tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242821852024-03-12T22:54:34.284-05:00Where the FuhKaui?Living LIFE. One adventure at a time.Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.comBlogger303125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-21097426699871625842011-02-25T11:00:00.002-06:002011-02-25T11:05:36.641-06:00“How do you find friends for your kids on the road?”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">As a parent we want the best for our kids. We want them to be healthy, self confident, happy, and for some of us, we want them to have a lot of friends….. And that’s where things start getting complicated. As a social butterfly myself I just naturally assume my kids are supposed to have a lot of friends, like I always had. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Living a life without school, or even a neighborhood for that matter, my kids have become each other’s best friends, but for a while (ok, and somewhat still to this day) I sought out other kids for them to play with. Only it didn’t take me long to realize I wasn’t doing it for them….I was doing it for ME. </div><div align="justify">If you ask my kids, they are perfectly content with their social life. If you ask them if they’d like to have more friends, they just shrug their shoulders, ehhh. It’s not even something that crosses their minds. My kids have taught me that “friends” come in all shapes and sizes…..and species. They don’t have to be of the two legged variety for them to be considered their friends. </div><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWfgGYqw2ZI/AAAAAAAABIM/4tntyu77jPM/s1600-h/IMG_20100911_161435%5B10%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20100911_161435" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWfgHMull_I/AAAAAAAABIQ/RlKBMZqCLPw/IMG_20100911_161435_thumb%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: inline;" title="IMG_20100911_161435" width="636" /></a><br />
<div align="justify">While we were with our friends in Colorado, Jewel woke up in a running sprint every morning to play with our friends goat and llama’s. Even the feral cats couldn’t resist her charms. While Jewel chose the stinky friends, the boys enjoyed every minute they could with our fifty-something-year-young host, Dennis. They played Battlefield Bad Company 2 on the Xbox together and just couldn’t get enough of his funny, quirky spirit. There was a mutual respect between those three, and I seriously think when they were together, there was no age difference. They were just….friends.</div><div align="justify">Still to this day if you ask Jewel who her best friend is, she’ll say, Lisa. Lisa is my forty something friend that we met in a campground about three or four years ago. We still keep in touch, and see each other whenever we can, which isn’t often, but as much as Lisa is my friend, she is also, truly, Jewel’s friend. </div><div align="justify">When the boys were younger their cousins were always great friends for them to play with, but now that they’re getting older and the age gap seems to be somehow increasing, the relationships have completely changed. Luckily though, my brother and his wife had an “oops” baby while I was pregnant with Jewel and I have now come to believe that she was put here just for Jewel. Jewel counts down the days on the calendar when we’re in town until the weekend comes, just so she can have Lillie over. </div><div align="justify">We’ve been to a couple unschooling conferences which we went to under the guise of “it’s for the kids” but none of them led to lasting friendships for them. They were too busy playing with each other.</div><div align="justify">I have learned there’s no need to try and find them friends, they do just fine on their own.</div></div><a href="http://www.familiesontheroad.com/carnival.html" title="Families on the Road Blog Carnival">FOTR Blog Carnival</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-20229552855187939542011-02-24T23:58:00.001-06:002011-02-24T23:58:02.456-06:00Utah to Colorado – Sept. 2010<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdEwlyHpvI/AAAAAAAABHU/HQsLNMeWo-c/s1600-h/1284088331304%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="1284088331304" border="0" alt="1284088331304" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdExWOfOTI/AAAAAAAABHY/0vZO1UXt7Wo/1284088331304_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We ended up leaving Roosevelt after those two nights, but not before Joey determined I needed new tires for my car. (I sure am glad he thinks to check things like that.) While we waited for my tires Jewel spent her time in Dinosaur Country chasing Dinosaur Grasshoppers, and I got reacquainted with multi colored landscapes. Being in Hawaii all that time I forgot there were colors other than green and blue. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdEx0C68nI/AAAAAAAABHc/QFZmBZkLVA4/s1600-h/IMG_20100909_143506%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100909_143506" border="0" alt="IMG_20100909_143506" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdEyZEpeCI/AAAAAAAABHg/9y-Sq6ikUrQ/IMG_20100909_143506_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="642" height="300" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p align="justify">We decided to head to our familiar stomping grounds of Colorado and made our first pit stop before even leaving Utah. Since we were in no hurry we walked around this desolate spot along the small highway for a bit and found all sorts of neat things. One being this huge cave on the other side of a large wash:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdEzAPYWsI/AAAAAAAABHk/b3LWFNbl_q0/s1600-h/1284088459781%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="1284088459781" border="0" alt="1284088459781" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdEzj5AfcI/AAAAAAAABHo/yD75ib5Ui74/1284088459781_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="center">Then there was a partially decomposed Elk<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE06TutLI/AAAAAAAABHs/DqUuAVDPJUE/s1600-h/IMG_20100909_152417%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100909_152417" border="0" alt="IMG_20100909_152417" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE1y5_LMI/AAAAAAAABHw/pGib9CQ2gNc/IMG_20100909_152417_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="642" height="480" /></a> </p> <p align="center"><font color="#99aadd">And a not so lucky Raccoon’s tail</font></p> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100909_152550" border="0" alt="IMG_20100909_152550" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE2yMHg5I/AAAAAAAABH0/JRWkrNPRLWc/IMG_20100909_152550_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="361" height="482" /> </p> <p align="justify">When we crossed from the prehistoric land of northeastern Utah into Colorado it was like the landscape changed immediately. Along this two lane mountain highway Joey pulled over because he knew I would just love this view. He was right. I loved it so much I ran across the highway to snap a few pictures, only on my way back I wasn’t paying attention at all until I heard him scream at me….RUN!!….. Instead, I froze, but luckily the truck swerved, coming within inches of almost hitting me. As if I wasn’t shook up enough over that, the rest of the drive down this mountain was littered with falling rocks, and not just rocks, but large boulders.  Thank goodness we didn’t have any oncoming traffic during all the times we had to swerve to avoid the boulders.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE373tpDI/AAAAAAAABH4/7Lxx1oM6Hrg/s1600-h/IMG_20100909_163523%5B14%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100909_163523" border="0" alt="IMG_20100909_163523" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE44VETHI/AAAAAAAABH8/8szrzoIwhpA/IMG_20100909_163523_thumb%5B12%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="642" height="480" /></a> </p> <p> Soon enough though we were down in familiar, beautiful, Grand Junction, CO. (I still have yet to climb that mountain!)<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE5R3V-8I/AAAAAAAABIA/-kyMY7Dwqxc/s1600-h/IMG_20100909_174122%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100909_174122" border="0" alt="IMG_20100909_174122" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE5_uBl3I/AAAAAAAABIE/GFOWVt5Jnkc/IMG_20100909_174122_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="642" height="295" /></a> </p> <p>I just keep following my <strong>Man In His Truck</strong> toward one of our favorite places in Colorado, Parachute. </p> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="1284088382570" border="0" alt="1284088382570" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWdE6cV9WyI/AAAAAAAABII/FTI5A1aZl2c/1284088382570_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="482" height="482" /> </p> <p>We have <em>friends that are like family</em> that live there, so we went to visit with them while we continue our hunt for the new RV.</p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-25103390227017478102011-02-24T21:12:00.002-06:002011-02-25T00:04:35.693-06:00Vegas to Utah – Sept. 2010<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">Before I discovered my missing camera bag, I had taken this one shot of Jonas, with my Droid, snuggled up on my cousin’s couch with her cat. After our sleepless night on the plane it took him less than five minutes to crash.</div><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceHdKZOYI/AAAAAAAABG4/argFnBZzMIs/s1600-h/12837261117799.jpg"><img alt="1283726111779" border="0" height="482" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceIOzQ27I/AAAAAAAABG8/HpPxpq1EkYg/1283726111779_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="1283726111779" width="482" /></a> <br />
<div align="justify">Then, after I finally uncurled myself off Amy’s couch (three days later) I got on Craigslist to find myself a new car. I was hoping to find a decent conversion van but ended up finding a cute little economical wagon instead. I bought it on the spot, in the dark, and even though they told me I had to go to the DMV in the morning and get my own plates since they were taking theirs, I said screw it and decided to take my chances driving up to Joey in Utah with no plates and nothing but bubble gum holding the Bill of Sale to the rear window. </div><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceIi80IkI/AAAAAAAABHA/qyxNlRQZetc/s1600-h/12840885569439.jpg"><img alt="1284088556943" border="0" height="482" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceJGYzYwI/AAAAAAAABHE/_K9mmjVzmJc/1284088556943_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="1284088556943" width="482" /></a> <br />
<div align="justify">Just getting back on the road really lightened my spirits and by the time we hit Antelope Canyon along the Arizona, Nevada, and Utah border I was pretty much recovered from my huge loss. I was happy to be back on the road again, and seeing this beautiful country. Plus, I still had the Droid to take pictures with so all was not lost. I also discovered on this trip what it was like to no longer have a gas guzzling Hummer, Dually truck, Bluebird Bus, or Excursion. What a treat! I probably paid less for this car plus the gas than I would I have paid in any one of my previous vehicles, <b>just in gas</b> to get across town! </div><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceKLmbwMI/AAAAAAAABHI/MOGDlrWTr9U/s1600-h/IMG_20100907_113800%5B2%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20100907_113800" border="0" height="408" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TWceKzDupBI/AAAAAAAABHM/obBcpXYhR5M/IMG_20100907_113800_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_20100907_113800" width="543" /></a><br />
<div align="justify">I was so beat after the 523 mile trip to Roosevelt, UT that when the hotel clerk accidentally charged us for two nights instead of the one I asked for, we didn’t even make her change it. I remember the customer behind us saying, “wow, must be nice to be able to just be, ‘oh well…we’ll take two nights instead’.”</div><div align="justify">Little did he know that that was as far ahead as we had planned at that point. The next day began the search for a new RV since we were officially <i><b>back on the road</b></i>.</div></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-50459517663362100292010-11-18T13:35:00.001-06:002010-11-18T13:35:50.726-06:00Leaving Hawaii..…and entering…..<p> Spring 2003:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOV_-0JMvCI/AAAAAAAABGM/ltFbmM7iNT8/s1600-h/May%20vacation%20005%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="May vacation 005" border="0" alt="May vacation 005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOV__xkqTAI/AAAAAAAABGQ/8S-5NdcYlIs/May%20vacation%20005_thumb%5B7%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="429" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWAA7eDZqI/AAAAAAAABGU/bvFauvk17_s/s1600-h/May%20vacation%20004%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="May vacation 004" border="0" alt="May vacation 004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWAByP3yFI/AAAAAAAABGY/tDSJZ3A7syo/May%20vacation%20004_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="429" /></a></p> <p>January 2005:<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWACxB_e8I/AAAAAAAABGc/w1eZ3QtGBts/s1600-h/Hawaii%20042.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Hawaii 042" border="0" alt="Hawaii 042" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWADkvG4FI/AAAAAAAABGg/QoXlB0WuAyM/Hawaii%20042_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="429" /></a></p> <p>September 2010:</p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWAERJr_yI/AAAAAAAABGk/jWm9y_OU_ZM/s1600-h/IMG_20100904_205741%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20100904_205741" border="0" alt="IMG_20100904_205741" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TOWAFP6ZPYI/AAAAAAAABGo/iLm0nm4Jb9U/IMG_20100904_205741_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="515" height="391" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">It’s that time again, time for us to say Good-Bye and fly away. Even though when we came here this time it was with the intention of staying and possibly homesteading, I always knew this time would come. </p> <p align="center">One thing always rings true: It’s much better to visit than to live  </p> <p align="justify">Joey left the island in August to work in Colorado and the kids and I stayed behind to see how things played out. After a couple weeks it was obvious that we’d be leaving the island for good so the job of packing up the condo and kids fell on me. I was actually looking forward to being the sole discretionary person to decide what goes and what doesn’t, and normally I’m fighting to keep more than he is, yet somehow we left Hawaii with less than we even came with! I decided if we hauled it all the way to Hawaii and never even used it, it got canned. So with less stuff I figured I could handle checking everything on to the plane with us, paying extra baggage fees but saving hundreds in shipping fees. Then three hours before the shuttle was to pick us up I was in a stressful mess…….I couldn’t even get everything into the van let alone haul through an airport!</p> <p align="justify">Joey’s friend, Fish, came by to save the day and offered to take the big stuff that I didn’t need right away to the post office and ship it for me, only leaving us 5 checked bags and 7 carry-on’s. I finally breathed a little easier once we were loaded into the shuttle, just to get to the airport to have to unload everything onto a rental cart, then load it onto the conveyer belt for agriculture inspection, then back on to the cart over to ticketing. There I had to unload the heavy bags, that were on the bottom, for weighing and tagging for check-in, then back on to the cart to take it over to the check-in belt. Then unload the cart once again to finally get them out of my hands, and of course put the carry-on’s back on the cart. And the stuff that didn’t fit on the cart, I had to carry. We haven’t even gotten to security yet.</p> <p align="justify">Security, of course, was a nightmare. We must have used at least a dozen of those grey boxes and held up the line at least fifteen minutes. Aside from opening the laptops, they also had to double check the x-box  and controllers because, you know, they look like weapons. </p> <p align="justify">When I booked the flight I didn’t think about the fact that it was a red eye, I just knew it was the cheapest. I actually figured, great! we’ll get to sleep the whole flight and be refreshed and eager to start the new day when we get to Phoenix for our connecting flight to Vegas. I’ve never been sooo wrong in my life! The kids were split up in seats in front of me and I was in a back row seat that wouldn’t lay back. It was stuck straight up and almost leaning forward! I wanted to cry…..again. But even worse the nice old couple next to me were stuck sitting straight up too and I just couldn’t handle that. So….after much debate I finally convinced the old couple to swap seats with Jake and Jewel in front of us so they could at least lean back and have a comfortable flight………. Then with Jake and Jewel beside me I was able to use them as a pillow :-) It was still a miserable flight and after what felt like twenty five hours we finally landed in Phoenix. </p> <p align="justify">We only had forty five minutes to catch our connecting flight and we had to wait for everyone to un board so the stewardess could go to the cockpit and retrieve my hula hoop that I carried on the plane. THEN after making our way to the next flight I realized I had left my fanny pack (that I wore so I wouldn’t lose my most important things) in the magazine holder in front of my seat! The flight attendant wouldn’t let me back on the plane to get it so I had to wait another few minutes for them to take their sweet time to get it for me, and then she had the nerve to tell me…”well, that’s WHY you’re supposed to keep track of your stuff” REALLY?? I thought I did pretty good for not losing my kids at this point.