Just a silly little TR - Run Away!!

[mmeb144]

Marie What Wikipedia says about haggis is right it is mostly eaten at breakfast or tea time as part of a fry up. There is a lot of spice in it so it is quite peppery. Most of the time now it comes sliced about 3 inches round by about half inch thick it is good on a buttered roll It can be good with whisky but after two or three drams the haggis starts to spoil the taste. The only time you really see it in the round version is in a reel old traditional butchers shop or on the run up to burns night which is still going strong

At least it sounds tasty when you talk about it.

 

[laura74]

How did I miss this yesterday? Great song Thumper_Man!

Smidgy, the macaroni salad looks perfect for a Memorial Day party. I love how you wrote it just like it was told to you.

I also have to try that brownie recipe!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Hey Marita!

Are you going to be in town next week or will you be on your trip? I'm headed your way!!

I'll be in town slaving away. Thursday and Friday are my only halfway good days though. Where are you staying?

 

[smidgy]

Smidgy, I find that as I get erhm older, my bladder is fooled for less and less time and I have at least one night a week where I fall asleep fine but wake up an hour after and that is it for the night! Wish I could lame it on impending trips to WDW. Hope your throat got better, but I'm sure we will find out soon.

(someone got their TR's mixed up!)

 

[buzz1121]

I'll be in town slaving away. Thursday and Friday are my only halfway good days though. Where are you staying?

Hey Marita! I'm at the Wilderness Lodge this trip. I'm pretty free on Thursday, Friday am at HS for the Star Wars experience. I can meet you somewhere if you have any free time. I'm taking my lap top so I will be checking in. It would be great to meet you!

 

[cp'ersmom]

(someone got their TR's mixed up!)

That's so funny because I was just thinking of posting something about only reading one at a time because I'm getting them all mixed up! Well I did say I'm getting older!

 

[pkondz]

Good work T-man! That was fun. Maybe Nebo and Smidgy should karaoke it and post the video!

Now there's a thought!

As a pastry chef I have really been remiss, so here is my favorite brownie recipe.

A pastry chef? I think I'm in love...

Thanks for the recipe!

Hi Pkondz it’s the haggis eater [I do love eating haggis honestly the best ways are to grill it, lather it in vinegar, then cover it with Heinz tomato sauce to give it a texture that is palatable to swallow.

Ha! I knew that comment would drag you out of the woodwork! I chuckle whenever I hear that you have to cover something in Ketchup in order for it to be eaten. Kay is like that.

The other way to consume it is on a Saturday night after throwing out time, straight from the local chippy wrapped in newspaper covered in salt & vinegar, special chip shop sauce which you can only get from them, the haggis is done in batter like the fish you get at the rose & crown]

That sounds good. I'd like to do/try that some day... some day...

I like reading your trip report it has been brilliant so far

Yes it has been, hasn't it? Truly one for the ages...


too much?

and look forward to the rest of it. Your sense of humour is the kind that I can relate to. I will try to get the recipe for shortbread which is a type of cookie we eat over here

Glad you're enjoying it. Glad you posted. I make a wicked shortbread cookie dipped in milk chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate... but I only make it at Christmas, and the demand is high. So DON'T ASK.

 

[Mac Brew]

. Pkondz It’s brilliant that you know how to make short bread cookies this means I will get away without posting the recipe on your sight because I would have to get one from a book as I have never baked any cakes. On saying that I can cook our meals it is amazing what you can do with a jar and some chicken

 

[nebo]

That's so funny because I was just thinking of posting something about only reading one at a time because I'm getting them all mixed up! Well I did say I'm getting older!

Irene, you're not the only one getting all mixed up. I've never read this many reports at the same time before, and one's that included many of the same posters. I feel like I'm in a marathon trip report reading contest, "They Shoot Trip Report Writers, Don't They?"
Now I have to get over and check out Ponzi's thread.

Now there's a thought!

Yes, us doing that in Karaoke is a thought.
And that 's all it is.

 

[pkondz]

. Pkondz It’s brilliant that you know how to make short bread cookies this means I will get away without posting the recipe on your sight because I would have to get one from a book as I have never baked any cakes. On saying that I can cook our meals it is amazing what you can do with a jar and some chicken

You can't go wrong with jarred food.

