Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawai'i (Last Entry)
Our last day in Hawai'i! Rob took the day off so he could take us to the airport. Bob and Rob went to
the driving range for the last time (for this trip). Afterward, they drove to the Rainbow Drive-In for a Loco
Moco. That is a local meal that consists of hamburger and eggs over a bed of rice with gravy. A side of macaroni was
included. This was Bob's last chance for a "healthy" Hawai'an meal. They returned to the Royal Kuhio, showered and made
last minute preparations for the flight home. We drove to the Honolulu International Airport and checked in at US
Airlines. We spent the remaining time together until it was time to board. Our flight to Phoenix was long but not too
difficult. We changed planes for the final leg back to Atlanta. Alyssa slept, Bob tried to sleep and Sue read. The
flight was bumpy but uneventful. We landed and got our luggage. We received a call from the driver that would take us
home. The pickup location was changed from the original area. We finally connected with the driver and returned home
at around eight o'clock AM on Thursday, July 11, 2013. Friday, July 12, Jenny and Alyssa had a girls' day out and Jenny
got Alyssa a mani-pedi.
Below is a video of Jenny and Alyssa's Girls Day Mani-Pedi
Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today we packed for our trip home tomorrow. We did laundry at the rental house on the Big Island, so
we had enough clean clothes for our trip. When Rob got home, we went to dinner at the Yard House. It was
a unanimous choice, since we all enjoyed our previous visit. We learned there is a Yard House at Atlanta
Station at home. We returned home and got ready for our trip tomorrow.
Monday, July 8, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We relaxed today while Rob went to work. Bob showed Alyssa Movie Maker and she decided to make a
movie about our trip to the Big Island and the lava flows. She worked most of the day on the movie. We fixed
chicken divan, a recipe from years ago. We all were tired from the trip and we relaxed for the evening.
Sunday, July 7, 2013 Hakalau,The Big Island, Hawai'i
Today is our last day on the Big Island. After breakfast, Rob and Alyssa went for a hike to Rainbow Falls,
north of Hakalau. Bob and Sue did laundry, cleaned the dishes, straightened up the house and packed.
After Rob and Alyssa returned, we drove into Hilo to wait for our eight o'clock flight back to Oahu. We
arrived back at the Royal Kuhio around nine-thirty and ready for bed. It was a great trip and we saw as
much as possible in the time we had.
Saturday, July 6, 2013 Hakalau,The Big Island, Hawai'i
The alarm went off at two am this morning, since we are taking a 4 am boat tour of the lava flows along the coast of the national
park. The tour will take us close to the end of the Chain of Craters Road we drove yesterday. The end of the road is high above
the ocean and the lava cannot be seen from above. Steam updrafts from the lava are visible and mark the location of the flows. We
drove through Hilo towards the Isaac Hale County Beach Park near Cape Kumukahi where we met the captain. He warned us not to
board if we had any health issues. He said the ride out and back would be bumpy and could cause problems to any existing conditions.
He was right! The ride was bumpy and rough, since he tore out of the gate at full speed. He wanted to reach the flows before day
break, since that was the best time to see them. During the day and even at nightfall, the colors would not be as brilliant. We
arrived while the sky was still black and everyone was in awe of what we saw! After many videos and pictures at two lava flows, we
returned to the state park. Along the way, we saw black sand beaches, porpoises and flying fish. The cost of the tour and early waking was a small
price to see the lava flows. We stopped in Pahoa for breakfast, with real Kona coffee, and returned to the house.
