Wahines on Tour - Hawaii and peek at Aulani! LAST DAY IN THE SUNSHINE UPDATE 8/6

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Oops! You are right! I must have changed a score somewhere and not changed the top score. Well, I'm sure you could be a co-queen

ill relinquish my prize to marv, he can be co queen

 

[eandesmom]

The boys can duke it out, I'm pleasantly surprised by my score!

 

[pkondz]

LAST DAY IN THE SUNSHINE

All good things... but still... we want more!

After we ordered the place got crazy busy! I guess we were the trendsetters!

We do that All. The. Time. I don't know what it is, but almost everytime we go somewhere, it's dead until we get there then we bring in the customers. I think businesses should pay us to visit them.

Just a little shop, but great food – I highly recommend it.

Oh, sure. Now you tell me! Next time.

Jim ordered the local fav, Locomoco

Hoo boy. That locomoco looks huge!

I think our whole meal was about $16.

Cheap!

Now we were off to Hanauma Bay! First We had made a stop by the MWR shop on base so Michelle and fam could rent some snorkel gear. Jim and I had brought our own from home.

That's a debate I had. Bring from home? Hah! That was an easy one to answer... no room in the suitcase. Rent from Snorkel Bob? Ran out of time... Hanauma Bay rental it is!

I wanted pics of the buildings with bullet holes in them, so we stopped near them so I could walk around and take some pics:

That's pretty cool. A little piece of Pearl Harbor history, without the line-ups.

Original building – new windows, BTW

Really? You'd think with all the bullet holes in the concrete, that the windows would not need to be replaced... Oh, of course, puting in double pane instead of single.

Yeah, that's it. :

We paid our $1 for parking, and got in line for tickets. It is best to get here early in the day, because they only let a certain number of people in to the park every day – I believe it is to protect the wildlife. Military members get in free, but family had to pay $7.50 each.

Or get there real early and don't pay for anything.

Just sayin'

Pondz, you will relate to this next part . Jim and I head out into the water, walking backwards with our flippers on and try to paddle out when it got deep enough. Of course the first thing we do is hit a very shallow spot you cannot help but high center on – right on the coral you’re not supposed to touch.

It's too bad those instructional videos weren't around for the last 60 years or so. Maybe that coral would still be alive. But you're right, you've got to get across it somehow and even being careful...

the waves were kicking up enough bottom sand that the visibility was pretty bad.

That's too bad. It was quite good when we went.

We get into a deeper place and my mask fills up with water and I can’t clear my snorkel! I’m blowing and blowing, and I suck in salt water so I stop and stand in a sandy spot and take it off, clear the mask and snorkel, and again it happens. I get frustrated and start swimming for shore, with Jim yelling at me in the back ground – “What are you doing! You can’t panic like that! Let me HELP you!!!” I’m yelling back – “I’m going in – this snorkel sucks!” “You don’t know what you’re doing – come here!”

Sounds almost exactly like the exchange I had with DD11.

He finally agrees with me that mine is defective.

I've never heard of a defective snorkel. That's just... weird.

We have used these several times – got them at Costco – I have had the same results every time.

That means... return time!

Jim and I changed in the restroom

Changed in the what?

Sorry, private joke.

I have to say, after swimming in the salt water, my knee felt great! Salt water does have wonderful healing properties. It didn’t bother me again until the next day on the plane.

So instead of expensive physical therapy, you should just head back to Hawaii and Hanauma bay.

See? I'm dispensing valuable medical advice and saving you money, too!

There were tons of booths in here – not quite what I expected, I guess. It was a fun area – open to the sky, and all kinds of jungle plants growing around with a cement floor. Very exotic.

It was kind of neat, wasn't it? But oh, so touristy!

With our shopping over, we decided dessert was in order,

Is there ever a time when dessert is not in order????

Didn't think so.

so we walked back out onto the street and found Cheesecake factory! We stood in line for a long time just to order to go.

Wasn't that nuts? We ate in, and had to line up and wait just to get on the wait list!

