Waikiki, Hawaii on the Island of O'ahu

ALOHA from the island of O'ahu! O'ahu is the 3rd largest island of the 8 Hawaiian islands. Over 75% of Hawaii's population reside on the island of O'ahu. Known for the North Shore, Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and so much more, thousands of tourists visit each day(especially honeymooners and Japanese tourists). Many visitors enjoy this tropical paradise which we call our 50th state. However, it certainly did not feel like I was visiting a state, rather another country(except for the fact that I did not have to change currency or get my passport stamped). Hawaiians are rich in history, tradition, food, culture, and even have their own language.

I will now share my Hawaiian experiences with you. Each traveler follows their own path and experiences different sights and sounds on their journey. For example, many tourists who visit Hawaii like to attend a traditional luau or learn how to dance the hula, I chose not to. I can only share what I explored over the past six days on this island. As you read, realize there is so much more out there to explore and I am sharing with you just a little piece. Here is a glimpse of my trip to O'ahu.

- There is a six hour time difference in Hawaii. When you are getting out of school at 3:00, it is only 9:00 in the morning for Hawaiian children.
-The Hawaiian alphabet consists of only 12 letters: a, e, i, o, u, and h, k, l m, n, p, w
-Mahalo means Thank you
-Shave Ice is a popular treat(similar to the snow cone)
- Hawaiians refer to the rest of the USA as the "mainland"
- The lei is a popular necklace usually made of plumeria flowers. It is offered to another to say "I love you" or given on special occasions(birthday, graduation)
-There are no active volcanoes on O'ahu ( The Big Island is the place to go for that)

Marisa and I flew out of Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 1st to Honolulu, Hawaii. The flight was about 5 hours and 30 minutes. When we arrived at the airport, I was expecting to be presented with a lei(like I've seen on TV or in movies). Not quite the scenario. Vendors wait by the baggage claim area and sell the flower necklaces that are the Hawaiian symbol of love, welcome, and friendship . Marisa bought me one and we went on our way. We meet up with her two friends who we would be vacationing with, Eric and Denise(and little Eric, 10 months old). Eric has been to Hawaii about 15 times and especially knows a lot about O'ahu(he ended up being our own personal tour guide). We all hopped into Eric's rental car(a rental car is a must if you really want to experience all the hidden treasures on the island) and drove a short distance to Waikiki.

WAIKIKI(where our hotel was located)
Waikiki is on the southeast coast of O'ahu and many people vacation here because of the location. There are sunny beaches, beautiful hotels, shops, and many choices for your dinning pleasure. It is quite attractive for some tourists to just stay put and enjoy the beach, rather than rent a car and explore. The views were absolutely breath taking. Many times I would sit on the beach and couldn't believe what I saw in front of me. Crystal blue water, palm trees, waves crashing, and unbelievable sunsets(one of the best parts of living on the west coast). It was like looking at a post card or a beautiful picture. Since the Hawaiian Islands are located near the equator, it was always hot. I was constantly running into the water every 10 to 15 minutes because the sun was so strong( 50 SPF was a must).


Waikiki



NORTH SHORE
On the day we headed to the North Shore(the northern part of the island), we made a couple of stops along the way. One was to Dole Plantation and the other was in search of a shrimp truck. Dole Plantation is where they grow pineapples. We took a short break there and enjoyed some fresh pineapple slices. I've never actually eaten pineapple and I am so glad that the first time I tasted it was in Hawaii where they grow. It was extremely sweet and definitely refreshing. For children, they have the world's largest maze and a train ride through pineapple fields. Next, we drove a bit longer in search of the famous shrimp trucks. Trucks are parked on the side of the road along the North Shore. Think of an ice-cream truck, but only serving shrimp. The shrimp can be prepared numerous ways and is served with two scoops of white rice. People go to the truck and order shrimp. It took a while for us to find Fumi's Shrimp Truck, but eventually we did and devoured plates of shrimp. There were picnic tables set up near the truck and that is where we dined.


