Hawaii October 2002 Journal

Hawaii, October 2002

 

Tony and I had talked about our vacation plans for 2002.  He suggested someplace in the US.  I immediately said, "How about Hawaii?"  No argument there!  So, I started my planning.  I usually give myself a few months to plan and arrange everything.  We decided to split our time between Oahu (where I grew up) and Kauai.  I have been to the BigIsland, Tony's been to Maui, so we decided on Kauai since we both hadn't been there yet.  We took advantage of Tony's military retirement status and made reservations at the military-only resort hotel on Oahu, the Hale Koa.  I booked a partial ocean view room for $107 per night.  
 
For our stay in Kauai, after lots of surfing the net, I decided on Kiahuna Plantation.  It's a beautiful condo/resort on Poipu Beach on the south side of Kauai.  I found Lynda Gill's web site (http://www.kiahunakauai.com) who quoted me a price a lot less than if I were to book directly with either Outrigger or Castle Resorts, the two companies that manage the property.
 
Since we were traveling in October, low season for Hawaii, we decided to fly stand-by with Tony's airline benefits.  We made arrangements to fly to LA, spend 3 nights with our friend Jack, and then fly to Oahu.  Checking two months prior to our trip, all flights were wide open.  Then just a week before, the flights started filling up and quickly!  At least we had several flights to choose from.
 
Monday 14 October 2002 (off to Los Angeles):  I hate flying stand-by!!!  We had to fly from D.C. to Philadelphia.  That flight was fine - several seats open.  However, when we got to Philadelphia, the flight we wanted was completely booked!  After what seemed like a long anxious wait, we did get on board.  Tony ended up in the cockpit jump seat and the very last seat (taken by a flight attendant flying stand-by) was given to me.  He ended up sitting on one of the flight attendant jump seats.  At least we were on our way!
 
We arrived in LA in the early evening and Jack picked us up.  Jack and Tony went to VMI together.  We had a nice evening catching up on our lives at a deli.  The food was very good and the portions were large  Jack lives in a very nice apartment complex with many trees, privacy, and a middle courtyard with pool area.   
 
Tuesday 15 October 2002 (Los Angeles): Tuesday was spent seeing some of the sights of LA starting with a drive around Santa Monica (and lunch there).  We toured the sidewalk of stars, drove around Beverly Hills and drooled at the beautiful, expensive homes.  I was quite surprised at the lack of garages for many of the homes.  Many cars were park in the streets.  LA is not attractive at all, but I liked Santa Monica much better.  In the early evening we drove to Rodeo Drive where I checked out some of the elegant window displays of suits, shoes, purses and of course, diamonds!   
 
We decided to have dinner at Il Fornario in Beverly Hills.  Since it was still early, we had drinks at the Wilshire hotel.  The hotel is beautiful and the prices of the drinks match the location.  For dinner, the restaurant had theme menus from various regions of Italy.  We enjoyed food from the Calabria region, the same area where my father-in-law is from.  Dinner was delicious and the prices of the meals were very reasonable considering the location. 
 
Wednesday 16 October 2002 (off to Honolulu):  We had hoped to spend another day in LA, but after calling the airlines and checking availability, we decided to head to Hawaii a day earlier.  We contacted Doris, Tony's sister who lives in Hawaii and asked that she pick us up.  She invited us to spend the night at her house in Kailua, which was great since we didn't have hotel reservations until the following day.
 
We had no problems getting on board our United Airlines flight.  I had tickets to upgrade to first class, but those seats were completely booked. 
 
We landed on Oahu in the late afternoon.  I was very excited to be back in Hawaii.  The last time we were there was 14 years ago (same month) for our honeymoon.  I already decided that I wouldn't wait another 14 years to return to Hawaii!  The air was balmy and it had just stopped raining in one of the valleys as I could see the arch of a rainbow.  It brought childhood memories back to me.  There is always a rainbow someplace in Hawaii.
 
We settled in at Doris' house while waiting for Bill to come home.  Kevin was home from school (Billy attends the Air Force Academy in Colorado).  We got caught up on the latest news and just hung around and relaxed.  We went to a nice local restaurant in Kailua called Pinky's.  We had a good meal and nice time together.  The atmosphere was very tropical looking with plants and tiki lamps.  The Mai Tai's weren't the best, but they were tasty.
 
Thursday 17 October 2002 (Honolulu):  We took our time getting up in the morning since our check in time at the hotel wasn't until 2pm.  Everyone else went to work or school.  Doris let us use Billy's jeep, which was nice to have.  We cleaned it up since there were no windows and it was wet from the recent rain.  It rains everyday in Hawaii, usually a short spurt.  By mistake, while cleaning the jeep, we locked ourselves outside the house!   We panicked.  In the back of the house, Tony took out the dining area glass window louvers and I climbed in.  I was so afraid the neighbors would see me in action, but no police arrived.  Doris happened to call about 10 minutes later and I told her what happened.  Did she laugh!!  She said, "That's how Kevin usually gets in if he forgets his key!" 
 
We packed our bags, loaded the jeep and headed to WaikikiBeach via the south east side of Oahu.  We stopped along the way at the "Hawaii Kai" lookout.  This is the area where I grew up.  We drove passed my high school but decided to see my old house another time.  We were ready to check in and unpack and dive into Waikiki.
 