The next day, Tuesday, was our sad going home day

Boo!!

Well, there was one gentleman there – he helped an elderly Asian couple, looked at me and walked off without a word, and never came back.

<thought bubble over gentleman's head> "Women's Lib, huh? I'll show you women's lib!!! Hmmpff!"

She had fruit in Jesse’s backpack, which I told her could not be brought on. So of course they had to unpack everything there and re-pack because she didn’t listen to me. “It’s in his backpack – they won’t care. It’s his lunch.”

Always, always listen to Tammie, right?

Remember Pearl Harbor?

Aw, man! I thought it was just the Alamo. What else do I have to remember??

We got in line for check-in and stood absolutely still for 30 minutes,

Been there. Done that. You'd think an airport as busy as that would have that figured out by now.

while they brought all of the Asians up to the front to be processed ahead of everyone else.

Did not do that! What the heck is with that??

I didn’t want to eat Burger King ,

I was determined not to eat at McDonalds, etc. while in Hawaii.

Once the herding was over and we were settled, I was seated again next to an exit with almost unlimited leg room. It was awesome.

Nice, too, considering your knee.

I sat next to a young pilot from the Phoenix area, so it was fun to chat with him.

Uh, huh. Fun. Right.

Poor Tammie has to sit beside the hot young stud of a pilot.

Fun.

Gotcha

I settled in and tried not to snore when I slept.

Tammie's tips. Try not to snore while sitting beside hot young men.

When I woke up, my feet were swelling, and my hurt leg was getting quite a bit bigger than the other one. By the next day when I got to work, my whole foot and leg were twice the size of my other one.

Not good! Glad it's getting stronger, but you've got to take some time for yourself, there, girl.

Also, I had another small surgery in Feb and my out of pocket for that was $2000. I don’t want that again. A few years ago, our Out of pocket on an outpatient surgery was $45. Thank you Mr.Obama. I bill insurance so I knew this would happen. All of the companies started raising rates, raising deductibles and paying for less so that they can cover the increased cost of this plan to them. They are in business – they aren’t going to take it in the shorts, so they passed it on to the consumers and the doctors. Duh! Okay, off my soapbox.

Wow. That's interesting, since I have no frame of reference.

Thank you so much everyone for reading and for your patience with me!

And thank you Tammie, for writing! It was an interesting journey for me in particular. I started to read so I could get some tips (which I did), then got to share experiences with you. As well as get to see some of the things I missed (Pearl Harbor Muddiest waterfall ever )

We are trying to get last minute visits and retirement party invites, etc. done. I may be a little scarce on the DIS.

You're forgiven!

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Summer, and remember if you don’t take a pic and post it, it didn’t happen!

Thanks again, Tammie!

 

[pkondz]

Oh Bother! I can't remember where I left of revealing points, but I totaled them with your answers before I started revealing answers way back like in April... so without further ado - our BIG winner is ....drum roll please.... Ellen!
Dan was a close 2nd!

I demand a re-count!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

ill relinquish my prize to marv, he can be co queen

The boys can duke it out, I'm pleasantly surprised by my score!

I think you're getting to know me pretty well!

All good things... but still... we want more!

Enough is never enough...

We do that All. The. Time. I don't know what it is, but almost everytime we go somewhere, it's dead until we get there then we bring in the customers. I think businesses should pay us to visit them.

See, people know that we know...

Oh, sure. Now you tell me! Next time.

Ask a local!

Hoo boy. That locomoco looks huge!

It was ginormous!

Cheap!



That's a debate I had. Bring from home? Hah! That was an easy one to answer... no room in the suitcase. Rent from Snorkel Bob? Ran out of time... Hanauma Bay rental it is!

We have been renting lately, too - since we try not to take 2 bags anymore. This time, we had the space on the AF plane, so we did bring them.

That's pretty cool. A little piece of Pearl Harbor history, without the line-ups.



Really? You'd think with all the bullet holes in the concrete, that the windows would not need to be replaced... Oh, of course, puting in double pane instead of single.

