Kaena Point State Park, West side of Oahu - January 22, 2009
Since it's the time of winter where I think I can safely say, "We're all sick of it! Quit *#&@ snowin' already!" I thought it would be fitting to begin this blog with a post on Hawaii. Since there's nothing that puts me to sleep more than a realllly long post, it'll come in installments based on the this trip's itinerary (taken in January 2009), starting with an overview and then one post for each stop in order (Maui (western), Oahu, Kauai, and back to Maui (central and eastern).
Hope it gives you some ideas for your how to get your grass skirt shakin' and ukelelé playin' on. Just kidding. We won't go that far.
When you live in Alaska like I do, going to Hawaii is like a right of residency. When I lived in Minnesota growing up, Florida was to Midwesterners, as Hawaii is to Alaskans. That's probably where the similarity ends, though.
Hope it gives you some ideas for your how to get your grass skirt shakin' and ukelelé playin' on. Just kidding. We won't go that far.
When you live in Alaska like I do, going to Hawaii is like a right of residency. When I lived in Minnesota growing up, Florida was to Midwesterners, as Hawaii is to Alaskans. That's probably where the similarity ends, though.
Also, many people who work in Alaska's tourism industry during the summer tend to have Hawaiian connections, such as a friend from there who works in Alaska seasonally. Some people work overtime during the summer and bum around the Islands during the winter, working minimum wage or taking on an "internship". Then, broke again the following spring, they make their way back to Alaska in time to greet the cruise ship passengers.
Scotty, and I work year-round, but due to his summer work we were no exception to the Hawaiian Connection. Jeff, Scotty's summertime co-worker, had lived on Maui for over two decades and during a particularly snowy January in 2009 we decided to take him up on his offer to show us the "real Maui". It was this offer that led us to spend a total of 17 days and 16 nights seeing Maui, Oahu and Kauai.
This trip, based on our island-hopping itinerary, details exactly where to spot a real Nene bird, what poké tastes like, and if Waikiki is all it's cracked up to be. Plus all the other good stuff like how to get around, where to stay, and details on trip costs.
In short, Hawaii is both weird and beautiful and definitely worth the time and money involved. And, with the right planning, a visit to the 50th state doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. In fact, the car and hotel prices we paid two years ago are pretty much the same now- with some things listed even cheaper. Check back soon for "Hawaii: Part 1- Maui"!