We were still early for check-in, so we had our luggage stored, walked the beautiful tropical grounds of the Hale Koa and the Hilton Hawaiian Village next door.  Many assorted plants and flowering trees, such as the plumeria, decorated the grounds.  We had lunch at Koko Café.  The hotel has 3 restaurants to choose from: Koko Café for casual dining with a good variety of food, as well as a buffet breakfast; the Hale Koa room, for fine dining and excellent service; and Bibas, which we thought was a little pricey, for sandwiches, pizza, pasta and steaks.  For lunch we both enjoyed a bowl of saimin soup: Japanese noodles with Japanese fish cake, char siu pork (Chinese roasted pork), egg, and other ingredients.  It's delicious and filling.  Next to our table, we met Gary.  He used to be in the 89th squadron at Andrews AFB and knew many of our friends.  After about 20 minutes, he invited us to a party on the 19th, but we declined.  The military community always seems so small. 
 
In the afternoon, we checked in to our room (#1008) and unpacked.  We had very nice views from our balcony:  the beach to our right and city/mountains to the left.  We shopped at the PX at the hotel, which was great. Everything we needed was there.  We purchased a bottle of wine, beer, a corkscrew, and 2 beach mats.  The amenities at this hotel are terrific.  There is daily parking for $4, no taxes tagged onto any bill, a PX, and a nice selection of dining choices.  We sat out on the balcony having drinks watching the sky change colors as the sun set. 
 
For dinner, we went to Keo's Thai restaurant.  We were there in 1988, while on our honeymoon and wanted to try the restaurant again.  It was great!  They now have a location in the heart of Waikiki, only an 8-10 minute walk from the hotel.  We sat outdoors to enjoy the air.  Orchids were everywhere as well as Thai decorations.  The spring rolls were delicious and the Evil Jungle Prince chicken dish was excellent.
 
Back at the hotel, we had drinks at the Warrior lounge, where karaoke was in full swing.  These guys were serious and some were very good! 
 
Friday 18 October 2002 (Honolulu):  We got up to a partly cloudy day.  I sat on the balcony for a few minutes to enjoy the fresh tropical air and the sound of the waves on the beach.  We had a quick bite to eat in the lobby where there is a small coffee cart in the lobby which serves assorted coffees, pastries, and bagles.  We drove to Pearl Harbor.  We wanted to get there as early as possible to beat the crowds.  No one is allowed to bring bags, purses, camera bags, etc., of any kind inside.  Security was very tight, like every other place since 9/11.  I took my wallet, camera, and film and shoved them into my pockets and locked up my purse in the glove compartment.  My pockets were bulging with my things. 
 
The place has changed since I was last there (1978).  There is a small museum, gift shop, and a movie theatre.  Everyone receives a time slot for the movie and boat ride to the Arizona memorial.  Although we got there early enough, there was a delay and we ended up waiting for about an hour and half before we boarded the boat.  The movie was very interesting with an introduction from a gentleman who had served on one of the battleships when Pear Harbor was attacked.  His words were quite moving and when everyone left the building, there were many teary eyes.  Tony had the opportunity to chat with a few other Veterans while we were waiting for the movie or boat. 
 
Our boat ride was very short and quiet.  A visit to the Arizona memorial is quite a moving experience.  Old and young starred down into the water looking at the remains of the battleship Arizona, imagining the large amount of loss on board.  From what I learned, many were trapped alive for about 2 weeks.  Such a horrible, slow death.  Seeing the old veterans in their uniforms and hats with their solemn faces, they must have been reliving that Day of Infamy and missing their friends. 
 
We also visited the submarine Bowfin and the SS Missouri.  Both of these tours were included in a combined ticket for $32.  That included a military discount.  It was my first visit on a submarine and I felt slightly claustrophobic.  The rooms were very small and the bunk beds packed into small areas.  It was interesting to learn that a part of the deck of the Missouri was laid out in teak wood, which is resistant to many elements.  Powder bags could easily be ignited on a metal floor, so wood was used instead.
 
We drove to the Ala Moana shopping center. We had lunch in the food court and had Korean food.  There were many choices of ethnic restaurants.  I shopped for a two-piece bathing suit at Macy's - Liberty House is no longer there.  The mall had changed quite a bit since the time I lived in Hawaii.  There are lots of expensive stores, which were added for the Japanese tourists.
 
We had a fabulous dinner at the Hale Koa Room. The service was excellent as well.  What was great about staying at a military hotel is that there are no taxes and the prices of food and drink were less than elsewhere.  We had a surf-n-turf dinner at half the cost of other restaurants in Honolulu. 
 
19 October 2002 (Honolulu): We took a drive to Hanauma Bay via Diamond Head and Kahala, one of my favorite hangouts when I was a kid.  Hanauma Bay is a beautiful swimming area with coral and fish.  The bay is actually part of an extinct volcano and a portion of the top of the crater is missing so that it opens to the ocean.   Things have changed there.  There is a $1 parking fee and everyone has to watch a short film which is about the safety of Hanauma bay, its coral and fish: No feeding the fish, no eating on the beach, no smoking on the beach.   There's a concession at the top of the park for eating, drinking, and smoking. 
 
