How crazy is a language when "aloha" means hello and goodbye?! Insanity!
We are currently kickin it in the lobby of the Beachcomber Hotel, about a block off Wakiki Beach. We've been booted from our room (damn checkout time!), and have 3 hours until we have to be at the airport. So, back to the grind of chalupas.net!
We've had a blast here! On Maui, we visited the island's aquarium. The attraction housed many exhibits of native sea life, from shallow water to deeper water and stranger creatures. And, no - thankfully! - there were no whales! Some smaller sharks (small, but still spooky!), but no whales. The four of us traveled about thirty minutes from Kahana (a small village) to Lahiana (another small fishing village turned shopping area). Linda and I shopped until we literally dropped - I finally sat down in a store, then we lunched at Bubba Gump's (where we had fruity smoothies and onion rings, and a hard to understand waitress with an attitude problem and no tip!). While we shopped, Andy and Duane went golfing. They "didn't keep score," but had fun. We went shopping wild, and ended the day with a yummy Hardrock dinner. On Sunday, we biked Haleakala, an old volcano that formed the island. We were taken by bus to the summit, 10,000 feet above sea level, and then guided to 7,000 feet with a guide at about 20 - 25 miles per hour. I think I ate about 1/2 a dozen bugs! Then we biked the remaining 7,000 feet back to town alone. Amazing. And, of course, we beached!
On Monday, we flew to Oahu, the capital of Hawaii. There are over a million people on this island, and a vast majority of visitors are Asians, who video tape everything they do! We visited Pearl Harbor, which was very sobering. It makes you appreicate all that we've been given and all of our opporunities. We walked about a mile to the Honolulu zoo, which was absolutely awesome! The savannah area was neat! Of course, we shopped, and bummed on the packed beach.
It's been the best vacation, taken in great company. The only thing holding it back from being the best vacation is missing Carter. We're on a "countdown to Carter" right now: 26 hours, including the 5 hour time zone difference!
We shall be in Ankeny Friday night, so look for pictures and short explanations Saturday afternoon. Any Ankeny'ioan not busy Saturday morning - feel free to join Carter, Andy, and I at the Ankeny Fest parade at 10am!
Aloha!
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