On Oahu with Dad

After a wonderful week on the island of Maui we then flew over to Oahu and drove north to Laie where we had rented another beautiful house.

The house had a pool overlooking Puehuehu Bay 

 The pool water was around 83 degrees but felt nice

By getting up early every morning I had the chance to read

Taken from the porch outside our room

Sunrise on Oahu

            

On our side of the point our house was a rocky shoreline but a 2 minute walk to the other side brought us to this beach

         

Bill and Lon catching some fish by the house

The 5 of us drove inland and toured the Dole Plantation

  It takes 2 1/2 years to grow   

Driving back we stopped at Waimea Bay

to take a look at the Banzai Pipeline where the surfers tackle the big waves. It was such a calm beach I asked a local where were the big waves and he told me we were there the wrong time of year, that it was during the winter when they surf here.

It was a short walk back to the top of the beach

 with Josie and Susan

                      

Hawaii

Tonga

Tahiti

New Zealand (Maori)

  

Samoa

Fiji

Playing the Ukulele
means jumping flea (because of the hand movements)
adapted from the Portuguese guitar

climbing a coconut tree

Welcome to the island of the Maori

        

This palm leaf after softening was woven into many items

  

Bill's interpretation of a Fijian dance

Welcome to the Ali'i Lu'au

removal of the pig

sitting at our Ambassador table

We drove down to Pearl Harbor but were unable to go out to the USS Arizona Memorial because of rough water in the harbor.

model of the Arizona Memorial

Arizona's ship bell

Pearl Harbor Peace Memorial

Punchbowl National Cemetery

View of Honolulu from the Punchbowl

Laurie at he Halona Blow Hole

  

The Hawaii Temple at Laie built in 1919

Maui Vacation with Dad

Hawaiian Vacation with My Dad

It's amazing how long it has been since we have all been together as a family, especially on a vacation together. Thank you Dad for suggesting this vacation and paying for the majority of it. I know Mom was with us as we enjoyed each others company and visited places she loved and talked about. This has been a trip Laurie and I have been wanting and have been planning for years. Thanks Josie and Susan for doing the planning and finding the two beautiful houses to rent, this allowed us to be together. With Dad, Josie, Lon, Mike and Laurie having been to the islands before Laurie, Me, Bill and Susan were insured to see places not to miss and the food to experience.

Around 7 hours of flying time with a 5 hour layover in Phoenix we arrived at the Kahului airport on the Island of Maui.

Our rental house was near the town of Haiku on the North shore.

This is the main house

             This is the view from the patio                  

We went to church in Pukalani and then drove around. 




We found the first LDS church in Hawaii which was built in 1851. Services are no longer held here.


The Elders live in the house next to the church

It was a little windy but we got our picture

We drove to Lahaina and ate at Mom's favorite restaurant Kimo's








It had been raining so Lon re-booked our bike ride so the next day Dad, Laurie and me decided to take a drive around the West side of the island. We should have asked more questions because the car rental map said our contract would be voided if we drove this road. It was paved but it was a single lane road with twists and turns and no cell phone service.





Our first stop was at Iao Valley

Laurie and Dad went back to the car because it was raining and they didn't want to climb the stairs.

That's the Iao Needle behind me

Kaemi Point

We missed the blow hole at Nakalele but Mike and Laurie was able to see it, they were driving in the opposite direction as we were. Notice the people to the right of it.

 

This is Honokohau Bay

Our first big wave surfers

Looking down on Honokohau Bay

Ready to set anchor and get to snorkeling

at Molokini Crater

Black Durgon Triggerfish

Sergeant Major

Butterflyfish

Convict Tangs

Pennant Butterflyfish

Mike and Laurie

Molokini Island
Top of a crater we snorkeled at

Sea Turtles who come ashore every evening to rest
Hookipa Beach

                   

This is where the locals and young kids surf and there

were signs that read that it was okay to feed the hippies

    Dad, Susan, Bill, Lon and myself took a tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours

This is turtle rock

Halawa Valley on Molokai

Don't you just love these waterfalls?

This is where they filmed part of Jurassic Park

Murphy's Beach
the circles are fish ponds, there used to be 70 of them

Maalaea Bay

23 Wind turbines which provide 16%
of the Maui's power

The last of the sugarcane fields on Maui
it costs to much to harvest
they are going to start growing marijuana

Olowalu Valley

              

Yes that is a convertible Mustang I'm driving                              Laurie said I needed a new bra

We are on the road to Hana waiting for some tourists

to take their pictures of the waterfall and move on.

notice the guys behind us getting in on our picture

                                                                        

                                                                                            Dad wanted a Hawaiian Crepe
                                                                                        the start of our trip on the road to Hana

  

                                          

      

                  

Just a few of the waterfalls along the road

The Stone Church in Hana

We took a walk through the first part of the lava tube

            
   

Pools of Oheo (7 Sacred Pools)

              

Ranger Station at Haleakala Crater

Sunrise

Ranger chanting to welcome in the new day
you can see a few of the telescopes in the background

Lon and me dressed for our bike ride down the crater

The new $300 million Haleakala Solar Telescope

Mama's Fish House