The North Shore is a surfer's delight. If you long for killer waves, the North Shore is the ultimate dream. In the winter months, waves can reach up to 20 feet. However, in the summer months the water is calm and you can enjoy some snorkeling. There are many beaches to choose from in the North Shore. We settled on the beach of Waimea Bay(apparently surfers LOVE this place). The water was the perfect temperature and clear. I decided to do some snorkeling that day. Since some of you are only 8 years old, you might not have had the opportunity to snorkel yet. I will explain. Flippers go on the feet, a mask over the eyes and nose, and a breathing tube(in the shape of a J) in your mouth. It is partially above the water so that you can breathe through the tube while keeping your head under water for long periods . Head into the water and keep your eyes open for beautiful ocean life. I first snorkeled when I went to the Galapagos Islands in 2000. On that trip I snorkeled every day for a week. I snorkeled with sea lions, saw numerous types of fish, and other marine life. Then in 2001 I went to Australia and snorkeled above the Great Barrier Reef. Considered one of the best places to snorkel in the world, it was by far my best snorkeling experience ever. The fish were beautiful and the water was so calm it made it easy to observe the fish. Snorkeling over a reef can be tricky. Snorkelers aren't supposed to touch the reef, respect the reef. Sometimes the reef is rough and you can get a terrible scrape. The day at Waimea Bay was a decent snorkeling experience. I saw a few fish and even saw a giant green sea turtle(which have been protected since 1979 by the Endangered Species Act). Visitors can only look and are not allowed to touch or harass these 400 pound, 4 feet long sea creatures.


Waimea Bay, Green Sea Turtle

The most exciting part of the North Shore for me was the Rock Jump(if you google rock jump, Waimea Bay, Hawaii, you can see it). There is a gigantic black rock that is on the left side of the bay. Kids were jumping off this rock that is said to be about a 25 foot leap. Many of these kids jumped off at least 5-6 times like it was no big deal(including cannon balls, dives, back flips, etc.) After hemming and hawing, I decided to do the jump. I am actually scared of heights(I was the girl scout who never went on the horse, but went on the pony because I was nervous about falling off), but when I am in different countries or other locations I try to be daring and do some things I normally wouldn't try. Eric had done the jump numerous times on his other trips and was game to leap again. So, I thought with Eric by my side I would be okay. First, we had to climb to the top of the rock. This required climbing smaller rocks that were on the slippery side. I slipped right away and scraped my ankle. It wasn't looking good for me, I thought maybe I should just forget it. However, I was determined to once again conquer my fear of heights. I took my time since I was a bit nervous. Eric was already at the top and when I finally reached the top he was about to jump. I thought he would wait for me to go first, but not the case. Eric joyfully jumped into the water. Now he was down below and encouraged me to jump. The scary part about the rock jump is making sure you jump out far enough. Otherwise, you can jump and possibly injure yourself on the rock. I finally reached the edge, but my right leg was shaking too much. I couldn't jump until I steadied myself. At this point, my sister was also in the water telling me to jump(reassuring me that she was a trained lifeguard). Finally, my leg settled down a bit and I did a "pencil" jump- straight down with my arms at my sides. It reminded me of the same jump I had done years ago off the high dive at the River Edge Swim Club(before you kids were born). I didn't even scream because I was holding my breath. I hit the water and came right back up for air. I did it!!! I was so excited it was over and I even stayed in the water to watch the next man jump. I had to actually give him some encouraging words so that he would leap. After watching the sunset, we packed up our belongings and headed back to Waikiki.


Waimea rock jump and sunset
(if you click on the top pic. you can
see me before I jump, and the second
pic. I am the splash going into the water).


PEARL HARBOR (named after all the pearls discovered there in the late 1700s)

Prior to the attack of Pearl Harbor, in 1931 Japan had invaded Manchuria, China. This caused the relationship between the US and Japan to deteriorate. Japan was trying to take over China even after government policy had prohibited it. By 1937 Japan ignored US protests and launched a full-scale attack on the rest of China. At this point, no country was willing to use their military force to stop Japanese expansion. (Yes, I did do some background research for this section).


In 1939 the 2nd World War started. In the primary grades many of you have learned about the Civil War(war between one country), and other wars that happened between two specific countries. Just like the name, a World War involves many countries of our world. Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and this started World War 2 (WWII). Many terrible events happened during the six years of this war. One day you will learn about the devastating Holocaust, but what affected many Americans was the attack of Pearl Harbor. On December 7th, 1941, Japanese military attacked the US Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor. This was considered the 1st major assault on the US and triggered our involvement in WWII. Over 300 Japanese air crafts invaded Pearl Harbor at 8:06 am that morning. There were torpedoes launched, bombs, etc. The most tragic aspect of the Pearl Harbor invasion was the loss of the USS Arizona. It was bombed and within 9 minutes sank, including majority of the crew members(1,177). Other vessels were damaged, capsized(when a ship completely turns over), or destroyed. In the end, all the ships were repaired or recovered. The only vessel that lies on the bottom of Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona.



