Highlights

Hawaii was wonderful, except for the absent husband. The ocean was a beautiful sea-green or blue-green depending where we were. It was amazing. Our cabin was 20 feet from it and the constant sound of the waves was very comforting.\
I went on: a boat ride, a helipcopter ride, a submarine ride, a canoe ride, and a train ride.\
I went to: “the big island,” The Shrimp Shack (as seen on the Food Network), the Hawaii Mormon Temple, a waterpark, the lava fields of Mt Kilauea, the Dole pineapple plant, the beach (duh), the Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park, a luau, tha Mauna Loa macadamia nut farm, the North Shore, and Waikiki.\
I saw: three sunrises and one sunset, the biggest active volcano in the world, the most active volcano in the world, volcanic steam vents, a lava tube, many Japanese tourists (the touristy mall’s food court felt like Tokyo. I wish we’d had more time there. I wanted to try some traditional Japanese food.), a Polynesian dance review, undersea boat and plane wreckage, three real waterfalls and several temporary ones, where Mighty Joe Young, the Jurassic Park movies, 50 First Dates and Lost were filmed, the hotel where the cast of Lost stays, and a tree where Elvis once sang.\
I saw, in the wild: crab, fish, sea turtles, and a whale.\
I ate: fresh pineapple everyday and binged on chocolate covered macadamia nuts. I also had spam, poi, chicken long rice, Hawaiian BBQ, yummy seafood, coconut syrup, tropical drinks, haupia, and guava cake.\
The best parts were: seeing my parents, swimming at the beach, the helicopter ride, and the waterpark. (heh, most of those things I can do near my home in Virginia.)