Aloha!

It seems eons ago, but last month, I vacationed in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Nine of us (women) comprising of church friends, mutual and non-mutual connections, spent a week together on Bellows Air Force Base in Oahu. Let me just say... I could have spent the entire week lounging on the beaches at Bellows and I would have been a happy camper. It is beautiful there and so wondefully set away from public access. The beaches are so clean from any kind of rubble or people, the water so blue and clear, the sand seemed the softest, and it was a mere yards walk from our cabins.

We got up at 5-5:30am each morning (mind you they're 3 hours behind Pacific time) to get ready for our daily activities. Hence, we affectionately dubbed the trip our "Hawaiian Boot Camp" because Donna, our ex-air force vacation planner extraordinairre, had us out the door before 7am on most days. We snorkeled at the crack of dawn, hiked, went boogie boarding, did a 6-mile charity walk; we ate shaved ice, wonderful shrimp platters from Giovani's shrimp truck, awesome local ice cream, malasadas (Portugese doughnuts), spam musubi and fresh fish from Costco. After returning, I was compelled to sign up for yelp and review some of the food places to which we had visited.

• Snorkeled at Hanauma Bay at 6:30am - Saw many cool fish and sea creatures. Why 6:30 AM you ask? It was our Hawaiian Boot Camp and we beat the crowds and got in for free since it was before 7am.
• Toured Lyon Arboretum - We had a wonderful private tour from a 70 year-old horticultural science guru who we later found out had a PhD (well duh, makes sense why she knew so much!).
• Unknown Waterfalls Hike - We were suppose to hike to Manoa Falls which is near/at the Lyon Arboretum, but our tour ended up being extra long and our 70 year-old guide/PhD woman kicked our butts by taking us on an "unintentional" hike to an unknown waterfall, which ended up not being a waterfall at all because it was all dried up.
• Catamaran boat/snorkel trip - We boated out from the shore and snorkeled in the open sea. We saw sea turtles! I took Dramamine (Less-Drowsy Formula) and was knocked out for the latter half of the day.
• Hiked Diamond Head - It was a quick though strenuous ascent. Definitely worth the views of Waikiki and the ocean at the top.
• Oahu Charity Walk - This was another early day - needed to be registered and walking by 7am. Six mile walk around the heart of Honolulu. We got many snacks and free items along the way, of which my prized freebies were the 3 (yes THREE) free calendars. The funniest... the "Men of Hawaii" calendar... which I gave to one of the ladies in the group, she knows who she is.
• Visited North Shore - we had Giovani's shrimp truck and tried to snorkel, but it was too crowded, wavy, and hot. We opted for the more peaceful waters at Bellows.
• Visited the USS Arizona Memorial - Good to see and learn about a piece of history. It was sort of eerie to be there though because it is literally a grave site underwater. Total silence is requested on board.
• Walked around Aloha Stadium Swap Meet - It's like an outdoor flea market, but new/cheap stuff.
• Outrigger canoe paddling at Pearl Harbor - Donna hooked us up again with her military connections. We paddled around for an hour, for free.
• Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center - I hear this is one of the best luau shows. Good to see once, but it was very touristy.
• Boogie boarded every chance we had at Bellows
• Costco in Honolulu - I love Costco! They have some different stuff than here... spam masubi, lots of things with macadamia nuts, surf boards, korean bbq marinade.
• We also shopped at ABC Stores, Military Exchange (like a mall for military people)
• Attended New Hope Christian Fellowship - It would be considered a mega-church, more seeker sensitive, and geared to entertain. But I appreciated and missed Wellspring.

What an awesome trip, shared with some women I very much cherish as sisters in Christ. Though after a week of being away, it was good to be back home, showering in my own bathroom, sleeping in my own bed, and not having to wear sunblock all over.

Pictured above: First is a scene at Bellows. The second is the nine of us in front of the luau entrance at the Polynesian Cultural Center.