</p> <p align="justify">Somehow we made it through the huge airport to our connecting flight and finally felt everything was going to be alright. Flying over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead was awesome, so awesome that I finally pulled my camera out and snapped some pictures from the air. I text my cousin when we landed so she could head our way to get us, and we then hurried to find the baggage claim. I always try to be super efficient so tried to time my cousin getting there with the same time we’d be walking out the gate, so of course, that seems to put me in a state of stress and slight panic. The bags were taking forever, but we finally started seeing them, so Jake wisely says, “We should unload the cart so we can put the heavy bags on the bottom when they get here” Great idea! So I set my precious camera bag on one of the seats about five feet away and then unloaded the cart onto the ground right beside it. We then get all our big checked items, load them up, put the carry on’s on top, and walk out the gate just in time to see my cousin heading our way. See…my timing is impeccable. I’m so happy to see her after all these years, we hug, I cry, we get in the car and drive away.</p> <p align="justify">A few hours later, at her place, I want to take pictures of everybody and we CANNOT find my camera bag anywhere. I call the airport and all I get is a recording saying they’ll call IF they find it. Amy offers to haul me all the way back to the airport, only to find it gone. GONE! My big camera, my favorite point and shoot, a panoramic camera, multiple lenses, and a laptop……all gone.</p> <p align="center">Only twenty four hours out of paradise and it felt like I landed in Hell.</p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-11117963781912615712010-10-14T09:09:00.000-05:002010-10-14T09:09:00.241-05:00Bumper Stickers – Hawaiian Style<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHi_Mq6QI/AAAAAAAABFs/J84fDbnZlQk/s1600-h/Droid164.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="Droid 164" border="0" alt="Droid 164" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHjq5UQoI/AAAAAAAABFw/jAzV_8Tlqbw/Droid164_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="183" /></a></p> <p align="justify">This is a popular bumper sticker we saw often on the North Shore. It’s the local’s way of saying they don’t want any more resorts, hotels, freeways, or apartment buildings built. Keep the country….Local!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHkRAtrKI/AAAAAAAABF0/2PyHR99Nzf4/s1600-h/Droid1901.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="Droid 190" border="0" alt="Droid 190" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHk3zEiQI/AAAAAAAABF4/R_j5UUE2wCg/Droid190_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="183" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>This one is probably even more common, Hawaiian Kingdom.</p> <p>This homemade billboard is on somebody’s fence right along the Farrington Highway, which pretty much sums up what the Hawaiian Kingdom stickers are for.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHlm9hGPI/AAAAAAAABF8/xXUKcJxjZ-w/s1600-h/LIFE1273.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="LIFE 127" border="0" alt="LIFE 127" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHmnnQUII/AAAAAAAABGA/vWcwhGCBdPQ/LIFE127_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="423" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">In case you can’t read it, the gist of it is: <em>Shame on everyone who bought into the American philosophy. Anyone who accepts America as their statehood is basically working with the enemy. America has taken away their inherent sovereignty. Shame on those that celebrate Statehood and honor the thieves. Thieves that locked up their Queen. Stole their land and beat their ancestors for speaking their native tongue.</em></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Where-the-FuhKaui/110912545625524#!/profile.php?id=1566285069" target="_blank">Someone</a> asked me recently how the Hawaiians felt about America, or Americans. I hate to admit it, but once you get out of the tourist areas, the above is the general feeling we perceive. I always felt like I stood out, and wasn’t very welcome, but I just put on my rosy glasses and went about my business. I had no proof and some could say it was just my imagination but when I got on an elevator a little while ago and a woman looked at me, then gasped, and said…”wow. a blondie. we don’t see many of <strong>them</strong> around here.” I knew it wasn’t just in my imagination now. Eventually I broke down the cashiers at the local grocery store and had them laughing with me on occasion, but overall it felt like we were living in a foreign country. I can now say we know a little bit how it feels to be the minority and face discrimination. and it wasn’t very comfortable.</p> <p align="justify">Who knows how many really feel that way, I know it wasn’t the majority, since the majority are mainland transplants anyway, but in the country and heavy Islander populated areas, it’s not uncommon to see <strong>Hawaiian Parking Only</strong> signs and <strong>We were born here, You flew here</strong> signs. </p> <p>Of course, this was more of a silent prejudice for the most part, besides… it was much more fun to find and focus on the good, the beauty, and the funny:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHnCCHE4I/AAAAAAAABGE/03fyVuwuG8M/s1600-h/SLRLanikai115.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="SLR Lanikai 115" border="0" alt="SLR Lanikai 115" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTHnvZKjII/AAAAAAAABGI/uY0lMHfZua0/SLRLanikai115_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> *If you don’t get it, just ask.</p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-81846204066767277862010-10-13T09:00:00.001-05:002012-08-26T15:58:42.760-05:00White Plains Beach<div align="justify">Annie had been telling us about White Plains Beach for months now, so before we left the island we had to check it out. I didn’t really have any expectations about this beach but she said it’s great for surfing, so we loaded up our two longboards, her SUP, and made our way south for the summer swells. It had been flat all summer on the west coast, so this was Jake’s first chance to surf in months. He was going to use my board but as he was carrying it down to the beach he jumped off a short cement block retaining wall (because I told him to go that way) and as he jumped down the back of the board hit the top of the wall and cracked open! I did the exact same thing my first time carrying that board down to the beach. You’d have thought I’d already learned that lesson. It was a major buzz kill, but Jake attempted Joey’s big ten footer anyway and while it was way too big for him, the boy surfed! and I didn’t get any pictures! but that’s not why he likes it anyway.</div><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAHyELR7I/AAAAAAAABEw/m5ehxhi-mxo/s1600-h/WhitePlains0023.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 002" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAIqAzv5I/AAAAAAAABE0/4pfx5S5LxVM/WhitePlains002_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 002" width="644" /></a> <br />
<div align="justify">Unlike the reef beaches we’d been surfing on this one has a soft sandy bottom, so I was really looking forward to surfing myself but between my cracked board, and Jonas’ foul mood, I wasn’t up for it. Instead I boogie boarded with Jewel for a while and then set off to get a few photos.</div><div align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAJexvIaI/AAAAAAAABE4/PKPJRW2U-7U/s1600-h/WhitePlains0133.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 013" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAJyWflrI/AAAAAAAABE8/njeVhzVADTA/WhitePlains013_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 013" width="644" /></a></div>I walked over closer to this fence thinking I could try to get a shot of Diamondhead through a chainlink.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAK_KHG6I/AAAAAAAABFA/wY3QjyPMNus/s1600-h/WhitePlains0283.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 028" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTALQbVuRI/AAAAAAAABFE/sK4dUqpyuH0/WhitePlains028_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 028" width="644" /></a> And after I get one uninspiring picture that way I look down and see these guys sleeping right in front of me!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAMASDE_I/AAAAAAAABFI/lcvKx2idcms/s1600-h/WhitePlains0173.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 017" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAMmeqs9I/AAAAAAAABFM/He4QThCb0HE/WhitePlains017_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 017" width="644" /></a><br />
Two Hawaiian Monk Seals. Funny how my mood instantly brightened.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTANqGnGLI/AAAAAAAABFQ/Ul5D17zQ9XM/s1600-h/WhitePlains0183.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 018" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAPOeuYZI/AAAAAAAABFU/IT7qrWhYTLk/WhitePlains018_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 018" width="644" /></a> <br />
<div align="justify">There was a man there from a monk preservation society who was making sure no one molested them, and to answer any questions people may have, and to just basically educate. While most people spent a couple minutes taking pictures, and then going back to the beach, Jewel stayed there for probably forty five minutes just soaking up everything he had to say and waiting for this Dad and his Daughter to wake up. They never did, but it was still exciting to be so close to these guys in their natural habitat. The thing Jewel remembers most was the story of how the big one (Dad) got bit by a shark and was able to make himself stop bleeding. Apparently they have a way of cutting off blood flow to wounded areas. Pretty cool.</div><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAP64IsWI/AAAAAAAABFY/pR8Er3TfMLI/s1600-h/WhitePlains0223.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 022" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTAQ_JxfuI/AAAAAAAABFc/21zrAejCte8/WhitePlains022_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 022" width="644" /></a> <br />
White Plains gets a two thumbs up but I would definitely recommend not going on the weekend.<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTARZENyiI/AAAAAAAABFk/Hp9IAwP367M/s1600-h/WhitePlains0293.jpg"><img alt="White Plains 029" border="0" height="432" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLTASBlHkJI/AAAAAAAABFo/HcNQq8Pnxow/WhitePlains029_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="White Plains 029" width="644" /></a> <br />
I like my beaches a <i>little</i> less crowded.
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/997/Oahu/South-Oahu/Diamond-Head/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/997.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Diamond Head on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-6573758631392482342010-10-12T14:59:00.001-05:002012-08-30T17:57:45.523-05:00Pearl Harbor<p align="justify">Seeing the U.S.S. Arizona is another one of those must do things when visiting Oahu. I had already been there back in ‘02 with Joey and Jewel (then a baby) so I hadn’t really given much thought to going again, then I remembered the boys had never been. And it’s FREE. Now the boys weren’t too excited but after I told them all about the fabulous on site museum, they agreed to go. My friend Annie was supposed to join us, but she couldn’t make it last minute so we just went on ahead anyway. To tell you the truth, I actually prefer things like this without any guests anyway….more focus on the kids. </p> <p align="justify">For once we made it there without getting lost, except that once for directions, only to end up in parking lot hell. Most visitors go by bus so the parking lot is small, and right off the bat I had a tourist steal my parking space I had been waiting for. I wanted to go all Kathy Bates on him but he wouldn’t have understood me anyway so I just continued circling and waiting. Then it happened again! Now it’s just comical so we’re waiting for a third time, but luckily no more thievery and we were finally able to park. We got in, got our ticket for the ferry with thirty minutes to spare to tour the museum…only the museum is closed for construction. Major bummer. We walk over to the U.S.S. Missouri Battleship and decide after the Arizona tour we’ll get tickets and climb aboard it.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7mc8taBI/AAAAAAAABC4/jovI3-QlUTY/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20007%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 007" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7nCfUCLI/AAAAAAAABC8/Fu14L3sjJig/Pearl%20Harbor%20007_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> First, we have to walk over to the ferry that’s going to shuttle us out to the sunken ship. It’s just a short walk, but nice views of Pearl Harbor, Ford Island Bridge, and that huge golf ball on stilts that I still haven’t figured out what the heck it is, or when it floated in.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7nzJGcrI/AAAAAAAABDA/mnFXxPdgcmM/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20009%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 009" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 009" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7oxbwlWI/AAAAAAAABDE/ey1jkxeqeAs/Pearl%20Harbor%20009_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> It was a pretty hot wait for the ferry, and to amuse myself I secretly took pictures of the tourists and Jonas.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7pc7nFOI/AAAAAAAABDI/ZnOf6ppkNB4/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20019%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 019" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 019" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7qmdsWWI/AAAAAAAABDM/IWHgA27QjDI/Pearl%20Harbor%20019_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Jewel is very nervous to get on a moving boat. We visited with a cruising family, <a href="http://svcapaz.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">S/V Capaz</a>,  while they were in island briefly making their way from the South Pacific to Canada, and Jewel was happy to feel the relative calmness of the yacht in harbor, but she’s anxious to see what it feels like in motion.</p> <p align="justify"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7rZPdHfI/AAAAAAAABDQ/RVFqI0YTyYg/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20025%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 025" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 025" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7sq_dfEI/AAAAAAAABDU/Rt9Ei0Hi_HM/Pearl%20Harbor%20025_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> I couldn’t tell her this ferry ride is nothing like a sailboat </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7tfa-EII/AAAAAAAABDY/_GAHFs1Ue_U/Pearl%20Harbor%20026%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 026" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 026" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7v3ErsqI/AAAAAAAABDc/qzsAixric_Y/Pearl%20Harbor%20026_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> I was happy to see these wheelchair clamps on the ferry, knowing that my friend <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/harlik" target="_blank">Harli</a> and all her other <a href="http://www.angelman.org/" target="_blank">Angel friends</a> get to see this piece of history up close, and unhindered, just like the rest of us.</p> <p align="justify"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7wsAJPrI/AAAAAAAABDg/c9Ebl_mUSbI/Pearl%20Harbor%20045%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 045" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 045" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7zQEJPzI/AAAAAAAABDk/0B2c97zUKsg/Pearl%20Harbor%20045_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="431" /></a> Getting off the ferry onto the platform the Captain instructed everyone to go straight into the memorial building and not to STOP to take ANY pictures from this dock. I can’t stand to be told NOT to do something. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR70IEPJnI/AAAAAAAABDo/4CO7PHsbjV4/Pearl%20Harbor%20052%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 052" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 052" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR73Pi8rFI/AAAAAAAABDs/X87_WJS9_kE/Pearl%20Harbor%20052_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="431" /></a> This one is from inside the memorial building, looking toward Pearl. That’s the looong Ford Island Bridge in the background. We tried to drive on it only to be turned around at the gate with a stern “This is a military base Ma’am!” I didn’t even get to tell him we just wanted to go to the museum!</p> <p>Proof I had all three kids with me. And No, I didn’t notice they were all in blue until just now.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR73iMEmgI/AAAAAAAABDw/OxUz1-DFnnI/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20061%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 061" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 061" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR74V-9sjI/AAAAAAAABD0/fRvTcmUlQyk/Pearl%20Harbor%20061_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> We were getting a little, umm…bored at this point. So I took a cue from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/childplay/" target="_blank">Tiffani</a>, one of my favorite photographers, and decided to punch things up a bit.