Last Days in Hawaii: Days 20 and 21
Well, I'm back in boring old Cleveland.
Friday after I posted was a free day. We spent all day at the pool...literally. I got some good sun though; I think I'm more tan than I've ever been. And it was nice to swim in calm, clean, chlorinated water, instead of crazy, cold, salty water. That night PK had a cookout for us by the pool, so we all just hung out and ate and talked. I had to leave early, because the constant talk of med school started stressing me out; I can't think too much about the future, especially on vacation. I didn't want to be freaking out about the fact that the real world is coming at me way too fast. That night was party time; a bunch of us got together and played music too loud and just acted generally silly.
The next day was mostly free. We went shopping for awhile, but I got really sick from too much sun and heat and not enough water and went back to the room to sleep for awhile. Then it was luau time. We went to the Old Lahaina Luau for dinner. It was amazing. We had preferred seating, which meant we had to sit on the ground on little cushions, but I guess that was more authentic, and we were right in front of the stage. When we arrived, everyone got leid with a real lei made from actual flowers. We watched the pig ceremony, which involved everyone shouting "Aloha!" and then listening to the history of the luau while they took the pig out of the underground oven. Looking at the pig made me glad I don't eat meat. The drinks were free and the food was served buffet style, and it was excellent. Crab salad, fresh fruit, banana bread made with fresh bananas, mahi mahi...and that's just what I ate. There were so many choices! The best were the sweet potatoes...I'm talking about the real sweet potatoes, the purple ones, served plain. I have to find those somewhere; they are amazing.
Then we got a big dessert tray for while we watched the show. Hula! The show was a bunch of different hula dances, some traditional, some to explain the history of the dance and the islands. There were girls in grass skirts and coconut bras and guys in loin clothes. Something for everyone, I suppose. I have no idea how they dance like that.
Our waiter was one of the dancers, so afterwords we all took pictures with him. In the picture, we're giving the shaka...it's something they do over there that's about as common as aloha and mahalo.
Sunday I went to the pool for a little with the others who had later flights. PK, his wife, two other students and I went to a Thai restaurant for dinner (my first time eating Thai!) and then to the airport. My flight left at 10:40 p.m. Talk about a terrible flight. I stopped in LA, and then Huston. The flight to Cleveland was terrible...there was a ton of turbulence, and I swear we had the amature pilot land the plane. I pretty much slept all day today so I could recover.
Well, that's all for Hawaii...hopefully I'll be back some day...maybe with a significant other, or friends, or family or something. And that's all for now for the blog as well, until next time I travel. Thanks for reading and commenting and following along with my trip! Unitl next time, aloha!
Maui: Days 16, 17, 18, 19
Sorry I haven’t posted in forever; there’s no internet in our condo and we’ve had full days so I’m just too exhausted at night to walk to the internet café.
Maui is lovely. Our lodgings are the best of the whole trip. We’re in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with a kitchen and living room. The pool is right outside our back door. It’s awesome.
We flew in on the worst flight of my entire life; there was an intense amount of turbulence. On the way to our condo, we stopped at the Iao State Park to see the Iao needle and a traditional Hawaiian garden.
Tuesday we had to be up really early, as in 5:45 a.m. early so we could be to our boat by 6:30. We went on a snorkeling cruise sponsored by the Pacific Whale Foundation to Molokini Crater, one of only three submerged volcanic calderas in the world. A reef grew inside the caldera, so there was a lot of coral and fish. On the way to our second stop, we had to sail through “confused” waters…which made for some excitement and a lot of people getting seasick. Our second stop was not quite as exciting, but we amused ourselves by going off the slide and just enjoying the water.
We made use of our kitchen and had taco night that evening and had taco night. It was nice to have a relatively home-cooked meal since we’ve been eating out so much.
Wednesday we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Maui Ocean Center, an aquarium that raises animals like sharks and turtles to release back into the ocean. After that we went to Honolua Bay to snorkel. At first, we thought it was going to be terrible because the water was really murky and there was nothing to see close to the beach. But when we swam out and towards the cliff walls of the bay, we found a lot of coral and tons of fish. I saw a ton of cool fish, including two huge eels and a giant school of big silver fish that surrounded me. It was a god last snorkel.
