A Moving Music Video

This was sent to me, and I'm glad I got it (Thanks, Katy). Seems quite a moving video.

I'm hoping this works so I can share it with you...

Pictures From the Air - 3

Waterfalls and a nice commemorative photo!

(The yellow bag belts are the emergency lifevests in the unlikely event of a water landing.)

 

More Pictures From the Air

From here, we can see lava as it flows, and eventually meets the ocean, forming new land...


 

Exploring Hawai'i - From the Air

But wait, that's not all. After our submarine journey, we drove to the other side of Hawai'i for the second part of our adventurous day.

Neither Ellicia nor I had ever been in a helicopter prior to this day. However, one of the best ways to explore the Big Island with its picturesque waterfalls and volcanoes is by helicopter.

So, we were off. We flew over the volcano and could see the lava running in rivers directly underneath the crust. We then went and watched the newest land on Earth being created as the lava flowed into the ocean, cooled, and hardened. The island was growing before our very eyes.

Next, we flew to a different side of the island to see waterfalls. The waterfalls are truly majestic as some are 2,000 ft. tall. The pilot maneuvered the helicopter in such a way that we were in the valley, land rising high above us, hovering with the waterfall seemingly right in front of us where we could touch it.

A truly inspiring experience. While there was some air sickness, it did not detract from the great time we had and we enjoyed the helicopter ride thoroughly.

Afterwards, we returned to the airport and flew back to Oahu and our hotel. What a day... what a day.

More Submarine Pictures

Note the depth gauge!

 

Exploring Hawai'i - Below the Seas

Today was a special day. We woke up super early (0300) and flew over to the Big Island. The airport in Kona was super quaint as it is completely open-air and not at all like most commercial airports we experience during our travels.

For the first part of the day, we were to take our very first submarine trip.
We would be on an Atlantis submarine. This is a real, honest-to-goodness submarine. It seats 50 people and goes out off-shore, and tours the underwater reefs for about an hour. It's lined with panoramic picture windows. For the duration of the trip, we sit there with our noses practically glued to the glass. We see pretty fish, the reefs, and the the beautiful blue of Hawai'ian water.

Finally, we end up sitting on the bottom of the ocean, 100 feet down. Ok, so it's not that deep, but... not often that we get to do such a thing, no? It was an amazing experience! It's difficult to put words to such a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We highly recommend it.

 

Quiet Day of Relaxation

Today, we decided to take in... absolutely nothing. We stayed in the hotel and enjoyed the beach and surrounding areas.

We would often be frequented by one of these lovely fine-feathered folks. Isn't it cute?

In the evening, we had the pleasure of the Marine Band concert. What a treat! An open-air concert while we dined...
What a delight.

It was a great day and a wonderful way to spend a day in Hawai'i... 

Secluded Waterfalls in Hawai'i

We started off with our first tour - a tour of hidden and secluded waterfalls on Oahu. We went to beautiful state parks, and a waterfall (pictured here) that the local kids still use as a watering hole. With just a few steps, the city noises would disappear, and we were surrounded by tranquil sounds of nature.

Along the way, we saw a wedding, with a waterfall as the backdrop. We also went to an extremely windy overlook from where we could see several other islands.

It was an entrancing tour that required a bit of hiking, but also, because many people don't go for such tours (preferring the air-conditioned buses instead), we had a knowledgeable local tour guide practically to ourselves. Amazing... and so paradise-like. Certainly a nice start to our trip.


 

Trip For a Lifetime - The Beginning

Ellicia and I have taken off for a "Trip of a Lifetime". Sort of a reward for Afghanistan and Cancer.

First stop - Hawai'i. Thanks to the military, we have a beautiful hotel right on Waikiki. The Hale Koa is a military-only hotel on the grounds of the former Army Ft. Derussy. It is right next to the Hilton. I've included views from our hotel room. (We had an ocean-view room, looking out also onto the garden and pools, for only $129 per night. There are rooms as cheap as $60-70 per night! Not bad for Hawai'i!)

Anyway, here we are, and we're really looking forward to our adventure. Pretty tuckered out, but tomorrow is a wonderful day in paradise!  

Four Generations!

As part of our visit, we visited with Ellicia's mother ("Granny" now) and Grandmother (it's easier if we just keep her as "Grandmother", but she's the kids' Great-Grandmother).

Anyway, as you can see in this picture, we have four generations all together...

Amazing...

We're very pleased (look at that grin on the lady in the middle).