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR75Muo3YI/AAAAAAAABD4/BBxKl7bzmG8/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20071%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 071" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 071" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR75r6DJyI/AAAAAAAABD8/PuDNhxJ7S-A/Pearl%20Harbor%20071_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR76N0gxhI/AAAAAAAABEA/xJvcw3_O2Ss/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20077%5B4%5D.jpg"></a></p> <p align="justify"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Pearl Harbor 077" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 077" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR77JGzguI/AAAAAAAABEE/jXhgy3VVp7c/Pearl%20Harbor%20077_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR77uq6-7I/AAAAAAAABEI/LUA2EbTmoi8/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20073%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 073" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 073" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR78TDx-6I/AAAAAAAABEM/2_x2G7v_jgg/Pearl%20Harbor%20073_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR78_SD-qI/AAAAAAAABEQ/hgiWcKwsGmc/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20086%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Pearl Harbor 086" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 086" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR79U8tetI/AAAAAAAABEU/F0-lOKbxIEQ/Pearl%20Harbor%20086_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>I have a picture of Jewel in front of this anchor( it was in a different location then) when she was a baby, but darnit, can’t find it right now. <p></p> <p align="justify"> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR795xGZ5I/AAAAAAAABEY/_NKs2ZkrHJs/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20090%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 090" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 090" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7-k-POUI/AAAAAAAABEc/HrIB_ZDbq4U/Pearl%20Harbor%20090_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> It was a hot day, and by the time we got done with the Arizona tour we were no longer as interested in checking out the Missouri so decided to find some lunch instead. I ended up finding a parking garage so assumed there was a mall attached to it, with a food court, but even better was an extra long moving ramp. With no security in sight. The kids had a blast on the moving ramp and declared that the highlight of the day.</p> <p>We topped off the day at this gorgeous little roadside park.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR7_dLlhiI/AAAAAAAABEg/zcWOsV-V0hk/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20092%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 092" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 092" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR8A11h7uI/AAAAAAAABEk/3hmm2lBFIUI/Pearl%20Harbor%20092_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR8BZTX3UI/AAAAAAAABEo/myU1yDNDFfo/s1600-h/Pearl%20Harbor%20098%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Pearl Harbor 098" border="0" alt="Pearl Harbor 098" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TLR8CNP9cVI/AAAAAAAABEs/hvVGWgDTYR4/Pearl%20Harbor%20098_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> The T at the end is hollow, and inside is where Jonas can be found, while Jake supervises.</p> <p align="center"><em>Sun. Sand. Surf……. So this is what pure bliss feels like.</em></p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/1049/Oahu/West-Oahu/Ewa-Beach/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/1049.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Ewa Beach on Dwellable</a></div> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-8629565914824843182010-08-28T17:28:00.001-05:002012-08-26T15:59:33.291-05:00Makapu’u Tidepools<p align="justify">When it came to looking for hikes on Oahu I was first focused primarily on the most popular hikes, then I switched to hikes that ended with a waterfall. After doing a few waterfall hikes here I learned that Oahu is indeed not a great island for spectacular waterfalls. While I’ve enjoyed the hike itself much more than the waterfalls, the kids want that special treat at the end. So, I was pretty excited when I found this <a href="http://www.examiner.com/hiking-in-honolulu/secret-route-to-the-makapuu-tide-pools" target="_blank">secret route to the Makapu’u tidepools</a> and then when I mentioned to the kids that we would be getting up early the next morning to do it, they were all equally eager for it. </p> <p align="justify">The kids and I had done the hike out to the Makapu’u lighthouse back when we were here in 2004, but I never knew about the deep tidepools down below it. The hike up to the lighthouse was easy since it was paved the whole way, but this secret hike takes you around the mountain, along it’s rocky shoreline.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmM6jleZBI/AAAAAAAABBE/Ev1fbLN98w0/s1600-h/Makap%27u%20hike%20me%20%26%20kids%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makap'u hike me & kids" border="0" alt="Makap'u hike me & kids" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmM7x5XZYI/AAAAAAAABBI/TwXGKnBw-vE/Makap%27u%20hike%20me%20%26%20kids_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="354" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmM9fqezfI/AAAAAAAABBM/6kqzdnaoTLQ/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Lighthouse%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Lighthouse" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Lighthouse" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmM-9JVkWI/AAAAAAAABBQ/eyNCDFVLCD8/Makapu%27u%20Lighthouse_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="248" height="358" /></a> </p> <p>Isn’t Jonas adorable in his little bonnet?</p> <p align="justify">Anyway, I was so energized to start our day and had planned on leaving at seven, but expected more like eight. We didn’t leave until about nine thirty but since we were hiking to water, I wasn’t too concerned with the late start. Then I miss my very first exit to the other side of the island, but quickly get back on the right road. To then make yet another wrong turn on the other side of the island which forced me back through the mountain, via long tunnel, right back to the other side of the island. I said screw that way, let’s take the loooong way around and enjoy the southeast coast. Finally around NOON we hit the trailhead.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNAa-XsxI/AAAAAAAABBU/0k6OW5vIDqE/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20027%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 027" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 027" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNB5fk3nI/AAAAAAAABBY/oDH_eLOyL4o/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20027_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>Instinctively the kids took off ahead and headed straight up the road. I had to call them back and tell them we’re going down, not up, this time.</p> <p align="justify"> While everyone else went up the road, we veered off this rocky trail and headed straight for Pele’s Chair, that rocky peak straight ahead towards the coast. Some locals stopped us and told us there was no way to get to the pools we were wanting to from this direction, that we’d have to go up to the lighthouse and then straight down the mountainside, but I knew it could be done and was determined to make it happen. Plus I knew walking along the rocky coast would be more fun and scenic anyway then going on a blacktop path. </p> <p align="justify">As usual Jake took off ahead of us and by the time we got to Pele’s Chair I wasn’t even sure where he went. Then he popped around some rocks and also declared the hike along the coast IMPOSSIBLE. Not to be deterred I had to see for myself…of course.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNDsx4wwI/AAAAAAAABBc/MmgLJjeY6uA/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20034%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 034" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 034" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNFE3cW_I/AAAAAAAABBg/lXfmZB_iLuo/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20034_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="justify">While not, impossible….it was WAY too dangerous. After climbing over some questionable rocks that could easily break away with no warning, and then hitting this wall, along with the very large waves battering the coast, I had to agree….. and called off the rest of this hike.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNGUvxxgI/AAAAAAAABBk/tqbBIvOH7oM/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20035%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 035" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 035" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNILjpM2I/AAAAAAAABBo/CxNgMVBWpOo/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20035_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Even if we safely made it past this turn there was just more waiting for us. On a calmer day we could have walked in the water but as it was we would have just been pounded into the rocks. Luckily there was a great little cove to the right of Pele’s Chair where we could at least get in the water and cool off!</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNJXH12sI/AAAAAAAABBw/3B-JZRs1iI8/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20cove%20pan%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u cove pan" border="0" alt="Makapu'u cove pan" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNKnK0o7I/AAAAAAAABB0/_9AZxv_HxJg/Makapu%27u%20cove%20pan_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="154" /></a> </p> <p>We didn’t go the normal beach route though….we had to do it local style! By jumping from the rocks, of course. And as usual….Jonas was the first one to hit the water.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNLTE-q0I/AAAAAAAABB4/Mb4bno192sk/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20036%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 036" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 036" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNMssj_tI/AAAAAAAABB8/J3GUmTMJqww/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20036_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Jake was grumpy because he said he was finally excited about a hike and now we can’t do it, so at first he refused to even join us in the water. The temptation must have become too strong though because he did eventually join us, but he still acted like he was miserable and this place was just NO FUN! </p> <p>Which the local teenagers would have to disagree wholeheartedly with.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNNt5pjLI/AAAAAAAABCA/-SDPNO9J0qg/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20045%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 045" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 045" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNOCvAuPI/AAAAAAAABCE/Suz8L0SygcQ/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20045_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="198" height="288" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNPc9puVI/AAAAAAAABCI/rBfpXpFRKvs/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20046%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 046" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 046" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNQ3lSO_I/AAAAAAAABCM/uUPkkq9jiJQ/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20046_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="192" height="287" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNSXH2h6I/AAAAAAAABCQ/B7B86ZoVTm0/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20047%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 047" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 047" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNT5fP8zI/AAAAAAAABCU/Mv9pkvLaQIk/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20047_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="194" height="288" /></a> </p> <p>Jumping from a telephone pole stuck into rocks ten feet above the water into a child’s innertube. Now that’s what the locals call FUN! They were also throwing soda bottles on the water and jumping on them to see how high they would rocket back up out of the water. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNU8-DoeI/AAAAAAAABCY/agJAg3AdFnE/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20042%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 042" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 042" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNVulYCwI/AAAAAAAABCc/5GtVOzKg98Q/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20042_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>But there was no pleasing my boy, so we stayed only about thirty minutes. With the promise of Pizza Hut, my new teen did eventually come around to his usual cool self. </p> <p>First, a quick sightseeing walk along Waimanalo Beach:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNWhj_8LI/AAAAAAAABCg/DjW0ANEuKcY/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20078%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 078" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 078" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNYUI2SOI/AAAAAAAABCk/9VySfp_7AHQ/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20078_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNZY6HvFI/AAAAAAAABCo/pPGhHAHBU5A/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20090%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 090" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 090" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNa2f86GI/AAAAAAAABCs/W9lhLMkbMCg/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20090_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Then some fish taco’s with pineapple salsa: </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNb9FqbZI/AAAAAAAABCw/zCaFvcfNdQE/s1600-h/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20093%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makapu'u Hike 093" border="0" alt="Makapu'u Hike 093" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THmNdZsD3fI/AAAAAAAABC0/HHosTl4OL6o/Makapu%27u%20Hike%20093_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="justify">It was a rough day. I enjoyed everything we did, but it’s getting stressful that the boys never seem to want to do ANYTHING anymore except play videogames. All they wanted to do was come to Hawaii, yet I have to beg and plead with them to go to the beach. THE BEACH! What kid doesn’t want to do that? Even when they do go to the beach one of the boys are usually asking to go home within an hour. </p> <p>I’m being patient, though. </p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/979/Oahu/East-Oahu/Waimanalo-Beach/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/979.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Waimanalo Beach on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-50853554860540859332010-08-27T06:17:00.001-05:002012-08-24T21:05:36.092-05:00Diamond Head Crater  <p></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeePskQbTI/AAAAAAAAA-8/uOaKeeDsVWU/s1600-h/White%20Plains%20028%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="White Plains 028" border="0" alt="White Plains 028" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeQnv9xaI/AAAAAAAAA_A/g8XK_UBtwH4/White%20Plains%20028_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> Diamond Head Crater is probably THE most recognizable landmark in all of Oahu. We see it from thirty miles away as we leave the Westside and hit the South Shore, yet as noticeable and famous as it is, there was nothing really drawing me to it. It was just another tourist trap that I needed to avoid, in my mind. Then I saw a picture taken from the top. Two days later we were hiking it.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeRPG6qtI/AAAAAAAAA_E/NIg-ugVx8Fc/s1600-h/diamondhead%20003%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 003" border="0" alt="diamondhead 003" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeRxH_omI/AAAAAAAAA_I/3PZMroj6TK0/diamondhead%20003_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> We opted to drive into the crater, through a tunnel, and pay the 5$ parking fee. Otherwise people park outside or take The Bus, and add a long walk in the heat, on hot blacktop. No thank you. Our first view of the top is just shortly after the trailhead entrance, way up there in the top right of the above photo. I’m so used to green Hawaii I sure wasn’t expecting all this brown, but apparently they don’t get much rain over here.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeS5sCp7I/AAAAAAAAA_M/yMZStpX7FfU/s1600-h/diamondhead%20008%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 008" border="0" alt="diamondhead 008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeUSKgvRI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/Dcw-UhyfzhA/diamondhead%20008_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="center">It starts off long, winding, dusty and hot. And did I say hot and dusty?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeVr5txEI/AAAAAAAAA_U/GkNDFjnJgDo/s1600-h/diamondhead%20006%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 006" border="0" alt="diamondhead 006" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeXGV-oBI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/8Gbbvo1msyI/diamondhead%20006_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>This was our first time using the Camelbak we bought from the Pearl City Goodwill…… four months ago. Can I get a big YeeHaw! for the Camelbak? The kids actually semi-fought over who would carry it! I’m used to carrying frozen bottles of water for everyone so this was a NICE change for me. I didn’t carry anything but my camera. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeXcDnMjI/AAAAAAAAA_c/0BKWPILocUc/s1600-h/Diamond%20Head%20Crater%20pan%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Diamond Head Crater pan" border="0" alt="Diamond Head Crater pan" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeY2OVcII/AAAAAAAAA_g/87WGkyn2iRU/Diamond%20Head%20Crater%20pan_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="204" /></a> </p> <p align="center">About halfway up we started seeing views of the interior that really started to define the crater, along with stunning views of all the houses creeping up the hillsides. </p> <p align="center">Just when we were panting good and hard, we hit our first set of stairs.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeaGTDQRI/AAAAAAAAA_k/je9YXO57sJ8/s1600-h/diamondhead%20011%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 011" border="0" alt="diamondhead 011" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeebjN_HOI/AAAAAAAAA_o/BKMewuUXaJI/diamondhead%20011_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Which led us into a 225 foot long tunnel, to another set of even steeper and longer stairs.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeczdGmOI/AAAAAAAAA_s/EPHJnJ5QV4Q/s1600-h/diamondhead%20014%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 014" border="0" alt="diamondhead 014" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeedZDkeaI/AAAAAAAAA_w/2GBTdDhRk3g/diamondhead%20014_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Can you see how excited Jewel is about this set of stairs? </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeeuAQynI/AAAAAAAAA_0/5SBWUtdiAzQ/s1600-h/diamondhead%20016%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 016" border="0" alt="diamondhead 016" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeefzxLvhI/AAAAAAAAA_4/7eYSHOD-8Ec/diamondhead%20016_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="center">She’s actually fretting over how much she’s sweating.