Monday, May 2, 2011

Paradise


Aloha from Kimo & Kalina !! As many of you may remember, Jaime (Kimo) and I (Kalina) had plans to spend our 25th anniversary (April 2010) in Hawaii, but had to postpone our trip due to Jaime's illness. Well, what a difference a year makes !!! So, on Saturday the 23rd, our journey began.

Day 1 in Paradise:

Our first day dawned beautiful and sunny here in Oregon. We couldn't have asked for a better send off! I have to start by telling you that this trip was full of “firsts” for both of us. To begin with, it was the largest plane I have flown on.........2 isles, 7 seats across. I have to start with our arrival on Oahu. I have never seen water come in so many shades of blue. Of course, I've seen pictures and postcards of Hawaii, but you still don't believe it....until you see it. We arrived in Oahu in the early afternoon and immediately headed for the condo at Ko Olina. Knowing we would probably be wiped out after our 5 hour flight, we purposely did not plan anything for our first day. So once we checked in, we spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing. We did, however, go down to the beach to witness a beautiful sunset. 




Day 2 in Paradise

The next day we headed to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. This was one of the main reasons we wanted to spend part of our trip on Oahu. And we were not disappointed. The “tour” began with a 20 minute film about the circumstances surrounding the attack, as well as footage of the attack and the aftermath. Having set the tone, we then were loaded onto a boat for a short ride out to the memorial site.

There is actually not a lot to the memorial itself. It is simply nothing more than a long, open walkway where at the end is a large marble wall that lists the names of all those that perished that day.


However, I cannot begin to explain the feelings it evoked in us as we walked across, and looked down upon that burial ground. It is very true, what they say....you can actually see an oil sheen on the surface from fuel that still seeps from the ship. Here's what Jaime posted on his facebook profile: “Yeah was not prepared for the emotion that overwhelmed me there. I was sad to see so many that saw it only as a tourist stop and not what it truly is. At least everyone was reverent in their speech (volume wise). I saw a name on the memorial, J.R. Hall. Just sharing two initials with one of those heroes all of a sudden made it very personal and very meaningful. Hard to explain...” Like Jaime, I was truly saddened that many people saw it as a photo opp. Especially people younger than us. For us though, it was an incredibly moving experience. One that will certainly leave a lasting impression.

Then, to pick up the mood, we headed to the North Shore for our surfing lesson ! Yes, I said surfing lesson. We had a little time to kill so we had lunch and then decided to indulge in some famous hawaiian shaved ice – yummmm.

When we were planning our excursions, trying to find a surfing lesson, I came across the North Shore Surf Girls. And it was the perfect choice. Unfortunately, Jaime has a bum shoulder and had to throw in the towel after just one wave.....paddling back out was just too painful. I, however, was able to stay out (barely) and catch 3 or 4 waves!!! Oh what a blast =) I have to tell you though, I couldn't believe how shallow it was out there. For most of the time, our instructors could actually stand up. And we could see the bottom!!

OMG! Absolutely incredible, especially for us who grew up on the gulf coast. And the neatest part – we can say we actually caught some waves on the North Shore !!!

Day 3 in Paradise


This was, by far, our busiest day of the trip. Our first stop was Waikiki to do a little shopping at the International Market. The best part --- lunch at Puka Dog. 

OMG....definitely a must do on our culinary list. This was also the day we got the most rain (or showers as we like to call them in Oregon). But as I posted on facebook..........a rainy day in Waikiki, still a good day !!

We then headed back through the central part of the island (toward the North Shore) and stopped at the Dole Plantation for a tasty treat – pineapple soft-service ice cream with pineapple (for me) and coconut (for Jaime) topping. 

Again.........yummy :-) We did spend a few minutes and walk through the grounds for a look at some of the many pineapple varieties they have from all over the world. 

The most fascinating part – a stop at the koi pond. Seriously. 

They have fish food that you can purchase and feed to the fish. And they are so accustomed to being fed that all you have to do is step up to the railing and they will congregate at your feet. It was actually kind of creepy, like something out of a horror movie.

We then continued north, again through North Shore, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. I thought Jaime was gonna wet his britches when he realized we were driving through these places, places that he had read about in surf magazines as a kid. And it was beautiful. This was all our on way to our next stop – the LDS temple. 



We only stopped long enough to take a few pictures and yet it was enough time to appreciate its beauty. Later that evening, as we drove back to our condo, we got a glimpse of it all lit up. It is truly beautiful. On a side note, that only members of our church will appreciate.....as we left the temple, we noticed a house directly across from the temple grounds that had a name placard that read “Monsons”. What are the chances ???

Our final destination that day was the Polynesian Culture Center. Unfortunately we didn't arrive until about 3 pm, so we didn't have much time to visit all the different villages. 

But what we did visit was very entertaining. Our tickets included dinner – which was awesome – and the show, “Ha, Breath of Life”. And they definitely saved the best for last. The show was simply amazing. It was full of dancing and singing – what could be better --- a Polynesian musical !! But it truly was an amazing production....so beautiful. We were treated to a taste of all the different polynesian cultures, both in dance and dress. All while they weaved an incredible story. Truly the high point of our evening.