Just sayin'

Irene, you're not the only one getting all mixed up. I've never read this many reports at the same time before, and one's that included many of the same posters. I feel like I'm in a marathon trip report reading contest, "They Shoot Trip Report Writers, Don't They?"
Now I have to get over and check out Ponzi's thread.

I was just about to post a chapter... then I read this and thought, "Holy cow! I almost posted a whole chapter on Nebo's TR!!!

I actually did have to scroll to the top to check and see which TR I was actually on.

And yes, Nebo is now thinking, "Mission accomplished."

 

[pkondz]

Surfing with Sharks… part 2

Back on Terra Firma, I begin to feel a sense of urgency.

I feel that something is amiss; I feel that something is awry.

I feel… hungry. Time for breakfast.


I ask Gilligan where a good place for breakfast might be.

If you’re ever in another city and want to know where a good place to eat is, ask a local. It doesn’t always work, but will more often than not. I don’t trust a lot of tour book reviews since I’m always a little suspicious. Are you recommending this restaurant because the owner paid for that recommendation? Just how biased are you, anyway?

So I’m waiting for Gilligan to tell me, “Try the Pancake Palace or The Egg Express or Brekkie Break or… you get the idea. Something with a ‘breakfast’ sounding name to it.


Pizza Bob’s


What?



I guess Gilligan noticed the look on my face, ‘cause he quickly explained. “No, really. They’ve got made to order omelettes and it’s a great place for breakfast. Pizza’s lousy though.”

Well of course. If you make a good breakfast but can’t make Pizza and want to run a restaurant, what else are you going to call it but Pizza Bob’s?

The owner’s name was probably Vern. Or maybe Darlene.

We wander over to Pizza Bob’s and order. Kay has pancakes, Elle has sausage and eggs and I have French Toast.

It was good!

We don’t try the pizza.



We spent the next few hours exploring Haleiwa. Sorry, I didn’t take a lot of pictures… I really don’t know why.
It’s a pretty little town, reminiscent of the surf scene back in the day. The only one I shot was of this little place right in the middle of the main road.

And we didn’t even go in! I think I was still a little tired from the early morning and buffeting.

We did go into North Shore Swimwear. The place to go if you’re female and in need of a swimsuit. They make them there and if something doesn’t quite fit or needs an alteration, they do it right there while you wait. Both Elle and Kay found something they like. With Elle, no big deal. With Kay, that’s something of a minor miracle… but I digress.

Kay’s suit needed fixin’ so instead of waiting there, we wandered around and I bought Ruby a pearl pendant and chain. We popped into a gallery and I saw this cool glass sculpture shaped like a wave. $259 though. I’ll think about it.

After our stressful hour or so of shopping… okay it was stressful for me. Because I’m a guy… and it was shopping… with girls… okay?

We started to wander back towards the car but had to stop at a roadside stand where they sold sea shells by the roadside.

See? Isn’t that easier to say than ‘by the sea shore’?

they sold sea shells by the roadside.
they sold sea shells by the roadside.
they sold sea shells by the roadside.

Easy.


Kay wanted to get some shells to bring back to her friends, and Elle decided she wanted to do the same. Time for parent to teach the little bird how to fly.

Today’s lesson: “How to haggle”

Elle, “Dad? I like these shells, but they’re $3 each.”
Me, “Okay, but you can probably get them for less if you want a bunch.”
Elle, looking very suspicious, “I’m not going to steal them.”
Me, thinking, ‘well I should hope not!’, “No, we’ll haggle.”
Elle, “What’s that.”

I’ve got to get these kids away from the TV and into more books.

Me, “Watch.”

“Excuse me, but these shells are $3 each, if we buy x amount can we get a volume discount?”

We bargained back and forth for a couple of seconds and got a better price. No, I don’t remember how much… maybe $2? $2.50? That isn’t a lot for me, but for Elle who only has her allowance, gift money or babysitting money… it’s a lot. She bought something like 10 shells, so she saved 5-10 bucks. Kay wanted a basket of shells, I negotiated a savings for her too.


I found it funny how Elle somehow thought I was being bad for haggling with the seller.

I told her it probably wouldn’t work at a big department store. So don’t get your hopes up.

Hey. It never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is they say, “no”.



So with the exciting part of the day out of the way… shopping… We popped back into the car and skipped over to The Gas Station.

I capitalized it ‘cause I think it’s the only one in town. This was the meeting area for our surf lessons. Why a gas station? Why not? At least it was easy to find.