Yeah, that's it.

You can be really sure it wasn't just a movie then. I think double pane windows is zactly right - keeps the cool air in!
Yes, believe it or not, the government has budgets too - well not our congress, but I'm not getting on that soapbox!


Or get there real early and don't pay for anything.

Just sayin'

We'll have to try that next time!

It's too bad those instructional videos weren't around for the last 60 years or so. Maybe that coral would still be alive. But you're right, you've got to get across it somehow and even being careful...



That's too bad. It was quite good when we went.



Sounds almost exactly like the exchange I had with DD11.

That's why I said, you'd relate!

I've never heard of a defective snorkel. That's just... weird.

It has a valve that didn't work - so it let water in, but you couldn't blow it out.

That means... return time!



Changed in the what?

Sorry, private joke.

I saw that discussion! One of those regional things, I think. Being from Minnesota, that's what we always said. My grandma would never even say the word toilet in polite company! Out here, I think people mostly say bathroom.

So instead of expensive physical therapy, you should just head back to Hawaii and Hanauma bay.

See? I'm dispensing valuable medical advice and saving you money, too!

That's great! I wonder if I can get my insurance to pay for that

It was kind of neat, wasn't it? But oh, so touristy!

Pretty "salesy"

Is there ever a time when dessert is not in order????

Didn't think so.



Wasn't that nuts? We ate in, and had to line up and wait just to get on the wait list!

Yes, dessert is always in order!

It was a crazy place! I'm thinking they need a Fast Pass system just to get to a line for the table.

Boo!!



<thought bubble over gentleman's head> "Women's Lib, huh? I'll show you women's lib!!! Hmmpff!"



Always, always listen to Tammie, right?



Aw, man! I thought it was just the Alamo. What else do I have to remember??



Been there. Done that. You'd think an airport as busy as that would have that figured out by now.

I've decided they don't feel the need to figure it out - laid back and relaxed is the Island culture - it just drives the rest of us nuts!

Did not do that! What the heck is with that??

I'm thinking it's a "cater to the money" thing.

I was determined not to eat at McDonalds, etc. while in Hawaii.



Nice, too, considering your knee.

That was a big help!

Uh, huh. Fun. Right.

Poor Tammie has to sit beside the hot young stud of a pilot.

Fun.

Gotcha

He was cute. However, he was the same age as DS, in the same stage of life, so I was feeling very motherish - not so cougarish!

Tammie's tips. Try not to snore while sitting beside hot young men.



Not good! Glad it's getting stronger, but you've got to take some time for yourself, there, girl.



Wow. That's interesting, since I have no frame of reference.



And thank you Tammie, for writing! It was an interesting journey for me in particular. I started to read so I could get some tips (which I did), then got to share experiences with you. As well as get to see some of the things I missed (Pearl Harbor Muddiest waterfall ever )



You're forgiven!



Thanks again, Tammie!

Thanks so much for reading and adding some fun to the thread! I enjoyed reading your TR to compare notes too. I love how we both went to the same place and had such different experiences! Definitely demands a re-do. We have booked next year at WDW with our kids and we figured out if we did the 3 studios instead of suites we would have points left over for Aulani for the next year! (and we'll all still love each other at the end of a week!)

I demand a re-count!!

Oh, so now YOU want to be co-queen with Dan and Marv?

 

[eandesmom]

. We have booked next year at WDW with our kids and we figured out if we did the 3 studios instead of suites we would have points left over for Aulani for the next year! (and we'll all still love each other at the end of a week!)

Sounds like a plan! New tr is started if you have time to stop by link in my siggie

 

[pkondz]

Oh, so now YOU want to be co-queen with Dan and Marv?

No! I want it all! Mine! All mine!!

Wait... did you say Queen???


I don't care! I still want it!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Sounds like a plan! New tr is started if you have time to stop by link in my siggie

Thanks for the heads up! I'll be right there!

No! I want it all! Mine! All mine!!

Wait... did you say Queen???


I don't care! I still want it!