DAY 25 - HONOLULU - FEBRUARY 20, 2010

THIS IS THE FIRST DAY IN THE LAST 5 WE HAVEN’T FELT LIKE A PIN BALL BOUNCING OF THE SIDE RAILS, BUT THEN AGAIN, WE ARE DOCKED...DA.

WE HAD TO MEET IN THE LOUNGE AT 8:00 AND WE WERE TAKEN DOWN TO THE BUS SHORTLY AFTER THE GROUP WAS TOGETHER. AFTER HANDING OUR TICKETS TO THE TOUR AGENT WE FOUND SOME SEATS. THEY BEGAN TAKING A HEAD COUNT, WITH THE BUS DRIVER BEING FIRST. SOON AFTER THE TOUR AGENT GOT ON THE BUS AND TOOK A COUNT. SHE WAS FOLLOWED BY THE BOSS. APPARENTLY SHE HAD 52 TICKET AND 53 SEAT OCCUPIED.

“WHO DIDN’T GIVE ME THEIR TICKET,” SHE ASKED. NO RESPONSE. AGAIN THE QUESTION WAS ASK, AND AGAIN NO RESPONSE. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE THE BOSS GAVE THE OK TO LEAVE EVEN THOUGH THE COUNT DIFFERED.

ALL WAS WELL, I GUESS, AS WE DROVE THROUGH WAIKIKI, AROUND THE BASE OF DIAMOND HEAD AND TO OUR FIRST STOP, HANAUMA BAY. WE HAD 15 MINUTES TO TAKE PICTURES FROM HIGH ABOVE THE BAY. CLEAR BLUISH WATER AND CORAL STRETCHED ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE SHORE. THE THING WE NOTICED WAS THE LACK OF FISH IN THE BAY. IN OUR PREVIOUS VISIT, YEARS AGO, NUMEROUS TYPES OF FISH WOULD GATHER IN THE SHALLOW WATERS. THE TOURIST WOULD FEED THEM AND I GUESS IT BECAME A SAFE HAVEN FOR THEM. SOME STUPID PEOPLE BEGAN TO FEED THEM FROZEN PEAS AND KILLED THE FISH. FEEDING IS NO LONGER ALLOWED. THE FISH ARE NOT STUPID, THEY NO LONGER GET FED AND THEREFORE DON’T COME INTO THE BAY ANYMORE. BUT, BACK TO THE TOUR.

UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN’T GET ANY PICTURES. OUR CAMERA START MAKING NOISES SEVERAL DAYS AGO AS THE LENS RETRACTED INTO THE HOUSING.

WELL, THE CAMERA DIED A SLOW DEATH AS WE TRAVEL FROM THE SHIP TO THE BAY. SO NOW IT RESTS IN PEACE, INTERNED IN A GRAY SUITCASE. IT TRAVELED THE WORLD IN IT’S 5 SHORT YEARS OF EXISTENCE, HAD PERFORMED PERFECTLY AFTER BEING CALLED UPON NEARLY 11,000 TIMES. IT CAPTURED, IN DIGITAL FORM, THE MEMORIES OF THE COHEN EXPLOITS.

OFF AND RUNNING AGAIN, WE CONTINUED ALONG THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE BLOW HOLE ON THE EAST SHORE. ALTHOUGH THE SENERY WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, THE BLOW HOLE DIDN’T PERFORM. THESE MEMORIES ARE CAPTURED IN OUR MINDS AND NOT DIGITALLY.

WE LOADED ONTO THE BUS AND CONTINUED FURTHER UP SHORE AS THE DRIVER FILLED US IN ON HISTORY AND POINTS OF INTEREST. OUR NEXT STOP WAS TO USE THE FACILITIES CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN A JEWELRY SHOP. WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND IMMEDIATELY HEADED TO THE ICE CREAM SHOP A FEW DOORS AWAY. IT WAS THE PERFECT DECISION.

