Mauna Kea

also known as

 

The  Best. Beach. Ever.

 

 

 

We spent a few delightful days there.

 

 

 

molesting sea turtles

 

*DISCLAIMER - No sea turtles were actually molested by us on this trip.  We know that you are not allowed to touch them & thought we had made that clear to our children, and then Max couldn't help himself apparently & touched one's fin right when I took this picture.

 

 

ordering lava flows on the beach

 

 

 

 

Aaahhhhh.



The Big Island

When you first land on the Big Island, you would swear you just landed on the moon. Miles and miles of lava rock. It's not all like that, of course. But there is alot of lava rock.

 

 

Big Island graffiti.

 

 

Made with pieces of white coral.

 

 

 

Anyway, we rented a house on Kealakekua Bay.

 

But first we rented a car.  And we totally scored a Suburban. I felt right at home.

 

 

Good thing the rental car company couldn't see what we put this poor car through!

 

 

The road on the way to the rental.

 

Kealakekua Bay.

 

Brian & I have been here before, & we had the most magical time kayaking & snorkeling here.  It's truly amazing.  So we wanted to stay in this area.

 

But,

 

I would not do it again.

 

I wish we had stayed near one of the fabulous beaches north of here.

And for some reason, this area does not get ocean breezes, which you count on to keep cool, since most Hawaiian homes do not have air conditioning.  We ended up buying a small air conditioning unit at Costco!

Other than that, plenty of room & awesome snorkeling nearby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the Bakers arrived.....

 

.....and the Big Island adventures began.



Oahu

The rest of it.

 

First of all, let me brag about our room on Waikiki.

 

This was our view.....

 

 Not too shabby.

 





So, after hitting Pearl Harbor & the Dole Pineapple Plantation, we hit some beaches, surfed a little & hiked a little before catching a flight to the Big Island.

 

Surfing Waikiki at sunset.

 

 

I can't remember the name of this place, but it was a great exploring & snorkeling spot.

 

Caroline was not quite sure about all of this at first......

......but then decided she liked it.

 

 

 

One of the mornings, Brian & the older kids hiked Diamondhead.  I gladly stayed behind with Gus & Caroline in the sweet hotel room, and Mars took up photographer duty.