In case you didn’t notice, Thanksgiving is coming up this week. Tom and I are “hosting” Thanksgiving this year. Having one brother and one sister, the three families rotate who is hosting Thanksgiving. The last time Tom and I hosted, John and Jackie got the honors at their house. But this year they are going …
From November 2017
Grand Canyon of Hawaii: Waimea Canyon State Park
Nicknamed “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon State Park was on our must-see list for Kauai. Kauai was our final port in Hawaii. So, of course, we signed up for the shore excursion to the Grand Canyon of Hawaii. Auntie Alicia guided us around Kauai for the day. She drove us through the …
Iao Valley State Monument and Maui
After visiting Haleakala National Park, our tour guide Gavin drove us to lunch in the small town of Makawao. Our destination for the afternoon was the Iao Valley State Monument but it was on the other side of the island. First, we ate a buffet Italian lunch at Casanova’s. It was good, but seemed an …
Haleakala National Park on Maui
After two wonderful days on Oahu, our next port of call was Maui. We boarded a tender from the boat and traveled a short distance from the ship to the port of Lahaina. Then we got on a 15 passenger van driven by our tour guide Gavin. After a short introduction we headed to Haleakala …
Germaines Luau: A Fun Evening on Oahu
I mentioned last week that we took two shore excursions while we were on Oahu. We went to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, but we also took an evening excursion to Germaines Luau. Germaines Luau is billed as a backyard, family luau. A luau is a traditional Hawaiian style party with lots of food, music, and …
People God Puts in Your Way
I recently read that Debbie Macomber, a best-selling author and avid knitter, made a list at one point of 30 people she would like to meet in her lifetime. Because she is now famous, she had gotten the opportunity to meet 19 of them. But, she said, she realized over time that the well-known people …
Valor in the Pacific World War II National Monument
Our primary target on the island of Oahu was visiting the Valor in the Pacific World War II National Monument. This park was previously called the “USS Arizona Memorial.” The National Park Service renamed it in 2008 when it added sites in Alaska and California. The Valor in the Pacific National Monument on Oahu includes …
Diamond Head State Park on Oahu
Our second port of call in Hawaii was the most populated island, Oahu. The ship docked close to the Aloha tower, just a few blocks from downtown Honolulu. Tom and I had two very busy days on Oahu. We took two shore excursions one one day and a long hike and shopping on another. The …
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
The Big Island of Hawaii is the only Hawaiian island with active volcanoes. They are located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hawaii Volcanoes also has the largest mountain in the world if you measure from the base of the mountain. Mauna Loa is 13,796 feet above sea level, but extends an additional 33,000 feet below sea …
Big Island of Hawaii and its Waterfalls
After six days at sea, we finally spotted land: Hawaii, the Big Island, straight ahead! The state of Hawaii encompasses hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles. At the southeastern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, the eight main islands are – in order from northwest to southeast – Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and the the Big Island of Hawaii. A volcanic hot …