee free sampling.



Good coffee...with an even better view.

Kona is on the W side of the big island, which is Hawaii. Captain Cook was killed here after a dispute of some sort with the natives. He lost. We were on the E side of Hawaii yesterday, move on tonight to another island.

Next up on today's tour was St. Benedict's (Catholic) Painted Church. We unfortunately only got a brief glimpse, as a wedding rehearsal was going on and we were asked to be respectful. No problem. Blessings to the almost new family. The inside was painted to resemble a cathedral:



Barney rambled on down to the beach to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NP that preserves there on the black lava rocks certain aspects of old Hawaiian traditional life. There are many palm trees and rocks along the meandering pathways. It is truly a beautiful, peaceful park. Unfortunately, we will miss the next ranger talk, although our driver told us quite a bit of its history. Long story!

Today is quite warm, just as you would expect Hawaii to be. The ocean breeze feels good here in the covered amphitheater, where my boyfriend has stretched out on the hard bench.

Back to Barney shortly. WYWH, y'all!

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