We brought our snorkel and fins and took turns swimming with the colorful fish.  I had brought my expensive camera, so we couldn't leave our things alone on the beach.  It took several minutes to get used to the mask and snorkel, but I became very comfortable and started chasing the fish with my underwater camera (don't bother with them - the photos didn't come out that well).  There is a large variety of fish and coral. 
 
In the afternoon, we drove to Kailua stopping along the way at Makapuu point, a beautiful area with beaches, and driving through Bellow beach where we purchased gas.  We had lunch in Kailua at a local place, L&L Drive Inn.  They are located throughout the island (http://www.lldriveinn.com/).  Typical of Hawaii are the "local plate" lunch meals, which are very inexpensive and quite filling.  I ordered a regular size plate of curry chicken with white rice and macaroni salad, which was too much for me.  Tony had the chicken Katsu (fried chicken).
 
We stopped at Doris' house for a short while, and then she and I went shopping for some gold jewelry.  She had been going to one particular store, but recently found another store where she found the best prices for Hawaii Heirloom bracelets.   She said, "The store is only 10 minutes away."  She has definitely turned "local" since moving to Hawaii, loosing track of time as we headed over the mountain to the city center of Honolulu.  The drive was closer to 25 minutes, not 10!  I bought earrings and a ring, and ordered a bracelet to be engraved.  Doris would pick it up for me while Tony and I were in Kauai.  All were typical Hawaiian designs. 
 
While heading back to our hotel, the jeep broke down a mile from Doris' house.  Fortunately we had a cell phone, so we called Bill who came out and determined it was the clutch which needed oil.  We were off 15 minutes later.  Thank goodness this happened close to their house and not while driving the Pali highway!  We loved having the jeep, but without any a/c, we got hot pretty quickly.   Doris and Bill picked us up in the evening and we headed to the Aloha Tower Marketplace for dinner.  There are shops, restaurants, and entertainment.  We dined at Gordon Biersch.  The food was good, but the lighting was terrible, especially outside.  We used the candle on the table to read the menu.  The restaurant was crowded, especially the outdoor dining area.
 
20 October 2002 Sunday:  Today we took a drive around the island.  We started out driving  up the middle of the island to the pineapple fields.  Most had already been plowed showing the rich red soil. We skipped the Dole plantation visitor's center and drove to Haleiwa.  We had breakfast at Jameson's by the Sea.  It's located across the street from the beach and a marina.  In the distance, towards, Mokuleia, we saw the surf was up. 
 
We stopped at Waimea Bay, famous for surfing and its dangerous undercurrents.  We parked and sat on the beach a short while watching the surfers and body surfers.  The waves weren't quite high, but lovely to watch.  We also stopped at the park "next" to Chinaman's HatIsland, a small island off the coast, which resembles a Chainman's hat.  Back in high school, our science class had a field trip to the Island.  We went during low tide (waist deep) since we walked/swam to the island with our towels and food in plastic bags.
 
Heading back to Waikiki, we stopped at the Pali Lookout for spectacular views of the north side of the island.  It is said that warriors trying to defend Oahu against the invading Kamehameha I plunged to their deaths from the Pali in 1795.  The winds are very high here.  I remember when I was a kid I could lean into the wind and not fall forward.
 
We went back to the hotel to get ready to meet some fellow fodorites from Hawaii.  I had been corresponding with Melissa who arranged to meet at the Mai Tai bar at the Ala Moana shopping center for drinks.  We met her, Lucy, Kalena, Tony and Burta, (Melissa's brother and sister) and Burta's husband.  We chatted and tried various colorful tropical drinks and appetizers for a couple of hours.  We left, dropped off the jeep at the hotel, and walked to Todai, a Japanese restaurant we had seen two days before.  Had I known it was an all-you-can-eat buffet, I would have skipped the appetizers earlier.  I did enjoy some delicious sushi, sashimi, tempura and other tasty items. 
 
While having dinner, Tony realized he left his glasses at the Mai Tai bar.  We called the place and Melissa, who found them, left them at the bar.  Tony we back to get them after dinner while I went back to the room.  Thank goodness Melissa found them, as they were his prescription glasses.
 
21 October 2002 Monday (off to Kauai): We had packed our bags the previous night for our trip to Kauai.  I was looking forward to visiting the "Garden Isle."  Tony made arrangements to keep the jeep at the hotel and we took a shuttle van to the airport, ordering round-trip tickets so we could get back to the Hale Koa.  We flew standby without any problems.   The flights to each island are like catching the bus  they run every 30-40 minutes throughout the day. 
 
We picked up our rental car at Alamo and drove to PoipuBeach.  We arrived around noon, so of course our room wasn't ready.  Leaving our luggage in the trunk, we walked the grounds of Kiahuna Plantation, our home for the next 5 nights.  The grounds are immaculate.  The grass is like the putting area of a golf course.  Palm trees, flowers, tropical plants and a walkway to the beautiful beach rounds out the picture.  Across the street from the plantation is a small shopping village.  We did a little window-shopping and I picked up some postcards.  We talked with a man at a travel kiosk about a helicopter ride.  One catch: tour a time-share resort.  "We'll think about it."
 