While we’re waiting, I got everybody to re-apply sunscreen… this would turn out to be a good thing… and a bad thing…

At the appointed hour, our guide shows up. I had scoured the internet for reviews of Surfing lessons on Oahu and had found one or two that I thought might be good.

But I know my girls well. I knew that they wouldn’t be overly happy with a male surfing instructor… so that ruled out the predominantly male fire fighters school.

I’m pretty sure that the next time they go, they’ll pick that one.


I thought I’d try Girls Who Surf. They came with pretty good reviews… except some of those girls who surf are not so much surfer girls as they are surfer guys.

I more or less stumble onto North Shore Surf Girls. All girls. No guys. Book it.

I don’t remember the name of the nice young lady who met us, she wound up teaching a couple from Germany (again with the Germans). She shows up in an old beat up… Mercedes. Of course. A german car. She greets us and tells us to follow her to the beach. Oh, and the turn signals don’t work so she’ll wave where she wants us to turn.

Not exactly instilling confidence here. What have I gotten ourselves into.

We get to the beach and I try to forget that I’m going to go surfing…


and looking like a seal…


in the same water that we were in a couple of hours ago…


surrounded by sharks.


I was thinking that I wanted to go surfing early in the week, so that if the DDs liked it, they could go surfing later on. I also thought that since we were going to be on the North Shore, I might as well kill two birds with one stone and do the Shark tour the same day.

Sometimes I don’t think so good.


And maybe ‘kill two birds’ is not the best choice of words…


When we arrive at the beach, there’s a young girl (18?) with a knee brace on who offers to take pictures of us. I had read that there would be someone taking pictures, so I was prepared. She tells me that normally she charges $30 per person but quickly offers to give us a family rate of $50. Still in haggling mode, I tell her she’s got a deal if she’ll do it for $40. And she agrees. No counter offer? That was easy.

Our instructor was a wonderful young lady named Carol. She was amazing! I looked up her bio and it turns out that she won the National Surfing Championships twice and was second in the World in ’92. She was the first woman to compete at the Banzai Pipeline. And a whole bunch of other stuff.

We were in a protected bay for our lessons with the wave heights averaging (I’m guessing here) about 3 – 4 feet. Just right for rookies like us. After a brief on-shore lesson, we headed out into the water. I must admit that for a second, I did think about our morning excursion, but quickly quashed that thought!

“Nope! No fish around here! Nope!”

Carol had us organized like a well oiled machine. One person would try to ride a wave… this is known by the locals as “surfing”, another would be holding a few yards away and the third person would be finished a wave and making his or her way to the holding area.

I do know that Elle managed to get on her feet the first time. I don’t think Kay or I were quite so lucky… or co-ordinated. Eventually we all managed to surf and not look too stupid doing it. I can attest that we were definitely better than the Germans. Ha! So there! Their economy might be better than ours, but we kick butt in the unskilled surfing department!

Here’s a couple of pics for ya:

Elle catching a wave…

And Kay…

And for those of you wondering how I did… I can provide you with this picture of me… and I’m not wearing a hat or shades!

Yup. Definitely me.

So as we’re surfing… and trying to forget the morning festivities… with dorsal fins cutting through the waves… Something breaks the surface of the water about 20 feet away from me!

Okay, okay. I’ll be honest with you. I wasn’t scared. I really wasn’t thinking Jaws or Jaws 2 or even Jaws 3D… one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. I just saw something come up from below and thought, “Hm. What’s that?”

“It” was a sea turtle. And “it” was pretty cool! I saw a sea turtle! I saw a sea turtle! After we’re done, I’m going to tell the kids, “Guess what I saw and you didn’t? Hunh? Can you guess? Hunh?”

Inside I’m a little child… and apparently a gloating, spoiled little brat, too.

If it’s at my DDs expense, though, I’m all right with that. They already cost me a small fortune, so I gotta get while the gettin’s good.

After about half an hour of surfing, Kay started to complain that her eyes were stinging. Sheesh, it’s salt water… only afterward did I learn that you shouldn’t put sunscreen on right before you go in the water… it can run and sting your eyes.

Oh.

She stuck it out for another half hour or so, then had had enough. Of the exercise, the eyes stinging, the surfing and crashing, or all the above, I don’t know. Upshot is after an hour she was done. I lasted about an hour and a quarter in the water, then I was done too.

Did you know surfing was hard work?

All that paddling!

