25th Anniversary in Paradise
Wednesday, February 3 – The decision to head to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary had been made sometime early in our marriage, and the time had finally arrived. We left the house at 5:30 AM EST, with no snow on the ground and fairly reasonable temperatures for winter. The airport wasn’t busy, security was no problem, and we were both able to check in online rather than having to use the counter thanks to TSA changes. We grabbed a bite from McDonald’s while we waited for Delta flight 1751 for Salt Lake City, an MD-90. Our takeoff was delayed because a coyote was wandering on the runway and had to be shooed off by airport security. We saw him run past the plane, a police car in pursuit, as we waited for clearance. Once airborne, we promptly flew through the clouds which stretched to the horizon. Salt Lake airport was very busy. It’s our Cinnabon stop. Overcast with lots of snow in Utah.
Delta 1105 was a 767 with no less than three crying babies to keep us company for the next leg. The Pacific was mostly overcast. Intense headwinds slowed our flight by about an hour. At last we spotted Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala poking through the clouds. It was 69° when we landed in Honolulu and the locals complained it was cold. A GoGo rep met us and another couple at the airport, walked us to baggage claim, told us about our Pearl Harbor tour, and got us on a shuttle for Waikiki. We arrived at the Outrigger Waikiki well before sunset, dropped our things in the room, and took a walk on the beach before dinner on an open balcony at Duke’s Canoe Club where we watched the sun sink over the Pacific. Duke’s is named for surfing legend and longtime Waikiki fixture Duke Kahanamoku.
This was Jim’s first visit to Hawaii, his first time in the tropics, and marked Lynne’s return to Oahu after almost 35 years.
Thursday, February 4 – Breakfast outdoors, under a thatched umbrella, at the hotel’s Hula Grill. We watched the sightseeing submarines being towed out of the harbor while we ate. Lynne had Spam and eggs and Jim had fried rice. We walked to Kuhio Park, then to the International Marketplace, before buying some goodies for lunch from one of the omnipresent ABC stores in Waikiki. The afternoon was windy. At 4:20 cousin Jerry welcomed us aboard cousin Neil’s coach for a trip to Germaine’s Luau on the west shore. We took the H1 past Waipahu to the Campbell Estate by Barber’s Point for a traditional pig-in-the-ground (imu) feast with music and dancing from the various Polynesian cultures highlighted by a Samoan fire-knife dance. On the way there, cousin Jerry had joked that a Blue Hawaii is made with Windex. After trying one, Jim was inclined to believe him. The food was okay, hardly surprising when cooking for hundreds of guests, but the evening was entertaining and the beachside setting was beautiful. Cousin Jerry told jokes and had us singing silly songs on our return to Waikiki. On Oahu everyone is a cousin because we all have the same uncle, Uncle Sam. On the way back to Waikiki Jerry pointed out the hospital where President Obama was born.
Friday, February 5 – The Hula Grill again for breakfast and the fantastic view. The activity desk at the Outrigger was unable to secure a rental car, but suggested we try the office at the Hyatt down the street. Budget had cars available and we toured the island in a Nissan Altima. Once past Diamond Head and out of Honolulu, our first stop was Hanauma Bay to marvel at the coral formations, lava cliffs and sandy crescent of the beach. Next up was the Blowhole where incoming waves send a spout of water through a hole in the rocks. We turned inland a bit to take in the view from Pali Lookout before heading back to the shore past Sandy and Sunset beaches. Lunch was at a Maori-themed McDonalds next to the Polynesian Cultural Center.
After touring the North Shore we cut inland again, this time driving through pineapple fields and past Schofield Barracks and into Waipahu, the town where Lynne lived. The H3 and H1 took us back to Honolulu at a snail’s pace and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Hawaiians take it all in stride though, with no impatience or horn honking. We picked up a prescription Lynne had her doctor call in before returning the car and heading back to the hotel in the late afternoon. All told, our trip around the island took less than seven hours (with stops), and racked up 117 miles on the rental car. Jim picked up a couple of Puka Dogs for dinner based on glowing reviews from sources like the Travel Channel and Food Network.