Below is Rob's video of the lava flows
Friday, July 5, 2013 Hakalau,The Big Island, Hawai'i
After breakfast, we drove south to Hilo and southwest to the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. We stopped at the visitors' center
and bought a NP pin and T-shirt for Sue. There is a drive around Kilauea Caldera called the Crater Rim Drive, but the western
section is closed due to high amounts of sulfur dioxide gas. We drove as far west as the road was open and stopped at the Kilauea
Overlook and the Jaggar museum. Many pictures and exhibits later, we returned to the visitors' center and continued along the
Crater rim drive for a short distance around the east end to Pu'u Pua'i. From there, we continued south on the Chain of Craters
Road and followed it to the end at the ocean. On the way, we stopped at the Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs. Bob, Rob and Alyssa hiked
seven tenths of a mile to an area that contained many petroglyphs and returned to the car. After we reached the ocean, we
continued out of the park and headed southwest along route eleven toward South Point, the southernmost point in the United
States. We added this memory to our previous visit to Key West, the southernmost point in the continental United States. We
followed the highway west and north to Kona, where we stopped at Outback for an early dinner. We returned home driving to Waimea in the
north end of the island and then east and south along the coast to Hakalau, where our rental house is located. When we turned up
street toward our house, we were blocked by two fire trucks and a pickup truck in the middle of the road. It looked like the
truck had caught fire and burned. Since that was the only way we knew to the house, we turned around and drove to Hilo for some
gas and ice cream. We were really tired and were glad to finally get back to the house and get to sleep.
Thursday, July 4, 2013 Hakalau,The Big Island, Hawai'i
This morning we ate in and drove a short distance to Akaka Falls. There is a four tenths mile hike and has incredible views of the
rainforest and water falls. From there, we drove to Hilo. Rob and Alyssa wanted to snorkel and to see "black sand" beaches.
We stopped at two beaches in Hilo and they snorkeled. Earlier, Bob and Sue bought camping chairs at Walmart, and enjoyed watching
Rob and Alyssa swim together. Later in the morning, on the way back to Hakalau, we took a short, four mile scenic drive off the
main highway. We drove through rainforests with water falls, streams, exotic (to us) trees and plants. We took some great pictures.
We returned to the house and Bob and Sue ate lunch. Rob and Alyssa showered and drove back to Hilo for a daddy-daughter afternoon.
While in Hilo, Rob and Alyssa ate barbecue at a farmers' market and viewed an exhibit of vintage automobiles. They returned late in
the afternoon. After a short rest, we all drove back into Hilo to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. We returned to Hakalau and
relaxed for the day.
Below is a video of The Akaka Falls
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 Hakalau,The Big Island, Hawai'i
We awoke around three am, showered and drove to Honolulu International Airport for our trip to the Big Island. Bob and Sue were
flying GO! Airlines (Mesa) at seven am and Rob an Alyssa were on Hawaiian Airlines at seven-thirty am. Rob dropped us off at our
terminal and drove to long term parking. When Bob and Sue checked in and found their gate, there was an announcement that our
flight had been overbooked and asked for volunteers to be bumped. Shortly after that, another announcement was made that our
flight was delayed due to a maintenance issuer. We were not getting off to a good start. In addition, there were two tour groups
waiting to board the same flight as ours. However, everything worked out. We later learned the maintenance issue was that they
overfilled the fuel and were carrying too much weight. They took the largest tour group and put them on another flight and the
rest of us boarded around seven-thirty. We arrived at Hilo shortly after eight-thirty and Rob and Alyssa were waiting at our gate.
We took a cab to the car rental location and were given a Chevy Impala. From there, we drove to find the rental house in Hakalau.
The house is located sixteen or seventeen miles north of Hilo on the windward (northeast) coast. After we found the house, we
continued our trip along the coast to Honokka, then west to Waimea and finally southwest to Kona. We stopped for lunch at the Kona
Brewery and returned late in the afternoon to Hakalau. We relaxed for the evening and enjoyed the great view of the Pacific from
our lanai at the rental unit. The house was clean, well appointed and very comfortable. We were pleased with everything and enjoyed
talking about our day.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We ate breakfast and did our laundry later in the morning. Later we packed for our trip to the Big Island. During lunch, Bob, Sue and Alyssa
told lots of stories about when they were young. Yesterday, Rob talked to an associate at work and learned that his friend had just
returned from a trip to the Big Island. He took a boat tour to the Volcano National Park to view the lave flows and told Rob
about it. That is the best way to view the volcano. We have wanted to see the volcano for a long time, so we made reservations
to see the lava flows next Saturday. Another item will be checked off our bucket list.