Elle, who’s in the best shape of the three of us made it the full hour and a half. As a reward for being last out, Carol pushed her to shore, so she didn’t have to paddle. If I’d known that I might’ve lasted that last 15 minutes.


“So guess what I saw, girls? A turtle! That’s what! It was like 20 feet away from me.”
Elle, “I saw it too dad, it was about 5 feet away from me.”
Kay, “I saw it too, it came up right beside me and I touched it while I was paddling.”

Now that I think about it, the turtle was no big deal.

Really.


After we’re all done, I buy a couple of T-shirts for the girls and hunt down the photographer. I check out the pictures she’s taken (She showed them on her laptop) and get a CD.

“So, we agreed on $40 right?”

She agrees.

“Good, here’s $50 anyway.”

The smile on her face was so worth the $10. Made my day.


After we’re all settled up I have a special treat planned for the girls…
Oh, who am I kidding… I was dying to try this.

In doing my research on Oahu, I kept coming across references to ‘shave ice’. Apparently, prior to refrigeration, blocks of ice would be shipped to Hawaii. Some vendors discovered that if you shaved it and poured flavored syrups on it, it made a nice treat. They even invented a special ice shaving machine for it.

The place to go for shave ice on Oahu is Matsumoto’s and it’s in Haleiwa on the North Shore.

When we get there, there’s a line up out the door. I was prepared for this and had heard that the line moves quickly. And I’d heard right.

They’re organized, that’s for sure. One person takes your order, another couple are making the shave ice, another couple are adding syrup, another couple are taking payment. You’re in and out in less than 5 minutes.

And the choices!

And do you want ice cream on the bottom? Or Azuki beans? Or both? Do you want one flavor of syrup? Or two? Or three?

I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.

I don’t remember what the girls ordered, but I know I had rainbow. I had one taste…

Ok, now I’ve died and gone to heaven.

Soooo good.

Let’s put it this way. If I had to choose between Matsumoto shave ice and zebra domes…


mmmmmmm…… zeeeeebraaaaaa dooooommmmesssss….

sorry

I honestly don’t know which way I’d go.

If it’s a hot day. Then the shave ice wins.

That’s how good it is.

We head back in to Honolulu to meet up with Ruby. We’re going to eat and shop at Honolulu’s International Market.

This place is one of the best places to find touristy crap and cheap but good food. Everything that you can think of that’s cliché Hawaii is available here. Do you want a dashboard Hawaiian hula girl in a grass skirt? Got ‘em. A ukulele? Got ‘em. Fake, plastic leis? Got all kinds.

We wind up going to different places for dinner.

That sounds like we split up and met later, doesn’t it? There’s a food court inside the Market. Ruby had some souvlaki, Elle had pizza, Kay had some pot stickers and I had deluxe wonton soup. Mixed reviews on the food. Pizza was okay. Souvlaki so/so, Potstickers were not to Kay’s liking. Soup was really good though.

For desert, we had this…

That’s right. I now know of at least two places where you can get a Dole whip float. Disney World and Honolulu.

But…

It just wasn’t the same. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It might’ve been that the presentation wasn’t as nice. It could’ve been that the locale wasn’t right…

Whatever the reason, we all agreed that it wasn’t quite as good as Disney’s version.

Ah, well…. Still good, though.

Before leaving for the day, I had one more opportunity to teach the kids about haggling. The nicest leis were at a kiosk near the front entrance. They were $15 each. The lady running the joint noticed Elle and I, and offered to sell one for $10 since we ‘seemed so nice’. I said for $6 bucks I might be interested.

So Elle got a lei for $6. And Kay did too.

We did a little more shopping on Kalakaua Avenue on the way back to the hotel and called it a night.

Next up, we find out why it’s called the Windward coast.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

was just about to post a chapter... then I read this and thought, "Holy cow! I almost posted a whole chapter on Nebo's TR!!!

I actually did have to scroll to the top to check and see which TR I was actually on.

And yes, Nebo is now thinking, "Mission accomplished."

Holy confusion, Ponzi! You had me mixed up too. I started reading and thought, wow, either he is playing a trick or is really confused and posting on Nebo's report. I had to look back to see where I was

Great chapter, Ponzi, surfing looks like it was really fun. Not that I would try it at my advanced age That shopping place looked like fun too, kind of reminded me of Nassau. Oh and I hate haggling, I would rather not buy anything at all. Those car dealerships that advertise no haggling are custom made for me.

