Heading Home

Saturday morning and we are heading home...although it will be Sunday afternoon when we get there.

It's been an awesome week. I've got to know Lester, Sanna, Evan and Lexi on a different level. Thanks to Lester and Sanna for trusting me to get their kids back home safely and for inviting me along and making the week such fun. I've really enjoyed it.

Final Days

A special meal out where Evan and a massive steak dinner, and Sanna attacked a lobster!

....a visit to the national aquarium.....

...some final lazing in the pool, and floating in the sea

Our final night ended with some fireworks on the beach

Pearl Harbour

Today we visited Pearl Harbour.

The bus picked us up at 6am- a very early start!

A pretty sobering and thought provoking experience, invoking similar feelings to being at Aucshwitz 2 ½ years ago.

Understanding the story and the history, the ramifications and the cause and effect is a pretty humbling time.

Tickets are really hard to get- the quote for each day normally run out very early. The only way to do this one is through  tour group really, if you don't want to be waiting for hours on the chance you might luck a ticket.

Our tour group guide lined us up single file to walk into the park

We had some time to look at some of the museum exhibits

Then it was a move and taken by military personnel by launch out to the Arizona memorial, which had been constructed over the top of the sunken ship

The Tree of life in the shrine

Seeing the pride of the forces- understanding that some of the survivors choose to have their ashes reinterred in the Arizona when they pass on made you realise the magnitude of this place and of the history that occurred here.

A very special place, a very special memorial, sombre.

Then it was on to tour a decommissioned warship- SS Arizona.

Hawaii Day 3

Inside the hotel we are staying at

On Day 3 we had a beautiful breakfast by a window overlooking the ocean.

We found our way to an outlet mall and spent the morning shopping.

Then the afternoon was spent alternately swimming in the sea, and swimming in the pool, with the odd bit of resting thrown in for good measure.

The evening brought beautiful sunsets

and a lit view of the city from the balconies in my room