Hawaian Honeymoon

Judy and I decided to go to Hawaii for our second anniversary.  We are staying in Honolulu about a block from the Waikiki beach.  The weather is expected to be in the high 70's during the day and about 70 in the evening. Ahhhh.  No rain.

Day 1 November 25

We got up early and headed to the airport for our 8:50 flight to Oahu island.  The trip to the Hawaii was uneventful except Judy sat next to a nasty little boy.  We got our car and drove to the Ohana East hotel in Waikiki.  Our room is on the 17th floor with a view of the hills behind the city and a view of the ocean.from the balcony.

Our room is on the 17 floor second from the left.

 

After settling in we headed to the main street and looked around. We ate at the Cheesecake Factory having a very nice dinner,  Thai veggy wraps..  Then we walked down to the beach and enjoyed the never ending waves. The streets are full of music and many people.  It is good to be alive.   Unfortunately, I noticed I was having an A-fib episode. ( the first in quite a while.)  We strolled back to the hotel, hoping to relax away this demon.  No real sleep, and no luck scaring it away.   Seek help tomorrow.....

Day 2 November 26
We got up early, called my doctor in Olympia who said we should see a local doctor.  We went to a clinic next door to the hotel who sent me, by ambulance to the Hospital emergency.  In the emergency room, I was electro-converted and was out of there in less than two hours.   In the afternoon after a rest, we headed

back to main street and walked around,

Watched the sun set, then took a  trolley around town.  We ate a light dinner at the Outrigger Hotel Hula Cafe.  Heart doing ok.

Day 3 November 27

We got up and went downstairs for breakfast.  Judy and I wanted matching outfits for the luau in the evening.  We took the Hilo Hattie shuttle to their store.  We found Judy a pretty dress and me a matching shirt.  In fact we got two outfits.  At 3:45 we caught the shuttle bus to the Paradise Cove luau and show.  At
the site we were tried our hand at spear throwing,
Hawaian bowling, and had a short outrigger canoe ride. Watched the  "imo" cerimony where they take the pig out of the pit in the ground.  The dinner was ok and the show was fun and exiciting.  We had a good time there.

Day 4 Wednesday 28
We caught a bus early in the morning and went to the US Arizona National Memorial at Pearl Harbor.  It was a sad place knowing what had gone on here on Dec. 7, 1941.Oil is still leaking from the boat after all these years. The drops coming up are called "black tears".   After that we went to the US Missouri where the Japanese surrendered to the US and allies.  The tour guide aboard the ship was very good and
knowledgeable.

 
 The tour then went to the Sugar Bowl National Cemetary where soldiers from many wars were burried.  The bus then took us on a tour of other sites in the city.  We got back early enough and went to Waikiki beach to swim.  I got in the water and Judy wrestled with the waves.  Went to dinner and then to bed.

Here are some of the flowers we have seen.

Day 5 November 28

We got up early to ca tch a bus to take us to a free breakfast and $100 off our previous tour packages.  Of course, we had to listen to a time share presentation.  After that we drove North of Honolulu between the mountain ranges to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  Judy was there many years ago and said back then they really tried to show the culture of each island.  To day most of the presentations were shows with very little about the culture of the peoples.  They were entertaining but somewhat disappointing too.  We went to the canoe presentation as was as shows from four island nations.  We drove back to Honolulu in the dark and ate dinner on the lanai.

Day 6 November 30

We had a leisurely morning then headed off to Diamond Head.  I hiked the 0.8 mile 500 foot elevation to the summit.  Spectacular views. Most of the trail was put in before WWII and the place is covered with bunkers.  Interestingly, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor from the North.  Think they knew that the observation bunkers were in the Southeast part of the island.  The place was called Diamond Head because sparkling crystals of calcite were found and some thought at first they were diamonds.  The Hawaiian name means shark fin which it does resemble.  We then headed East and up the East side of the island.   Stopped at the blow hole. At lunch on a nice secluded beach.  Drove around looking at the scenery.  Last stop of the day was as Pali Lookout where King Kamehameha  drove the Oahu king and soldiers over the cliff to their deaths. Nice views from here.   Made it back to the hotel fighting H1 traffic for a few miles and had a nice dinner.

