I guess we're rich

Most of my life (well, the last 46 years), I thought people who went to Hawaii were really, really rich, like Elvis and the Brady Bunch. Has the world changed, or is it me?
Holy cow! We went to Hawaii!

It looks like you think it looks. It's absolutely beautiful. I kept... smiling.

There are basically two types of visitors to Honolulu - military and tourists. So, if you don't look militant, they know you are there to have a good time and their job is to help you do just that!
They talk about "the aloha spirit." Aloha means something like love. Treat people with aloha and get aloha in return and live the aloha way.
Nothing wrong with that.
My sister went, too. I knew she wanted to go to Hawaii since we were little and she saw Beach Blanket Bingo or somesuch. She'd never flown before; but she bravely did, and got Hawaii.

She never came back. Well, she kinda did but keeps doing stuff like buying a pineapple just to look at and using mango-scented air freshener. If she ever goes missing, that's a good place to look - even if she isn't there.


Luau at the Hale Koa.

Why yes, you may adorn my wrist with fresh orchids. Thank you for asking.

Hawaiian men are just so pretty.

though unattainable.




There were lots more flowers, everywhere. The hotel lobby had no walls. The temps are in the 80's with a breeze most days.


The submarine ride was really neat.

Your brain ignores the blue in a few minutes, so you see more of the colors of the fish. Well, YOUR brain probably won't, but it works in the sub.
Viewing window for whom?

We went all island-y. Right ear means you're available.
We were only there for 4 days and one was flying. We have to go back.

Good thing we're rich.

jingle... bells?

We went home to the US for Xmas. "A month R&R" turned into 3 hectic weeks of VA - PA -VA and 4 days in Hawaii. Here are some photos. Uncharacteristically, that's about all I have to say.

We caught up with (imposed upon, leached off of) some friends and some family, but not nearly enough.



We hunted a Christmas tree and caught two. The owners of the farm felt so sorry for the poor, little Australian boy who had never cut his own tree before (sniff), they gave him the one he captured. He inherited my taste in trees -kill the one you feel sorry for.


Thence to "Gramargaret's Farm" in VA.



Off to Honolulu. Being cute gets one lots of perks.


PS Now, I figure Hawaii needs its own post. We took lotsa photos. Who knew?

We're dry...ish. Thanks for asking.

Queensland is getting hammered. For the last month -floods. Now tonight, the cyclone of the century. Thanks to all the friends and family wondering if this is us. It's not. We are in 120 degree heat - Now, with bonus humidity! but we are in no other danger.
If Australia were the US, Queensland would be kinda New England and Alice Springs would be in Missouri. We may get some rain from super-cyclone Yasi by Friday or Saturday which may cause some local roads to close, but not the half-meter Cairns is expecting tonight.
Cairns (pronounced "Caans"), where Yasi is expected to make landfall, is where people go to see the Great Barrier Reef. Let's pray for the people of Cairns and the creatures of the reef.
This category 5 cyclone is about the size of Europe with winds about 280 kph (c.170 mph).