Tilly's Great Hawaiian Adventure

[TillyGalore]

Hi everyone, I'm home!!

Hawaii was a BLAST!!!! Here is a brief summary, some of which you've already read about.

Land in Honolulu, check into hotel, beach, dinner, bed. Home of the Brave tour, USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor survivors, Wheeler Field, Schofield Barracks, Pineapple Pentagon, pearls, pearls, and MORE PEARLS, Duke's for a Mai Tai and apps, Japanese dinner, green tea ice cream (ymmm!), bed. Check out of hotel, swim with sharks, swim in waterfall, best que ever (don't throw rotten veggies, please), fly to the Big Island. Crash, as in sleep. Church, shopping, plan for the week with concierge, snorkeling, swim with turtles, dinner, bed. Original King Kamahamah statue, drive to northern part of island, black sand beach seen from above, drive to falls; Akaka and something else, drive to Hilo and Kilauea, see Kilauea blowing her top, walk through lava tube - scared the hell out of me and ran out, seriously I can get claustrophobic in places like that - stopped at steam vent on the way down and got a steam facial with mom - picture is hilarious, drive to lava flow area, walk out to lava flow observation point, watch glow of lava flowing out of lava tube, pick up lava rocks, remind myself I believe in God not Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire, fall asleep in car on way back to condo, go to bed. Get up, wait for parents to come back from listening to spiel on Hilton Grand Vacations, drive to Kona, rent snorkel gear for the week, look for Hilo Hatties, get the finger from a native and blow him a kiss, give up looking for Hilo Hatties and drive back to condo, nap, head to swimming pool, dinner, bed. Drive to Hilo, stop at some falls along the way, walk down to "ground level", take amazing pictures, walk back up with Heineken bottle left in the water to throw away, drive on to Hilo to find Rainbow Falls, stop at Hilo Hatties, buy the place out, well almost, get lunch, look for Rainbow Falls, give up and drive back to condo, dinner, to bed early as have early day. Get up, drive past Kona to meet up with snorkel diving company, get in boat, flirt with Josh the cute guy, see dolphins, take pics of dolphins, including an amazing shot of one diving back into the water, snorkel, see dolphins while snorkeling and take a picture, back in boat, snorkel to black sand beach, get black sand and shells in bathing suit, no pictures, take shells, snorkel back to boat with Josh and others, go to last dive and snorkel around Captain Cook's monument, back to base, flirt with Josh some more, back to condo, to Hilton Hotel pool, discover have left sunscreen at condo, hang out in pool, dry off, explore hotel, walk across wooden bridge, walk on white sand beach, catch shuttle back to condo, discover I am terribly sunburned, parents are too, but not as bad, take cold shower, dress, parents bring back dinner, best bar-b-que EVER, bed. Get up, go buy shirt designed to keep out bad rays, go to black sand beach on southern side of island, see sea turtles on beach, including one with it's head resting on the shell of another, fall in love with sea turtles, but still HATE Terrapins, back to condo, rain - Hawaii was crying over imminent departure in 24 hrs, Japanese dinner, reaction to Japanese dinner, pack, bed. Get up, snorkel, stalk a sea turtle, go back to beach wait for parents to come back from snorkeling, condo, shower, finish packing, redistribute stuff so my suitcase weighs less than 50 lbs, check out, say goodbye to new friend, not Josh, drive to Kona to return rented snorkel gear, have lunch, best bar-b-que EVER, go to airport, cry, fly to Honolulu, wait for hours for flight to San Francisco, fly to SF, wait, fly to Denver, wait, fly to Baltimore, shower, dinner, bed. Get up, pack borrowed suit case from parents, drive to airport, say goodbye to parents, fly to RDU, best friend and kids pick me up, drive home, show shark video, give presents to kids, say goodbye to friend and kids, Knights68 comes over brings dinner - Bojangles, turn on computer.

Whew! I did a lot. I had a wonderful time and have started my list of things to do when we go back in 2 years. Am considering taking up scuba diving so I can dive further down and hopefully not get sunburned.

If you haven't been to Hawaii, I highly recommend going. It is paradise! Will let ya'll know when I've posted the shark video on youtube, and will post the picks on picasa, will post links to both in this thread.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Glad your back safely!

[cl15876]

Ditto what CB&B and said! Glad you are back safely! By the way, call me if you need a pit stop! I want to see the "cursed" statue and "cursed" black sand!

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Welcome home, Til ! Glad you had such fun. Just reading about all of it wore this ol' gal out! Did you learn to hula?

By the way....I completely agree regarding the bar-b-que. I've never admitted it for fear of unleashing the wrath of so many North Carolinians, but the que I grew up on in Southern Illinois actually was far superior. (My home town actually smelled like hickory bar-b-que from city limit to city limit.) The que they do in the pits in Hawaii was the first I ever tasted that even came close. Now I know it wasn't just me.

Where to next, kiddo?

Love, Ima

[YmoBeThere]

Welcome back, Tilly!

[DevilAlumna]

Hi everyone, I'm home!!

Hawaii was a BLAST!!!! Here is a brief summary, some of which you've already read about.

<snip>

Whew! I did a lot. I had a wonderful time and have started my list of things to do when we go back in 2 years. Am considering taking up scuba diving so I can dive further down and hopefully not get sunburned.

Man, I'm tired just from reading that!

If you like snorkeling, and don't have a problem breathing on the tube, then you'll LOVE LOVE LOVE SCUBA. Plus, you never have to worry about inhaling a lungful of water like you do with a snorkel! I was convinced I wanted to do SCUBA after I snorkeled in Kailua-Kona area, so totally understand where you're coming from.

Glad you had such an excellent trip, but it's nice to have you back on the boards.