Monday, July 1, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today was a rest day. Bob updated the website and Alyssa and Sue read. They love to read! In the afternoon, we all went down to the
pool and Alyssa swam until Rob came home from work. We ate in and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Rob and Alyssa walked to Cold
Stone Creamery for ice cream.
Sunday, June 30, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Bob and Rob got up early and drove to the Poli Municipal Golf Course near Koolau Mountains. They used push carts instead of a
powered golf cart. Time to get in shape. They were tired after the match, but they both played better than last week. They
returned home and Rob baked the lasagna for an early dinner. After a short rest, Rob and Alyssa went down to the seventh floor
where the pool and laundromat are located. They did laundry and swam in the pool. Bob and Sue went along to help watch Alyssa.
We all came back to the apartment, rested, had some ice cream, and relaxed for the day.
Below is a video of The Poli Municipal Golf Course
Saturday, June 29, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
This morning we ate in and went shopping after breakfast. Rob bought some snorkeling kits for himself and Alyssa. Then we drove
to Safeway for groceries. When we returned, Rob and Alyssa went to the pool to practice with the snorkeling gear. That afternoon,
Rob made lasagna for dinner Sunday. Later, Bob and Rob went to the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range for some more practice for
tomorrow's golf outing at the Pali Golf Course. When they returned, Rob fixed "guacos", his name for tacos with guacamole. He
adds additional ingredients to the guacamole to make "guacos".
Friday, June 28, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Rob went to work this morning and Bob, Sue, and Alyssa relaxed in the morning and went to the pool in the
afternoon. When Rob came home, we went to a Thai restaurant near the Royal Kuhio. Bob and Sue returned to the apartment,
since they had take home boxes from the restaurant and Rob and Alyssa walked to Waikiki Beach to see the Friday evening fireworks.
Thursday, June 27, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Rob had an echocardiogram scheduled this morning, and he went to the office afterward. Sue, Bob and Alyssa relaxed after a busy
two days of hiking and sightseeing. Bob updated the family website and Alyssa and Sue read. When Rob came home from work, Bob and
Rob drove to the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range for some practice. They are playing Sunday at the Pali Golf Course located
at the foot of the Koolau Mountains. Rob fixed bratwurst for dinner.
Below is a long family video of Sue, Rob, and Alyssa
in Rob's Appartment
Wednesday, June 27, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
This morning we woke up early, around three o'clock, showered and drove to the Pearl Harbor Memorial. We arrived around four o'clock
and actually were second in line. Rob and Bob carried folding chairs to the entrance and Sue and Alyssa stayed in the
car. Both Sue and Alyssa read for a while and later Alyssa took a short nap. We waited in line until shortly before the gates were
opened. Rob walked back to the car with the chairs and brought Sue and Alyssa back to the entrance. When the gates opened,
we got tickets to the nine o'clock tour to the U.S. Arizona Memorial. From there, we purchased tickets to see the U.S Missouri.
Bob and Sue purchased the audio tour, which told about the memorial. We had time to drive to McDonalds for a quick breakfast.
