Hawaii - Day 7

So here we are again...still trying to finish up Hawaii posts.  It's only taken me a year.  Geezzz!   I just wanted to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible! 

OK - Day 7...In my opinion, Day 7 was the best day!  I was able to do something I have wanted to do for my whole life!  It started out with another trip to Hanauma Bay for some snorkeling.  We wanted to see if we could get there on a warmer/sunnier day.  It was sunnier but a bit windy.

On our way to the next adventure we pulled off at this little outlook, looking over the ocean.  It was so beautiful.  The water was pefectly blue!

Now, on to the best part of the day and possibly the week...

Visiting the Sea Life Park where we swam with dolphins!

We started out our visit eating hot dogs and watching the dolphin show.

Next, we walked around and mostly just watched the sea turtles until it was our time to swim with the Dolphins.

I have wanted to do this for as long as I can remember and it was just as awesome as I had imagined!  We were able to pet her as she swam by.  She came up and gave each of us a kiss and then when it was your turn to take a ride - we swam out in to the middle of the pool.  You would put your right arm out to the side and clasp your left hand to your upper right arm.  Then Nani swam right behind you and you had to catch her fins and hold on tight.  It was soooooo amazing!!  One of the best things I've ever done!   Once everyone had their turn we all got goggles and were able to just swim around the pool while she swam around us.  Soooooo cool!

Scot wasn't so sure about it when I first started talking about doing this but he had a great time too! 

The setting of the park was amazing, in and of itself.  It was right on the ocean!  So perfect!

After the Sea Life Park it was time to head back to Waikiki.  Our last night in Hawaii!! We went back and walked along the beach and had some dinner and maybe even shed a tear or two that we would be leaving the next day.  Ok not really but I swear I could have if I had really wanted to!!

Dinner at P.F. Changs over looking the shops!  So fun!

Stay tuned for our LAST and FINAL day in Paradise!



Hawaii - Day 6

On Day 6 we headed out early to get over to Pearl Harbor before it got really crowded, didn't work.  When we got there we went and got our tickets for the the Arizona memorial but we had about 2 hours to kill before our time slot so we were walking around checking things out and decided to take the audio tour on the submarine.  I DO NOT know how these men lived on this thing for as long as they did.  I think I would have gone insane but it was very interesting.

After the submarine we still had a little bit of time left so we walked around some more and then headed over to catch the boat to the Arizona.  Wow!  What a humbling experience this was.  I wasn't expecting to see what I saw for some reason.  I mean, I had of

course seen it in books and online but it was definitely different to see it in person!

Later that day we decided to head back in to Honolulu to go to the beach for a little relaxing and then to dinner at the Hard Rock.  We love Hard Rock restaurants.  I don't know why but we will usually go to one on almost every trip we go on if there is one around. I think it has a little something to do with the fact that we are not at all adventurous when it comes to food.  That night we did some shopping.  I bought a really cute dress for church from one of the stores and then they had the best, cleanest and most organized Forever 21 I have ever been to!  Fun times!

Hawaii - Day 5

Hey, remember when we went to Hawaii 100 years ago?  Well - here is Day 5 in case anyone out there is interested!

On Day 5 we of course got up and went to the beach but after that headed to Laie to visit the Temple, BYU Hawaii and the Polynesion Cultural Center. 

The Temple was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!  It was just so breath taking and amazing.  We enjoyed walking around and taking it all in for a few minutes!

 We saw tons of these amazing trees when we were in Hawaii.

 We did a little walking around BYU Hawaii and then it was off the PCC.  We had such a blast there - although I am pretty sure it was approximately 250 degrees that day. 

 Tree climbing!

 Getting ready for our canoe ride.

 On our canoe ride.  This was fun but also kind of a life saver since it took us back up to the front of park for dinner. I don't think I could have done much more walking!

 Luau!

 Dinner - Yum!

 We had some time to spare before the show so we did a little more walking around and enjoying the scenery once our tummies were full! (p.s. - it's totally true that you don't know what you look like for sure until you see a picture and let's be honest, this dress is the most unflattering thing in the entire world.  What on earth was I thinking?  Ah well...)

The show was amazing but we weren't able to take pictures.  Another amazing day in Hawaii  down.  Man - I wish I was there right now!  OK, so let's see if I can squeeze day 6 out before January.  Ha!

Hawaii - Day 4

Day 4 in Hawaii was another great day.  We decided to head up to Hanauma Bay which is a FANTASTIC spot for snorkeling and so so beautiful.  The day we were there it was pretty overcast and a little windy but it was still such a great time!  When I went there as a teenager I just remember going straight down to the beach but they have changed it to where you have to watch a little video before heading down...which was interesting.  It had a little song on it that Scot and I couldn't get out of our heads and that we sang the rest of the trip!  It was really close to the tune of "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid.  Ha!

 (Hanauma Bay from the trail above)

 (Our snorkel stuff - we brought our own!  Not too keen on using a mouth piece four billion other people have used!)

 (Just relaxing on the beach before heading out again)

 (Looking hot with our snorkel gear on)

 (Heading out, back to the car)

After Hanauma Bay we went back to our hotel and got changed and then decided to go to Valley of the Temples to check out the Byodo-In Temple.  It was very peaceful and quiet and zen there - I probably could have just laid down in the grass and taken a nap there pretty easily.  They had these beautiful koi ponds and gardens which were really neat.

 (standing in front of the temple)

If you ring the bell you will have good luck but I didn't do it for some reason.  I should have!  Dang - guess I better go back.

Once we got back to Honolulu we walked around some of the shops and then headed over to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner where we had a 2 hour wait, but that's the beauty of Hawaii - when you are there you don't care about waiting (plus - there was some GREAT people watching for sure)!  After dinner we ordered some cheesecake to go because we were too stuffed to eat it right then! So we did some strolling along the shops and the beach and that was the end of day 4!!

p.s. if you are ever in the business of people watching, the family next to us who was also waiting to go in to The Cheesecake Factory were playing this game where they would guess what state the people walking by were from.  It was actually pretty entertaining. Just a thought.