</p> <p align="center">And where in the world is Jake? As hard as he tried, he couldn’t go as slow as us, and after finally completing all the stairs and then a three story high spiral staircase in an old Army bunker, we finally met up with him at the top. Only it wasn’t the TOP, top.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeegVAOAnI/AAAAAAAAA_8/TpOTuWqar9w/s1600-h/diamondhead%20024%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 024" border="0" alt="diamondhead 024" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeehtbqZ_I/AAAAAAAABAA/_ERK-URvs6k/diamondhead%20024_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="center">We popped out at a bunker opening and then the boys decided to just stay there while Jewel and I went on to the very top bunker.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeei3w13YI/AAAAAAAABAE/feS2X7_Q9kc/s1600-h/diamondhead%20040%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 040" border="0" alt="diamondhead 040" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeejZ7e-hI/AAAAAAAABAI/WbMCgWrdlnY/diamondhead%20040_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="center">We also met back up with Annie, who also felt that Jonas, Jewel and I were too slow and had taken off ahead of us with Jake. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeki4ODJI/AAAAAAAABAM/vKNQbFVLWz8/s1600-h/diamondhead%20042%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 042" border="0" alt="diamondhead 042" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeel6iknsI/AAAAAAAABAQ/cAUvJ51qZj0/diamondhead%20042_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> They enjoyed some much needed shade time, while overlooking Waikiki. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeemQygU4I/AAAAAAAABAU/fIGxIpdLLY4/s1600-h/diamondhead%20045%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 045" border="0" alt="diamondhead 045" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeenpkuWVI/AAAAAAAABAY/QDUn-KxKYY8/diamondhead%20045_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> Jewel and I went on and faced the crowd at the top on our own.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeo0_g_7I/AAAAAAAABAc/INHvBPqXYuA/s1600-h/diamondhead%20035%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 035" border="0" alt="diamondhead 035" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeqRQDy8I/AAAAAAAABAg/WNjDfrobTbI/diamondhead%20035_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Jewel is modeling the view directly south, and then as we make our walk back down the view is to the northeast, which includes, I believe, Cocohead Crater. (Another hike I would like to do before leaving the island). </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeerfe0OHI/AAAAAAAABAk/TM5D-jOi-zE/s1600-h/diamondhead%20036%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 036" border="0" alt="diamondhead 036" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THees57jyQI/AAAAAAAABAo/syCARYcHgLM/diamondhead%20036_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Ahhhh…..heading down is so much easier. It’s so easy that it’s easy to get careless, and in my magnificent hiking shoes (strappy crocs), I slipped right on some loose gravel and landed right on my butt! But I was like a cat and bounced up so fast the people behind me barely had time to gasp. </p> <p>I ran before I could hear them laugh.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeetviBmJI/AAAAAAAABAs/l12CLZiqKuQ/s1600-h/diamondhead%20057%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 057" border="0" alt="diamondhead 057" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeevExWWpI/AAAAAAAABAw/GvtbVSUqt7g/diamondhead%20057_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Upon returning to the trailhead the kids always seem to have enough energy to climb trees. Hmmmm.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeewGUfGdI/AAAAAAAABA0/oK9oAQkZ5Ew/s1600-h/diamondhead%20069%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 069" border="0" alt="diamondhead 069" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeexinnjOI/AAAAAAAABA4/vy7HDqmsm4U/diamondhead%20069_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>After resting in the shade for a while we left to grab some food and ended up finding a perfect spot, right along Ala Wai Canal in downtown Honolulu, to have a peaceful, shady picnic lunch.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeeyqXeYwI/AAAAAAAABA8/YSd-FgGz7Xs/s1600-h/diamondhead%20092%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="diamondhead 092" border="0" alt="diamondhead 092" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/THeezmCRkWI/AAAAAAAABBA/EuYJLYbGcM4/diamondhead%20092_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Overall impressions of the Diamond Head hike:</p> <p>Jake: Long and sweaty</p> <p>Jonas: Ehhh…..there was hardly anything at the end…….and…….I’m not a big fan of hikes.</p> <p>Jewel: Yeah! I really liked it! but it did make me tired.</p> <p>Me: Better than expected! Would be even better if done very early in the morning, when it’s cooler and with less people. I loved it for the uniqueness of the stairs and the tunnels and the switchbacks, and of course the gorgeous views at the top. I also disagree about it being a tourist trap, we learned a lot about the Military’s history in this crater that we didn’t even know existed beforehand. So…..good for the body, good for the mind, good for the senses, and good for the soul. That’s what I call a Good Hike.</p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/1012/Oahu/South-Oahu/Diamond-Head/Diamond-Head-Beach-Hotel/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/1012.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Diamond Head Beach Hotel on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-76466540671304122462010-08-03T15:03:00.002-05:002012-08-21T19:02:59.847-05:00Makaha Valley Hiking<div style="text-align: justify;">My main computer, that holds my three thousand and two pictures I've taken over the last six months here in Hawaii, got a nasty virus (which I still need to call Dell about), which means I'm off the hook from stressing about all those blog posts I kept meaning to write. I'm worried about losing all those pictures, but it is nice being able to start fresh...in my head, at least. I would love to be able to write daily or at least every other day about our goings on's but I usually stop myself because I want to get caught up from <i>that day at the beach two months ago</i> or Jacob's entrance into the teen years that happened in MAY or a picture story of the first time I tried a stand up paddle board......or swimming with dolphins and sea turtles. But first....I'll do today:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let's see......we're still in Hawaii, although we almost weren't. We aren't having any luck finding a sailboat here and we find so many great deals in California, it almost makes sense to go back to the mainland to work and find our boat there, but it seems Hawaii isn't done with us yet, so we're still here....for now. I imagine it'll still be another couple months before we find THE boat, we're still learning and figuring out what we want vs what we need. BTW....boat shopping MUCH MORE difficult than RV shopping. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I slacked off a little on my walks but yesterday convinced Jonas and Jewel to hike back into Waianae Valley with me and my friend, Annie. I was told there are ponds up in the streams and if we're lucky we can find an Icy Pond. So with the lure of these secret ponds the kids were actually pretty eager to go. All except Jake. He wrangled his rope like arms and legs around the bar stool frame and clung on for dear life, stating: "I just woke up and I don't want to go". It was already after 9 and I had wanted to be on the trail by 7 as to avoid the heat, so I stopped begging and let him be. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">First we <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/water-tower-hike.html">walked up to the water tower </a>where we waited for Annie. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857557300/" title="Hiding in the Shade by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Hiding in the Shade" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4857557300_e2fb6e9a0e_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">While waiting the kids found the only shade they could, along an ancient three foot high wall. As soon as Annie caught up to us we took off into the valley and across our first dry stream.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4856936463/" title="Before the Fall by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Before the Fall" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4856936463_1ff0e34bfa_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Where Jonas promptly slipped on loose sand and gravel and fell HARD right on his back. The picture was taken just seconds before the fall. Jonas is a tough kid and doesn't like to show weakness, but he was hurting something fierce. I had him lie down in a soft bed of leaves for a while before slowly getting him back on his feet. I figured we'd have to turn around at this point, but after about thirty minutes he was ready to go again....so on we went.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4856936427/" title="Huge Arrowhead by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Huge Arrowhead" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4856936427_f6135b3b97_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't decide if this giant rock looked more like a dinosaur footprint or an arrowhead. It does look a lot like the <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2008/05/san-rafael-swell.html">footprint we saw in Utah</a>. Only much larger.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857556868/" title="Up Country by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Up Country" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4857556868_3648ca1032_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the stream we walked along a dirt trail in the trees and scrub for a while, before coming to the largest Mango tree we've ever seen. There were literally thousands of mango seeds under it's umbrella that had been ravaged by the wild pigs. Not one edible mango to be found.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After walking another mile or so we pop out into a perfectly landscaped parking lot! It's the <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/02/kane-aki-heiau.html">Kane'aki Heiau (temple) that we visited </a>back in February. Now we could have driven to this point, but the heiau is only open certain hours, these not being them, plus we wanted the hike. We walked right past the heiau and it's two gardeners and ran smack dab into this gate:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4856935897/" title="Barrier by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Barrier" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4856935897_c4fb5786be_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I would have stopped here but Annie showed us how to cling to the side of the fence hovering over the stream twenty feet below and swing ourselves around. It's all her fault.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4858068194/" title="1280789701184 by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="1280789701184" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4858068194_cf0acc34cd.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now we're on a paved road leading up to a city of Honolulu well. I didn't know we'd be on a road. I was hoping we'd be in the rain forests by now! Luckily it's kind of overcast and breezy so the uphill hike isn't too too bad for the kids. We do stop often for breaks. We are also on the look out for fruit and coffee. We need some breakfast. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We found a Jabon tree with plenty of jabon's on them, they just weren't ripe yet. We'll definitely be going back in a couple weeks to pick us some of those monsters. Here's a <a href="http://web.mac.com/araki.roy/iWeb/Site/stuff%20we%20do/B22B6379-961E-4D56-8728-026957D4BCB9.html">link with some great pictures </a>of the monster jabon's. We did pick one to bring home with us to examine. :-)</div><div style="text-align: center;">We also found Lilikoi! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857556350/" title="Bitter beer Face by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Bitter beer Face" height="535" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4857556350_0c7c35c77d_z.jpg" width="535" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We picked all we found, about a dozen that were on the ground, and ate a few along the trail. They were different. Sweet, but sour, and a little like pomegrants in their texture. I'll like them better mixed in fruit smoothies, rather than just by themselves. They are a type of passion fruit. Another tree we learned about on this hike were the coffee trees. I know they are abundant here but I never knew which ones they were, and now I do and now I can't wait to find some ripe beans to send to my mom.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">After taking a slight detour to find the Lilikoi we found ourselves off trail and bouldering straight up the stream.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857556110/" title="Bouldering up the Stream by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Bouldering up the Stream" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4857556110_93138ffda0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">In between the boulders</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857555806/" title="Waianae Valley stream by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Waianae Valley stream" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4857555806_6d8d05bc55.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Resting on the boulders</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857556228/" title="Break Time by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Break Time" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4857556228_47f1b606b3.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Annie and I could climb these boulders all day, it wasn't the easiest thing for the kids, plus we were all in crocs & flip flops. I could just see one of us getting our foot jammed under moving boulders. Finally we found our way back to the road, but by this time the sun was really blaring. I asked Jo0nas if he wanted to turn around but he actually said....We've come this far, can't stop now.....wow! I was impressed with him. He hurt his back really bad, hates hiking, hates being in the sun, yet wanted to continue on in our search for some water to jump in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We've been hiking for about three hours at this point and there isn't even a trickle in the stream, so hopes of finding a water filled pond are not looking good. We're still on a water company road and it's just getting steeper so I finally make the call to turn it around. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4856935027/" title="Love by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Love" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4856935027_61f0b6a454.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">As we're walking back down a City of Honolulu truck is making it's way up and I try to ignore him as I walk by but he stops me anyway. He just kind of scolds me, I play stupid, and we keep on walking.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857555510/" title="Monkey Jewel by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Monkey Jewel" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4857555510_a56483b62e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the heiau I take some pictures of Jewel and Annie in the trees and then we look for our trail that leads us back over to the water tower. We failed. We ended back up in another creek with big, loose boulders, and by this time it is really, really hot and our feet our hurting us. Jewel may have started to whine a little bit. If it wasn't her, it would have been me. We now have to turn around, and cut through the thick brush rather than tackling anymore of the stream, and find the trail. Thankfully it didn't take too long, and another thirty minutes later and we were back at the large mango tree. The kids were never so excited to see a tree.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Getting back to our side of the valley was nice, since we knew we were on the last stretch, but it was two in the afternoon now, there wasn't a cloud in sight, and no breeze to cool our sweat. It was probably the worst part, and we just couldn't wait to get to the watertower and start heading back downhill. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4857555362/" title="Hitchhiking by jakesmome, on Flickr"><img alt="Hitchhiking" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4857555362_f52ee08db0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jonas even managed to hitch a ride with Annie. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We ended the hike swimming in the pool at the Towers for about an hour before we had to slip our crocs back on and walk the last half mile home. Don't think I didn't almost ask Annie to drive us back...cause I almost did. We didn't get to see any icy ponds, but we learned a lot about the foliage here in Hawaii that we didn't know. Jonas learned that he's a lot tougher than he gives himself credit for. We got to try new exotic fruit, and learn even more after coming home to research them further. We had an excellent workout, with beautiful scenery, and good company. So even though the kids will never do that hike again, it was worth every ache and mosquito bite. </div>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/1053/Oahu/West-Oahu/Makaha/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/1053.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Makaha on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-30513034903260429772010-07-28T21:17:00.000-05:002010-07-28T21:17:38.292-05:00I'm That MomI'm that mom that let's her kids watch TV and play video games to their heart's content. I also do not have parental controls over the Internets. They've all been huge learning resources in our home, as much as they've been entertainment. I believe in broadening their horizons, not limiting them.<br />