Pearl Harbor is considered a memorial rather than a museum. There is no fee to enter as it is similar to a cemetery. The entire experience lasts anywhere from 60 to 120 minutes(depends on how many visitors are there that day). We watched a 20 minute video about the history leading up to Pearl Harbor and actual TV coverage from that traumatic day. Then we all boarded a ferry boat on Ford Island and took a quick ride over to the memorial that sits in the harbor. It is a white monument that is in the shape of a rectangular prism, but dips in the middle. Its sits upon the hull of the sunken battleship. Some parts of the ship still project above the water. The monument is semi open and their is one specific large opening that looks down into the ship. It was quite difficult to see much because of the ocean water. However, all visitors realize what is actually beneath them. At the end of the memorial is a shrine that acknowledges all of the 1,177 victims that are entombed below the ship. What is interesting is that there were some survivors on the USS Arizona. Of the survivors, many that have passed on have made the choice to be buried below with their crew. We spent about 15 extremely quiet minutes paying respect to the men who share this as their final resting place. As we left the monument, we were obviously in a somber state and speechless.




KAHALA
At the Kahala Hotel and Resort we had the chance to see dolphins. The hotel is on the pricey side and rooms range between $400 to $800 a night. However, there is a beautiful water front restaurant inside that you can eat at. We ate a delicious lunch at Plumeria(wonder why they chose that name;) and then went to watch the dolphins. I highly recommend this restaurant. After dinning you walk around the little garden and right in front of you is a man made lagoon filled with six dolphins. Guests can pay to spend time with the graceful mammals. These people would actually get to touch the dolphins, feed them, and watch them under water. Very cool, but also for a price. We enjoyed watching the playful Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins from a far. It was a wonderful experience that was extremely relaxing.










DIAMOND HEAD CRATER
I spent this part of the vacation by myself. Everyone else wanted to lounge on the beach, but being that I have always taught about volcanoes in 2nd grade, I just had to go. Diamond Head Crater is located on the Southeast Coast of O'ahu, at the end of Waikiki overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Diamond Head Crater has been extinct for over 150,000 years. This popular landmark has a historic trail many locals and tourists adore. The trail was originally built in 1908 for military purposes, but now serves as a great work out with stunning views.





Diamond Head Crater was 10 minutes from my hotel. I took the bus to the entrance and then walked up a steep hill to the monument. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of the closing time. The park closed at 6pm every day. I arrived at 4:55 and was told by the parking attendant that I have to be out by 6:00 or the gates would lock me in. I was racing against the clock to hike a trail that tour books recommend allowing 90 minutes for. I had a bottle of water, my camera, and was wearing my running sneakers. I booked up the trail and literally bumped some people out of the way. I am sure some people thought I was crazy for hiking the trail so quickly, but I was not going to get locked in. Believe it or not, I hiked the uneven and steep terrain in about 23 minutes. Portions of the hike included climbing two sets of stairs - one 74 steps, the other,99 steep steps. I guided myself through a dark narrow tunnel that was 225 feet long and then up 52 spiral stairs. Just when I thought I made it, I had to crawl through a small opening to reach the summit(the highest point). Oh wait, then there were another 54 steps to climb. At the top, 760 feet, I saw spectacular views of the coastline. I was exhausted, but I did it, and with plenty of time to spare. I took my time walking back down the trail and really let it sink in: I was walking inside an extinct volcanic crater. It was an amazing experience and one I definitely recommend.





HANAUMA BAY
Hanauma Bay is considered the mecca of snorkeling. Known for its abundance in sea turtles, colorful tropical fish, and calm waters(except the day we went). Sometimes it is referred to as nature's natural aquarium because of all the marine life. These fish are not intimidated by humans at all and will swim right next to you, in front of you, or come at you. Hanauma Bay is actually a sunken volcanic crater that has since filled with water. It is another beautiful sight on the island of O'ahu. Tourists and locals pay a minimal fee of $5 to enter into this magnificent marine environment.





I've always enjoyed snorkeling because it is easier than scuba diving(a gas tank is required) or surfing. Plus, it is inexpensive and an enjoyable pastime. Snorkeling is usually a leisure activity that is done in shallow waters, not today. The Saturday we went, the current was strong and the water was murky. In the past, I felt comfortable snorkeling alone and exploring the reef. This time Marisa, Eric, and I stayed together. We were separated frequently and I almost wanted to head back to shore. Again, I have spent long lengths of time snorkeling prior to this occasion(45-60 minutes at a time). I stuck it out, but was ultra cautious. The waves kept pushing me on top of the reef(this reef was slimy, so if my body touched it, it wasn't terrible). The fish were beautiful and I saw another endangered green sea turtle.





This trip was a great distraction as this is the first time in nine years I haven't had to prepare for the first day of school. I have to tell you, I missed it and all you Roosevelt students. I hope everyone had a fabulous first week of school and good luck this school year.

I hope you enjoyed all the details!!!
So long for now,
KMF