Hawaii, Day 1

Yes, it is, in fact, beginning. For those of you about to log into grunzilla's fileburst, I haven't uploaded there. I have stolen your pictures, integrated them (resistance was futile), and am ready to start here. What I haven't done is sort through our pictures for what you will want to see... hopefully within the week. Or whenever Steve or Laura harasses me (you could harass Ray, but that would be about useless in this case...just easier on me!).

Okay, so, way back in May, we went on this totally awesome trip to Hawaii and stuff?
(my parents are rolling their eyes... that was for Ray).

Anyway - you already heard about the Portland part of the trip out. The flight to Hawaii itself was exactly as glorious as flying for way too many hours with a toddler sounds, so lets skip that part. We did, eventually make it to Hawaii without being jettisoned out an airlock or emergency exit or whatever. Ray's brother Steve was there to greet us (and share a car) when we got there.
The brain trusts in this crowd quickly decided that since we couldn't take luggage on the buses (What? I know! Ridiculous. No one wanted to hear how you can take bikes, snowboards, alpacas on Boulder buses.), we needed a rental car. So we got one.


This worked out really well for me. Not because it meant that I got to participate in two more rides to the airport (one to get our brother-in-law Brad and some Hawaiian McDonalds and the other to return the car), but I got to go visit the sister to my old ship, which I hadn't seen. We drove by on the way to the hotel, and then I abandoned everyone the next morning to meet up with one of the science officers and get a tour. I was on the Cramer when the architects who built this ship (the Seamans) were aboard figuring it all out, so this was really neat to see!
Even in the industrial dock and minus her sails, she is pretty! A huge contrast to where we were about to spend a week, as you will see.
Despite the detours, two copies of google on iphones, and the Waikiki streets, we eventually made it to the hotel.
Eamon was very excited... breaking it down or exhausted? Not sure.

We did a lot of running around, but did make it down to Waikiki Beach to look at the surf, the statues, and the tikis.


FIRE!
Exhausted kiddo and parents both called it a day at that point. The next days were (will be) much more exciting and beautiful, if a bit more mellow!