Oahu

Call it recharging or boosting up...whatever one calls it, it was very NEEDED and I think very much deserved. We like to call this the "Census 2010 is over...I need a break from the kids...can't remember the last time I've been on an airplane...our last hurrah before #4 comes...vacation." I don't know if anyone can appreciate how happy I was when Jeff finished up his Census 2010 assignment...mainly because his schedule was so packed with work and out of town work that I wanted a normal schedule again and maybe have my husband home for a month without him being out of town. He's done with that but took a promotion that now means more responsibility and unpredictable travel...again! Anyway, enough about that because I am now sounding a bit ungrateful for Jeff's hard work and the opportunities we were able to have because of it and I am so not. It was just hard to have him gone so much. This trip was hard to plan...lots of factors to consider but really it only came down to one thing - Who would willingly take our 3 kids and watch them for however long we decided was possible. I'll spare all 2 readers the long drawn out story but we got everything figured out and marked our calendars for our long awaited vacation. Sidenote: All of us were sick at one point for 3-4 weeks leading up to the day we left...I was still in the recovery phase of my cold/flu.

I want to throw out the biggest thank you to my brother and sister-in-law for making this possible and taking on the Enos 3 for 7 days. I left knowing that they were in capable hands and that was such a huge thing in my ability to relax on the trip. I think the kids needed a break from me too...they seem happy to see me and talk to me...which was so nice to come home to.



Day 1 - Arrived in the early afternoon and headed straight for Ono's. I wasn't feeling too great, still a bit weak from being sick the previous 2 weeks and had an infection that was making my face hurt. Anyway, we had some grub at Ono's and then decided to take it easy and do some shopping at Wal-mart for stuff we didn't bring, like sunscreen and snacks and water.

Day 2 - Walked Waikiki for our early morning walk and then we grabbed some breakfast.
Had to get some malasadas from Leonard's.

Headed to the North Shore. I think this is right after Waimaea. Spent a few hours on the beach and the sun was HOT! I suggested to Jeff that we get in the shade but by then the damage was done to Jeff. Luckily it wasn't that bad of a burn for him.


Beach time makes us hungry. Went to a shrimp shack, got the spicy and the garlic shrimp.


Had to finish it with some shave ice from Matsumoto's.




Day 3 - Our plans were to hit the Aloha Stadium for some shopping but their website led us way astray and we ended up in Ko Olina. We were going to head over to this side of the island anyway so it ended up being okay. We spent the day at this beach, very calm and did some snorkeling when the sun was out from under those clouds. It poured as we were leaving, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Day 4 - Had a vacation presentation, to score cheap tickets to a luau, which took most of our morning. We got hit from 3 different people trying to sell us this time share type of thing but we held our ground and they finally released us. It's funny because at the beginning of these things they always say they aren't going to push us and try to sell us anything but when they're all done they try and make the sale and it's pushy. Anyway, we ventured over to the windward side of the island towards Kailua.
View from the Pali lookout.

Kailua Beach. Very nice, green and relaxing.

We got back and did laundry...what a drag!


Day 5 - No morning walk today but we did have a hike planned so we could find a waterfall but it was kind of a pain finding one not too strenuous...given my current condition. Came up with Maunawili Falls. Very green, lush and jungly and a neat hike...minus the muddy terrain most of the way up. It was worth all the "mishaps" encountered during and after the hike.

First we headed to Safeway for some lomi lomi salmon and some drinks for the cooler because after the hike we were headed back over to the North Shore.

Finally getting there!

Jeff getting ready to jump.

After the hike, we drove from the windward side of Oahu all the way to Sunset Beach. Jeff's favorite beach here. Loved the views on the drive. Grabbed a pizza to eat for lunch and stayed in Sunset Beach for the rest of the afternoon. Then back to Matsumoto's for a shave ice treat.

Day 6 - Our last full day here. Since we never went shopping on Wednesday we decided to do some shopping today. Just a way to walk around Waikiki and spend some money.

We went a presentation a few days back, sort of like a time share thing, so we could get some cheap tickets to this luau. It was in Ko Olina, Paradise Cove. We have been to the PCC so just wanted to try something new. PCC had a way better show but I think Paradise Cove was more intimate and some of the food was really really good. Next time I will probably go back to the PCC though. Still nice to try something new and have some fun.