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I'm also the mom that is not the least bit threatened to know that, as a homeschooling mom, <b>I<i></i></b> didn't <b>teach</b> them a thing. They learned it all for themselves.<br />
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I'm also the mom of very long haired boys. I DO believe it is up to them, and they DO have a say-so. I care how they look, but I care more about how they feel.<br />
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I'm the mom of kids that like to use <i>cuss words</i>. I'm happy that my kids feel safe to be themselves and express themselves however they want, and equally happy that they are choosey in who they allow to hear those words.<br />
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I'm also a short order cook. I show them how to make most of their favorite things, and put these things within their reach, but I also realize it <b>always</b> tastes better when Mom makes it. So, yeah....I'm THAT mom.<br />
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I'm also the mom that sat and listened and talked with a nine year old girl at the pool the other day, and within five minutes she asked me, "Can you be my mom?"<br />
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I remember many times as a kid saying, when I'm a Mom I'll never "X", or I'll do "Y". Of course then I would just hear, "What until you're a Mom! Then you'll see!" <br />
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I'm happy to say it is possible to be.... THAT mom and still have great kids.<br />
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** This post was inspired by <a href="http://zombieprincess.blogspot.com/2010/07/im-that-mom.html">Ronnie's spontaneous blog carnival idea </a>inspired by <a href="http://sumbthucker.tumblr.com/post/850235773/im-that-mom">Flo's post</a>. <br />
<br />
*** Leave it to unschoolers to start an impromptu blog Carnival<br />
<br />
**** Cause you can't plan shizz this good<br />
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***** I'm also that mom that is last to join the partyVickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-66231578546788596602010-07-26T01:43:00.001-05:002010-07-26T01:43:06.910-05:00Finding Gems<p> There are days when we set out to spend a whole day at the beach, but more often than not, our beach outings are often on a whim.  Once we get there we each have our “thing” we like to do.  Jonas heads straight for the crashing shorebreak, Jewel follows with her goggles on, Jake waits until his bones are thoroughly heated enough and he finally gives in to the draw of the cool water. Me? I like to find a small pool to swim with the little fishes. </p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0ubaWCezI/AAAAAAAAA-A/be-Decyi8s0/s1600-h/yokes%202%20%2812%29%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="yokes 2 (12)" border="0" alt="yokes 2 (12)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0ucKyhRmI/AAAAAAAAA-E/CdxmBx31qDw/yokes%202%20%2812%29_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p>And Joey?  Joey can usually be found bent over, looking for treasures……… <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0uchmJnbI/AAAAAAAAA-I/k4eJsgrgKT0/s1600-h/beach1293.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="beach 129" border="0" alt="beach 129" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0udeZMEaI/AAAAAAAAA-M/oWXJ7HgiX2I/beach129_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>Along with jewelry and spare parts<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0ud-NAexI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/GYfhooxxzsM/s1600-h/beach1323.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="beach 132" border="0" alt="beach 132" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TE0ueWdzQ-I/AAAAAAAAA-U/sAKHJ1EcYFc/beach132_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-1184161279407708522010-07-23T23:58:00.000-05:002010-07-23T23:58:31.942-05:00Six MonthsIt's been six months since we "moved" to Hawaii. I tried so hard to let it be known that we LIVED here, dammit, and were not <i>just</i> tourists. Why that was important to me, I still can't exactly figure out. What makes it even worse when I think about it is the fact that the Hawaiians actually LIKE the tourists. They visit, and then <b>go home</b>. What they don't like are people like us that move here, and worse yet, get one of the precious, hard to come by, J.O.B.S's.<br />
<br />
Now after living here in Hawaii all this time I've begun to question the fact if I even consider myself <i>living here </i>anymore. Obviously I live here and have the rent and utility bills to prove it, but I am constantly looking for a new waterfall to uncover or a new mountain to drag my family up. Even if it's just a cell phone, I always have a camera on me, and almost always come home with at least one picture.....even if it is just of the food I picked up at the 7-11. I listen with HUGE ears wide-open any and every time I speak with a local, hoping to learn a little bit more about their culture, the names of the flowers and how they really feel about the United States. <br />
<br />
I'm still learning these things, but in the process, have learned something about myself. <br />
<br />
I AM A TOURIST. <br />
<br />
A BIG FAT APPRECIATIVE ONE.Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-87514277471593193332010-07-10T23:31:00.001-05:002012-08-24T21:09:56.661-05:00Turtle Beach<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJIfLhb9I/AAAAAAAAA9A/yMmh1Rn-BNc/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0063.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 006" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJJIBqLJI/AAAAAAAAA9E/b8DWtyDMWhc/TurtleBeach006_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> Tucked in between two small resorts is a beautiful, clean, and soft, sandy beach that some call Turtle Beach. We first discovered it back in ‘04 when we scored a week stay for free in the below condo. Up until then our stays had always been in either the Plantations or the Towers, up country. It was beyond our wildest dreams to actually stay <strong>right on the beach</strong>. During that week the waves were insane, too! I remember sitting on the lanai (patio) watching the huge waves, grow bigger by the day. That’s also when I learned that each size wave brings out a different group of beach goers. The large waves by the rest of the world’s standards, but small by Hawaiian standards would bring out the elementary school kids. The next day with larger waves brought out all the junior high kids. By the times the waves were so huge that they decided to just cancel school since no one was showing up anyway, brought out ALL the high school kids and twenty something’s. We’d have front row views of boogie boarders doing tricks in the extremely dangerous shorebreaks, and of the unsuspecting tourists losing their tops! It was better than T.V. We saw one girl lose her top and her boyfriend was more concerned with covering her up then getting safely out of the water so then they’d both take another pounding. It wasn’t funny, I know, but we laughed so much just from people watching from up there. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJJlbg9sI/AAAAAAAAA9I/ESP3GPs7vgk/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0153.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 015" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 015" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJKE6OHzI/AAAAAAAAA9M/qx7sogrkWcE/TurtleBeach015_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> <p align="justify"> This stay was also the time I was snorkeling out about a hundred fifty feet from shore when a sea turtle popped up out of the water right next me. I yelled to Joey on shore who immediately brought Jonas, who was five at the time, out to me, making it both of our’s first time swimming with a sea turtle. I can still remember his excitement! The turtle swam with us for a while, diving below to grab algae from the rocks then coming up for air, within inches of us. I wanted to touch him but we were too chicken, besides I think it’s illegal. He didn’t seem to mind us being there at all, either. That is until he decided to dive below us and then relieve himself! We literally had to move quick to get out of his torpedo zone. For the record, turtle poop looks just like human poop ….and it floats. You’re welcome.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJKhYVtII/AAAAAAAAA9Q/drzUd6nrHJg/s1600-h/Turtle%20Beach%20010%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 010" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 010" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJLOpBL5I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/uPB7kPDb87k/Turtle%20Beach%20010_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">We’ve been back to this beach a few times this trip, with two of the times being right <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/mauna-lahilahi.html" target="_blank">after hiking Maunalahilahi</a>. Once with Jewel, and the last time after completing the hike with Joey. And then this time with the kids. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJLr-9U3I/AAAAAAAAA9c/7bSyOCTKrZw/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0113.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 011" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 011" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJMOZJlnI/AAAAAAAAA9g/nCRkYBWKHSQ/TurtleBeach011_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Each time we’ve floated on the water and said “I could just lay like this forever”. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJMqMJfZI/AAAAAAAAA9k/rsXMCjgrvV4/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0123.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 012" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 012" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJNYDP3_I/AAAAAAAAA9o/SyhLE368I_Q/TurtleBeach012_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> It is such a relaxing place.</p> <p>Jonas is snorkeling, while Jake lets the waves softly push him up the beach.</p> <p>And Jewel lets the shorebreak gently tumble her over.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJJlbg9sI/AAAAAAAAA9I/ESP3GPs7vgk/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0153.jpg"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJNzl-f4I/AAAAAAAAA9s/Kt0YZD2OXjA/s1600-h/TurtleBeach0133.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Turtle Beach 013" border="0" alt="Turtle Beach 013" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDlJOT2Ni5I/AAAAAAAAA9w/P0Gd8VhUgO8/TurtleBeach013_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p align="justify">The only downfall is knowing that there could be people up there on their lanai’s watching ……..and waiting. And with my track record, it’s just a matter of time before I do something to embarrass myself or anyone around me, so yeah…….we don’t go here too much. </p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/985/Oahu/North-Oahu/Kahuku/Turtle-Bay/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/985.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Turtle Bay on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-68301375487750181912010-07-07T11:09:00.000-05:002010-07-07T11:09:00.849-05:00Pray 4 Something<p>  This is by far our favorite beach, and even though we call the beach barking sands, we don’t actually know the official name for this particular spot, this rocky spot that houses <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/04/barking-sands-aka-ma.html" target="_blank">those bathtubs</a> the kids love to play in.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQETUgK-GI/AAAAAAAAA74/N-w7fIMdkPE/s1600-h/week%203%20104%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="week 3 104" border="0" alt="week 3 104" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEUP9mPvI/AAAAAAAAA78/JXHtRJTngls/week%203%20104_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">One day we were out here when the water was not this calm and after testing out the pools for a bit decided they were just too big of a risk to enjoy. At he same time there was a young couple from Japan walking on the beach who just happened to see Joey coming out of one of the tubs. They went in them right after we got out, while the water was calm, so had no idea they’d soon get a swell washing over them. It wasn’t a pretty sight. He got pushed into her, pinning her to the side of the pool, and then the water was so strong it drug them right out of the pool, belly side down over the lava rocks, dragging him on top of her. I felt bad for her little skinny self, but hope they learned to watch the waves for a while first. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEUhAwzMI/AAAAAAAAA8A/jfVZzP1eFDY/s1600-h/droid0723.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="droid 072" border="0" alt="droid 072" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEVYk6S7I/AAAAAAAAA8E/p8j-lBphHUU/droid072_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p>In the above photo I’m standing on the rocks, above the cave, that’s in the below photo.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEWa0chTI/AAAAAAAAA8I/CUldnrzQMP0/s1600-h/Droid%20Daily%20086%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid Daily 086" border="0" alt="Droid Daily 086" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEXCz7OJI/AAAAAAAAA8M/jTtWGUz4McE/Droid%20Daily%20086_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> The cave that Joey noticed tunneled below the rock and said that one day when the water wasn’t so rough he was going to see how far he could get in that tunnel.</p> <p align="center">Jewel beat him to it.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEXgO8nZI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/MBHMk9qD0ks/s1600-h/Droid%20Daily%20088%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid Daily 088" border="0" alt="Droid Daily 088" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEYBhW1_I/AAAAAAAAA8U/Wjh-goq5OFs/Droid%20Daily%20088_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="center">With the help of some little local boys, which she was so shy to talk to, they showed her the way.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEYmNcy7I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/QUGHLNNmYYQ/s1600-h/droid0753.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="droid 075" border="0" alt="droid 075" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEZK4xHDI/AAAAAAAAA8c/CffAIKzm_I0/droid075_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="center">We also carefully climbed that big rock in the center…….just to take in the views. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEaAHHX6I/AAAAAAAAA8g/U0RI6IhPIQs/s1600-h/Droid%20Daily%20090%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid Daily 090" border="0" alt="Droid Daily 090" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEa5J0zTI/AAAAAAAAA8k/kbTkW4UPTEg/Droid%20Daily%20090_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEbDbEteI/AAAAAAAAA8o/uv3GkI9sTxk/s1600-h/Droid%20Daily%20089%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid Daily 089" border="0" alt="Droid Daily 089" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEb2_MQkI/AAAAAAAAA8s/8J9hBte4cu8/Droid%20Daily%20089_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> The local teenagers like to jump from this rock, something that we see more and more of everywhere now that the huge winter swells are gone.</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEcfB36DI/AAAAAAAAA8w/ZXvE-VfZ_NU/s1600-h/week%203%20106%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="week 3 106" border="0" alt="week 3 106" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEc2iqASI/AAAAAAAAA80/Ay2pwQQU79U/week%203%20106_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">And now we officially know the name of this great little spot. I had heard there was a place the locals called Pray 4 Sex but never knew where it was, and now thanks to some local vagrants not only have they revealed the location for us but they’ve solved my biggest dilemma for me (as to what to call this spot) ……………………. Only, since this is the, approximately, two feet of water they’re jumping into below, I think I’d be praying for something else!   </p> <p align="justify">                                                                            <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEdoEF_LI/AAAAAAAAA84/V6HOnt2kr28/s1600-h/Droid%20Daily%20092%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid Daily 092" border="0" alt="Droid Daily 092" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDQEeq319-I/AAAAAAAAA88/708uUllX9y8/Droid%20Daily%20092_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p>Another time Joey and I were out here alone with only another person or two within sight, just floating in the water and then walking in the sand, when a man from Iowa walked up to us, completely puzzled, asking: </p> <blockquote> <p align="center"><strong>Why is there nobody out here?</strong></p> </blockquote> <p align="justify">We’re still trying to figure that out ourselves, but ……………we’re not complaining.</p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-69454828088369420922010-07-06T22:45:00.001-05:002010-07-06T22:45:33.538-05:00west coast, east coast<p align="justify"> We can go weeks with never leaving the west side of the island, but occasionally we feel like a cruise to one or more of the other sides. Yesterday was one of those days. We made plans to meet friends in Waimae Bay for a little paddle boarding, rock climbing, snorkeling, and rock jumping and figured the Fourth of July party goers would be long gone from the beach and back at work…….we couldn’t have been more wrong. Hawaii had Furlough Friday last week so I never expected them to also have monday off. It was quite possibly the busiest I have ever seen the island. It was crazy! Haleiwa had lines fifty people long waiting for shaved ice. SHAVED. ICE. The traffic was also at a crawl, and every parking lot along the North Shore was overflowing with three cars waiting for one parking space. We basically went from Shark’s Cove to Waiamae and back, and then repeated, and then circled again, then popped into Foodland for some fresh fruit and poke, then searched some more for a parking spot. Our friends decided to turn around and head home before they even caught up with us, but we figured we’re in this mess, we can’t give up now. </p> <p>Only we did give up on the North Shore. We headed east to Kailua where we did find parking, but for what..?