[bjornolf]

Yeah for Tilly. I want more details about the shark thing. What was that like? And quit foolin' around, we want pictures and shark video! ;)

[CathyCA]

WOW, Tilly! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

Hawaii is at the top of my list of 43 things to do before I die. After reading your account of your trip, I am determined to get there some day.

[TillyGalore]

WOW, Tilly! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

Hawaii is at the top of my list of 43 things to do before I die. After reading your account of your trip, I am determined to get there some day.

I thought about you a lot while I was there. Couldn't believe that you were so much closer when you lived in CA than you are now, but didn't get over there. I blame ex-lax for that. Perhaps clbunchofnumbers will take you.

[CathyCA]

WOW, Tilly! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

Hawaii is at the top of my list of 43 things to do before I die. After reading your account of your trip, I am determined to get there some day.

I thought about you a lot while I was there. Couldn't believe that you were so much closer when you lived in CA than you are now, but didn't get over there. I blame ex-lax for that. Perhaps clbunchofnumbers will take you.

ExLax had already visited Hawaii before we met. He wasn't interested in going back. Same story with Paris. . .

I hope that clbunchofnumbers and I can visit Hawaii together sometime. I'd love to follow your itinerary, Tilly.

[Lavabe]

Welcome home, Tilly!!

In case you get homesick for Hawaii:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w

I hope we now have a growing HAPA fan club:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwhM7h73_U

Cheers,
Lavabe

[TillyGalore]

Welcome home, Tilly!!

In case you get homesick for Hawaii:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w

I hope we now have a growing HAPA fan club:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SwhM7h73_U

Cheers,
Lavabe

Knights68 and I were watching the Hawaii 5-0 intro just last night. Too funny! BTW, I saw the hotel where that opening scene with Jack Lord was filmed.

bjornolf, to answer your question RE the sharks. I couldn't get over that at time they were as close to me as my monitor is. They truly are beautiful fish and didn't bother the cage at all. The worst part, other than it didn't last long enough, was getting in and out of the cage. When it was hooked up to the boat the water was really choppy, but once they released the cage the water was much calmer. The cage was still tethered to the boat.

I'm ready for a nap.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Welcome home! Glad you had a great time.

Going to Hawaii is still on my bucket list too. As is going to Australia.

[cl15876]

WOW, Tilly! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

Hawaii is at the top of my list of 43 things to do before I die. After reading your account of your trip, I am determined to get there some day.

I thought about you a lot while I was there. Couldn't believe that you were so much closer when you lived in CA than you are now, but didn't get over there. I blame ex-lax for that. Perhaps clbunchofnumbers will take you.

ExLax had already visited Hawaii before we met. He wasn't interested in going back. Same story with Paris. . .

I hope that clbunchofnumbers and I can visit Hawaii together sometime. I'd love to follow your itinerary, Tilly.

I loved Tilly's itinerary also! BTW, Taking you there, CathyCA, is on my top list of things to do!

[Sue71]

Yanno, I don't think Wilson & I would be so bored right now if we had vacation pics from Hawaii to look at... or shark video... all of which must involve Tilly somehow (so no, I can't revisit my Hawaii pics).

[Sue71]

Hmmm still no pics or videos. I'm now convinced Knights had you locked in a closet during your "Hawaiian Adventure".

Who's with me?!?

[TillyGalore]

Hmmm still no pics or videos. I'm now convinced Knights had you locked in a closet during your "Hawaiian Adventure".

Who's with me?!?

I'm getting ready to call clbunchofnumbers to help me convert the video into an application I can use on you tube. Have uploaded pics to picasa, but need to add captions, and want am waiting for a few pics my father took at add. I swear.

[TillyGalore]

I have had a heckuva a time getting the video and pictures loaded. clbunchofnumbers and knights68 both tried to help me convert the video to a You Tube accepted format, but it hasn't worked. I have audio, but no video. Will email the company I went out with to see if they have any suggestions.

Last night I was working on the album I loaded up to Picasa, but there were pictures missing and quite frankly, I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I decided to delete the album and start all over. But, I deleted some pictures off my hard drive as well. Fortunately, my father had downloaded the pictures on my camera to his laptop and I've asked him to email them to me.

But, my father was able to post some of his pictures to his website and is allowing me to share them with you, thank you Daddy! He and my mother went on a submarine tour of the waters off Oahu thus the first few underwater pics are from that expedition. The remaining under water pics (dolphins and coral) were from our snorkeling expedition two weeks ago today. Sigh! I miss Hawaii.

http://gallery.me.com/pandpgifford#1003 ... ack&sel=48

[cl15876]

I have had a heckuva a time getting the video and pictures loaded. clbunchofnumbers and knights68 both tried to help me convert the video to a You Tube accepted format, but it hasn't worked. I have audio, but no video. Will email the company I went out with to see if they have any suggestions.

Last night I was working on the album I loaded up to Picasa, but there were pictures missing and quite frankly, I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I decided to delete the album and start all over. But, I deleted some pictures off my hard drive as well. Fortunately, my father had downloaded the pictures on my camera to his laptop and I've asked him to email them to me.

But, my father was able to post some of his pictures to his website and is allowing me to share them with you, thank you Daddy! He and my mother went on a submarine tour of the waters off Oahu thus the first few underwater pics are from that expedition. The remaining under water pics (dolphins and coral) were from our snorkeling expedition two weeks ago today. Sigh! I miss Hawaii.

http://gallery.me.com/pandpgifford#1003 ... ack&sel=48

Tilly - I just saw your email! I meant to ask you about it last night! Now, all I have to say IS.... "There ain't NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH, ain't no River low enough, ain't no .....", impossibilities....... I will do some more digging and WE WILL GET E'R DONE!!!!!

[CathyCA]

Oh, Tilly, they're BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to see the rest of them AND the shark video.