We returned to the memorial and listened to the audio tour until just before nine o'clock. After a short movie about the
attack, we boarded the shuttle that took us to the U.S. Arizona Memorial. The shuttle ride took about ten minutes
and took us to
the resting place of the U.S. Arizona. The ship was sunk during the attack of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Bob's mother's
birthday was on December 6, and Bob's was December 22, just fifteen days after the attack. The memorial was built over
and perpendicular to the sunken Arizona. The memorial is an open air structure and was designed as
a place to remember the sailors
who lost their lives and reflect on their sacrifice. At the rear, is a room with a marble wall with the names of those who died
in the Arizona. Along with those names were those who survived and chose to be interred with their fellow shipmates after their
passing. In front of the room is a opening in the floor that looks down to the Arizona. Also, oil leaking up from the Arizona is
visible and is said to be the tears of the Arizona. About two quarts leak each day. The oil has not been removed from the
Arizona, since it is felt that disturbing the ship would desecrate the sailors' final resting place. The Arizona sunk when a bomb hit
the ammunitions storage magazine and the munitions exploded. According to the Park Ranger, the U.S. Navy believes the men
died as a result of the explosion rather than drowning. We toured the Arizona Monument for about forty-five minutes and returned
to the main area. After a short rest and some water, we boarded a bus to see the U.S. Missouri battleship, "The Mighty Mo". This
is where General MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor signed Japan's surrender ending the war with Japan. It's interesting to see
a ship that represents the start of World War II and another that represents the end of the war. We took a thirty-five
minute guided tour of the main deck with a former sailor that served on the Missouri. He was the former cook for three of the
ships captains. He told stories of his experiences as well as information about the Mighty Mo. After the tour, we walked through
the "Below" and "Above" decks. We saw bunks, offices, dentist's room, mess halls,
and cafeterias. On the Main Deck
we saw the Captain's suite with dining, living and bathroom facilities. Above deck, we saw the bridge, map room, and other battle
stations. We took the bus back to the main area, returned to the car and decided to drive to the Kona Brewing Company for lunch.
The food is excellent and the beer is even better. After we ate, we returned to the Royal
Kuhio and collapsed. A long day, but one
we were looking forward to for a long time.
Below is a video of the U.S. Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We got up early to get to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and arrived at seven o'clock. We parked and got in line to purchase
our tickets. Just as we were approaching the ticket booth, a ranger came up and announced they had sold out of tickets. We
decided we had to come back tomorrow, but much earlier. We drove back to the Royal Kuhio and rested for a while. Later, Rob,
Bob and Alyssa decided to hike to Manoa Falls. We drove to the trailhead high in the mountains in the Honolulu Watershed
Forest Reserve. When we got there, it was raining, of course. It's a rainforest! We bought light weight ponchos and started
up the trail. It is not a long hike, but the trail was steep, wet and muddy. When we arrived, the high wind was blowing the
waterfall into a driving mist. We could not take pictures, and returned down to the trailhead. We drove back to the Royal Kuhio
and rested. Later, we walked to Waikiki Beach and Rob and Alyssa swam in the ocean. We returned to the Royal Kuhio for
a short rest and later we all walked to Moose's for dinner.
Below is a video on the Manoa Trail
Monday, June 24, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Bob, Sue and Alyssa relaxed this morning and did laundry in the afternoon, along with a pool session. Rob went to work and
verified that he could take tomorrow off of work. We are planning to visit Pearl Harbor tomorrow morning. We have to get up
early and arrive at the visitors' center at seven o'clock and purchase our tickets.
Sunday, June 23, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today is the day we planned to climb Diamond Head. Sue decided to stay at the apartment, and Rob, Alyssa and Bob set out
around 8:00. Diamond Head is the crater of an extinct volcano and has been in
filled over the years. We drove to a parking
lot at the bottom of the inside of the crater. We bought water at the trailhead and started our hike up the inside of the
crater to the top at the rim. What we saw was the result of a military base constructed on the upper edge of the rim
facing the Pacific Ocean. We followed a steep path consisting of unpaved trails, stairs and several tunnels. At the top of
the rim was the remains of an artillery bunker. The installation was never used in war, but was part of the coastal defense
system from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor. The hike was moderately difficult. The sun was hot, but we started in the morning
and were back at the trailhead by ten thirty. We drove home for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon, all of us drove
to the west side of Oahu, past Pearl Harbor to the coast and reached Ka'ena Point State Park. With our previous auto tours
and today's trip, we have traveled around the coast of Oahu.