Saturday, February 6 – Lynne was up during the night feeling nauseated and blamed the Puka Dog so she ended up staying at the hotel all day. Jim took the tour of Pearl Harbor and Honolulu. The tour guide/driver was very entertaining. Half-Tongan, a former monk and now a choir director, he rattled off Hawaiian, Polynesian and Latin with ease. The tour included Punchbowl Cemetary (unfortunately, tours aren’t allowed to stop, so we had to settle for driving through), the old Parliament Building, the Iolani Palace, statue of Kamehaha the Great, the State Capitol, the Arizona Memorial and the battleship Missouri. A new visitor center was in the final stages of construction so many areas of the old center, and many exhibits in the museum there, were either blocked off or had already been moved. Access to the Missouri requires all parcels larger than a camera bag to be checked and the bus to be searched before being allowed on Ford Island. In addition to the Missouri, we also saw a memorial to the crew of the USS Oklahoma. The tour finished around 3:30 in the afternoon. Lynne’s stomach was still a little iffy so Jim picked up something mild from the ABC store and we packed for the morning departure.
Sunday, February 7 – Checked out of the Outrigger for a wild ride to the airport. Our shuttle driver would get so busy talking he missed his stops at the next three hotels and had to swing around for another pass each time. Despite the detours we still got to the airport with over an hour before Hawaiian Air flight 138 to Kona. After a remarkably short flight we approached Kona over immense fields of black lava rock. The airport still used wheeled ramps rather than jetways and the buildings were all open-sided, even the baggage claim. When we got to Alamo we had a wide choice of a car (somehow, a Ford Focus got classified as a midsize). But the folks at Alamo were very friendly with the shuttle driver giving us tips on the best restaurants in Kailua-Kona.
An eight-mile drive later, we were in Kailua-Kona a bit early for check-in, so we stopped for lunch at a Denny’s. Jim had a local favorite, the Loco Moco (steamed rice, hamburger patty, sauteed onions, a fried egg and brown gravy). We spotted whales while we ate. At the Royal Kona Resort we upgraded from an ocean view room to an ocean front which moved us into the Alii tower. Our lanai opened on to the bay where we watched Spinner Dolphins put on a show, leaping and twisting out of the water. No beach at this resort; instead we were treated to the sight and sound of waves crashing on the black lava rocks. The whales disappeared as the afternoon wore on. We watched the last half of the Superbowl before heading down to Don’s Mai Tai Bar for dinner.
Monday, February 8 – Our day started with a whale splashing just past the mouth of the bay. After a quick breakfast at Burger King (if you don’t get fast food, a meal can easily take an hour), we headed south on 11 towards Hawaii Volanoes National Park. On the way we saw Longhorn cattle and a zebra next to the road at a private ranch. We detoured down South Point road past rows of windmills to Ka Lae, the southernmost point in the states. We left the car at the end of the pavement and walked to the cliffs overlooking an endless expanse of blue water – the next solid ground south is Antarctica.
After returning to route 11 we stopped at Punalu’u, a black sand beach, and saw a sea turtle sunning itself on the shore. Volcano House was completely closed for renovation so we left the park and drove to the town of Volcano for a slow lunch at Kiawe Kitchen, a combination restaurant and general store. Part of Crater Rim road around Kilauea was closed because of toxic fumes coming from the Halema’uma’u crater, so we had to turn around at the Jagger Volcano Observatory. Chain of Craters Road took us through immense lava flows from previous eruptions. The road takes it name from the many craters left by previous eruptions as old vents plug up and new vents form.
Chain of Craters had been a loop road but has been cut in half by Kalauea’s output. A steep, dizzying descent brought us down to the lava cliffs oceanside and the Holei Sea Arch. Back up the volcano’s flank, Lynne took a pass on the Thurston Lava Tube but Jim went through it. The drive back to Kailua seemed much faster than the drive down. The zebra and longhorns had been joined by some bison. Back in town we had Mexican at Pancho and Lefty’s and listened to the birds in a huge banyan tree across Alii Drive.
Tuesday, February 9 – Our 25th anniversary was a laid-back day. We had a leisurely breakfast by the ocean at the hotel followed by pool lounging. Unfortunately the day clouded over so the pool was a bit too cool for a dip. Lynne got a pedicure in the afternoon and Jim took a walk around Kailua. We planned to eat at the hotel’s restaurant for dinner but they were closed on Tuesdays and we ended up driving into the center of town for Italian at La Pasta Ristorante before plopping into cushy chairs to listen to the waves back at the hotel’s bar.