We drove to Koloa, a small, quaint town nearby, and did some grocery shopping.  It was great to have a condo with complete kitchen.  We bought breakfast items, lunch for the day and some other things.  Back at the plantation, our room still wasn't ready.  I told the woman that we had groceries and they needed to be refrigerated.  She gave us our room key and we unpacked the groceries while the maid frantically cleaned the place.  We sat on the lanai until she left.  I don't think she was very happy with use there.  We ate our lunch and unpacked our bags.  I was impressed with the place: large bedroom with ceiling fan, bathroom, living with ceiling fan and dining rooms and kitchen.  There was also a t.v. and radio.  The bedroom had a noise machine to drown out the street traffic.  Though we heard cars in the evening, it wasn't terrible.  The front door and lanai doors had louver windows, so a nice tropical breeze passes through the place.  There was no need for air conditioning.  Also, large trees shaded the building.
 
After relaxing and watching the news for a while, we walked to the beach and had expensive drinks at the Sheraton hotel next door.  However, drinking Mai Tai's on the beach and watching the sunset was worth the price of the drinks.  There was also entertainment with hula dancers and singers.  For dinner, we dined at a Thai restaurant in the shopping village nearby.  The food wasn't the best and they ran out of spring rolls! 
 
22 October 2002 Tuesday:  Tony and I woke up to a beautiful day.  We decided to do some island sightseeing.  We started the morning by making helicopter arrangements at the travel kiosk.  We agreed to visit a time-share place and got a very good price for the ride, $370 for the two of us. 
 
Our plan for the day was to drive around the island heading east and ending up on the north side in Hanalei.  We drove thru Lihue and stopped to see Wailua falls and Opaeka'a falls on the east side of the island.  Those that have watched Fantasy Island will recognize Wailua falls.  Near Opaeka'a falls is an ancient Hawaiian heiaus, once used for religious purposes.  Lava rocks were used to create a wall, which stood a few feet high.  Not much remains today at the site. 
 
There were many lovely beaches along the way on our drive to Hanalei.  On the north side, we stopped at Guava Kai, a guava plantation.  We sampled juice, guava jellies, and guava in its original form.  It was very tasty!  We stopped at the Kialuea lighthouse, a lovely area.  The color of the water was incredible, so clear and blue.  We drove past Princeville (an exclusive resort) and stopped for lunch in Hanalei.  We shared a plate lunch, the size of the last ones.
 
At the Hanalei lookout we could see taro fields.  There are several one-lane bridges that we crossed.  No one pushed to cross first.  We relaxed for a while on Ke'e beach where we saw many people snorkeling.  There is a trail nearby that heads to the Na Pali coast.  We walked it for about 10 minutes before realizing we really needed hiking boots and a hell of a lot more time, so we turned back and headed home.  In Koloa, we picked up some wine and headed to the beach to watch the sun set.   
 
We enjoyed dinner at Keoki's, a restaurant in the shopping village across from Kiahuna Plantation.  We didn't make advance reservations, and waited only 25 minutes.  Of course, we waited at the bar and tried their Mai Tai's.  Yes, they were good!  Tony doesn't usually order fish, but this time he ordered Opah (Moon fish) wjhich is a white, moist fillet.  I tried it and it was fabulous.  It was prepared with a macadamia nut crust and lightly pan fried.  I had shrimp in a garlic pesto sauce, also delicious.  We had a coupon for their Hula Pie, so we had to try it.  It was huge, tasty, and filling.  We had left the car at our place, so we walked home, which was much needed.  Too bad the walk wasn't a little longer.
 
23 October Wednesday:  What an awesome day!  Tony and I went on a helicopter tour with a company called InterIsland (http://www.hawaiian.net/~interisland/).  They have small helicopters (Hughes 500) and fly without any doors!  We had to be at the Hanapepe airport by 8:40am so we could watch a safety film before our ride.  We arrived and the film had already started.  I recognized 2 of the people in the group, Julie and Jack.  Julie sat next to me on the airplane from LA to Honolulu.  She and her friends had flown to Maui for a few days before coming to Kauai.  Jack was in the Air Force and flew F-15's.  Small world!  We stayed to watch the beginning of the film, and then joined the group on the field. 
 
There were two helicopters.  The second one, ours, took off 3-4 minutes after the first.  There were four passengers in each helicopter along with the pilot.  Jim and Jack sat in the back, I sat in the middle in the front (very disappointed since I didn't have an open window to take pictures) and Tony on the right side.  For seat configurations, the heavier people sat on the right side, opposite of the engine on the left.  The right side has the best views since the helicopter tour runs clock-wise.  The front was tight and cozy.  Gary was our pilot. 
 
It took me a good 10 minutes to get comfortable in the helicopter.  It was my first helicopter ride.  Gary could tell I was a little nervous and flew as gently as possible. However, when flying over mountaintops, there was a lot of wind.  I was expecting to suddenly drop several feet, but we didn't.  We flew over Waimea Canyon, and then over to the Na Pali coast.  What spectacular views!  I was dying to take the photos, but couldn't so Tony was the photographer.  Gary pointed out a small beach where 6 Days, 7 Nights was filmed.  One can only access this beach via boat.  Shear cliffs block any other entrance on this side of the island. 
 