Below is a video of a 360° view from the top of Diamond Head
Saturday, June 22, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Rob and Bob played eighteen holes at the Ala Wai Golf Course. Afterwards, Rob and Alyssa went to dinner
together, and Bob and
Sue did the same. Bob and Sue decided to return to the Yard House in Waikiki. When we arrived, there was a one hour and
fifteen minutes wait. We decided to wait and found a place to sit. We sat in an area that had trees and a water
fountain similar to the one in Centennial Park in Atlanta. We watched a dog play in the fountain and was jumping up to reach
the top of the water spout. He was one happy dog. There were many children playing and running on the artificial grass. We
asked several times when we would be seated and each time, they added on additional time. We were tired and hungry and
decided to eat at Subway's and then walked back to the Royal Kuhio.
Below is a video of the dog in the fountain at Waikiki
Friday, June 21, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Another easy day, like yesterday. Reading in the morning and afternoon at the pool for Sue and Alyssa. Rob left work early,
stopped at the Dr. office for a blood test and came home. Bob and Rob drove to the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range for a tune
up for tomorrow's golf outing. When they returned, Rob and Alyssa fixed meatballs, and Rob made home made spagetti for dinner.
It tasted great. We made plans for the weekend: Saturday shopping and golf and Sunday we will hike up Diamond Head. A busy
weekend!
Thursday, June 20, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We relaxed this morning at the Royal Kuhio and went to the pool in the afternoon. We decided to eat out tonight and
went to The Yard House in Waikiki. We arrived at the fourth period of the NBA playoff game between the San Antonio
Spurs and the Miami Heat. It was the seventh and last playoff game in the series. The
restaurant was packed with
people watching the end of the game. We had to wait until the game was over. The Miami Heat won the game and when
the crowd left, we were seated. The food was good and we enjoyed the evening.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
This morning we planned to meet Rob for lunch again. We left about ten o'clock and rode TheBus to the Iolani Palace
in downtown Honolulu. The palace was the official residence of King Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani, who were the
last in a long line of ruling Hawaiian royalty. The palace is a short distance from Rob's office. We took an audio
tour of the palace and while we were in the palace, Rob sent us a text and said something came up and he could not meet us
for lunch. We finished the tour and walked to The Soul of Cuba Restaurant where we ate the other day. We were
nearby and enjoyed our meal there and decided to go there again. We rode TheBus back to the Royal Kuhio after lunch.
Below is a video of the Iolani Palace
Tuesday, June 18, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We relaxed this morning and walked to Waikiki Beach around ten o'clock. When we arrived at the beach,
it was very crowded. We tried several locations, but the tide was coming in and there wasn't any comfortable
space. We walked further down the beach and found a location with some shade and a sheltered swimming area.
Alyssa swam in the ocean for quite a while. After she was done swimming, we walked back to the Royal Kuhio and
ate lunch. After lunch, Bob walked to the ABC store for some more milk. The ABC stores are convenience store and
are ubiquitous throughout Waikiki. Later, we made plans to visit Pearl Harbor. We decided we will go next Tuesday
and Rob will try to get the day off and go with us.
Below is a video of Waikiki Beach
Monday, June 17, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Sue, Bob and Alyssa relaxed this morning and went to the pool in the afternoon. A lazy day in Waikiki.
Sunday, June 16, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today was a McDonald's breakfast - watch the U.S. Open - do the laundry kind of Fathers' Day. We are on
Hawai'i time so the Open came on at eight o'clock this morning. Sorry Phil, maybe next year. Rob and Alyssa
went to dinner together tonight and so did we.
Below is a view from Rob's Lanai in Waikiki.
Saturday, June 14, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today we drove to the North Shore of Oahu. This area has some of the largest waves and hosts surfboarding
competitions. The waves are largest in winter and are generated by storms north of Hawai'i. We would not see those waves today.
We took Rob's Firebird and rode out of Honolulu on the Pali Highway (have you ever ridden in the back seat of a Firebird?).
