Hawaii - Day One - Wednesday

We just returned home from Hawaii yesterday.

I was so excited to talk about the fun week we had, but was sick again after returning home.

This is very discouraging. I was sick before we left, felt well the whole week there, and felt like crap after coming home. But, we're just going to talk about the fun first day we had there.


We arrived at 2:30 in the afternoon and spent the first hour and a half getting the rental car, and checking into the beautiful Hale Koa hotel.

We couldn't wait to get out to the beach but it took a while since we didn't know our way around the grounds. Which was perfect, because we had a fun time exploring the beautiful grounds surrounding the hotel.

When I was there in 1976 and 1978 there was only one tower, now there's two.

You used to be able to see out our window to the grounds of Fort DeRussy, and see grass, flowers and trees, and you could see the other hotels along Waikiki beach, and even see Diamond Head.

Now you just see the other tower. You can't see Diamond Head at all unless you're on the beach.

Our hotel room was on the other side of the tower where you can see the Hawaiian Hilton. We stayed in the same tower that I have stayed in the other two times.

The Hilton is one of the first hotels you see when you come into Waikiki. It's very noticeable because of the beautiful rainbow that goes from the top to the bottom on the ocean side of the hotel, and you see another partial rainbow on the opposite side.

We wandered around the grounds enjoying the unusual trees and plants. They are very beautiful, and one of the trees grows so that it makes a little house. The tree grows so it is enclosed at the top, but is open inside. You would be quite protected from the elements except rain would get in of course. The early islanders would have had no problem closing it in to make a home.

We finally found our way to the water, and enjoyed walking along the beach. We didn't wear our suits that first evening.


Afterward we ate dinner at the KoKo restaurant at the hotel. I had siamin noodles that I shouldn't have eaten, since they are made of wheat. But I remembered the noodles were one of my favorite things when I was there before. It's like going to San Francisco, and not having clam chowder and sourdough bread, I can't do that either.

The siamin noodles weren't as good as my memory had them. I did enjoy them, but wouldn't need to have them again if we go again. And, we do plan to go again!












We went back out to the beach and watched the sun setting, which made the sky pink and gorgeous!

We were still not tired even though it was 2:00 in the morning Utah time by the time we went to sleep. I was sure that I would sleep in, but I was wide awake by 5:30 or 6:00.

Mike was out sitting on our lanai, and I joined him. What a beautiful site early morning is in Hawaii!