Yesterday we drove to the top of Haleakala, which means “House of the Sun” in Hawaiian, and is the tallest Mountain on Maui and the third highest in the Hawaiian Islands. We stopped at several different lookouts, each with an amazing view. The Big Island was visible from the top. We also got to hike up a couple smaller hills at our stops for better views. On our way home we stopped to watch windsurfers. If there was one water activity I wish I could do, that would be it. It’s awesome to watch, and looks like a lot of fun.
Today is a free day, so I think the plan is to go to the pool or the beach or something to get in one last day of sun, and then maybe some shopping before dinner tonight. Luau tomorrow, then home Sunday. I can't believe the trip is almost over. I'm kind of glad to go home; I'm tired of always having a set schedule and living out of a suitcase. But I'm not really ready to leave either because...well...it's Hawaii. I'll be back in boring Ohio instead of having huge mountains on either side of me and the ocean in front of me. Oh well. Have to get back to reality at some point, I guess. I'll post about the end of our trip when I'm safely back in Cleveland.
Everything Honolulu Has to Offer: Days 13, 14, and 15
This week has just been exhausting!
Friday we saw the submarines used by the Hawaii Underwater Research Laboratory (yes, their acronym is HURL), as well as the ship they are carried to sea on. Apparently these are world-class submersibles; only about a dozen exist and the U.S. is one of only three countries to have two. We learned all about the research they do. It was interesting, but I definitely don't think I'd want to go down in one...they're so small! Plus, there's no bathroom. And I had trouble handling a 103-foot dive to a coral reef on the Atlantis...these can go as deep as 2,000 meters to explore things like underwater volcanoes. Definitely not for me.
We had lunch at the University of Hawaii campus and made the all-important trip to the bookstore, where I of course spent way more money than I really needed to. But not all on me, so that makes it ok, right? We also made a quick stop at the Dole Plantation. There were no bananas though, which was really disappointing...I mean, saving the bananas is why I decided to be a biologist...I was really looking forward to talking to someone about the current genetic condition of the bananas and actually seeing all the banana clones, but no such luck. There were pineapples though, which actually grow on little bushes, not trees like I thought, and the best, most amazing pinapple ice cream ever. Next, we went snorkeling at Sharks Cove, where there are no sharks, thank goodness, just a lot of pretty fish. Finally, we had pizza and a lecture and got to see pictures from the HURL submarine dives. It was an incredibly full, exhausting day.
Yesterday we had a very early morning so we could go to Pearl Harbor. Talk about a rough morning. I was fine while we were looking around the store, museum, and main grounds. But then we went to watch this movie about what happened there, and of course, I immediately started crying. Then we took a little shuttle boat over to the actual memorial, which sits over the sunken USS Arizona like a bridge. It was probably one of the saddest, most haunting things I've ever experienced, seeing the few parts of the ship close to the surface and knowing that the more than 1,000 people who died on that ship were still below me. The wall of names started another flood of tears. It's so hard...you just look at those faces in the movie and those names on the wall and it's so easy to picture people you know. It could have been my grandfather; it's worse to think that some day it could be my boyfriend or his brother. I know it's horrible to think like that, but when you stand there, you can't help it. It really makes you think about life and how precious it is and how unfair it is that it is so often lost before it should be because we all can't just get along.
We went snorkeling that afternoon, but I wasn't really in the mood and the water was really rough, so snorkeling time was minimal and I mostly just hung out at the pretty beach we were at. We had a free evening, which always spells trouble, especially when the girls you're with refuse to let you sit in your room and cry because you missed the last call from your boyfriend doing army evalutaions at Fort Lewis and won't be able to talk to him at all for who knows how long and suggest a couple shots, lots of music, and silly behavior as a good alternative. Yeah, don't listen when that happens. You'll regret it in the morning.
Today was free, so after sleeping in way late to catch up from the lack of sleep this week and a greasy breakfast and lots of water to cure our hangovers, we spent several hours at the beach finally evening out our tans. Everyone else went to dinner and to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but I needed to do laundry and pack and I was exhausted, so I just stayed in. Plus, I told Michael I'd see it with him and my mom wants to see it with me. Twice in the theater is acceptable. Three times would be a little much.
