Hawaii trip travel and expense log: 30 Thursday - Went jogging then to Walmart for cough drops (didn't use), earphones for JD, Dramamine for JD, and a headlamp. Jerry took us to the Airport. On the flight from Phoenix to Honolulu we watched Ironman 2 and Adam (a guy with aspburgers disease). Rented a Ford Focus from Thrifty with only 5 miles (something they were very excited about.) Drove to the condo to check it out. Walked to the beach (it's 3-4 blocks unless you walk through the 'International Market Place' - then it's barely 2!) and ate at Wolfgang Pucks Express! We had the 4 cheese Pesto Pizza, which had sun dried tomatoes, basil, etc., a dallop of goat cheese on a slice of tomato on each slice! Then we went to Walmart to stock up (eggs, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream for the buttermilk pancakes, 2 loaves of bread, Hershey's Syrup - Dark Chocolate, yogurt, cottage cheese, 1 can of Pringles, 2 things of cran-something juice, cheese, turkey, and Miracle Whip. $11 - Wolfgang Pucks $63 - Walmart 1 Friday - We went back to Walmart to get some mosquito repellant. Ended up also getting me a swimming suit, paper towels, and turtle stickers. Then we drove to Lyon Arboletum to hike Manoa Falls - a 1.6 mile roundtrip hike through the jungle ending at a waterfall! We almost drove up the east coast instead to count the waterfalls after a rainstorm, since it was raining, but we decided that the rain wasn't that big of a deal - it was great! Next, we went to Snorkel Bob's to rent equipment, then walked to the beach, and walked, and walked to right below Diamond Head, where I snorkeled for a bit and JD laughed and watched. Then we walked back in a rainstorm (another stormed had already drenched Waikiki), showered and went back out. at the Farmers' Market and got some rambutan (fruit of heaver?), bananas, and fresh pineapple. We ate a Turkey Melt with fries (that had marjoram) at Wolfgangs. $30 - Walmart $90 - Snorkel Bobs $17 - Farmers' Market $11 - Wolfgang Puck 2 Saturday - Drive to Laie to pick up Mary to go to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, which was closing for some strange reason - they were rushing people out of there almost like there was a bomb threat. So we went to hike Diamond Head. Near it was another outdoor market that was also closing, but we walked through it - mostly food. Diamond Head was interesting - you're supposed allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the activity. We spent plenty of time at the top and had quite a bit of fun coming down, but it took 1 hour and 0 minutes... Then we came back to the condo, where Mary seemed to suddenly get a little ill, to drop off the car and then went to the Cheesecake Factory. I had a Green Chili Burger, JD had the Artichoke Soup and Salad, and we shared a slice of Caramel Reese's Cheesecake. Then we went bodyboarding (Mary stayed to take a shower, then went to meet some kids from college), showered, went back to the beach for a hula! Then we walked the beach in the dark collecting tubes and a flipper! $5 - Diamond Head $60 - CheeseCake Factory (including Mary's) 3 Sunday - Woke up 7 minutes before sunrise, which was about 10 minutes late, but we hurried out the door anyway. Saw the sun just after it rose! Then we had buttermilk pancakes (3rd day in a row) with Coconut Syrup! We drove to the North Shore, Halewia (where Matsumodo's is), went to Wiamea Bay, Sharks Cove to snorkel, and Turtle Bay where we saw a seal on the beach and a turtle in the water. Hung out at the temple answering 30 questions about each other to see who knows who...until the rain set in - then we ran for cover and finished the 30 questions. Went to get our keys back from Mary and took her to the store to get some medicine. $14 - Medicine 4 Monday - Haunama Bay! Windy, choppy, cloudy, but fun - though JD got 'seasick' but the tide was high, so we were able to go right over most of the coral easily and see a lot of fish, many different types. Unfortunately, the 'toilet bowl' was closed, probably because the tide was high at the time. Then we drove for an hour to the west point of the island to Kaena Point, where we hiked past two inactive blowholes (since the tide had dropped) and made it out to where the monk seals are supposed to be. While we were the treasure hunting, 2 seals came by! There was a ton of choral washed up at the point along with puka(?) shells - mostly broken, but JD found one good big one, and we found 4 little ones! It was just the type of outing you would want anywhere - time alone, together, on a treasure hunt to please our kids and some