Welcome to Maui

After spending a few days on Oahu, we spent the rest of our 2008 Hawaii vacation on Maui, my first time on the Valley Isle. A view of the airport terminal building is above.

Driving away from Kahului Airport, you are welcomed by this sign right outside the airport grounds.

Believe it or not, the very first thing we did after leaving the airport was stop at Krispy Kreme and grab some doughnuts. I think we're too crazy about Krispy Kreme. The bad thing was that the doughnuts we had were not "hot and now" - not made fresh and piping hot.

After our doughnuts, we drove across the big valley in the center of Maui on our way to the beach resort town of Kihei.

Du~de!

Driving around the North Shore of Oahu in April of this year, we stopped at this beach called Turtle Beach. It was recommended by a guidebook called Oahu Revealed. The book said that you are virtually guaranteed to see a sea turtle here, whether in the water or on the beach itself. So we gave it a try, and we weren't disappointed. There were two turtles resting on the beach.

There were "turtle volunteers" keeping an eye on the turtles (a protected species) and making sure humans didn't get their dirty little hands on them. There were signs and ropes around the turtles (including a bilingual English-Japanese warning sign, seen above - very necessary, as the Japanese tourists were trying to get as close as they could).

A close-up view of one of the turtles.

Going up to Diamond Head

While in Hawaii this Golden Week, we did something I never did when my family lived in Hawaii: we went to the top of Diamond Head. Here I am near the start of the trail leading to the summit.

The trail starts to take you uphill, turning sharply at hairpins as you make your way up. The more altitude the trail takes, the more uneven the path becomes, so make sure you have sturdy shoes when you go. Also, be sure to take a lot of water, as you will get hot and sweaty.

Just when you think the trail's coming to an end, you lay eyes upon this beauty: a long, steep staircase. I didn't count exactly, but there must be over 100 stairs in this stretch along. After this, you go through a tunnel, up a narrow, spiral staircase, then you arrive at a park worker at a desk inside a foxhole stamping certificates. They cost $2 and say that you made the trip up to Diamond Head. Past that, you go up through a narrow opening to the top, and you are presented with this view:

Lovely, isn't it? Definitely worth the trip. It does get windy up there, though; my sister-in-law almost lost her precious brand-name hat. Be careful.

A View To Kill For

While in Waikiki at the end of April, we had dinner at a restaurant called Hanohano, located at the top of the Sheraton Waikiki. These pictures were taken from up there. The night view of Diamond Head below is amazing!!!

Do You Take...

During Golden Week my wife and I took another trip to Hawaii, this time with her sister as well as with her mother. Among the things we did was have a small wedding ceremony at a beach in Honolulu - an opportunity to take some lovely pictures. This is my wife and I with the minister during our vows (which my wife did completely in English - what a trooper!).

Hawaii Trip Part X - The last moment

On the day we were supposed to return to Japan, the flight was booked, and the three of us volunteered to give up our airplane seats and return the following day. In return, we got another night in beautiful Honolulu and a free night's stay at a hotel that was much better than the one we had stayed at. Here's the view from that hotel. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel's restuarant, enjoyed the music, and swam - a nice way to end a great vacation.

Hawaii Trip Part IX

A view of the caldera that is Kilauea volcano, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, May 2007.

This is me on the edge of the top of Kilauea.

A road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that was covered by lava several years ago. Slowly-flowing lava is always coming out of Kilauea, but to see the live stuff, you have to hike a ways from this point, maybe an hour or so.

Hawaii Trip Part VIII

On our last full day in the Big Island, we made a tour of the southern part of the island. This is an exhibit at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in the southwest part of the island. The hut, I guess, was common in Hawaii years and years ago.

Me and some friends at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau.

Some more friends, except this time the place was Punaluu Black Sand Beach Park, and the friends were sea turtles catching a few rays in the midday sun. What a surreal sight that was!

More of the black sand at Punaluu. Located in southeast Big Island, it's a must-stop for anybody driving around the island.

Hawaii Trip Part VII

Ancient Hawaiian carvings called petroglyphs, near Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii.

Ah, nothing like good American-style seafood and pasta. The Kona Seaside restaurant was fabulous!

Some coffee beans at the Royal Kona Museum and Coffee Mill, south of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Now do I really want to go in there? There might be monsters or something...

Amazing Views - Hawaii Trip Part VI

Each of the islands in Hawaii have different climates and vegetation in different areas on the island, and the Big Island was no exception. It took us about four hours or so to drive from Hilo to Kona, but it seemed like we drove from one world to another. Check out the above picture, taken north of Hilo on the east side. The trees and grass are green, due to the rain that side of the island gets.

Now this is the same road, on the other side of the island near Kona. No trees, and the grass looks dead. The climate is drier on that side. Amazing, huh?

A few kilometers later, we start seeing this stuff on both sides of the road. It took us a few minutes to realize that it was old lava, which came from volcanoes anywhere from 20 to 100 years ago. At one point, we got out of the car and took a look around. Nothing but dead grass and lava - a surreal scene.

Another view of dead grass and lava, as far as the eye can see.

On the Big Island - Hawaii Trip Part V

A sign near Hilo Airport letting us know where we are. Having lived on Oahu for three years before and never been to any of the "Neighbor Islands" before, our trip to the Big Island (properly called the Island of Hawaii) was the part I was looking forward to the most.

Some scenery north of Hilo on the east coast of the Big Island.

Me in front of Akaka Falls, north of Hilo.

Hawaii Trip - Part IV

A view of the beach at Waikiki. Before the trip, I had memories of Waikiki Beach being a crowded place, with people all around. I guess living in Japan has changed me, because it didn't seem that crowded this time around. My wife and her mother thought it was quite spacious, actually.

Performers at the Polynesian Cultural Center, about an hour and a half by car north of Honolulu, Hawaii. The exhibits were interesting, but the part I liked the most - the dinner - was the part my wife hated the most. I don't understand why; that luau food was pretty good.

An exhibit of Hawaiian items in a hut at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

A view of the Pacific Ocean from our hotel in Waikiki.