We flew over Ke'e beach, then towards the center of the island.  We passed a large clearing where the movie Jurassic park was filmed.  Remember the dinosaurs in the fields eating their greens?  We landed in a tiny area, cleared just enough for the 2 helicopters (100 feet in diameter and the space between the blades of both helicopters was about 15 feet).  We arrived only minutes after the first one.  As we were descending, I thought, "Where the hell is Gary going?" For a brief moment, I couldn't see any landing area.  It was a tropical jungle out there. 
 
At this landing, there is a walkway to a small waterfall along with picnic table and chairs.  And mosquitoes too!  Our tour included a deli lunch with chips and soda, which we enjoyed.  Tony and I dipped our feet into the ice cold water, while two others actually swam in the water.  Too cold for me! 
 
After about 40 minutes, we headed to the helicopters.  I took a few photos of the group, and then got ready to board.  Gary on the other hand, had a problem with the helicopter battery.  It wouldn't charge up, so Steve, the pilot from the first helicopter had to fly back to base to get a battery charger.  We hung around for about 40 minutes before he arrived.  After recharging the battery, we were off to enjoy the rest of the trip.  I couldn't imagine being stranded there, as there was no way out of that particular valley except by helicopter. 
 
We flew into the heart of Kauai, Waiale'ale crater, which created Hawaii.  This is a three-sided crater.  This, along with the Na Pali coast has shear cliffs.  We saw many waterfalls, including the one shown in JurassicPark.  Our ride ended a few minutes later.  It was such a great experience and one I would highly recommend, no matter the dollar!  I was amazed at the views and am glad that Tony did a decent job in taking photos for our memories.  Tony and I purchased a t-shirt and sweatshirt for our souvenirs.  I definitely want to return to Kauai and take another helicopter tour.  This particular company is the only one to land at a remote waterfall.
 
Our morning tour over, we headed back to Poipu, stopping at Spouting Horn for a few minutes, and to the beach at Kiahuna.  It was a relaxing afternoon thinking of the great morning we had.  We drove to Lihue for an inexpensive meal at Hamura's Saimin Stand for dinner.  Everyone there was a local except for two other tourists.  A very simple mom and pop place with tables and stools, we enjoyed their delicious Saimin soup along with fried wuntons. 
 
24 October 2002: Tony and I had a leisurely morning before our trip to WaimeaCanyon.  We drove to the Embassy Resorts area to listen to their time-share lecture.  The place is absolutely beautiful with well-kept grounds located next to the ocean.  We saw two turtles swimming in the area.  The condos were priced right for the island, but time-sharing isn't our style. 
 
We had lunch in town at Wrangler's Steakhouse.  I had their special "Kaukau tin lunch" which consisted of teriyaki beef, tempura, rice, and soup/salad bar, which comes with the meals, while Tony had his usual burger with their salad bar.  It was pretty good. 
 
It wasn't a clear day as I hoped for, but we still enjoyed seeing the canyons with all its colors.  We drove to the end of the road, 18 miles total.  At the end of the road was the Kalalau lookout point.  Just as we got there, it started to drizzle and dark clouds started to cover the tops of the mountains.  I was really disappointed because I had seen photographs of this beautiful area with it shear cliffs. 
 
We had sunset drinks at Kiahuna plantation and met a couple from Baltimore.  He works for the DEA.  For dinner, we went back to Keoki's for their delicious Opah. 
 
25 October 2002 Friday:  We took a short drive to Lihue and visited the Kauai museum.  Outside the building, a woman was selling orchids.  The purple orchids were lovely.  The museum was small, but interesting.  Various artifacts of Hawaii and Kauai were on display  from beautiful Koa bowls to royal capes made of bird feathers, photographs from the times of the plantation era, etc.  A short film on Kauai was shown.  I wish I had seen it when we first arrived on the island.  It certainly provided lots of information for first-time visitors.
 
Lunch was at the Oki diner.  The waitresses were very friendly and kept returning to our table to chat.  I had a typical local plate lunch, while Tony had a large bowl of Saimin.  Everything was good and inexpensive.
 
In Poipu, we spent the afternoon on the beach at PoipuPark located ¼ mile east of the condo.  We both snorkeled for a while.  I saw several types of fish, including a Humuhumunukunukuapua. Yes, that's the Hawaiian name for Triggerfish, the state fish of Hawaii.  It took me months to teach Tony how to say that word.
 
It got pretty hot sitting on the beach after a while we moved and sat under a shady palm tree.  Towards the end of the beach near the lava rock wall, I could see something quite large and silver in color near the waters edge.  It was a Monk seal!  She was sleeping quite comfortably while nearby people swam in the water.  A rope cornered off an area so that no one could disturb her.  I walked to the rope and took a couple of photographs.  Monk seals have declined in population in recent years.  We were told later that this particular seal always came to Poipu beach and that last year she had a pup on the same beach.  Maybe she was pregnant again.  We were also told there were only about 14 seals in the waters of Kauai. 
 