NOW AS WE ALL GATHERED BACK ON THE BUS A PROBLEM AROSE. THE MYSTERIOUS 53TH PERSON DISAPPEARED. COUSIN DAVE, THE BUS DRIVER, COUNTED AND WAITED. HE COUNTED AND WAITED AGAIN, TRUSTING SOMEONE WOULD COME RUNNING OUT OF ANY SHOP FOR THE BUS. BUT NO SUCH LUCK. COUSIN DAVE FINALLY CALLED THE DISPATCHER FOR PERMISSION TO LEAVE, WHICH WE DID. HE WARNED US THAT IF NEED BE HE WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THE SHOPS IF INSTRUCTED. MAY THE MYSTERIOUS PASSENGER REST IN PEACE, WHEREVER HE/SHE MIGHT BE.

OUR FINAL OFFICIAL STOP WAS THE MOUNT PALI. THE PALI PROVIDES A SPECTACULAR VIEW OF THE NORTHEAST SHORE OF HAWAII. THE DRIVE TO THE TOP WAS VERY SENIC AS THE ROAD WINDS UPWARD THROUGH SEVERAL TUNNELS. GEORGIA AND I WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SEATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUS AND THE VIEW OF THE VALLEY BELOW WERE EXCEPTIONAL. FURTHERMORE, OUT IN THE DISTANCES YOU COULD SEE A THIRD TUNNEL AND THE HIGHWAY LEADING BACK FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO THE CITY SIDE OF THE ISLAND AND CLOSER TO PEARL HARBOR.

AS WE RETURNED TO THE SHIP OUR DRIVER GAVE US THE OPTION TO EXIT THE BUS AT HILO HATTIES, AND RETURN TO THE SHIP ON THE FREE SHUTTLE, OR STAY WITH HIM AND RETURN TO THE SHIP RIGHT THEN. WE CHOSE TO GET OFF, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT INCLINED TO BUY ANYTHING AT HILO HATTIES. THE CATCH WAS TO GO INTO THE STORE, HAVE A LITTLE SHELL NECKLACE PLACED AROUND YOUR NECK AND BE QUALIFIED TO RIDE THE FREE SHUTTLE.

CLEVER SOLES THAT WE ARE, AND MANY OF OUR FELLOW PASSENGERS, WAS TO GO IN ONE DOOR AND OUT THE OTHER. WE CALMLY ACCOMPLISHED THAT CHORE AND WALKED DOWN THE STREET TO K-MART. IT WAS AT K-MART WE FOUND THE ITEMS WE MOST WANTED TO BUY, CANDY, SODA, A FEW PHARMACEUTICAL ITEMS AND SEVERAL CHAINS TO HOLD GLASSES AROUND YOUR NECK. WHEN WE FINISHED WE WALKED BACK AND WAITED FOR THE FREE SHUTTLE, WHICH DROPPED US OFF AT THE TERMINAL ENTRANCE.

CLEARING THE SCREENING PROCESS, WE SAT IN THE TERMINAL AND FINISHED CALLING THE KIDS. WHILE SEATED THERE WE SAW THE HAWAIIAN DANCE GROUP COME THROUGH. AS WE SUSPECTED, THE GROUP WAS MAKE UP OF SMALL KIDS. THEY WERE THE FOLKLORIC SHOW SCHEDULED FOR 4:00 IN THE LOUNGE. GEORGIA AND I HAD ALREADY DECIDED TO SKIP THE SHOW.

WE MADE IT TO DINNER AND THEN ENJOYED SITTING IN THE CASINO LOUNGE LISTENING TO DANIEL OLIVER PLAY THE PIANO. GEORGIA WATCHED A MOVIE WITH LINDSAY LOHAN AND I CHOSE TO READ THE MANUEL OF THE NEW CAMERA WE BOUGHT. WHEN GEORGIA RETURNED TO THE CABIN WE WATCHED THE MOVIE JUST LIKE HEAVEN, WITH REESE WITHERSPOON. IT’S A CHICK FLICK BUT GOOD.