</p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDP4VI_Y0xI/AAAAAAAAA7o/l9tilA9yjU4/s1600-h/windward%20coast%20101%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="windward coast 101" border="0" alt="windward coast 101" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDP4V8fqvTI/AAAAAAAAA7s/paVj9RlqJOM/windward%20coast%20101_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>A friend of ours took his kids to the beach on Father’s Day and when I commented that we didn’t go because it was so crowded that day, he called us <em>spoiled</em>. </p> <p>**************************</p> <p>West side beach:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDP4Wc_o5zI/AAAAAAAAA7w/DP7FtvABKmU/s1600-h/early%20july%20036%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="early july 036" border="0" alt="early july 036" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TDP4Wyw5W1I/AAAAAAAAA70/f3W-VPyNvU4/early%20july%20036_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p>I guess we are. </p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-69412652395213272902010-06-20T04:55:00.001-05:002010-06-20T04:55:30.206-05:00Our Own Personal Fish Monger<p align="center">Yesterday I talked about Tim, <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/06/catch-with-crustacean.html" target="_blank">the spearfisherman that got stung by a jellyfish</a>, but what I failed to mention was that he tried to sell us some of his fresh speared fish from his high tech set-up…..a cooler on wheels.</p> <p align="center"> He succeeded. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3lgTHzirI/AAAAAAAAA6g/Ou1FximgKRI/s1600-h/droid%201%20032%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 1 032" border="0" alt="droid 1 032" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3lhSS_yBI/AAAAAAAAA6k/g7ckTZiJ6UA/droid%201%20032_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3lh7UZSrI/AAAAAAAAA6o/ACTER8qdS2U/s1600-h/droid%201%20031%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 1 031" border="0" alt="droid 1 031" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3lioKn0OI/AAAAAAAAA6s/pTU4G_NYwWA/droid%201%20031_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a>We had no idea what we were getting or if we were getting a good deal, it was, as one wise observant<a href="http://www.facebook.com/hahamommy" target="_blank"> woman</a> pointed out……just because we COULD. We wanted a couple of the big ones, and then he threw in a couple more……just because. {When they do that I figure they’re overcharging to begin with, but I was happy to learn today that we indeed got a good deal (for Hawaii standards)).</p> <p align="justify">We paid thirty dollars for all our fish and at the local grocery store, Tamura’s, they want thirty dollars just for the one blueish one in the center. We got three times that.</p> <p align="justify">We baked the first three in a stuffing mixture that Tim recommended, only substituting it for items we actually had, and they were ehh…so, so. We saved the big one for last, eating it the next day after baking in garlic butter and it was by far the best tasting fish we have ever had. From now on we will only be buying fish from Tim, where he can be found every other day strolling Farrington Hwy in front of Makaha Beach. We all agreed he has a pretty rough life, too. Spearfishing everyday (except Sunday) and hanging out on the beach a few mornings a week. (Heineken  was not for sale, that was <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesmome/4716265531/" target="_blank">Fish’s</a> breakfast)</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3li6_0SGI/AAAAAAAAA6w/OxX13ITI9Ls/s1600-h/droid%201%20035%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="droid 1 035" border="0" alt="droid 1 035" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TB3lj827AjI/AAAAAAAAA60/-BUzkDb2gCw/droid%201%20035_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a>This was the one fish that scared me a little bit…look at it’s teeth……THEY’RE HUMAN!!</p> <p align="center">I’m still waiting for the day that we go to the beach and don’t learn or see something new or exciting. </p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-53687187762723949352010-06-19T02:07:00.001-05:002010-06-19T02:07:36.815-05:00Catch with a Crustacean<p>This morning while the kids slept, the <strike>adults</strike> big kids, went for another early walk along the beach, and I’m happy to report no jellyfish this time. Speaking of jellyfish…..we met a lot of local folks that didn’t even know about the <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/06/just-your-everyday-walk-on-beach.html" target="_blank">monthly jellyfish invasion</a> which resulted in about a hundred people island wide getting stung. With thirty of them happening on Makaha Beach alone! We met one of them the other morning while <em>talking story</em> with Joey’s friend Fish, while at the beach. This local named, Tim, had been spear fishing that morning when he got stung on the only part of himself that wasn’t protected, his face. He said he had to swim over half an hour to get to the nearest house and then for whatever reason, they shooed him away! They wouldn’t help him. Luckily he had a lifeguard friend that lived nearby so he went to his place and he poured boiling hot water on his face to stop the stinging, and Tim said it helped. He also said he was really struggling to swim, as he was in such intense pain and felt like his muscles were trying to paralyze. It took him this whole week to recover, but we could still see the scar. I don’t think he’ll ever go out without a face cover again!</p> <p>Anyway, this morning was much more playful. After resting our burning calves while sitting along the shore, little crabs started coming out of their holes. As soon as they’d see us they’d hurry back down, except this one. He just sat on top of his hole staring at us, so eventually I threw a little stone his way to see what he’d do, and to my surprise he chased after it like a puppy dog! He quickly got on top of that thing and hugged it as tight as he could. Thinking that was just a freak thing he did, we tried another pebble….and he immediately abandoned the first stone in favor of the new one. Then he did it again, and again, and again. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBxsrfRGySI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/UAGFDggK6bE/s1600-h/cell%20phone%20%286%29%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="cell phone (6)" border="0" alt="cell phone (6)" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBxssZ1bAjI/AAAAAAAAA6U/O3v7IJj5Wk4/cell%20phone%20%286%29_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="364" height="484" /></a>After a while we felt we teased the poor thing long enough so we continued on, only to find another brave crab farther down the beach. What are the odds to run into two crazy crabs in one day? Normally they’re gone before you can even spot them, and here we have another one just staring us down. This one was bigger and wasn’t interested in stones though, he was looking for a fight.</p> <p>Joey slowly lowered his keys above him and he tried with all his might to get them. After a few failed attempts he’d run away from Joey backwards. But a crab running backwards results in him doing backwards somersaults. So he’d run, and then flip, then prance up real high on his tippy claws and run again, and flip backwards again. But he always came back to Joey for more. He could have easily ran back in his hole, but I guess he was probably having a little fun with us, too. (I just wish I would have had video on my phone, so you could see these silly crabs in action, too.)</p> <p align="center"> Eventually the crab won, and Joey walked away in defeat.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBxstCjH-hI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/SuTgGkBcOOc/s1600-h/cell%20phone%20%288%29%5B9%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="cell phone (8)" border="0" alt="cell phone (8)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBxstrSUcTI/AAAAAAAAA6c/94UUJvmFExw/cell%20phone%20%288%29_thumb%5B7%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="484" /></a></p> <p align="center">**PS** No crustaceans were harmed in the making of this blog post </p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-14687246161211562532010-06-18T22:50:00.001-05:002010-06-18T22:50:12.624-05:00Sand Island – Now & Then<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-WNT8rTI/AAAAAAAAA5o/eRdbRgh_lBo/s1600-h/Sand%20Island%20002%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sand Island 002" border="0" alt="Sand Island 002" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-W1ITI3I/AAAAAAAAA5s/J6Y8tss2hcY/Sand%20Island%20002_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-YAABwxI/AAAAAAAAA5w/0itEqKdUv2o/s1600-h/April%20in%20park%20%26%20beach%20020%5B5%5D.jpg"></a><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="April in park & beach 020" border="0" alt="April in park & beach 020" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-YqHij8I/AAAAAAAAA50/dyvII-SWmPI/April%20in%20park%20%26%20beach%20020_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="374" height="255" /></p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-ZvBM53I/AAAAAAAAA54/oB7EByXKb4U/s1600-h/Sand%20Island%20005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sand Island 005" border="0" alt="Sand Island 005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-aP2KBzI/AAAAAAAAA58/Yul3y9IdDhQ/Sand%20Island%20005_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-ageMFbI/AAAAAAAAA6A/VLaxqK2TAk8/s1600-h/April%20in%20park%20%26%20beach%20022%5B11%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="April in park & beach 022" border="0" alt="April in park & beach 022" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-bAr4iPI/AAAAAAAAA6E/7Ul1I8a-W2Q/April%20in%20park%20%26%20beach%20022_thumb%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" height="276" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-bwIUN9I/AAAAAAAAA6I/u9p9IoRDLKI/s1600-h/Sand%20Island%20007%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Sand Island 007" border="0" alt="Sand Island 007" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBw-cnAYxeI/AAAAAAAAA6M/BdNbIFSqvSQ/Sand%20Island%20007_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-30044710912586428462010-06-17T14:09:00.002-05:002012-08-30T17:52:53.650-05:00Maunawili FallsMaunawili Falls is listed as being an easy hike, so I thought it sounded like a great hike for the whole family. A <em>leisurely stroll out to a small waterfall with deep, cool pool</em>s. Who could resist that? Well, the boys could, but I have to remind them there are other things in life besides video games. It’s a tough sell these days. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyGmrR_oI/AAAAAAAAA1s/4ZTlZmpbhUk/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20109%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 109" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 109" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyHtNtKjI/AAAAAAAAA1w/1USGkYi6qKc/Maunawili%20hike%20109_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> <p></p><p></p><p>The trail starts off walking through mostly coffee and mountain apple trees, but I honestly don’t know what’s what. Just many shades of green, in even more shapes and sizes, and when we’d finally bust through a grove we’d have these great views of the cloud topped Ko'olaus Mountains.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyIWI6wVI/AAAAAAAAA10/x_XlCEzZoGI/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20110%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 110" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 110" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyJCeYr5I/AAAAAAAAA14/Saj2Cl2Y3gE/Maunawili%20hike%20110_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>The path was well worn, and mostly followed the creek up towards the falls.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyJ5dhj0I/AAAAAAAAA18/g3fNCABqoik/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20113%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 113" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyK9joHCI/AAAAAAAAA2A/giHe1sqTsQ8/Maunawili%20hike%20113_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>Then we’d have to cross the creek which is always fun, but deciding which path to take once we got to the other side was never an easy decision. The trail is mostly unmarked so we just hoped we made the right choices.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyLRzXBiI/AAAAAAAAA2E/aoWC8Kehu7A/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20118%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 118" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 118" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyMEcl6NI/AAAAAAAAA2I/y61fqdiul10/Maunawili%20hike%20118_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>Then more thick jungle<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyMwLSf5I/AAAAAAAAA2M/WDAO8vrgq9M/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20125%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 125" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 125" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyO0EH4SI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/cUuPKmJ9JVM/Maunawili%20hike%20125_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> followed by another stream to cross. We’re like Frogger crossing these boulders, only instead of watching for cars we had to watch for slippery rocks.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyPppkRCI/AAAAAAAAA2U/m0b-K9hKgX4/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20126%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 126" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 126" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyQdm4JKI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/0nI2IoLvIzs/Maunawili%20hike%20126_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>Or in Jewel’s case, someone to guard her goggles and sticks for her. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyRPaOMtI/AAAAAAAAA2c/WxAT-UVuFZ0/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20130%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 130" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 130" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyR7qmAyI/AAAAAAAAA2g/xBVXeV9lk5Q/Maunawili%20hike%20130_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p align="center">Jewel had no choice but to swing on her first natural tree swing.</p><p align="center">She was made for this.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpySX2ZCZI/AAAAAAAAA2k/XQJTRwTYfZc/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20131%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 131" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 131" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyTOh1ufI/AAAAAAAAA2o/4Xnl9Aii7zc/Maunawili%20hike%20131_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>Joey’s Field of Dreams<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyT1nyOvI/AAAAAAAAA2s/tbUykBm4wbM/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20134%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 134" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 134" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyUmUwijI/AAAAAAAAA20/9ECBQ5wYHRg/Maunawili%20hike%20134_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p></p><p align="center">Oh look!….Another creek to cross! <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyVGPkzVI/AAAAAAAAA24/nKuS16XgOZk/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20136%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 136" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 136" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyV7dFyNI/AAAAAAAAA28/Zc2PvWAjufQ/Maunawili%20hike%20136_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a></p><p align="center">but then the whole trail got a little twisted</p><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyWVEscwI/AAAAAAAAA3A/r77e0CJej9Y/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20137%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 137" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 137" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyWxAe6hI/AAAAAAAAA3E/RC82ukiu1as/Maunawili%20hike%20137_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a></p><p align="center">AND THEN WE MET THE STAIRMASTER</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyXvmxOyI/AAAAAAAAA3I/iqvX1PKRGys/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20145%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 145" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 145" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyYJnVTwI/AAAAAAAAA3M/WU0ZiKmJnGM/Maunawili%20hike%20145_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> Those stairs seemed to go on forever. Just when we thought we were done, around the bend would be another set of “stairs”. But we did finally make it to the top, and Jewel took a much deserved “breather”<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyY9nO3LI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/nQv0wQnKfrc/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20146%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 146" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 146" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyZn2RgYI/AAAAAAAAA3U/IEc4bnDifFI/Maunawili%20hike%20146_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> What gorgeous views we had walking across the ridge!