Wednesday, February 10 – Sometime during the night a cruise ship had arrived and was anchored at the mouth of the bay. We watched tenders shuttle tourists to the dock, ate doughnuts, and finished packing. Since traffic had been so bad the day we drove to Hawaii Volcanoes, we checked out with plenty of time to get to the airport. Naturally there were no delays so we drove a little north for some sightseeing and still arrived with way too much time. Security was a breeze and the TSA agent who looked over the CPAP joked about it getting the deluxe treatment with a wax job and an air freshener. Our flight was Hawaiian 129, scheduled for 29 minutes but lasted less than 20. We were in row 4 – 1 & 2 were first class, and there was no row 3, so we had the most leg room we’ve ever encountered on an airplane for the shortest flight we’ve ever taken, go figure.
At Kahului on Maui we picked up our rental, this time a Chevy Malibu, and drove across the isthmus past sugar cane fields to the west side. Our stay was at the Kaanapali Alii, certainly the most posh accomodations we’ve ever had, in the massive Kaanapali resort complex. We were in unit 491 – tower 4, 9th floor, unit 1 of 6. Hardwood and stone tile floors, granite countertops, two baths, and a lanai with a view of the ocean (and Lanai). We walked over to Whaler’s Village for lunch at Leilani’s on the Beach where we saw lots of whales spouting and breaching. We chilled out at the room for the afternoon and ate dinner in. The pool was cold by sundown but the hot tub made a relaxing end to the day.
Thursday, February 11 – After breakfast at the condo, we headed back to Kahului past the airport and drove the Hana Highway. As we crossed the isthmus we were treated to a brilliant double rainbow. The Hana Highway clings to the cliffs of Maui’s north shore with hundreds of tight curves, dozens of one-lane bridges, lots of scenic pullouts, waterfalls, and chickens. (They seemed to be everywhere.) We ate a picnic lunch at Hana Bay Park, a black sand beach. We continued on to Ohe’o Gulch on a road that made the previous 30 miles seem like an expressway. At Ohe’o we discovered any serious sightseeing would require a strenuous hike so we turned around and headed back the way we came.
We stopped at the overlook at Hookipa Park to watch the huge waves and the kitesurfers racing offshore. Heading back to the west shore, the whales were very active in Maalaea Bay so we stopped at an overlook there and watched for a bit. Back in Kaanapali we had another double rainbow. While driving around the island, we were able to see a few of the other islands – Molokini, Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokai. After all our running around we were too tired to go out for dinner and grabbed some takeout from the McDonald’s in Whaler’s Village.
Friday, February 12 – We booked a slot on the 11:30 whale watching boat from the Pacific Whale Foundation in Lahaina. We had to check in at their retail store before making our way to the harbor. As we were walking, we said hello to a elderly gentleman on the sidewalk and got into a conversation with him. He was on an around-the-world cruise. Being very proper, he presented his credentials. It turned out he had retired as a Brigadier after 39 years with the British army, was a Commander of the British Empire, had been in London during the blitz, and had known Patton during the war. A fascinating but very understated character. He was a product of a bygone age, giving Lynne a kiss on the hand when we had to take our leave to get to our boat.
We rode above deck on the Discovery. Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokai form a natural basin and the majority of the humpbacks in Hawaiian waters congregate there. A pair of whales swam right in front of the ship forcing our captain to make a quick stop. We were treated to spouting, tail slapping, pectoral fin waving and more. The highlight was a baby who kept practicing tail slapping and even tried a breach. Whales prefer the choppier water but Lynne didn’t get seasick despite the pitching. We even spotted Oahu off in the distance in the gap between Lanai and Molokai. Back in Lahaina we ate lunch at the Pioneer Inn and walked under the largest banyan tree we’ve ever seen – it takes up nearly the entire town square, with several trunks supporting a massive canopy. Once again it was windy, cloudy and cool when we got back and was raining at dinner time. We drove north a little and ate at the China Bowl restaurant and were back in time to watch the parade of nations and the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics.
Saturday, February 13 – We drove up to the summit at Haleakala National Park for the views of the cinder cones dotting the crater floor 3,000 feet below. Also atop the crater rim is Science City, a collection of observatories run by universities and the military doing everything from studying the sun to tracking every man-made object in orbit. We had a panoramic view of Maui from the top but offshore clouds blocked our view of all the other islands except for Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on Hawaii. According to the rangers at Haleakala they usually have snow this time of year on the big volcanoes, but this year there hadn’t been any. Hawaii thus managed to be the only state in the entire country with no snow on the ground on Friday. The temperature at the summit wasn’t particularly cold, with its overnight low a few degrees above freezing.
