With the earthquake in Samoa and Indonesia, I was just wondering if it was ok to go there next week? We had plan to go there for 5 days for nights next week. We are super excited, but getting a little worried??

Thanks in advance!
Kris

Best idea to look at an on-line atlas so you can see the proximity of Indonesia to Hawaii. It will make you feel better.
The tsunami watch has been lifted for Hawaii and the West Coast of the US.

2500 miles or so.

California is also about 2500 miles from Honolulu.

None are close.

Hawaii is the farthest distance from any other land than any other place in the world.

"go there" Where are you planning to go? Indonesia? Samoa?

We are in Kauai now. The earthquake did not and will not affect Hawaii. The weather has been lovely. A bit windy but nothing else. Do not worry. Come and enjoy.

Here's an interesting geographical tidbit: Honolulu is eleven miles closer to San Francisco than Washington DC is.

"Honolulu is eleven miles closer to San Francisco than Washington DC is."

Why would that be interesting? Certainly it would not be surprising to anyone, especially anyone who has been to Hawaii.

There was a typhoon in the Philippines. Are you worried about that ?

OK, so it's not interesting. Sheesh...

I thought it was interesting. Thanks mumpsimus.

I'm trying to figure out why anyone who flew between DC and SF, then flew from SF and Honolulu would just automatically know that one route was exactly 11 miles shorter than the other. Or more interesting that "anyone who has been to Hawaii" would automatically know that little tidbit. But I guess some people are just genius that way.

I thought it was kind of interesting too, mumpsimus. Maybe some of us just got up on the wrong side of the bed?

I did not say that "anyone who has been to Hawaii would automatically know that little tidbit."

I said that it "would not be surprising to anyone, especially anyone who has been to Hawaii."

But I was wrong. So many people have so little knowledge of geography and their own country. I have encountered people who don't know the difference between Washington DC and Washington state. Now THAT would explain why this bit of knowledge would be interesting to some people !!

Rusty, ELEVEN MILES? C'mon...

I thought that was very interesting.

It's not difficult to think of Hawaii as just off the California coast when trip planning. It's the 5 hour plane flight that should be the tip-off.

<But I was wrong. So many people have so little knowledge of geography and their own country.>

Rusty what's your problem. First you jump mumps and then you jump the entire board for our lack of knowledge of geography. And my problem is you choose an factoid that few is anyone with a skill in geography would know. I doubt that you knew it.

Rusty, I still think you're missing the point. Perhaps geographical tidbits don't interest you. I have a fantastic knowledge of geography. But that little tidbit I still found interesting. Terribly surprising no, but hardly worth "lightly scolding" someone as if if were a stupid thing to post.

Now explain again about how recognizing an 11 mile difference between the distances of those two cities relates in any way to someone who doesn't know the difference between Washington state and Washington, DC. Sorry, I still think you just got up on the wrong side of the bed that day.

I decided to confirm my factoid before somebody else did, and herewith offer my humblest apology: The airline distance between SFO and Dulles is actually 20 miles farther than that between SFO and HNL. I'm surprised Rusty didn't pick that up right away.

Are we talking airline miles between airports or distance between cities?

Distance between cities:

Honolulu to San Francisco 2394 miles

Washington D.C. to San Francisco 2442 miles

So 48 miles farther from Washington D.C. to San Francisco than it is from Honolulu to San Francisco.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distance.html

My original factoid was based on airline miles a number of years ago--the miles you earned when you flew-- so it would of course be between airports. I did the same measurement this time, and it's clear that Washington (Dulles) has moved to the left, so now Honolulu is 20 miles closer instead off 11 miles. SFO to Honolulu = 2390 miles. SFO to Dulles = 2410 miles.

OK, here's another flight distance factoid.

Which is closer to NYC, San Diego or SF? It's reasonable to think it would be SF, since San Diego is further south. But we all know (except those that don't know the difference between DC and WA) that the coast of California isn't north/south, and that San Diego is quite a bit east of SF. Just how much so isn't something most travelers probably know.

Here are the flight distances.
JFK - SAN = 5 sticker upgrade, or 2446 miles
JFK - SFO = 6 sticker upgrade, or 2586 miles

So by one measure it's 140 more miles to SF. By the other measure it's 20% more stickers required for an upgrade.