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyaCK4CHI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/6KaRfBsNTdY/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20148%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 148" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 148" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpya42odzI/AAAAAAAAA3c/wQxZ-MfP8vA/Maunawili%20hike%20148_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> The waterfall is somewhere down inside this valley, right around in the middle of the picture is my best guess</p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpybYo9JoI/AAAAAAAAA3g/YwhEe84Cys8/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20149%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 149" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 149" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpycbeZzSI/AAAAAAAAA3k/sDGJBN0mzwU/Maunawili%20hike%20149_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>At this point Jacob had taken off ahead and left the rest of us behind, including Jonas, who was struggling. It’s also at this point that we determine that this should be a breeze for a ten year old boy so the fact that he was having a hard time is worrying Joey and I a little. A few months ago he would have kept up with Jacob. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyc3uNAvI/AAAAAAAAA3s/pC2VLlnJApo/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20157%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 157" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 157" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpydhVKIAI/AAAAAAAAA3w/qghJMTrEmns/Maunawili%20hike%20157_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> After making it all the way up, we were surprised to have to now go back down. I wasn’t even sure we were going in the right direction, and not having Jacob with us starts making me pretty nervous. Who knows which way he went?! Is he on the right trail even? Not liking that! Then at the bottom we hit yet another creek and another trail, both leading in opposite directions. We decide to stay awhile for someone else to come along and hope they knew which way to go. I wasn’t happy to see it was straight up the creek, over the boulders. A little ways in though we found a trail, and we could hear kids laughing in the distance.</p><p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyeKh85mI/AAAAAAAAA30/2D91bHW1X50/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20162%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 162" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 162" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyexefnJI/AAAAAAAAA34/pouLUGcBLwo/Maunawili%20hike%20162_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>Then we saw all the kids, and Jake there waiting for us. Such a relief. But THIS is the waterfall?? <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpygMBwf1I/AAAAAAAAA38/xhGvSn4UIPE/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20164%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 164" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 164" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpygydY3GI/AAAAAAAAA4A/43YetgasXeo/Maunawili%20hike%20164_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p></p><p align="justify">I wasn’t expecting to be in this closed in little valley with one hundred foot rock walls on either side of us. I also wasn’t expecting so many kids!                                                                                                             <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyhqHwxOI/AAAAAAAAA4E/84O3yOh-rxQ/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20165%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 165" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 165" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyideUYzI/AAAAAAAAA4I/GUJEuZ1LIOU/Maunawili%20hike%20165_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> Naturally, I wanted to jump but as you can see from this picture, it felt a little too much like Mystery Science Theatre to me. I wasn’t getting up there and having all the critics in the front row making fun, or the paparazzi snapping photos.                                                                                                                          <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyj9x_gNI/AAAAAAAAA4M/uK7bTQMicqQ/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20166%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 166" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 166" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpylUlXj0I/AAAAAAAAA4Q/pLDw-oKE-xI/Maunawili%20hike%20166_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p></p><p align="justify">Here’s Jake patiently sitting and waiting his turn while the bigger kids jump off the walls from both sides. Most of the kids on the waterfall are just hanging out, or just jumping from there. You can’t see the ones that climb way up, until they’re plunging in the water. THAT was pretty cool to see.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpymCAWsTI/AAAAAAAAA4U/1jBtEZmjO_k/s1600-h/2010-06-10%2012.10.37%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2010-06-10 12.10.37" border="0" alt="2010-06-10 12.10.37" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpym44a3KI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/4M4ZxdOqfMQ/2010-06-10%2012.10.37_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p><p>Here’s a short little clip of Jonas from his jump off the walls, and his reaction afterwards.</p><p><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="267" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=7d8acc17b9&photo_id=4707913219&flickr_show_info_box=true"></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=7d8acc17b9&photo_id=4707913219&flickr_show_info_box=true" height="267" width="400"></embed></object></p><p>We swam in the pool and watched everyone jump for about an hour then slowly started making our way back<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpynWT8SuI/AAAAAAAAA4c/uVMfGMahoGg/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20170%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 170" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 170" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyoB8DgvI/AAAAAAAAA4g/JucRPhXrXjg/Maunawili%20hike%20170_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a>We tried to stop and eat but the mosquitoes quickly started attacking us so we had to eat on the move <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyot9BPpI/AAAAAAAAA4k/XXPIumg1fmQ/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20177%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 177" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 177" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpypv4IdmI/AAAAAAAAA4o/HbQv0FTq_98/Maunawili%20hike%20177_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p align="center">I knew to bring bug spray, but completely forgot. We all paid for that.</p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyqV7xuJI/AAAAAAAAA4s/GyYt8M_o4FQ/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20178%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 178" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 178" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyrIAmI0I/AAAAAAAAA4w/wuC8UaEpbJA/Maunawili%20hike%20178_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyrtgECtI/AAAAAAAAA40/nUlwyZCaIPY/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20187%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 187" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 187" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpysg0xx8I/AAAAAAAAA44/3NpTd9fLDgQ/Maunawili%20hike%20187_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p><p>Going down is much easier, and it seems Jonas had caught his second wind. Or else <em>tree branch jungle gyms</em> are just too exciting to pass up no matter how exhausted you are.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpytembgmI/AAAAAAAAA48/l6v1OVtHz38/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20193%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 193" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 193" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyuB1eF_I/AAAAAAAAA5A/HuxOhpe096Q/Maunawili%20hike%20193_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p>On the way back I finally figured out it was easier to walk barefoot and simply walk <strong>through</strong> the creeks instead of trying to balance myself on the boulders with camera in one hand and Jewel’s collections in the other. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyuzBiQHI/AAAAAAAAA5E/IYm3DHKhhdA/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20202%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 202" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 202" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyvqHShFI/AAAAAAAAA5I/I-vGNX8ah7Q/Maunawili%20hike%20202_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p><p align="center">Occasionally we got a reprieve from the brown and green and saw some other colors, too</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpywDrjuWI/AAAAAAAAA5M/UqQu9i0nmS4/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20219%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 219" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 219" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyw6CSx-I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/WctTZVdXVmU/Maunawili%20hike%20219_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyxUmK6fI/AAAAAAAAA5U/LKVBGkEHN3Y/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20210%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 210" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 210" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyxzdX18I/AAAAAAAAA5Y/1vgw-ijmS4I/Maunawili%20hike%20210_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="165" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyyuM-hRI/AAAAAAAAA5c/6yqc5FgzPL8/s1600-h/Maunawili%20hike%20198%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Maunawili hike 198" border="0" alt="Maunawili hike 198" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TBpyzZogfhI/AAAAAAAAA5k/lTsemVGfkso/Maunawili%20hike%20198_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="201" height="244" /></a> </p><p align="center">Overall, this was a great hike, one that I definitely want to do again, only the next time I will be sure to go while school is <strong>in session</strong>.</p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/976/Oahu/East-Oahu/Kailua/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/976.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Kailua on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-29499755837860363532010-06-09T05:16:00.001-05:002010-06-09T05:16:40.876-05:00Hope You Find What You’re Looking For<p align="justify">It was thirteen years ago when we first “hit the road in a motorhome”. We didn’t really know what we were in search of then, we just knew there had to be a better place to raise our baby, than stuck in this daily grind, in this large city of Metropolitan Phoenix. We kind of figured we’d just hit the road in search of that perfect place to settle down…..maybe. There was a lot of fear on my part going into it, we had never heard of or known anyone to do something like this before, and the internet wasn’t like it is now where you can find hundreds of families “living on the road”. Honestly, I was just going along with Joey’s crazy idea. That was until our first night in our new home on wheels, parked beside a lake… under the stars. This was an awakening….a whole new way of life for us. A world I never knew existed.</p> <p align="justify">This vagabond life has worked well for us all these years. We’ve had big dreams for our family, like traveling Australia by RV for six months, backpacking Europe, and even moving to Hawaii. We can check off moving to Hawaii now. But one far off dream that we’ve always had was living on a sailboat and cruising the World. We used to talk about how great our life was going to be once all the kids could swim. That would mean to us that they’re at an age where they’re not babies anymore, and are a little more independent,  and well, what the heck….if they fall off a boat their chances of surviving are are a little better. </p> <p align="justify">We completely put that dream aside though, and I, yes, I admit it, I begrudgingly moved to Hawaii to live in a stick and mortar home. I did it because I knew if I had to live in a house, at least it was on an island. It was what Joey felt he needed to do for our family….. and I knew it would be a good thing, too. I remember when we first moved here someone left a comment saying “hope you find what you’re looking for” and it’s stuck with me. I’ve never felt like I was looking for something. I feel like I’ve always gone with the flow, but now I think that comment plays over in my head because we <strong>were</strong> searching. I knew it wasn’t a house we needed, it was just to be near the water. It’s to be in the sun, the sand, and the surf…….. That’s all we’ve ever needed. We just didn’t know how to go about making it happen.</p> <p align="center">Then last month we were walking around the harbor in Waikiki and a dream was reborn.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p68tKEvI/AAAAAAAAA1M/MSR9TSwxD_c/s1600-h/slr%20101%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="slr 101" border="0" alt="slr 101" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p7qL1zZI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/SXcXZ3wf11A/slr%20101_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a>  I think we’ve found our next RV park<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p8WSOjAI/AAAAAAAAA1U/YeU_aDu1Pek/s1600-h/slr%20118%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="slr 118" border="0" alt="slr 118" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p9sDwA8I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/wX7G0AW0oN4/slr%20118_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We brought up the idea of buying a sailboat instead of land to the kids and they were one hundred percent on board. Didn’t even have to pry them away from the XBox to go boat shopping! Of course the boat they want is this huge ship they’ve dubbed <em>The Pirate Ship</em>.                                                                                         <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p-R6snDI/AAAAAAAAA1c/RU9RGxbt3VY/s1600-h/slr%20114%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="slr 114" border="0" alt="slr 114" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p_KCTCeI/AAAAAAAAA1g/ti69KE-aWUA/slr%20114_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> We’re looking at something a little more <strike>affordable</strike> practical. We came sooo close to sealing a deal on this sailboat below, but ultimately decided against it. We were initially just thinking cheap and quick, but the more we learn, and keep finding out, about sailboats and cruising, the more decisions we have to make. I’m proud of us for not jumping on this, like we normally would have.                                                            <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9p_6o1ZCI/AAAAAAAAA1k/7MsgOmZW98k/s1600-h/sailboats%20020%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="sailboats 020" border="0" alt="sailboats 020" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TA9qBzNacpI/AAAAAAAAA1o/7Y9OQmEvX3Q/sailboats%20020_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> <p></p> <p align="justify">We may not know anything about sailing, but we know a lot about living in a motorhome, and a liveaboard boat is just a motorhome on water, so we’ve already won the first challenge. </p> <p align="justify">And as far as what we’re searching for……I don’t think it’s anything, yet it’s <strong>everything</strong>. We simply can’t be content with just one thing…….. when there’s a huge world out there with so much to offer. It’s just every now and then a traveller needs to stop for a minute and regroup, and I see now that’s all we were doing every time we thought we needed to settle down. Life is forever evolving, and our goals and plans should be, too…..and that’s all those breaks were about, we just didn’t know it at the time. We just needed to keep evolving ourselves, but that’s hard to do when old voices in your head tell you you’re supposed to have a house, get a job with a company with benefits and stay until you retire, and THEN you get to go live your life. If we hit a hiccup in the road, that old recorder plays over and over, but I think we mayhave finally broken that record player now! ……….So bring on our next adventure!!</p> <p align="center">****************************************************</p> <p></p> <blockquote> <p align="center"> <em>Gypsy ………..defined as "persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, but does not include members of an organised group of travelling showmen, or persons engaged in travelling circuses, travelling together as such."</em></p></blockquote> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-18904613364786265622010-06-06T19:46:00.002-05:002010-06-07T05:02:21.550-05:00Just your everyday walk on the beach<p align="justify">Instead of our usual morning walk up to the water tower this morning, we chose to drive down the hill to Makaha Beach and walk in the sand instead. What an adventure that turned out to be….. with some new knowledge, to boot. (<em>insert plug for unschooling here</em>)</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBTFZCWsI/AAAAAAAAA0U/_3X1F7z3sT0/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20008%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 008" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 008" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBT7k-wjI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/wF_hB1rGaYw/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20008_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a> </p><p align="center">Those are not our footprints in the sand.</p><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBUu09G3I/AAAAAAAAA0c/HVWH9-az27E/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20032%5B12%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 032" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 032" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBVnhPduI/AAAAAAAAA0g/V8j0zHUeZxM/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20032_thumb%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p><p align="justify">They were dozens……if not hundreds….of potentially deadly, Hawaiian box jellyfish. And we almost stepped on the!