Before dinner, we drove to Koloa and window shopped in town.  There were souvenir shops, clothing stores and a couple of restaurants.  I made dinner reservations at the Beach House restaurant two days before.  I had asked the woman at the reservations desk at the condo to make them for me when we first checked in.  Apparently she forgot, so when I made them, I couldn't get 6pm reservations.  This is a popular place to watch the sun set.  Our reservations were for 7:45pm. The restaurant was very nice and open to the ocean.  The service and food was very good.
 
At the condo, we packed our luggage for our flight the next day back to Honolulu.  I called Doris to let her know we were flying back the next day.  She told us Tony's parents had arrived in Honolulu.  Their original plans were to fly to Hawaii before we got there, but they decided to come a couple of weeks later.  Since Tony was scheduled to be furloughed sometime soon, they wanted to take advantage of the airline discounts they get as his parents. 
 
26 October 2002 (Honolulu):  Flights were plentiful to Honolulu.  We didn't rush to get up, but had breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen.  Tony dropped me off at the curb with our luggage while he returned the car to the rental place.  There was a very long line at the check-in counter.  We thought we could go directly to the gate, since we were flying stand-by.  Not so as every airport has its own rules.  It was a frustrating morning as it took us 4 hours to catch a flight.  Like busses, one departed every 40-50 minutes.  There were two gates, side-by-side, that had flights to Honolulu, each one "taking turns."  When one flight was filled, we walked to the other gate.  That flight got filled, so we walked back to the first gate.  We did this 4-5 times until we could catch the 1:25pm flight.  At least we didn't have plans until the evening. 
 
We rant into our helicopter mate as we exited the plane.  We talked for about 15 minutes before they had to catch their flights home.  I wish I had exchanged phone numbers or email addresses.  It would have been nice to keep in touch with them.  They were a fun group of people.
 
We took the shuttle van to the Hale Koa hotel.  I asked at the reception desk for a room in the other building with a view of Diamond Head.  Our room, #860, did face Diamond Head.  I laughed when I saw the view!  Can you see it??  It's a tiny speck between the Waikiki hotels.  Still, the rooms we had at this hotel had great ocean views. 
 
Tony was hungry, so we went to Bibas.  I had lunch earlier at the airport in Kauai, which was expensive and lousy.  At Bibas, we had drinks and Tony ate a pork sandwich.  Since we had dinner plans with friends, he didn't finish it.  It was pretty big and a little pricy.
 
We had plans for dinner with Doris and Willie Ching.  My mother worked for Doris, as a secretary, at the University of Hawaii.  Doris is the Vice President for Student Affairs.  They picked us up at the hotel, greeting us with beautiful leis.  Mine was made from ginger flowers.  The fragrance was unbelievable.  I'm not sure what Tony's was made out of, but I still have it as the flowers dried very nicely. Both Doris and Willie looked great - they hadn't changed a bit.  The last time we saw them was 14 years ago while on our honeymoon.  They took us out to the Willows for dinner.  This time, they took us to Hoku's at the Kahala Mandarin hotel.  I had corresponded with Doris stating we were going to visit Hawaii and we wanted to take them out to dinner.  They wouldn't have it.  After I  "argued" a few times, she said, "Mind your elders."  We did.
 
Hoku's is an elegant contemporary restaurant.  Service was exceptional and most people knew Doris greeting her, "Hello Mrs. Ching."  Our table was next to the corner windows and had we arrived earlier, we would have had a nice view of the area.  We had a very nice evening with them.  We all shared a delicious appetizer, AhiMusubi, raw ahi (tuna) in a rice ball, coated in sesame seeds and seaweed and deep-fried.  It was served with a crabmeat sauce.  It was out of this world!  Dinner was delicious and we ended with lemongrass crème brulee with macadamia nut ice cream. 
 
After dinner, we walked around the hotel.  In the lagoon were 2 or 3 dolphins, turtles and a variety of fish.  I was able to get one of the hotel staff to take our photo, which I'll always have to remember this special evening.  They dropped us off at our hotel, said a teary good-bye and made Doris promise she'd call us the next time she was in D.C.  Tony and I headed to our usual evening spot, the pool bar for a round of Mai Tai's. 
 
27 Sunday October 2002:   I wanted to go to the flea market at the stadium and Tony wanted to try the Sunday champagne brunch at the hotel.  We called his parents and invited them to join us, as well as Doris.  We made reservations for noon.  Tony and I headed to the stadium and spend about 1.5 hours there checking out all the booths.  We bought a few things, including a handmade gold bracelet, and Hawaiian quilt pillow covers.  We saw a woman applying fake tattoos and thought it would be funny for Tony to get one and show it off to his parents.  He had my name written in Japanese on his upper arm, just enough to stick out of his sleeve and his parents to notice. 
 
Back at the hotel, we met his parents and Doris in the lobby.  The restaurant was packed with hungry diners.  For $20 per person, it was fabulous.  There was a wonderful selection of food.  We had champagne and enjoyed the omelet bar, fruits, crepes, sushi and sashimi, marinated octopus, salads, a variety of fish, and a carving table of meats.   Three performers sang Hawaiian songs with guitar, bass, and ukulele.  Tony tipped them $5.
 
We all split up after our big meal, and Tony and I headed out to tour Waikiki.  We window-shopped and checked out the kiosks at the International Market Place.  Most of the kiosks had the same items: t-shirts, jewelry, and lots of souvenirs.  Prices were better at the stadium for the same things.  The quilt pillow covers at the market place were $60/2.  I paid $45/2. 
 