Tomorrow it's off to Maui. The end of the trip is flying by. Keep leaving me comments!
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology: Day 12
Today was quite a day.
We visited the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, which has its own island, Coconut Island, all to itself. We had a crazy boat driver take us over on this tiny, rickety boat…I think it was even scarier than the submarine adventure.
Our first activity was a lecture and close up encounter with the dolphins. We met Boris, a bottlenose dolphin, and learned all about bottlenose dolphins and the research they help HIMB carry out. Everyone got to pet him and feed him; he obviously enjoyed the spotlight and obliged most willingly, especially when there was fish involved! We also met Kina, a false killer whale, which is another type of dolphin. We didn’t get to touch her, but she showed off for us in the water and demonstrated how she uses her exfoliating rope with a long, dramatic back rub. Did you know dolphins shed their skin 7 times a day? That’s why they need the exfoliating rope. Just thought I’d throw in some of the learning to humor my mom.
After the dolphins, we learned about pink snapper, a fish endangered by over-fishing, and viewed the facilities in which HIMB is testing the success rate of raising them in captivity. We also got to see some sharks. After lunch, we took an exclusive, behind-the-scenes walking tour of the island, learned its history, and viewed several of the different research stations. We also got to visit the touch tanks, where we got to hold exciting things like sea urchins and sea cucumbers (which are gross…they feel like intestines, and they kinda look like them too!). The sea urchin in the picture is a red pencil sea urchin. The day ended with some snorkeling in the bay by the island.
On the way home, took a detour up one of the many mountains to view the whole area we had just visited from above. It also happened to be the site of the battle led by King Kamehameha I to take over Oahu and fulfill his quest of uniting all of the Hawaiian Islands under one rule (look, mom, more learning!).
Finally, we looked at a slide show presentation of the underwater pictures we’ve taken so far so that we could identify them and figure out what we were seeing.
It was a long but interesting day. I think the next few days will be the same. Hopefully that means lots of interesting pictures!
Snorkeling, Submarines, and More Traveling: Days 9, 10, and 11
Ok, finally update time.
Monday we snorkeled…a lot! But it was really cool, probably the best day of snorkeling as far as fish goes. We saw a large variety of them, all different colors, and sometimes you would look down and find yourself surrounded by huge schools of them. It was quite impressive. There were also some sea turtles that came right up to the shore to eat algae off the rocks. The got close enough that we were able to touch them. I took a whole disposable camera's worth of pictures! Unfortunately, I can't put any of them here.
While exploring the tidepools at the second place we snorkeled, I found the little guy pictured here. He's a hermit crab. They're everywhere, and they're really cute and not shy at all. They hide in their shells when you pick them up, but once they've been in your hand a couple seconds, they come out to investigate. I wanted to name him Bob, but I think he looks more like a Charlie, so we'll go with that.
Monday night we went to see the manta rays swimming in the water. Unfortunately, we couldn't swim with them, but they were really cool to watch. They're huge! And I don't care what scientific fact says, watching a flappy manta ray do summersaults in the water or a pair of them perfectly synchronize all of their movements is enough to convince me that animals do have personalities.
Tuesday morning we went on the Atlantis Submarine. It was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. It’s hard to mentally grasp the fact that you’re going underwater with nothing but this little bubble to protect you and no air except what’s available. The submarine sat 48 people in two rows back-to-back, parallel to the walls. Two people shared each port window. Our maximum depth was 103 feet. We saw a lot of fish, and two shipwrecks. I tried to take pictures, but only a few came out because you couldn’t use a flash against the glass and they didn’t use floodlights so all we had to see by was the sunlight that filtered through the water. I did learn that in water, red and orange are the first colors in the light spectrum to break down, which makes the blue and green colors more intense. Hence water is blue.
Tuesday was also the Fourth of July. *Begin serious commentary* I would like to sincerely thank all of the men and women who have and will fight to protect us. *End serious commentary* Yeah, dating someone in the military kinda does that to you. Anyway…it was one of the best 4ths ever. They launched the fireworks from the bay right by our hotel, so we stood on our balcony with a drink and watched the display. It was awesome. The rest of the evening was just general mischief, with just a bit of drama.