On the way back down we stopped at the Kula Lodge for lunch. It was a very pretty place with large windows in the dining room giving a view of Maui’s central valley. Back at the Kaanapali Alii we tried sunbathing and it started to rain. According to the locals, this was only the fourth day of rain there since the beginning of December. We should be paid to break droughts. Later in the afternoon the sun returned. Jim took a walk along the beachfront promenade and was gawking at a group of whales near shore when someone mentioned a pirate ship. Sure enough, sailing just offshore from Lanai was the Black Pearl from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, on its way to Oahu for some work before filming another movie. Lynne thought he was making the whole thing up when he got back. We ate Lynne’s leftover pizza for dinner and listened to the hoots and thumps from the “Drums of the Pacific Luau” at the Hyatt a couple of doors down.
Sunday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day started with a drive up to Kapalua to find a nice restaurant for breakfast. We ended up at a McDonald’s. The better places don’t open until 9:00. We packed, tidied up, and checked out of the Alii at 11:00 with almost 12 hours before our flight back to the mainland. We drove down to Kihei to see the resorts there, had to deal with a flat tire, headed back towards Kahului with a detour to Iao State Park to see the Iao Needle, drove around Kahului a bit, and ate lunch at Ruby’s Diner in the Queen Ka’ahumanu mall. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America was docked in Kahului and we drove down to the harbor to see the massive ship.
We drove back out the Hana Highway to Hookipa to watch the waves. A fellow there had several colorful macaws perched in a tree and they made quite a racket. It was cloudy and windy on the north shore. We drove back to Kahului growing more bored by the minute – today really drove home what living on an island is like. One can only drive past the closed Sugar Museum in Puunene so many times before the novelty wears off. Finally at 5:30 we threw in the towel and returned to the airport, getting to the terminal before Delta was even open. We still had four hours before takeoff when we got to our gate. Kahului was the first place we’d encountered mugginess on the islands. Our plane was a 757. We had a bit of luck as the airplane was arranged with two rows of three seats apiece, but there were two open seats in the row in front of ours and the woman seated next to us was able to move up a row once we were off the ground. The flight to the mainland was uneventful.
Monday, February 15 – With a tailwind rather than a headwind the flight to Salt Lake was more than an hour shorter than the flight to Hawaii. We got our Cinnabon fix. The Princeton High School orchestra had been playing at Pearl Harbor and we had a lot of their kids on the flight which took off a few minutes late. Delta 1742 was an MD-90, tail number N902DA. About twenty minutes into the flight, the plane started descending rapidly, one of the flight attendants raced up to the cockpit, and then the oxygen masks dropped. According to the pilot both the packs which feed bleed air from the engines to the cabin overheated and failed causing a loss of pressurization. We had to stay no higher than 10,000 feet and were diverted to Denver so air traffic had us take a circuitous route up into Wyoming to get us through a low enough pass in the Rockies. We landed in Denver a little past noon and were told a replacement plane had to be flown in, and would be there in about three hours.
We ate lunch at the Timberline Steakhouse at the airport. Everytime we went back to the gate to check, our departure was pushed back a little more. Meanwhile, while communicating with the kids back in Cincinnati, we heard about the latest storm dumping several more inches of snow and closing down the city. We finally left Denver at 7:13 MST on an MD-88, a plane with a different seating configuration from the MD-90 so they just made it open seating and we grabbed a spot near the lavatories in the back of the plane. Fortunately this flight was uneventful but we ran into snow squalls at Cincinnati and there was plenty of snow on the ground.
Tuesday, February 16 – We landed just after midnight. The jetway got stuck in the snow and they had to bring out a plow before they could get it over to the plane and let us out. Only one bus was running to long term parking at that hour but they had the employee lot bus come pick us up. The car had been sitting in the long term lot through three major snow storms and was buried in two to three feet of snow. Once most of the snow had been brushed off, a couple of airport workers with shovels helped dig out behind the car and gave us a push out of the spot. Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic and we made it home about 2:00 Tuesday morning, 8 1/2 hours past our original arrival time.
Milestones on this trip: Pearl Harbor, volcanoes, sea turtles, double rainbows and humpback whales.
States and provinces we visited: Kentucky, Utah, Hawaii and Colorado.
Capital cities we saw: Salt Lake City, Honolulu and Denver.