…….<strong>repeatedly</strong>…… They left a trail along the high tide line almost half the shoreline long.</p><p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBWPUQizI/AAAAAAAAA0k/LaRh7xA5UAc/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20015%5B13%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 015" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 015" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBWzangII/AAAAAAAAA0o/M8GMKSVKQxQ/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20015_thumb%5B11%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a>Then the next quarter of the shoreline  was dotted with large holes with large piles next to them. Some of the holes were almost as big as my foot! Normally , during the day, we see only the small crab holes… so I guess you have to get up pretty early to see the big boys. </p><p align="justify">Continuing south the sand is almost completely washed away, exposing rock that had been covered all winter.</p><p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBXnnxtUI/AAAAAAAAA0s/ZdskUYYYwEU/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20023%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 023" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 023" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBYdFCdRI/AAAAAAAAA0w/3pj9FSsvMjU/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20023_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> You can see where the sand level was along the right side ridge</p><p align="center"><strong>It also exposed some tide pools</strong><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBY5iUIOI/AAAAAAAAA00/dE2BoN3M7jo/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20017%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 017" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 017" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBZk7ezkI/AAAAAAAAA04/FObluzKAr-s/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20017_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p align="center">Back to the north end of the beach, and back to the jellyfish. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBaZxp1nI/AAAAAAAAA08/wbyHHz5FRvA/s1600-h/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20034%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="walk on the beach Droid 034" border="0" alt="walk on the beach Droid 034" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAxBbHaSf3I/AAAAAAAAA1A/_AkzIaxRw2I/walk%20on%20the%20beach%20Droid%20034_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p><p align="justify">I noticed that the milkier ones would occasionally bubble up, like it was gasping for air, but the clear ones never moved. These two had the tentacles entwined. Like two lovers that couldn’t bear to separate.</p><p align="justify">When we got back home we told the kids about them, and first, Jewel was sad we went without her, but then we were all interested to figure out why this happened. (<em>enter unschooling activity plug here</em>). With a quick search of the amazing, ingenious World Wide Web, we quickly learned, of all things…….the spawning habits of box jellyfish. Apparently this is a monthly thing, just most common on the windward and southern shores. About nine to ten days after a full moon thousands of jellyfish come near the shoreline to spawn, and it usually lasts three to four days. I checked the spawning calendar on <a href="http://www.808jellyfish.com" target="_blank">808jellyfish.com</a> and sure enough, we are smack dab in the middle of their egg laying.</p><p align="justify">It made me sad to see all these helpless jellyfish just laying there, but then we watched crabs start to come out of their holes and check out the jelly’s. We hoped they would eat them, so it was nice to learn later that the jellyfish did not die in vain, and will in fact be scavenged up by the sand crabs. </p><p align="center">And we thought we were just going for a walk.</p>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-68110904347905565942010-06-05T23:02:00.001-05:002010-06-05T23:02:01.240-05:00Name that Succulent<p align="justify">We noticed this odd looking cactus along our trail in the morning about six weeks ago, almost hidden in the tall grass. If I had to guess I’d say they were about nine inches tall, and just stood out as an odd beautiful thing in the middle of the dry grass. Especially being the only plant of it’s kind anywhere, that I could see.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsdqq811CI/AAAAAAAAAz4/pSpTslXk3n8/s1600-h/Droid%20171%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Droid 171" border="0" alt="Droid 171" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsdrgQGIMI/AAAAAAAAAz8/skOu8sL3iY4/Droid%20171_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p align="center">To add to it’s interestingness was this lone huge bulb. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsdsAFWEfI/AAAAAAAAA0A/O5DH1SnuDUY/s1600-h/Droid%20170%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Droid 170" border="0" alt="Droid 170" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsdsgZJTUI/AAAAAAAAA0E/CgB2WnL7MOE/Droid%20170_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="363" height="484" /></a> And what an awesome surprise to walk by this plant that hadn’t changed a bit for almost two months, and see this gorgeous flower. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsdteBJOMI/AAAAAAAAA0I/mMmTZ4dWqAQ/s1600-h/droid%20005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 005" border="0" alt="droid 005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAsduJQ19-I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/tiHAcgFIyr0/droid%20005_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">As it opened up it released seeds that looked exactly like the seed from the Tree of Life from the movie Avatar. (a few can be seen in the first photo, and one in the bottom left of the last photo…(*Droid photos)). </p> <p align="center">***The 3,245th thing that makes me happy to be in Hawaii***</p> Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-84693735185321042412010-06-03T00:09:00.001-05:002012-08-27T10:06:29.306-05:00Po’Kai Bay<p align="justify">Po’Kai Bay is a small bay on the Waianae Coast, smack dab in the center of town, and is a popular spot for the locals to bring their keiki’s (children) to play in the water. Even on the ocean’s roughest day, the bay will usually be a safe place for them to play. It’s also very popular for paddleboarding, kayaking, and outrigger canoeing.</p> <p align="justify"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="surfin 048" border="0" alt="surfin 048" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc40vK6MgI/AAAAAAAAAys/WUuNOUnyrqk/surfin048_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" />I took this shot from the far north side of the bay in what the locals call, Rest Camp, and where we like to surf, but lately we haven’t gone without Jewel so I stay behind on the beach with her while Joey surfs solo, and that leaves us hours to explore the entire bay. </p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc41E9jPwI/AAAAAAAAAyw/6cX10WaL9_0/s1600-h/SLR%20Lanikai%20080%5B11%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="SLR Lanikai 080" border="0" alt="SLR Lanikai 080" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc411Xbg3I/AAAAAAAAAy0/Wo0o6-dPRVw/SLR%20Lanikai%20080_thumb%5B11%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a> </p> <p align="justify"> I used to be intimidated to walk down the large rock jetty’s afraid that we’d be yelled at to get off or something, but I’ve come to learn pretty much no place is off limits in Hawaii. Even if there’s a danger sign warning people to stay out….it’s just that, a warning. </p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc42Y0WYzI/AAAAAAAAAy4/vsbd8obcX_M/s1600-h/restcamp%20163.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="restcamp 163" border="0" alt="restcamp 163" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc429zfmAI/AAAAAAAAAy8/1eT2h5XzNjE/restcamp%20163_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="484" /></a></p> <p>When we walk out on these rocks, or any rocks near the ocean, we see handfuls of crabs scurrying away. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc43gdKDFI/AAAAAAAAAzA/ikVKKbc0SVI/s1600-h/restcamp1643.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="restcamp 164" border="0" alt="restcamp 164" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc44I3IIOI/AAAAAAAAAzE/lKrYZVYHRco/restcamp164_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a></p> <p align="justify">One day I remembered there was a geocache hidden on the southern tip of the bay so Jewel and I grabbed my Droid, armed with the C:Geo App and built in camera, and went in search of our second cache in Hawaii. (still haven’t found the first one I tried) Below is the view from the southern tip looking into the bay and up Waianae Valley (which also has some hidden geocaches we plan on hunting soon).</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc442bk3-I/AAAAAAAAAzI/KQFKYUOXEOs/s1600-h/Droid2333.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid 233" border="0" alt="Droid 233" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc45dWyrwI/AAAAAAAAAzM/Te7WQHBsOVc/Droid233_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="454" /></a></p> <p align="center">Below is the view from the southern tip of the bay to northern tip</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc45wZi4bI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/LV7HtSFdHMk/s1600-h/Droid2413.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid 241" border="0" alt="Droid 241" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc46vjZIWI/AAAAAAAAAzU/UiDZQgdJ91A/Droid241_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=6aa189ad-002b-4126-b50a-3aa5449957ce" target="_blank"><font color="#cccccc">We searched for the </font>Ku’ilioloa Heiau Geocache</a> for what felt like forever. It was also the first time I’d ever tried to use a GPS and I quickly learned I HAD NO CLUE HOW TO USE IT. We searched all over, gave up, circled back, and tried again to figure out the GPS. I did eventually figure out I was within 6 feet of the stupid thing so there was no way I was leaving without finding it. I already have a few failed caches under my belt and I don’t <strong>really</strong> want the <strong>World’s Worst Geocacher</strong> title, so we searched on.</p> <p align="justify"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc47V0gJsI/AAAAAAAAAzY/BuQeD7niBA4/s1600-h/Droid2383.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid 238" border="0" alt="Droid 238" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc475EVJSI/AAAAAAAAAzc/lHtVv79EuYo/Droid238_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="center">And after an exhaustive search, in these boulders….we finally found our cache!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc48hqywOI/AAAAAAAAAzg/J5zdF7zhP0A/s1600-h/Droid2353.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="Droid 235" border="0" alt="Droid 235" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc49dby3aI/AAAAAAAAAzk/Hk_9Tgc4Xu4/Droid235_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Once I stopped, looked around and thought like someone who would be looking for a good spot to hide something themselves, it was obvious. Since we didn’t plan on geocaching we didn’t have anything to leave ourselves so we just looked at the goodies inside, logged our visit, sealed it back up and re-hid it. </p> <p align="justify">That was our first found cache here and since then have failed to find the one on our <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/mauna-lahilahi.html" target="_blank">Maunalahilahi hike</a> and completely intentionally passed up three more on our hike out to <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/kaena-point.html" target="_blank">Kaena Point</a>. I’ve realized now it’s not the treasure or the find I’m after, it’s all about the hike for me. I’ll continue to use geocaching.com for the trail information and the <em>taking me to places I’d never go otherwise</em>, but I doubt I’ll get too obsessive over finding the cache anymore. </p> <p align="center">Walking back out from the point we encounter one of those WARNING SIGNS<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc493lma0I/AAAAAAAAAzo/ol-HZM0GjNQ/s1600-h/pokai%20bay%20111%5B6%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="pokai bay 111" border="0" alt="pokai bay 111" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc4-achA_I/AAAAAAAAAzs/fb6cBaKfPMQ/pokai%20bay%20111_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc4-_vZNSI/AAAAAAAAAzw/uQpR7u4aoVY/s1600-h/pokai%20bay%20108%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="pokai bay 108" border="0" alt="pokai bay 108" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAc4_sWa-TI/AAAAAAAAAz0/no2pJjZbZFo/pokai%20bay%20108_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="center">I think we’ll be obeying the sign on this one!!</p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/995/Oahu/North-Oahu/Waialua/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/995.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>Waialua on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24282185.post-25956118563241357442010-06-01T09:41:00.000-05:002012-08-27T10:05:48.837-05:00Beal’s Pond<p align="justify">This is the popular surfing side of Makaha Beach, which ends at the block wall that begins the condo building. Beyond that rock wall are private residences and difficult to traverse, reef. Our friends told us there were pools over there in the reef though, so one morning Joey and I had to see these “pools” for ourselves.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6N8w_F2I/AAAAAAAAAxs/GHs16l_uhHg/s1600-h/Makaha%20Beach%20075%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Makaha Beach 075" border="0" alt="Makaha Beach 075" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6OgQwevI/AAAAAAAAAxw/HAF6hhiC7pw/Makaha%20Beach%20075_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="432" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Now THIS is a POOL!<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6PYh3UuI/AAAAAAAAAx0/Nz37PR_Qljg/s1600-h/Droid%20183%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Droid 183" border="0" alt="Droid 183" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6P-BRJeI/AAAAAAAAAx4/AFoCW0z7QvA/Droid%20183_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p>We expected some small tidepools, but was happily surprised with the depth and width of this pool! <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6QlOLf3I/AAAAAAAAAx8/d1FKsZ0A3k0/s1600-h/Droid%20184%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Droid 184" border="0" alt="Droid 184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6Rbn8kzI/AAAAAAAAAyA/YmLJeVo7ntk/Droid%20184_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="center">Like most places in Hawaii…there is a plaque:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6R8FtdJI/AAAAAAAAAyE/o1s04v6k7Ck/s1600-h/BealsPond97.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="Beal's Pond (9)" border="0" alt="Beal's Pond (9)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6Sv3VcKI/AAAAAAAAAyI/8JIT2aHVEPE/BealsPond9_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="648" height="448" /></a>  DEDICATED TO LOVERS, MAMAS AND BABIES</p> <p align="center">This is by far the best dedication I’ve seen.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6TCdOCuI/AAAAAAAAAyM/GWIjdZe9kRI/s1600-h/droid%20058%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 058" border="0" alt="droid 058" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6Tx7D0PI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/tULaN4i7yh8/droid%20058_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a></p> <p align="center">  As nice as it is to enjoy the peace and tranquility of this place by ourselves……it <strong>is</strong> best shared with friends!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6UeW87MI/AAAAAAAAAyU/7dT5sCmmkaQ/s1600-h/droid%20065%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 065" border="0" alt="droid 065" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6U-DkkwI/AAAAAAAAAyY/7E-OF32mxGQ/droid%20065_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="484" /></a> </p> <p>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6VZHxK7I/AAAAAAAAAyc/lf4tveztm4U/s1600-h/droid%20056%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="droid 056" border="0" alt="droid 056" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6V94zjII/AAAAAAAAAyg/QYgSSBBQbxg/droid%20056_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> </p> <p><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="267" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=89265bea7e&photo_id=4659356740&flickr_show_info_box=true"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=89265bea7e&photo_id=4659356740&flickr_show_info_box=true" height="267" width="400"></embed></object></p> <p align="justify">Jewel would have to wear her shoes to get across the rock so she could jump over and over again into the pond, and crocs turned out to be perfect reef-jumping shoes. She’d throw them into the water before she jumped and then they would just float on top. Then after jumping in she’d gather up her shoes and rest them on the spiky rock ledge to wait for her to repeat the cycle. Needless to say, Jewel loves this place!</p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6Wukyi0I/AAAAAAAAAyk/MgjbhjjhArw/s1600-h/droid%20061%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="droid 061" border="0" alt="droid 061" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xe9Z7tJOrmU/TAS6XTqabbI/AAAAAAAAAyo/J-CwbyhAHxg/droid%20061_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="644" height="482" /></a> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="center">They almost look like they’re hanging in mid air, don’t they?</p> <p align="center">Beal’s Pond: Just another reason to love Hawaii</p>
<div style='text-align:center;font-size:11px;font-family:arial;font-weight:normal;margin:10px;padding:0;line-height:normal'><a href='http://www.dwellable.com/a/1048/Oahu/West-Oahu/Vacation-Rentals' style='border:none'><img src='http://www.dwellable.com/dwellback/1048.jpg' style='width:102px;height:20px;border:none;margin:0;padding:0'><br>West Oahu on Dwellable</a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10588960539188812692noreply@blogger.com1