The MGB Clan's Trip to Paradise! Oahu, Hawaii 8/30 - 9/4

[MonstersGoBoo!]

Aloha and welcome to my Hawaii Vacation Trip Report! This was a very special trip for me, since it was my first time to the beautiful islands of Hawaii and I would like to share my experiences with you all.

August 30th, 2009:

I was eating Cheerios at this time! 30ish more minutes until we were about to head out to LAX.


Getting through the security checkpoint was a breeze, probably due to the fact that there was no one at the airport. We made to our Gate! (72)


After two and a half hours of waiting, we were finally on the plane to go to Honolulu! The excitement was killing us.


And after a 5 hour flight, we landed in Honolulu! Because we booked through AAA/Pleasant Holidays, we were given transportation from the airport to our hotel.

Here's where we stayed:


Since our room wasn't exactly ready by the time we arrived, we ended up going to the International Marketplace for some food. Thankfully, it was a walk across the street!


This tree was SO cool looking.


Yes, I thought of all of you MCers when I took this photo. Sadly, I didn't get any from the stand since I was full from an amazing Hawaiian BBQ Burger.


After lunch, we went back to our hotel and found out that our room was ready! Yay! Didn't get a picture of it, but here's the view from our room.


Time for some awesome beach time!

Shawn (Pacman) was really excited to be sitting on Waikiki's soft sand.


The waters in Hawaii are SO MUCH NICER than California's. They're warmer, clearer, and you can actually see the sand beneath you while you swim.

After swimming for a good hour or so, my mom, Shawn, and I fell asleep to Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" that was being played by a fantastic live band at Duke's (if you're an OC local but more on the lines of Huntington Beach, then you should know what Duke's is). After we woke up, we headed back to our hotel room and watched the sunset.

August 31st, 2009:

Since we booked our trip through AAA/Pleasant Holidays, we were given a complimentary breakfast with an orientation about what was to be offered on the mini-island of Oahu. On the way there, my family and I had a little bit of fun inside the mall where the orientation was offered.

Durr hurr.


This is why we're hot!


The breakfast was good, and Pleasant Holidays helped us book everything we wanted to see and do while we were here. A couple hours afterward, we decided to go up to Diamond Head. We called our friend Paul who lives near Hanauma Bay and asked if he wanted to join us. He said yes, and offered to take us on a mini tour on the way!

Hibiscus, Hawaii's state flower.


Paul picked us up and we were on our way. We stopped to take photos near about halfway up to Diamond Head.


You can kind of see it, but it's baby Mongoose!




Wind surfing looks like so much fun.


We have arrived at our destination and I was(not) ready for the awesome hike of .7 miles and 760ft upward!


We found a plumeria tree!


The starting point... If you look up toward the top of the photo, there's a point with a little building... That's where we were headed. Ugh.


This is the view from the halfway point.


Fail Shawn.


RAW!




We had to walk through a dark tunnel, and then up 99 steep steps to meet more stairs. Here's the elevation when we reached step 97. Elevation when we started was about 16 (I think).


More stairs.... Boooooooo!


AND WE MADE IT TO THE TOP WOOHOO! I ALMOST DIED BUT I DIDN'T! WOOHOO!






Our hotel is to the right of the pink hotel.




Waikiki




As you can see, the water here is many different shades of blue and green.... And not just yucky green likes some California waters.


Here's Paul with that tunnel I told you about.


So after spending about an hour and a half at the top of the mountain, we headed back down, got a shave ice, and started to go back to the Outrigger. This cute little cardinal was drinking the water on the pavement.



August 31st... TO BE CONTINUED
(yes, you will want to see the rest of this day because it's the sunset I will be showing you!)

[my7dwarves]

Great pictures!! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your trip!!

[-Disneyland-]

Nice, looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the share

[Sir Didymus]

Ok, I lied in your visitor message....I couldn't wait to read it!

