5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 12

[chip&dale&fun]

Irene, glad you got to go diving this past weekend.

I'm think we have the details confirmed for our next trip so I will be getting with Old Diver to plan the diving.

It will just be me. Matt will be in South Carolina on a college visit so he will not be joining us. Or he might be just getting use to staying home alone!

Thanks...I will post some pics, after they are uploaded from the camera...
This weekend it looks iffy again, we will see......then I am grounded for a while, until after Easter, I think.

'course we want to work in a WDW weekend, so no complaints...

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Well, It's been an interesting few weeks here. I decided to leave my current position in Charleston and resigned last Wednesday. I have a 6 month obligation here so we'll hopefully be moving shortly after our June cruise and I['ll commute to finish out. I accepted another position as an ER Medical Director in Wheeling. I used to work at this hospital and they recruited me heavily to return.

Lauren and Frances are both excited about the move. I am really surprised at how well Lauren has done. She is quite resilient. I have been informed that we can't move for another 5 years (until Lauren is out of high school) so this hopefully will be the last move for us for awhile....

Virgil

Virgil, Congratulations and Good Luck on the move.

 

[kikipug]

Kiki,

when is your trip to Jamaica. That should be lots of fun

We'll be at Sandals Dunn's River from April 20-25. Ray's best friend is getting re-married there on April 23... it should be a fun trip, as it will also be Ray's 40th birthday. No one else can make the trip for the wedding, so it will be just the 4 of us.

Congratulations, Virgil!!! Though moving is always such a chore... ick. At least you've got time...

Scuba... tell Sharon to hurry up and get better!!!!! Mary- you too!!!

 

[justmestace]

We'll be at Sandals Dunn's River from April 20-25. Ray's best friend is getting re-married there on April 23... it should be a fun trip, as it will also be Ray's 40th birthday. No one else can make the trip for the wedding, so it will be just the 4 of us.

Congratulations, Virgil!!! Though moving is always such a chore... ick. At least you've got time...

Scuba... tell Sharon to hurry up and get better!!!!! Mary- you too!!!

Have you ever climbed the Falls? It's fun. Just be sure you are first in line after the guide.

 

[justmestace]

Sharon.....get well soon!!!

 

[BWVPam]

Congratulations Virgil, Where exactly is Wheeling?

Mary / Sharon - hopefully you are feeling better soon.

 

[MarkRG]

Poor Mark! Don't worry about the pictures...just get better!!

Can easily do both, not like I'm doing much else while the fever burns itself out.

Sooo.... As Mary said, we took a snorkeling excursion from the resort out on their cat. They took us to where the nearby power plant has an underwater exhaust of water that is used in keeping the plant cool. Being this water is so much warmer, algae forms and that of course attracts fish! Could point the camera in about any direction and get this:

We took a drive around the island on one day, visiting some places, but more just driving around to look at the scenery:

I happened to wake up in the wee hours one morning, and got to see the moon over the water, had to grab a pic:

And we spent a full day at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Gee, who's this?

And I don't know who these people are:

The main thing about the Poly center is they have it broken up into 'villages' where they have a representation of the traditions of that particular island, such as:

In each village they have one primary person demonstrating something from their culture. There was this guy in Samoa, he was very funny. No, that's not some kind of primitive machine gun. What he was demonstrating is how they get into a coconut and that thing he's holding is a device that you set down, sit on, then use the metal object attached to the end to get the meat out of an opened coconut. He also demonstrated how to make fire with just two sticks.

 

[justmestace]

MORE! MORE! MORE!

Needy little thing, aren't I? LOVE the moon shot! And Bear with his puka shell necklace!

 

[MarkRG]

More? Okay..
We did two different tours on two day, a Pearl Harbor tour one day and a tour of the USS Missouri another, here's one pic that has both:

We also shopped at Hilo Hattie, where they have a hula shirt in Guiness, it's a 400XL:

and in our day of just driving around we visited the Valley of the Temples, where they have a Buddist temple called the Byodo-In which is a faithful reproduction of a very famous one in japan. Now you may recognise it as it was one of the choice places for shooting Magnum PI:

Also in our driving around we saw what we'll probably do next time we go to Hawaii:

Now for some random resort pics. This is what you hang on your door as a do not disturb, but the problem is, people swipe them for the beads, which makes a nice bracelet.

Mary took this the first night while we were at dinner, I don't think this was her intent, but the effect is cool:

One of the 4 manmade lagoons spanning between the timeshare and the hotel on the property. The cabanas are rentals either full or half day.

Looking across lagoon one at the Illani, which is the hotel. Originally this was a Japanese development, but when they had their financial troubles in the 90's the developer sold it off and Marriott bought it up. The hotel was done but the rest was undeveloped land. Marriott's gone a long way with it since.

Now on our day or exploring, we stopped at a place called Sea Life Park. Kind of like Discovery Cove, but not as big a place, it is very much kind of kitchy. We didn't bring swimsuits so no going in the water with the dolphins or seals, but Mary did get to feed turtles.

That's about it picture wise. Took a lot on the two excursions, but that's a bit much to put up.

 

[WDWLVR]

One more for me please? Can you put up a picture of the Hilton penquins for Nick?

 

[ohiominnie]

Mark (and Mary) the pictures are WONDERFUL!!! Wow. Makes me wish I had plans to go there soon. I went between Junior and Senior year of high school, but I was too cool to like all of that historical stuff, ya know!

 

[MarkRG]

One more for me please? Can you put up a picture of the Hilton penquins for Nick?

sure...

 

[ohiominnie]

btw, I think that 400XL shirt is there for the ppl who have "Hawaii" as the last stop on their "around the world cruise." Was it actually for sale? If so, what was the price?

 

[ohiominnie]

AWWWW.....thanks!

Nick thinks they are VERY cute!!!

 

[MickeyMo'sBo]

Virgil,

Congrats o nthe job move. How is the new camera -- you havn't posted any pictures yet!

Also I had told Kevin about it, but I highly recommend the D200 guide written by Thom Hogan -- www.bythom.com. Awesome coverage of every feature of the camera. He uses the cameras for months before he writes the guides.

John

 

[tinksdad]

Virgil,

Congrats o nthe job move. How is the new camera -- you havn't posted any pictures yet!

Also I had told Kevin about it, but I highly recommend the D200 guide written by Thom Hogan -- www.bythom.com. Awesome coverage of every feature of the camera. He uses the cameras for months before he writes the guides.

John

Yep!! Good stuff, I bought it soon after I got the camera and have really enjoyed the detailed, but simple explanation of the function and features of the camera!!!

He even gives details about the SB-600 and SB-800 speedlights too.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Mark - thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks


PS - get better....

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Good night and Good Morning - Back-to-Back

That hasn't happended for a while.....

Wish me luck - up early to take Mother to her surgical procedure.

 

[Cruisin'goose]

Mark - BEAUTIFUL PICTURES!!!!! hope DH will take me there some day

Hope all those that are sickly feel much better real soon!!

Virgil - congrats on the move!!

Have a great day everyone

 

[Dancind]

Thanks for the report and pictures, M&M. I've been to Hawaii twice, the last time with Kevin. And I think we only went to Maui. I do remember that the topic of conversation the whole way home was "how can we move there?" I want to go back!

Virgil, congrats on the move. Glad your family is happy about it!

Hi Vicki!