Today we packed up and left the Big Island for Oahu, which is the island that Lost is filmed on (maybe I’ll see some cast members…ok, probably not). We are staying in Waikiki at a phenomenal hotel. There are four of us girls in a room on the 19th floor with 3 beds, a kitchenette, and a fabulous view. Tonight was girls’ night out at Cheesecake Factory for dinner!
Alright, I should be caught up. Mahalo for leaving me comments. Aloha!
Place of Refuge: Day 8
Finally stole my computer back from the crazy hordes. Apparently I’m the only one with a computer that works on the wireless.
Today we went to the Place of Refuge. There was a cultural festival going on, so we watched people make traditional Hawaiian crafts like baskets and hair wreaths and sampled some traditional Hawaiian food, including taro, ahi, sugar cane, and sweet potato. Sweet potato, by the way, is actually purple. What we in the continental U.S. call a sweet potato is not actually a sweet potato, but a yam. Despite the strange color, I think the purple sweet potato was the best thing there.
Then we went snorkeling. We saw another sea turtle! They are so graceful in the water; it’s quite a contrast from how slow they are on land. There were also lots of pretty fishes. But the Pacific is so cold, and once again, the sun wasn’t out (not that my burnt skin minded), so I didn’t last too long.
That was really it. Sorry this is such a short entry (although my faithful readers are probably thankful…less boredom for them!). No pictures either…they’re all on my underwater camera. Thanks for all the fun comments I’ve been getting; it’s great to hear from you all! Aloha!
Waterfalls and Sea Turtles: Days 6 and 7
Oh. My. Gosh.
This trip just 10 times better. Yay for being in a real city in a hotel with air conditioning!
Yesterday, after breakfast at Ken's Pancake House, home of the most amazing pancakes I've ever tasted, we visited several waterfalls around the Hilo area. They were pretty, and the area around them was full of all kinds of interesting plant life. The picture is of Akaka Falls, which is 442 feet high. After the waterfalls we went to a place to learn about the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which are the older Hawaiian Islands that are now mostly underwater. One that you might know is the Midway Atoll, which used to belong to the U.S. military. Then we went back to Richardson's beach to snorkel, but my sunburt, crispy self didn't get back in the water; I just enjoyed sitting on the beach. The evening ended with a really nice restaurant at a fabulous restaurant called Cafe Pesto...I had the best fish with eggplant and mashed potatoes. Here are all the ladies looking lovely for our evening out.
Today we packed up and left Hilo to travel to Kona. On the way, we stopped back by Volcanoes National Park to watch a video about the volcanoes that we missed the first time around. Then we went to the the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach, which is the number one most beautiful beach in Hawaii according to the Travel Channel. Here we saw...sea turtles!
It was like seeing a bunch of really big Kazoos! (That would be Kazoo as in the turtle, not the cheap, plastic, annoying, fake instrument.) They were adorable. We also got up close and personal with some other marine life, such as a helmet sea urchin and a sea snail. Our last stop was the most southerly point in the United States. We wrote our name in coral (apparently a tradition).
Now, we are in Kona. We are staying in a hotel with a wireless connection, so I can update more often. We're right by the water (although not a beach), and the atmosphere is much more like I picture a tropical island; there are people and shops and bands and open-air restaurants. I am eating the best candy bar in the whole world right now, made from dark chocolate, Kona coffee, and macadamia nuts (oh yeah, you're jealous).
Well, that's all the news. Mahalo (that means thank you in Hawaiian) for reading this entry!
Then we got a big dessert tray for while we watched the show. Hula! The show was a bunch of different hula dances, some traditional, some to explain the history of the dance and the islands. There were girls in grass skirts and coconut bras and guys in loin clothes. Something for everyone, I suppose. I have no idea how they dance like that. 
Our waiter was one of the dancers, so afterwords we all took pictures with him. In the picture, we're giving the shaka...it's something they do over there that's about as common as aloha and mahalo.
