Phase 3 vacation summary- Hawaii

So I am just going to post some pictures here. I will eventually get around to getting a whole album up...

First off, yay for landing in Houston before this huge thunderstorm hit. Boo for our flight from Honolulu being delayed until 2am...yay for good sushi restaurants within walking distance of the airport, boo for super cold airplanes, yay for bringing jeans to change into and sticking my feet into my purse to keep them warm :) (yes I really stuck my feet into my purse and it really did help...I slept the whole rest of the flight!)

After delaying my flight to Oahu by a day, the girls (Lydia and Emily (they are sisters and I went to school with Lydia...we've known each other for 17 years!!!) picked me up and we headed out to the Likelike (pronounced 'leaky leaky") Highway, a really pretty drive on Oahu). We stopped at Chinaman's Hat for some pictures, drove around to see some of the pretty beaches and overlooks (and saw some humpback whales spouting off the shore!!!), saw Haunama Bay, and the sunset.

Me, Emily, and Lydia in front of Chinaman's Hat

Sunset near Haunama Bay

The next day we woke up very early (4am!) and went to hike Diamondhead Crater.

Lydia, Emily, and me on Diamondhead Craater, Honolulu in the background

We met up with another group of my friends (Tima, Katrina, and Mark, and their friend Patty) for breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants on Oahu, Eggs and Things.

The gang at Eggs and Things

Then we all flew to Maui. Our condo was awesome! Within barefoot walking distance of the beach (Kamaole II) in the town of Kihei (south Maui). We hit the beach first thing of course :).

Our beach

Since Tima and all only had a few days on Maui, they were going to cram as much as possible into those days. We joined them at 3:50am to drive up Haleakala, the dormant volcano, to watch the sunrise. The elevation is just over 10,000 feet and it was freezing! (literally).

Sun rising on Haleakala (yeah, we were above the clouds...so cool!)

Me and Tima on Haleakala

The girls...thawed out finally

Then we drove the Road to Hana and hiked to Waimoku Falls (407 foot waterfall).

Me and my old roomies, Tima and Katrina


Lydia and Tima

Big waterfall

I talked Emily and Mark into joining me in the waterfall!!!


Wahoo!

We then visited Wai'anapanapa State Park and the black sand beach. Alas, we couldn't swim in it though...you can see why...

Ooh pretty black sand (it wasn't soft though...)


Umm, yikes.

We went to Lahaina, really quaint old town, good shops, and we went to the Old Lahaina Luau, which was a lot of fun. We sat with a great group of folks and had a really fun time with them.

Taking out the kahlua pig


Enjoying my mai tai



Sunset from Lahaina

At the Old Lahaina Luau (all the girls at our table and some friendly visitors :) )


After our botched kayaking/snorkeling, seasickness/freezing adventure (of which we have NO pictures from!). We spent our last beach day on this beach, Makena Beach. Wow.


Sunset from the condo balcony (our last night on Maui)



Last picture on our beach (it was sooo windy so we weren't too sad about not being able to have one last beach day)

Our last day on Maui we went back to Lahaina and drove around the coffee plantation. And then got one last iced coffee at the Maui Planatation Coffee House. Yum!


I really like coffee

Great trip. Great great great.