Day 7 December 1

After a leisurely morning and breakfast, we headed to the West ern side of the island.  The West coast is definitely the more laid back and least populated part of the island. More to our liking.

 We drove to the end of the road taking a few side trips up into the mountains.  We stopped for lunch at a beach front park with almost no one there. Picked up some nice coral.   Drove back to the hotel and then headed off to the beach for a swim in the warm ocean water.   Lovely.  Went out to dinner at an ocean front restaurant and had a very good dinner.

Day 8 December 2

 Flight leaves at 2 pm and we expected to be in Sea-Tac a 9:47 pm.  Hope all will be well on our trip home.

Day 6, 7 and 8 Cincinnati Trip

Day 6 Well we made it to Daniel and Minh Thanh's house on Friday after driving 2553 miles in the rental truck.  We were tired after the long trip.  Everything in the truck seemed to have survived.  It was great fun to see everyone again.  Thanh Tu started playing the piano about a year ago and gave us a concert after a great Vietnamese dinner.  He is playing very well and we were impressed.  Went to bed and slept very well.

Day 7 Saturday we and the family went and got our pictures taken.  Fun except for the huge crowd and the studio area being very hot.  For dinner Minh Thanh made another delicious dinner of a clam dip with shrimp cakes and another dish with noodles, veggies and chicken.   Yummy.  After dinner, Thanh Tu gaves us another nice piano concert and then he and sister Thanh Nha did some dancing.  We went to bed early in anticipation of our getting up early for the 7:25 am flight.

Day 8 Got to the air port and flew to Chicago and then home to Seattle. Very uneventful.  Anna and Emily came and picked us up at the airport.  Good flight.  We saw lots of new snow over the area we drove though just a few days earlier and we thankful we left when we did.  Great trip and fun to see the family.  We managed to leave without having to move the heavy stuff out the the truck (piano, refrigerator, etc.).

Day 5 Cincinnati Trip

Well we now are in Galesburg, Illinois after traveling the rest of the way through Nebraska and all of Iowa.  Whew! A long day and it was very windy making it a harder drive.  The traffic was heavy too today.  We are on I-74 and will stay on this freeway until Ohio where we will take the I-274 bypass.  We have driven over 2100 miles so far.

Day 4 Cincinnati Trip

Driving along.

Well, we left Wyoming and continued East into Nebraska, spending the night at Grand Island.  Not a lot too look at along the interstate.  We have driven over 1600 miles so far with about two days more to go.

Typical Nebraska view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch along the way.

Day 3 Cincinnati Trip

We got up really early as the alarm clock in the motel had not yet been set back.  Continued East on I-84 then onto I-80 East into Wyoming.  We spent the night in Cheyenne.  After lunch we saw lots of antelope, some groups as large a 25.  Ate dinner at Outback steak house.   We now have driven about 1250 miles so far about half way there.

Day 2 Cincinnati Trip

We left Baker City and headed East again on I 84.  Driving through Idaho into Utah, we stopped for the night in Brigham City, Utah.  The only wild life we saw was one lonely coyote out in a field.  We have gone a total of 829 miles so far.  Weather still good with temperatures in the 60's.

Cincinnati Road Trip, November, 2012

Judy and I are driving a 16 foot bed Penske rental truck from Olympia, WA to Cincinnati, OH.  The truck contains furnature and stuff from the kid's mom house.  Left Olympia at 8:45 am today , taking highway 101 to interstate 5 south.  We took the bypass around Portland, OR to I-84 East.  We drove to Baker City near the Idaho border today, about 400 miles.  The weather was good, little rain and no wind.  Went out to dinner, Mexican, Judy had nachos and I had a taco salad.  Judy was knitting while I was driving.  The Columbia river gorge was beautiful and so were the Blue mountains in Eastern Oregon.

US Trip Part 28 May 7 - May 11 The End

"The Big Moon"

 Day 266 Monday May 7
We left Green River after filling the motor home with diesel.  We took I-40 West to the Salina exit, then Highway 50 West, to I-15. We drove North on I-15 to exit 261, Springville, and spent the night at East Bay RV Park space 116.  Strong and gusty headwinds all day long.  Whew.
Drove 216 miles

Day 267 Tuesday May 8
We left Springville, UT and continued North on I-15 to I-84 West.  Drove to Twin Falls and spent the night at the Wal Mart parking lot. Noticed the air-conditioner cover was gone.  It has been very windy and gusty.