Day 4 in Paradise


This was a travel day for us as we moved from Oahu to Maui. Our flight was right in the middle of the day, so again, we didn't plan any activities. Upon landing, we were treated to a water dance of sorts. As we came in for our landing, we got a glimpse at Ho'okipa Beach, a favorite for windsurfers and kitesurfers. And the beach was super busy that day. Once we were settled into our condo, we spent a little time to get a bite to eat and get a feel for the lay of the land. Then, we picked a spot on the beach and settled in for another beautiful sunset. We finished our evening with a Hawaiian shaved ice at the local marketplace on South Kihei Rd. Don't know if I could ever get enough shaved ice :-)

Day 5 in Paradise


The day dawned beautiful and sunny, but what else would you expect in paradise, right? With free time on our hands, we headed to the beach again. We took advantage of the warm weather and headed straight for the water. Still, amazed at how clear it was. After our swim, we found a spot on the sand to let our swimsuits air dry. This, however, came with a sand storm of sorts ! We really got a taste for how windy Maui is.

Our next voyage was around the west side of the island to Lahaina for our anniversary luau. It was during this drive around the edge of the island that I really got a sense that we were truly on an island. What a great time we had that night!! First of all, the food was amazing....best buffet I've ever eaten at.

The mahi mahi was to die for....but I digress..... This is the traditional turning of the pig. It's a whole ceremonial thing.


Our next treat was an extraordinary sunset. 


We were then treated to a good show, and a fun host. 

Jaime really got a kick out of him cuz he was very Don Ho like. Bottom line – what a great anniversary celebration !!



Day 6 in Paradise


This had to be the funnest day....We headed into the mountains of Wailuku for a zipline tour. 

For those that aren't familiar with this, it's a series of cables strung along the side of the mountain that you literally hang from and zip down. This was a series of 8 cables, 2.5 miles of cables in total. 

The last in the series is the 3rd longest in the world. 

And the view............no words are adequate. You could literally see across the neck of the island, from harbor to harbor. 

And, of all the choices for zipline tours, we definitely made the right choice. 

Not only were they a lot of fun, they made it more personable by learning all 13 of our names, they were so knowledgeable on the island's flora and fauna, and they included an “eco” element by providing the opportunity to water some of the “endangered” plants they had planted in hopes of helping to remove them from the endangered list. Truly a phenomenal experience.


Once we were down from the mountain, we headed to Ho'okipa Beach to try and get an up close look at the windsurfers and kitesurfers. And we learned that it was just as impressive up close. It had been a long day already, so we didn't last long at the beach. Our next stop was a late lunch in Pa'ia. After eating what Jaime claimed were the best fish tacos he's ever had, we headed back to the condo. Our next meal – dessert at Ono Gelato. Yummmmm And boy, did I sleep good that night having been sufficiently worn out.

Day 7 in Paradise


Our last full day on the island.......... We had a few more gifts to pick up, so we headed to the Marketplace and I couldn't resist another shaved ice treat. Seriously. With time to spare, we made our way to the Ma'alaea Harbor to catch a charter in order to do some snorkeling. 

Again, we made the perfect choice for this excursion. We left at about 1:30 pm with only 13 people on our tour, when we arrived at Molokini Islet, there was only 1 other charter boat anchored. (the early tour left at 7:30 – yes, that's a.m.--- they had over 100 people on board, and 30+ boats anchored at Molokini). Again, a perfect choice. 

However, all this paled in comparison to our snorkeling experience.....the first time Jaime and I have snorkeled.

Here's what Jaime posted on facebook: “Spent the afternoon snorkeling at Molokini crater. It was almost a spiritual experience. The fish (all very colorful) would swim right up to you. The water was crystal clear...all the way to the bottom. Wow...” It was truly amazng.... Molokini is basically a bird sanctuary and nature preserve. There are rules against touching anything/everything. This became a little challenging because, as Jaime said, the fish would literally swim right up to you. Still can't believe how crystal clear the water was, yet so blue from the surface. 

After almost an hour in the water, Jaime and I were shocked to realize we were the last ones left in the water !!! Sadly, as the boat began to move away from the island, we saw our one & only sea turtle in the water.....almost as if he realized we were leaving and it was now safe to come out!!! On our hour commute back to the harbor, we were served a delicious bbq lunch and then simply relaxed on the top deck, taking in the sunny day. When we left the island, the crew set up about 4 fishing poles across the back of the boat, and surprisingly enough, they snagged a fish!!! Huge fish !!! I mentioned to Jaime that I almost wish we had snorkeled earlier in the week, but at the same time I was afraid that had we done that, we wouldn't have wanted to do anything else the remainder of the week !!!
So, how did we finish this day? Well, we had to see one last sunset on the beach, and then our last meal --- dessert at Ono Gelato!!!


Day 8 in Paradise


Our flight didn't leave until 1:15, so we had a laid back morning....our biggest decisions were “where” and “when” to eat. And we were again treated to another beautiful day in paradise. We were so fortunate throughout our entire trip to enjoy absolutely perfect weather. Very little rain, and when it got really (ok, relatively) hot, we could count on the winds for a perfect breeze to cool things off. We couldn't have asked for a better trip --- it was perfect.

And we apparently brought the sunshine back with us....our first day back was beautiful and warm. I hear the rain is back tomorrow.

So....here's what we learned: GPS has a problem with Hawaiian pronunciations. Our girls can actually survive on their own – and not starve !! It truly is a small world....at the luau, we sat across from a lady from Clackamas and another from Happy Valley! Then on our zipline tour, we visited with a couple that, not only were from Bend, OR, but the husband grew up in Bellaire , TX.....what are the chances ??? You can make a reggae version of just about any song. The residents are all happy and friendly. It would seem the kids are allowed to wear their swim trunks to school. Almost everybody looks better with a tan.

Did we enjoy our trip, you ask? Well, let's just say jaime is shopping for a condo on Maui while listening to an island station......