A day of lows and highs

Happy Easter Everyone!

This morning we headed out early to get some early morning snorkeling in before the beach got crazy. We went to Hanauma Bay. This place is so popular that you have to pay to park and pay to get in. You also have to watch a 10 minute video before they let you go down to the beach about how the reef was created, the types of fish you will see, and what is happening to the reef because of humans and the environment. It rained off and on the whole time we were there. It was interesting to be floating in the ocean while being rained on. We did see some pretty cool fish. No turtles though. We are holding out hope that we will see them when we are on Kauai with Erica.


We returned out snorkel gear and headed back to the hotel to do a weeks worth of laundry. FYI, I did pack way too many clothes, but I will never confess that to Scott. He can’t know that he was right about that.

We picked up Kiyoko and headed up to Puualii Place where Scott’s grandparents old house is. The drive up the hill was green and beautiful, and very curvy. I am not exaggerating when I say curvy! Once we got up to the house, we knocked on the neighbor’s house, who were the neighbors when Scott’s grandparents lived there, but nobody answered. We decided not to knock on the door and ask for a tour of the house. We opted for taking some pictures and moving on. We headed down the hill and back into town for dinner at a very authentic Chinese restaurant. It was such a relief to arrive at the restaurant. I sat in the backseat of the car and watch Scott take direction from a 96 year old woman who hasn’t driven in 20 years. She kept saying “turn left here” and when Scott would turn left, she would say “oh, I don’t know”. He would ask her if that was right and she would say “Sure, sure”. We dropped Kiyoko off back at her apartment and ended up back at our hotel to pack up for our flight tomorrow. I am sad that this first week is over, but I am really excited about meeting Scott’s sister Erica.

Scott explaining where we are going once we get in the water.  I don't know about you, but this look did not make me feel very reassured!

Hanauma Bay and the reefs that we snorkeled around today.

It took a while to feel comfortable, but I really did have a great time.

The disposable underwater camera did not do these fish justice!

Diamond Head and Honolulu (in the rain) from up by Scott's grandparents house.

Scott's grandparent's house.

Kiyoko showing us some of her latest paintings.  Like a true artist, she was not happy with them and plans to start over on them.  We thought they we absolutly beautiful.

Kiyoko showed us an article from her 1950 one-woman art show.

The plumaria tree in Scott's grandparents front yard.