Hawaii Day 6--Thursday

Due to our late night and the fact that the Benadryl made me a little drowsy, we took Thursday morning easy. We hung out in our lodge room watching Mickey Mouse clubhouse and playing with games. Finally about 10, everyone made it over to our lodge room. Uncle W was still doing laundry, so Aunt M, Uncle B and Aunt R headed out to head up to the North Shore again before our scheduled Luau. At about noon we finally headed out and made it to McDonald's for lunch. Not just any McDonald's though, one with a water fountain along one wall.We then headed next door to the Polynesian Cultural Center to enjoy the culture of seven different islands before our supper Luau.

We arrived just as the Canoe pageant was starting. We learned about the 7 different islands (including Samoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahosa and others) and the different dances they do. As we were watching M asked D if he thought any of the dancers every fell off the canoe.

Shortly after that comment, the man steering the Samoa boat actually did fall off!! Even with that, he continues doing his job of making sure the boat gets to where it needs to go.

After the Canoe pageant, we walked around the grounds stopping to listen to the different areas talk about life on their islands. The Cultural center is connected to BYU-Hawaii, and in exchange for college scholarships and education, students come from these different islands to work and share their culture. At the Samoa center we learned how the men climb trees to collect coconuts.

At the Fiji center we watched them perform a dance. I liked that center the best. Aunt M took me up close so I could see them really well.

At the Tonga center, they talked about the drums and how they use them as different communication calls--to school, to meetings, emergency, etc.

Everyone else went to Tahiti center, but I wanted to go on a canoe ride, so M&D took me to the canoe launch area.

Two cute little girls.

M and her girls on the boat. D was sitting two rows ahead of u.

The view of one of the "islands" from the boat.

A really cool tree that was growing across the river.

Easter island after the Luau!!

Aunt R and I in the missionary church. Again the Cultural Center was associated with the Morman church, so there was definitely a religious overview to everything.

After our canoe ride, it was time to go to the Luau.

Waiting for the food line to begin.
G&G

Uncle W, Aunt R and C.

Uncle B and Aunt M.

M&D and me.

C showing off her lei.

Waiting patiently for our table to be allowed to go through the buffet line.

The whole Boerner clan. M realized this was the only picture she took with everyone in it.

After the Luau we walked around the grounds one last time (that's when we took the Easter Island picture and the missionary church), and then we headed to the show. Ha: The Breath of Life.

Aunt R held me for the first half of the show. And then when I started falling asleep I climbed into D's lap. C was already asleep on M's lap--she enjoyed the first 3 numbers but it had been a long day already.

Just a brief glimpse of what we saw. M really like the production. She was impressed with the women dancers and how they could move their hips that way. The fire throwers were very cool. Overall, it was a very fun day.

On the way back to base, M got lost and turned one exit too soon. She realized it right away but had gotten on the Likelike Highway heading to Honolulu. After the tunnel she made a quick u-turn, but from that direction there was no entrance unto H-3. So after a few turn arounds, she finally made it back to base. M said any other time she wouldn't have minded getting lost and seeing the scenery, but at 10 at night all she wanted to do was go to bed. When we finally got back to the lodge room, M gave me a final dose of Benadryl which I immediately threw up. So after clean-up it was almost 11 before we all fell asleep.

Hawaii Day 7--Friday

On Wednesday due to the whale tour M had scheduled, D wasn't able to tour the Bowfin submarine like he wanted to. M's excuse was that she really thought 7 hours would have been enough at PH and was sorry that there really was a lot to see. Anyhow, the compromise was that D went back into Honolulu Friday morning for his submarine tour with Uncle W, Aunt R, G, Uncle B and Aunt M. G stayed behind with us girls, because M and him had to go back to the car rental place to get his name on the approved driver list. G&G were keeping the car a day after we were leaving and in order to get a pass for entrance to MCBH, his name had to be on the rental agreement. The car rental stop only took a few minutes, so after a quick stop at K-Mart to pick up some different sunscreen (one that doesn't sting the eyes if accidental gotten in) and a few tourist t-shirts we headed up towards the Dole Plantation where everyone else was going to meet us.

We ate just a quick snack and then headed to the Pineapple Express.

Waiting for the next train.

The girls....

and the boys.

All of us on the train.

M didn't know that pineapples didn't grow on trees. I guess because she doesn't like pineapple, it was something she had never really thought about. So it was interesting to her to see the pineapples growing close to the ground.

Besides pineapple, the Dole Planation had other products growing. Sugarcane....

and bananas.

Aunt R being a fiddle playing pineapple.

D and I among the pineapples.

The Dole Planation also had a fish pond. I was enthralled with the brightly colored fish.

I think C enjoyed them also.

Since we were only about 10 miles from the North Shore, we headed that way again for lunch. Uncle B, Aunt M, and Uncle W found a shrimp truck to eat at. The rest of us went to Killer Tacos where M tried Aunt R's fish taco, but order a chicken burrito. After lunch it was time for an Hawaiian snack--shaved ice. M, C and I all shared one with three different flavors and ice cream on the bottom. It was very good and I was good giving C her bites.

Everyone enjoyed their treat.

After our cool treats, we headed to the "surfer" beach for an hour or so of swimming and playing. C was starting to hate her carseat and I needed time to just run uninhibited. I ran in and out of the waves and we saw the heads of some sea turtles playing in the surf along with the surfers. There was some sharp coral in the sand and M stubbed her toe and tore off one of her toenails. After swimming we headed west to the road's end, passing some really rich beach homes. Just before the road ended we passed a really cool Y camp.

A super cool high ropes course. M being the Y person she is just had to take a picture! What a beautiful location for a Y camp--almost rivals the one M works at!!

At the northwest tip of Oahu, the road ends at the entrance to Kaena Point State Park. Only 4-wheel drives are allowed to continue. We stopped to watch a jeep venture out.

The ATV trails along the shore.

While we watched the jeep, D noticed whales just off shore. Besides the one below there were at least 4 others--all very active also. The view was almost better than the ship M&D had been on the few days before.

We headed back to base and G&G's cabin for leftovers for supper. After M did surgery on her toe, we left to go back to bed since both C and I were crabby and ready for bed. However, the sirens and fireworks woke us at midnight as they were celebrating the new year.