Drove 263 miles
Day 268 Wednesday May 9
We continued West on I-84 to La Grande, OR where we spent the night at Rendezvous RV park space 53.  Extreme headwinds all afternoon.  Whew. 
Drove 299 miles today.

Day 269 Thursday May 10
Left La Grande, OR and continued West on I-94.  Beautiful drive today, very little wind.  The Columbia gorge was very pretty.  All the hills were green and Mt. Hood was just beautiful. Took I-205 North getting off at exit 36 to go to 99N RV park space 83.
Drove 266 miles today.

Day 270 Friday May 11
We got up early and went to Washougal and the Pendleton mill for the tour.  It was impressive to see how they go from raw wool to finished cloth and blankets.  No pictures allowed.  We went back to the RV park and headed home.  Good drive and it was great to see the Olympics again.
Drove 127 miles

We drove the motor home about 11,000 miles averaging about 9.5 miles per gallon.  Goldie was driven about 6000 miles.

US Trip Part 27 April 29 - May 6

 Day 259 Sunday April 29
Well we slept in late after two days of drum pounding, singing and dancing.   Had a leisurely morning.  After lunch we went to get Judy a pair of summer pants.  Stir fry for dinner.

Day 260 Monday April 30
Today we went rock hounding South of Albuquerque at Los Lumas.  We drove about 12 miles into the desert at the edge of an arroyo.  While I  do not think we were at the site listed in the book, we were very successful at getting agate, some petrified wood and as a  bonus, some pottery chards.  We ate lunch there then headed back.  We went to a Mexican tile store to look at tile, possibly for the lake house.  Stopped at  grocery store to get stocked up for the trip home.

Day 261 Tuesday May 1
We left Albuquerque and headed West on I-40.  Very windy with gusts.  We crossed into Arizona and then headed South at Sanders on highway 191 to St. Johns.   We went to Moon Meadows RV park and spot 119.  After an early dinner of hamburgers and German potato salad, we went to the property and had tea and banana bread which we had baked last evening. Walked around a bit looking at the rocks and scenery and the pretty sunset.
Drove 245 miles.

Day 262 Wednesday May 2
We went to the property today.  We pick up, rocks, lots of petrified wood with crystals. We also picked up junk, like nails, screws, plastic etc. left over from the previous owner, which appeared out of no where after cleaning up the last time we were here.  Ate lunch in the shelter and enjoyed the view. Went back home and relaxed in the air conditioning.  We packed up dinner  of steak, German potato salad, ear of corn, and green salad and headed to the property for a camping dinner.  After dinner we watched the sun set eating banana bread with tea for me and coffee for Judy. Great day.

Day 263 Thursday May 3
We spent the day at the property, enjoying it. After dinner we cleaned up the motorhome.  Lots of moth dust around.

Day 263 Friday May 4
We left beautiful St. Johns and the property and headed North on highway 191 all the way to Bluff, Utah which is just across the Arizona border on the North side of the San Juan River.  We spent the night at Cottonwood RV park space D-6.  After resting up a bit, we headed off to the San Juan Gooseneck State Park where there is an overlook.  Here the river takes six miles to go one mile.  Very nice. We then stopped at the Sand Island BLM park and looked at the petroglyphs.   We had a nice fish dinner.

Day 264 Saturday May 5 Happy Cinco de Mayo
We went to Monument Valley tribal park today.  On he way stopped at Mexican Hat. Monument Vallley has a bigger visitor center and a large hotel there now as well as a big paved parking area.  The road through the monument valley is terrible.  They will need to more than just grading the road.  It was very pretty driving around the various formations and mesas. The weather was great.  Spent the evening talking to the neighbors, Joyce and Dick.

Day 265 Sunday May 6
We left Bluff and continued North on highway 191 through Moab (aah the memories) to I-40.  We headed West to Green River going to Shady Lane RV park taking space 45.  We did our laundry.  The grocery store was closed on Sunday.
Drove 153 miles today.