I'm so happy for you! The place looks just as beautiful as I remember it!........*sads* I wish I could go back.

[MonstersGoBoo!]

Hello again! Let's continue with the lovely Waikiki sunset photos!

Made it back to the hotel and decided to walk the beach.




Visited the Duke statue. If you don't know who he is, he's a surf legend in Hawaii.




The clouds were positioned perfectly so the sun rays came through and showed us some heaven's rays.


Hallelujah!


And the family..


Then it was sleepy time and getting ready to head to Pearl Harbor...

Sept. 1st, 2009

It was 6:30am and our shuttle had come to take us to Pearl Harbor to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Battleship Missouri, and Punchbowl Cemetery. We arrived at USS Arizona Memorial's visitor and information center before we boarded the memorial.



The Japanese aircraft carrier.






Parts of Japanese planes that were discovered after the attack.




A torpedo.


This is how the USS Oklahoma was attacked and how it sank, as you can see from the picture at the top.


After looking at the mini museum, we watched a film about the attack on Pearl Harbor, and then boarded a ship which took us to the memorial.

This is an oiler. This ship goes out to other ships that are out at sea and refuels them.




USS Battleship Missouri.


We made it to the memorial site.


Those pieces that are sticking out of the water are the USS Arizona itself. It's very sad to know that the men who died on the day of the attack are still underneath the ship's confines.






Oil is still coming up from the ship, as you can see by the rainbow circle.
















We then headed back to the bus to go onto the USS Missouri. That will be coming up later today, so stay tuned!

[Disney1978]

Oh my gosh that was a lot of stairs! Congratulations on making it to the top. It was worth it for those shots.

What a beautiful tribute to the people that lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

Seems like you had a great trip.

[MonstersGoBoo!]

It was time to head to the shuttle and make our way toward the USS Missouri. On the way, we were told that these buildings have not been touched since the attack. The broken windows were from the Japanese fighter planes.

Here's the memorial for the USS Oklahoma.




Time for another family photo!


The walkway was lined with many American flags, probably because the next day would mark the anniversary of when the Japanese signed the surrender document on board the battleship. Usually there's different country flags, apparently.



Those are some pretty big guns!


There was a machine gun on board.


Shawn played Rambo for a good minute or two.






They called this the Truman Line because at the time Pres. Truman was afraid of flying and used the USS Missouri to travel.










This is the room where they monitored radars.


And now where they signed the instrument of surrender...


RIGHT HERE!




Now it's time to see the Punchbowl Cemetery.




What's sad is that these tombstones are used for bodies that couldn't be identified.


We weren't allowed to walk around in the cemetery unless we were visiting someone who was buried, but it's a very lovely place in a great location.


Next day is the Polynesian Cultural Center.... Which I'll show you later!

[caesarboxfan]

Nice TR, so far MGB.

I would have died going up those steps! Congrats, well worth it!

[astrologic]

I shall live vicariously through these photos until I may someday visit the lovely Hawaii. Great report.

[penguinsoda]

What beautiful pictures!! I esp. love the sunset shots! Looking forward to MORE!

[MickeyMaxx]

One lucky family, I would say!

Great photos. Can't wait for more!

[MickeyMousePal]

Lovely photos
Hawaii always seems to Aww me.

[sir clinksalot]

Great stuff Danielle. I want to get back out to Pearl Harbor one of these days. And Hawaii too I guess.

[miapoepia]

Fantastic picture(as always). I've stayed at the Outrigger-Waikiki before too. I love the International Market Place,so cheesy and fun. Did you get any pukas shells?

[MonstersGoBoo!]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone!

Originally Posted by miapoepia

Fantastic picture(as always). I've stayed at the Outrigger-Waikiki before too. I love the International Market Place,so cheesy and fun. Did you get any pukas shells?

I got a puka shell necklace for friend, and I got a Kukui Nut necklace for myself which is now hanging on my rear view mirror of my car.