We drove through the mountains and stopped at the Nuuanu Pali State Wayside. We spoke to a highway engineer that had set up a
tripod and survey equipment. He was gathering data for future road construction. We continued up Highway 83 on the windward
coast. We stopped at Hualoa Regional Park for a bathroom break and to stretch our legs. After a short ride, we stopped for
lunch along the coast in Kahuku. We had shrimp at an outdoor eating area with a "shrimp bus". Alyssa wanted to swim in the ocean,
so we drove on and stopped at a beach just beyond Kawela Bay Beach Park. We tried to stop at several beach parks,
but there were no available parking spaces. Rob and Alyssa swam for a while, but the shore under the water was rocky and hurt
their feet. We continued on Highway 83/99 and headed inland towards Honolulu. We stopped at the Dole Plantation on the Kamehameha
Highway in Wahiawa. We enjoyed some pineapple ice cream and walked around the store. We continued on to Honolulu and the Royal Kuhio.
After a short rest, Bob and Rob went to the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range. After that, Bob and Rob went grocery shopping
(the blind leading the blind). They returned and Rob fixed some steaks on the
grill for dinner. A fun but exhausting day.
Below is a video of the fireworks at Waikiki Beach.
Friday, June 14, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
We relaxed this morning and boarded the bus around ten o'clock and rode to downtown Honolulu. We met Rob for lunch at his office
building, Hawai'i Telcom, and walked to the Soul of Cuba restaurant. The food was excellent and from there we walked to the pier
and saw many tropical fish swimming near the dock. When lunch hour was over, we boarded TheBus and returned to the Royal Kuhio.
After dinner, we walked to Waikiki Beach. Fireworks shows are scheduled for Friday evening on the beach. We walked through the
tourist area and saw many high end hotels and restaurants. The fireworks were very good and we enjoyed the show. We returned to
the Royal Kuhio for the evening.
Thursday, June 13, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Rob was back at work today, so Bob, Sue and Alyssa took their first ride on "TheBus". We rode the bus to Wal-Mart to shop
for more supplies. This was Alyssa's first experience with public transportation. After we returned to the apartment, we
went to the pool for Alyssa to swim. While we were there, we learned that tornados had touched down near our house. We
emailed our neighbors Burt and Debbie and asked how everything was at home. Since there is six hours time difference between
Hawai'i and home, it was close to dark when the tornados hit and not much light to survey the damage. Burt checked our house
and did not find any damage. What a relief. A tree limb fell on his truck, but there was no major damage. We continued to watch
for news about the storm all evening. We would learn later that there were two EF1 tornados, one in Cobb and one in
Cherokee County. When we returned to the apartment, there were two men in the apartment. One was a building manager and the
other was a maintenance worker. Apparently there was a leak in our plumbing that was dripping into the apartment below.
This building has five time share management companies and the apartment below was a time share unit. They determined the leak
was on the apartment side rather than the building side and we needed to get a plumber to fix the leak. Bob asked if there
was anyone on staff that could fix the leak now. We could not use the toilet or shower until it was fixed. The maintenance
worker said he could fix the leak and was cheaper than a plumber. We agreed and he removed the leak with an electric snake.
It took a long time, but it was finally cleared. Bob thinks the clog has been building up for a long time and it finally
reached the "point of no return". When Rob got home, we grilled pork chops on the grill. The grill is on the seventh floor
next to the pool and is for the tenant's use. After dinner, we were able to relax once again. That was a nerve racking day!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Rob took a vacation day today and we will have another family day. We ate breakfast in and drove to the TheBus
Transportation Center. TheBus is Hawai'i's public transportation system that serves the island of Oahu. Sue and Bob
purchased Senior Bus Passes. This provides us access to the busses throughout the island for no charge. Rob will
get Alyssa a child pass later. From there, we drove to Kaneohe Bay via Route H3. This is a four lane highway that
traverses the island through the mountains. It connects Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base on the windward side to the
Leeward side of the island. The ride was breathtaking through the mountains with nearly vertical faces and green
vegetation. We stopped at Kailua Beach Park, one of the most scenic beaches on the island. The homes above the beach
were attractive moderate sized homes with great views of the ocean. From there, we drove to the easternmost point of
the island, Makapuu Point State Park. We hiked up the trail to the overlook. Fantastic views of the ocean to the
north and east! Along the way, we saw the Makapuu Lighthouse nestled on the side of the mountain. We had such a good
lunch at the Kona Brewing Company Tuesday and we were not far from Koko Head, we decided to return for lunch. Rob had an
appointment with his cardiologist at three o'clock at the Kaiser Permanente. We drove to the doctor's office and Rob
had his checkup. We returned to the apartment and had more sandwiches for dinner. The lunches have been so filling,
we didn't want a large meal (except Alyssa).