wildlife! $16 - Haunama Bay 5 Tuesday - Walmart (milk, cereal, cookies, M&Ms, ear plugs and ear drying drops, and cran-blackcherry juice) , then North Shore, Waiamea bay, Turtle Beach where there were a bunch of turtles, Ted's Bakery for lunch (haupia pie? and pineapple cheese cake, a plate lunch and a hamburger), PCC (Mission Home - Haugens, Samoa, Tonga, Aerotora - New Zealand, Buffet and Ha - Breath of Life). $32 - Walmart $33 - Gas $20 - Ted's Bakery $54 - Polynesian Culture Center 6 Wednesday - Dee Lite Bakery for breakfast, then to the swap meet where we bought a swim suit for JD, a hat for me, 8 t-shirts, 7 necklaces, and stickers. Sandwiches and cereal for lunch. Then we hiked to Makapu'u Light house, then stopped at Halona Blow Hole. We went to the beach to body board, but there weren't many good waves so we swam across Waikiki. Then we hit Wolfgang Pucks for 4 Cheese Ravioli and Coldstone for some ice cream. $9 - Dee Lite Bakery $67 - Swap Meet $13 - Wolfgang Pucks $7 - Coldstone 7 Thursday - We drove to Turtle Beach, where there were plenty of turtles in to play! I snorkeled with them - they were quite interesting and huge. Sometimes I would adjust my snorkel or mask then drop back into the water to find one right behind me - sometimes touching my leg with their fins! So I would try swimming away but they would stay right on my tail. Then I would try changing directions (to get out of their way since it is illegal to approach them, touch them, or aggravate them) and then look back to the left, then right and think that I had lost them, only to look right below me as they swam right under me and their back would rub my stomach. Some were small, about the size of an SUV wheel and tire, others seemed as large as a dining table for 6! It was amazing. Then one swam up onto the beach! We went to Sunset Beach where we found a coconut waiting to be cracked open - unfortunately it was rotten inside. Then on to Ted's Bakery to get a Custard Danish for dessert for lunch that we were going to Kua 'Ainu for - a pineapple burger and fries. We had decided that splitting a single meal and dessert is better than each getting our own meal, eating too much, and not having dessert. Each time we've gone to Wolfgangs, we've shared and that has been great! Then we came back to the condo and crashed (JD slept for about 2.5 hours, I slept for about 1)... $3 - Ted's Bakery $11 - Kua 'Ainu 8 Friday - We drove around looking for a good place to use our fins one last time bodyboarding before we had to take them back. No waves :( One last trip to Walmart - we forgot eggs (for buttermilk pancakes) - we also got a few last things for the plain ride (bread for sandwiches, some guava jam, and somd snacks. We then went to the Cheesecake Factory where we shared 4 Cheese Pasta and a piece of Craig's Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake. We walked down the beach, people watching, where we caught a bus to Halo Hatties (it's supposed to be the official Hawaii store, but was pretty lame - even though they were having a tent sale). On the way back, we stopped at the Army Museum - actually pretty cool, even though I am not a history aficionado. We walked the rest of the way back along the beach. We saw a few more sea turtles! We hadn't ever seen turtles at Waikiki, but there were at least 3, maybe even 5! Went to check for some wave action - still none... Hit the Farmer's Market for some more rambutan, then headed back to the condo for some pineapple and cottage cheese. Then we went back out to see the sunset and some crazy people! $20 - Walmart $25 - Cheesecake Factory $4 - Farmer's Market 9 Saturday - We went back to Kaena Point to do some more treasure hunting! It's a bit of a drive, but we enjoyed the time. We found a few more shells, saw 2 more monk seals and really had a good time talking about everything (mostly each other and our relationship). We also went to Waikiki Beach to try some more body boarding. Again, the waves were a little small, but we had fun anyway. We hit Wolfgang Puck for a Margarita Pizza and The Cheesecake Factory for a piece of Carmel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake. Like every other day, it was wonderful! $11 - Wofgang Puck $8 - Cheesecake Factory 10 Sunday - Church then chillin' at Turtle Beach where 3 turtles were taking a nap on the beach! Total $2587 (maybe - still waiting for a sure number on the condo) $634 - Everything above $780.40 - Tickets (336.40 plus tax per person) $48 - luggage fees $275.41 - Thrifty Car Rental $850 - 10 nights in Condo
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