PS: You need to update your title

 

[smidgy]

LOVE this chapter!! I always wanted to learn to surf..be a gidget.

Iwould be so scared of dorsal fins after the shark tour.. in retrospect, you probably should have done the surfing first!!

what a great experience! and you still got a dole whip!!

 

[pkondz]

Holy confusion, Ponzi! You had me mixed up too. I started reading and thought, wow, either he is playing a trick or is really confused and posting on Nebo's report. I had to look back to see where I was

I have a feeling this won't be the first time for a lot of people. "Hey, didn't you just say you did ______?" "No, that was on pkondz's or Nebo's thread."

Great chapter, Ponzi, surfing looks like it was really fun. Not that I would try it at my advanced age That shopping place looked like fun too, kind of reminded me of Nassau. Oh and I hate haggling, I would rather not buy anything at all. Those car dealerships that advertise no haggling are custom made for me.

PS: You need to update your title

Well, you don't have to haggle of course. And I frequently don't. And I certainly don't go into a convenience store and negotiate the price of a coke... but sometimes, if I'm in the right mood, I actually get a kick out of it.

And did I miss something? You say I need to update the title. The thread title is up to date and so is the post title. Is there something else that I'm not seeing?

LOVE this chapter!! I always wanted to learn to surf..be a gidget.

I could so see you 'hanging ten'.

Iwould be so scared of dorsal fins after the shark tour.. in retrospect, you probably should have done the surfing first!!

Believe it or not. I did think of it. But the shark tour pretty much had to be at dawn, it couldn't be the day before since Ruby is most emphatically NOT a surfer and I wanted it early in the week. I also didn't know, given our limited time on the island, if we'd get back up to the North Shore again or not... so Sharks first then the opportunity to be eaten by sharks second.

what a great experience! and you still got a dole whip!!

Yup! Dole whip makes everything better!

 

[Heluvsme]

I JUST WENT TO HAWAII THANKS TO PONZI!!!!

Seriously, your writing is so good, I feel like I was there with you!!
Great chapter, and it sounds like you're making the absolute most of every minute you have there!! You squeezed a LOT in on this day!!!

How fun, I want to go soooo bad now!!!!

~Dawn

 

[shan23877]

The surfing lessons looked awesome! I think it's really sweet that you considered you girls and booked a female instructor.

All the shopping looked so fun! You're a trooper.


You guys sure packed a lot of fun into a day. And did pretty good finding places to eat. Rachael Ray and Samantha Brown always say to ask a local.

 

[pkondz]

I JUST WENT TO HAWAII

Me too!!!

Seriously, your writing is so good, I feel like I was there with you!!

Gee, that's a pretty nice compliment. I can't think of a single snarky thing to say.

Great chapter, and it sounds like you're making the absolute most of every minute you have there!! You squeezed a LOT in on this day!!!

And the week ain't done yet, Dawn!

How fun, I want to go soooo bad now!!!!

We just got back and we soooo want to go right back, too!

The surfing lessons looked awesome! I think it's really sweet that you considered you girls and booked a female instructor.

Surfing was probably the most fun thing we did all week. I suspected we'd enjoy it... I just didn't realize how MUCH we would.

All the shopping looked so fun! You're a trooper.

Next chapter... the horror continues...

You guys sure packed a lot of fun into a day. And did pretty good finding places to eat. Rachael Ray and Samantha Brown always say to ask a local.

We slept real well that night. I do believe that you can find great places to eat... you just gotta do a little digging... and a tour book is just the start.

 

[Beka]

DH & I honeymooned in Maui. This is a nice mental re-visit! Great writing!

We asked the locals where they ate, only 1 place really stood out to us and unfortunately that was on the last day

Loved the shark swimming! We went snorkeling, and saw spinner dolphins, but weren't allowed in the water with them.

DH & I also went to Pearl Harbor. I'm glad to say I went, but it was really emotional. Don't need to go through that again! Shoot, I get choked up when they salute the military members & their families at Sea World before the Shamu show...

Can't wait for more report!

 

[Thumper_Man]

And for those of you wondering how I did… I can provide you with this picture of me… and I’m not wearing a hat or shades!

Yup. Definitely me.

Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo, WIPEOUT!

 

[mmeb144]

Yup. Definitely me.

When you said that you were going to post a pic, I figured it would be something like this picture. You are a big foot!