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today is King Kamehameha I Day, a state holiday. Rob is not at work so we will have a family day. Across the street
from the apartment is a McDonald's restaurant. We had breakfast there and afterward we walked to Waikiki Beach. Along
the way were many high style shops and boutiques. Along the beach, we saw the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and many
surfers in the water. After we returned to the apartment, Bob and Rob drove to the Ala Wai Golf Course to hit balls
on the driving range. This course is about one mile from the apartment, but on the other side of the Ala Wai Canal.
We can see the course from Rob's balcony (lanai) but there is no way to cross the canal. We have to drive to the end
of the canal and double back to the golf course. Alyssa and Sue went to the apartment pool on the seventh floor while
Bob and Rob were at the golf course. When they returned, we drove to Costco's for groceries and supplies.
Rob has a Pontiac Firebird and the rear seats are very tight. Alyssa has one back seat and Bob and Sue take turns
in the other rear seat. Alyssa really wants to ride in front, but there is no way we can sit in her seat. After we
left Costco, we drove to Koko Head and walked to the Spitting Cave. Spitting Cave is at a rocky shoreline that
ejects seawater high into the air after the waves have splashed into the cave. Nearby, we ate lunch at the Kona
Brewing Company. We had pizza, which was really, really good (Alyssa's description). We returned to the apartment
and had sandwiches for dinner. Alyssa and Rob went to the seventh floor, played ping pong and swam in the pool. The
pool is outdoors in sunny location with some shade. Alyssa said the pool was deeper that what the depth markers
indicated.
Monday, June 10, 2013 Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai'i
Today we flew to Hawaii to visit our son, Rob. He lives in Honolulu,
Oahu. We decided to use a shuttle service to
get to the airport. Our driver was fifteen minutes late and arrived at 8:15. Our flight was scheduled to leave
Harstfield Jackson Airport at 11:50. We arrived at the airport at 9:05. That was one of the more exciting parts
of our trip. We decided not to look at the speedometer. When we arrived at the airport, we checked in and then
passed through security. Bob placed his computer, backpack and cell phone in the trays to be examined. After he
went through the scanner and was searched, he retrieved his computer and backpack. We boarded the airport train and
rode to terminal D. Half way up the escalator, Bob decided to text Rob about our progress. That's when he realized he
had left the cell phone at the security area. After Sue and Alyssa found a place to sit, Bob returned to the security
area. He told his sad story to a security guard at the desk. She found the cell phone and returned it to Bob. He
retraced his steps to terminal D and found Sue and Alyssa. We waited at the gate about an hour until boarding. Our
seats were together in row fifteen. The first leg of the flight to Hawai'i was to Phoenix Arizona and took three hours
and forty-five minutes. After we landed, we found our next gate and ate a quick lunch. We boarded our plane and sat
together in row thirty-three. This leg took six hours and thirty minutes. We landed in Honolulu and met Rob at the
luggage pickup. We got the three of us and our luggage in his Firebird and drove to his apartment in Honolulu. He
lives in the Waikiki area, about ten minutes from the beach. The apartment is on the twelfth floor and faces the
mountains to the northeast. He works for Accenture in downtown Honolulu in the Hawai'i Telcom building. We
were very tired and finally got to bed. There is a six hour time difference between Honolulu and Marietta.
Saturday, June 8, 2013 Kingsport, Tennessee
We returned to Marietta, Georgia with Alyssa. Tomorrow is a rest and finish packing day.
Friday, June 7, 2013, Kingsport, Tennessee
Today we drove to Kingsport Tennessee to pick up Alyssa for our trip to Ohau, Hawai'i