Often I am tempted to tag along on Bryan's business trips with him, especially when he's going somewhere I'd like to see and explore. Sometimes location isn't as important, it's just nice to get away for a few days. Usually it's hard to arrange, what with four kids who need to get to school and gymnastics and soccer. And then there are trips where I'm more than happy to just stay at home. As much as I enjoy travel, Arkansas is just never going to appeal to me. But when Bryan says he will be teaching a class in Honolulu at the end of September, that's one I will move heaven and earth to accompany. We made the necessary arrangements for childcare and carpools and then I packed all my summer dresses, sandals and swimsuits and hopped on a plane with Bryan to the Aloha State.
After checking into our hotel on Waikiki Beach Sunday afternoon, Bryan decided that to start off our trip right we needed to immediately hike to the top of a volcano. And Diamond Head was indeed a gorgeous hike! Switchbacks, tunnels and stairs, along with a trail that takes you around the edge of the inside of the volcano. It eventually winds up to the top where you find yourself coming out of a military bunker room and up to the lookout from the pillbox...all leftover from the war. And then the view. Wow!
Monday morning early Bryan drove himself to the Honolulu Community College where he was to teach his class while I slept in and then leisurely made my way to Waikiki Beach. Due to the lateness of the season, it was nowhere near as crowded as I'm told Waikiki Beach normally is and I had the most relaxing afternoon bobbing in the waves, reading a book on the beach and having lunch on the patio of a nearby restaurant. The only problem with going to the beach by yourself? It is a slight bit tricky to get sunblock applied evenly across your back. I know, we should all have such problems, yes?
Tuesday morning I got up early with Bryan to take him to his class so I could have the rental car. After dropping him off I drove around the island up to the North shore. I was a little nervous navigating the freeways through Honolulu, but once out of the city (and thanks to GPS) the drive was simple and lovely. My destination on the North shore this morning was the La'ie Temple. You know you're in Hawaii when even in the temple they start the session with a big "A-LO-HA!" It was delightful! And the building, the 5th temple built, I believe...was incredibly beautiful. Afterwards I wandered around the grounds and into the Visitor's Center where I chatted a bit with the sister missionaries there and shared stories of my very own missionary, Rebekah, who is also a visitor center missionary in London.
Exploring the North shore was rather fun. After lunch at the famous Giovanni's shrimp truck, I tracked down the sea turtles near Turtle Bay, and then lounged around on the beach for awhile with a good book. On my way back to Honolulu I stopped at the Dole Pineapple Plantation and got thoroughly lost inside what was being advertised as the world's biggest maze. (Guinness says so, so it must be true?) While wandering around aimlessly I couldn't stop thinking about two things...one, fictional or no, I'm pretty sure the maze in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was definitely bigger. And two, maybe it would've been a good idea to stop at the bathroom before getting myself lost? But I made it out in record time, so either I'm really good at mazes or the whole thing wasn't anywhere near as tricky as they like to say it is. Regardless, I rewarded myself with a Pineapple Dole Whip to go as I made my way back to pick up Bryan.
Up next: Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center
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