Hawaii!!!!
After a couple of weeks off and one base exercise (where oddly enough they practice preparing for something like a deployment which they just returned from, or say, a RARE NATURAL DISASTER), we were able to get away for a family vacation. Needless to say, it was very welcomed and truly wonderful. Here are a few highlights:
Our rental house in Maui. Turns out visiting Hawaii AFTER a tsunami is a great time go! I guess people were a bit nervous to travel -- we got this house on "Vacation for Rent by Owner" for a nice discount. It came complete with pool and fruit trees! (see below).
Our rental house in Maui. Turns out visiting Hawaii AFTER a tsunami is a great time go! I guess people were a bit nervous to travel -- we got this house on "Vacation for Rent by Owner" for a nice discount. It came complete with pool and fruit trees! (see below).
Hannah Jane jumping into the pool at our rental house in Maui where we spent a week. Apparently all she needed to learn to swim after endless swim lessons and random afternoons in the base pool was a luxury house in Maui with her own pool to practice in! The house also came with a few acres of fruit trees including mango, avocado, fig and bananas. We ate well that week.
Daddy and Hannah Jane resting after a little boogie boarding in Maui (see video below!)
Above the clouds at sunset near the top of Mauna Kea where we went to look at the stars at the observatory. We picnicked in the car because it was so cold at the top!
Hannah Jane tries boogie boarding with Daddy -- success! (mostly......the first time went better but I didn't have the camera running then...)
Here is the balcony off the master bedroom with the "magic hammock" HJ loved. This overlooked the pool and further out, the ocean (see below)And here's the view from the edge of the balcony (the vines growing along it and even through the hammock is passion fruit!)
From Maui we took a small (9-seater!) plane over to the Big Island where the airport is in the middle of a lava field. Here's the jeep we rented to handle wherever we might want to go (and for fun -- see goofy picture of HJ in back enjoying some chocolate from the rental car agency)
And here's the goofy picture of the monkey enjoying the open top ....and the chocolate...
Our digs at the Hilton at Waikola Village.The place was so big (three separate hotels really) that there was a monorail and Disney-esque boat ride you could take to get to your property. Or the spa. Or the beach or waterpark or shopping or dolphin pool or lagoon (complete with sea turtles that swam in from this inlet -- Mary bumped into two of them while snorkeling!) or one of nine restaurants. While on this part of the island we used the jeep to climb Mauna Kea to see the stars one night and on one other dinner outing, but otherwise we were pretty happy to stay put!
Under a "waterfall" at the pool -- you swam under these after sliding down one of the slides to get to either the bar or one of the jacuzzis.Hmmmm...looks like that's all we've downloaded so far -- stay tuned for more from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Oahu.............thanks for visiting!