We walked along the beach, and then headed to the Royal Hawaiian hotel.  We had missed it along the way because a huge shopping center had been built right in front of it.  It was sad to see all these shops instead of the famous pink hotel from the street.  Waikiki had grown quite a bit.  Tony and I had the best Mai Tai's at the Royal Hawaiian.  They were pricey, but excellent.  In the garden of the hotel, a wedding was taking place.  There was a wedding every day at our hotel.  We started to talk to the couple at the table next to us.  It turns out they live in Urbana, only 10 minutes from us.  Small world!  
 
Dinner was very light since lunch was filling.  The night ended with drinks, again, at the pool bar.  Thank goodness the drinks were inexpensive at the Hale Koa. 
 
28 October 2002: This morning we took a hike up Diamond Head.  We headed out early before the sun was directly above.  It took only 30 minutes to hike to the top, including a long flight of 99 steps.  It's recommended that everyone bring a bottle of water and a flashlight for the tunnel towards the end.  It was amazing to see some women wearing sandals or flip-flops instead of sneakers.  The views were great. Towards one side, you could see Hawaii Kai (where I used to live) and Koko Head and Koko Head crater and towards the other side Waikiki, Honolulu and Pearl harbor.  The water around Diamond Head was very clear and blue.  Coral reefs could clearly be seen.
 
We drove back to our hotel for a most needed shower.  It was quite warm by the time we got back to the jeep.  We had plans to meet Doris at her downtown office.  I needed her to take me to the jewelry store, as the inscription was incorrect. The year was missing. Doris had picked it up while we were still in Kauai and didn't see the error.  We parked our jeep in town and Doris drove us to the store.  I told Karen, the owner, I wanted a new bracelet.  At first, without reading the inscription, she stated she could add the year at the end of the sentence; however, after looking she realized that wasn't possible.  I also told her we were flying home in a couple of days.  She took the bracelet and said a new one would be made and her son would deliver it to the hotel the next evening.
 
Back near Doris' office, she took us to a hole-in-the-wall Filipino restaurant called Vickie's.  The food was great (large portions), inexpensive, and no other tourists in sight.  After, Doris went back to work and Tony and I walked around Chinatown.  One market reminded me of the markets in Europe with the fresh fish, seafood, fruits, and exotic vegetables. 
 
The afternoon was spent on the beach at our hotel.  I decided then that I should include in future vacations some beach time. Tony went into the hotel to check his parents in.  They could stay as long as we were there (using Tony's military benefits); but after we fly home, then Bill would have to re-check them in.  We had drinks with them at the pool barMaiTais. 
 
I made dinner reservations at Nick's Fishmarket.  We walked to the restaurant, which was 10 minutes away.  We got to the restaurant a little early, but the host sat us immediately.  We had a very good but expensive fish and seafood dinner with complimentary dessert for our 14th anniversary. 
 
29 October 2002:  Tony and I joined his parents for breakfast at the Koko café.  I had pancakes while they all had the buffet.  We needed to drop off the jeep, so we made plans for his parents to follow us to Doris' house just in case something happened to the jeep.  The jeep was still not running properly. 
 
On our way to Kailua, we stopped at Queen Emma's summer home.  A young woman took us through the rooms and explained about the history of the Hawaiian royalty, the paintings, pictures, and artifacts.  There is also a small gift shop.
 
Continuing on, we dropped off the jeep at Doris' house, and then the four of us headed to the Valley of the Temples and walked the grounds of the 900-year-old replica Japanese Byodo-In Temple.  Carp swam in the ponds and bamboo was everywhere.  There were also peacocks, sparrows, and swans on the property.  It's quite peaceful there.  Inside is a huge statue of Budda, as well as a temple bell.  The backdrop of the temple is the KoolauMountains.   
 
Back at our hotel, we split up and Tony and I walked along Waikiki.  We had a light lunch at the International market place.  We ate summer rolls and spring rolls at a Thai food stall.  They were good but the spring rolls were only slightly warm.   We ended up at the Sheraton hotel, remembering the great Mai Tais we had while on our honeymoon.  These weren't very good.  A man at the next table was getting ready to leave.  He was about to leave his orchid lei on the table, then asked me if I wanted it.  Sure!  We watched the scenery of the beach.  People were swimming in the area, while a group boarded a catamaran for their sunset cruise.
 
Tony's cell phone rang and it was the jeweler' stating my bracelet was ready to be dropped off at the hotel.  So we went back and waited for Mike.  Just as we walked up to the lobby, he arrived.  The engraving was perfect and I was happy.
 
Up in the room we showered and had a glass of wine.  I tried to make dinner reservations at Duke's Canoe Club, but I couldn't get the time we wanted. However, I was told to show up anytime.  They take a few walk-ins (normally a 40 minute wait).  We actually waited only 30 minutes.  We had a nice table where we could see the beach.  Next door to the restaurant was the Royal Hawaiian.  We had a good dinner.  The ahi spring rolls were so delicious! Tony had ribs for dinner and I had Opah.  There was a trio of singers singing Hawaiian songs.  The place was filled and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening. 
 
We walked back to our hotel via the beach and along the way stopped to watch a luau taking place at the Royal Hawaiian.  We watched the hula and fire dancers for several minutes. 
 
30 October 2002: I had wanted to take an early evening flight so we could have one last day on the island; however Tony wanted to get going since we were flying stand-by.  We did have a little time to sit at the pool and get some sun before showering and finishing our packing.  We checked out and took the 11am shuttle van to the airport.  We both had Saimin soup for lunch, which the price was pretty decent for airport food.  We caught the 1:30pm flight to LA and had no problems boarding. 
 
Landing in LA, there was a connecting flight an hour later. We hustled to the gate and got on board.  Unfortunately it was the "red eye" which meant no dinner and arrival at 5:15am in Philadelphia.  I would have preferred a night in LA and a visit with Jack.  We took the 8am flight to D.C.  It was a nice flight on a puddle jumper and we flew quite low.  I could see the fall colors everywhere. 
 
We were exhausted!  We still had to drive home, an hour away from the airport.  On the way home we picked up Lucy at Den's house.  She was very happy to see us.  She had a good time at Den's house and her girlfriend Shatzie (a shorthair collie). 
 
At home we took a short nap, unpacked, and even gave Lucy a bath.  She was quite dirty.  Dinner was pizza at Luke's with our usual order:  pizza with fried eggplant and sausage and a side dish of fried artichokes with a garlic-mayonnaise dipping sauce.  We stopped at the grocery store and picked up a few things.  I also dropped my film off at Costco.
 
Our trip is over but we had a fabulous time.  I felt it was longer than the 2 weeks we had.  Maybe it was because we weren't on the run every minute of the day like my European trips.  I enjoyed our short beach times, which was very relaxing and enjoyable. It was great to see Doris, Bill, and Kevin again.  We enjoyed the condo in Kauai.  We felt at home.  Time seemed to slow down on this trip.  We planned to see certain things, but didn't have to rush.
 
I definitely want to return to Hawaii within the next 4-5 years.  We certainly won't wait another 14!  I would like to visit the BigIsland and return to Kauai - maybe another helicopter ride where I can sit on the right side!
 
Aloha!
 
Here are some of my recommendations for Ohau:
 
Visit Pearl Harbor:  Get there early in the a.m., not later than 8:30-9am. 
 
Shop at the Aloha Stadium Flea Market:  Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday's, 6:30am to 3:00pm.  Ton's of stalls circling around the stadium.  Purchase your souvenir's here.  Price were up to 50% off than in Waikiki.  I bought 2 Hawaiian quilt pillows (16" square) for $45/2.  In Waikiki I saw some for $60/2.  You can buy 10 T-shirts for $20 versus 5 for $20.  Plan to spend about 2-3 hours there if you really want to shop and just enjoy being there; however, most of the stalls have the same things. 
 
*Note:  You can combine PearHarbor and the flea market in one morning/afternoon.  The stadium is about 5 minutes away from P.H.
 
Hike up Diamond Head.  Takes about 30 minutes to get to the top. There are many steps but the views are worth the trek.  Go early in the a.m. before the sun is high.  Bring a bottle of water and a small flashlight for the tunnel area.
 
Have some Mai Tais at the Royal Hawaiian - Great Diamond head/beach views and the best Mai Tais around. 
 
Take a drive around the Island:  Start in the morning and head towards Pearl Harbor and take the H-2 up to the NorthShore.  Stop along the way at the Dole Plantation and sample some pineapple.  Continuing on:
 
Stop along the way or stop at WaimeaFalls and enjoy watching the surfers and body surfers.
 
Stop at the park for Chinaman's hat.  It's a nice little beach park area to take a break and have a picnic.
 
Heading towards Kaneohe/Kailua, stop at the Valley of the Temples.  There is a 900-year-old replica of a JapaneseTemple. 
 
Head up the Pali Highway and stop at the Pali Lookout.  It's very windy up there, but has wonderful views of the island. 
 
On your way down the Pali Highway going towards Honolulu, stop by for a ½ hour visit to Queen Emma's summer palace before heading back to Waikiki.
 
Snorkel at HanaumaBay:  HanaumaBay is east of Waikiki.  Bring your snorkel gear. 
 
From HanaumaBay, take a drive to Makapuu point.   Along the way, you can stop at Sandy beach and watch the surfers.  SeaLifePark is at Makapuu.
 
Other places to visit:
Polynesian Cultural Center
BishopMuseum
The Capitol and the MissionHouseMuseum
Iolani Palace  the only Palace in the United States 
Chinatown
 
Recommended reading: 
Ultimate Kauai Guidebook
Frommer'sHonolulu, Waikiki & Oahu
 
Web sites:
http://www.gohawaii.com/
http://www.frommers.com/
http://www.thisweek.com/
http://www.bestplaceshawaii.com/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/destinations/Hawaii_Volcanoes_National_Park/
http://www.wizardpub.com/kauai/kauai.html (Excellent Kauai guidebook)
http://www.kiahunakauai.com (This is where we stayed while on Kauai)
http://www.fodors.com/
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1 (USA discussion board  great area to post your questions BUT make sure you have done your research first)