Oahu with Mom & Dad
 

May 2006

Before beginning, I would like to thank the many Fodorites/TTG’ers who have posted reports and given advice about Hawaii. I have enjoyed your trip reports and took with me many notes on favorite restaurants, scenic drives, sights, and of course the wonderful recommendation of Oahu Revealed. I find that no matter how many times I visit a city, there is always something new to discover, and your advice was well-heeded.

This is around the fifth time I’ve traveled with my parents (Mom 75, Dad 80) in the past 10 years. What began years ago as a daughter & parent get-away has now become a “we don’t think we can do it on our own any longer, so would you mind joining us” type trip. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to answer, “Yes, indeedy. When are we leaving?”

From previous trips with them, I’ve learned that packing day is very stressful around their house. After 55 years of marriage, one begins to wonder how they made it so long together. For some reason, Dad thinks that checking his blood pressure every hour is the thing to do before a trip. And of course, the more he checks it, the higher it gets. Talk of trip cancellation 24 hours before any vacation they take is commonplace.

So this time I decided to fly to their home in Los Angeles the day before our Hawaiian flight. Upon my arrival, Mom was at the doctor making sure her arthritic knees could make the trip. Does she think something had changed in the past couple weeks? Dad was deciding just how many shoes to take. To him, a trip cannot be taken without at least 7 or 8 pairs of shoes; in fact, a whole suitcase is usually dedicated to their shoes.

In their “packing bedroom” (aka my room as a child), one finds a various assortment of clothes spread out in “his” and “her” piles. Mom’s got enough for a month without doing laundry once, and Dad’s pile is – well, there wasn’t much left in his closet. (This trip is only 7 days.)

The joys of role reversal had begun. It happens to all of us in the best and worst of circumstances. The best advice I could give myself is to just let them be themselves, give a little guidance, and not try to be the over-bearing oaf my Russian/Norwegian ancestry usually displays. So when the suitcases came down from storage, I picked out two 21-inchers, told them this was all they could take, and promptly left the room.

Without a word having to be said, they emerged fairly pleasant upon opening the door an hour later. Packing was finished. Mother muttered something about having the General (who, me?) inspect everything. I let the comment pass. We were going to Hawaii tomorrow. There had just better be a chi-chi ready upon my arrival!

Bless their hearts, kopp. I admire their spirit and hope DH and I are fortunate enough to have our health and wits about us to travel at 75 & 80! Look forward to reading more! :-)

kopp-

Our parents must somehow be related. :D

As I'm reading about your parents' packing habits, my eyes are getting wider and wider - I am going through the exact same thing with my parents as we speak.

We leave tomorrow night for a 3 week trip to Europe - and let me tell you, getting my mother to fit all her stuff into a 24 inch suitcase was not for the faint of heart.

Mediating between my parents' squabbles all week has also made me wonder what I've gotten myself into - everything between where my mom put my dad's daybag (15 minute squabble) to the confusion over which ATM card belonged to which account and which ones they were bringing (30 minute squabble).

Undoubtedly we will have a good trip together, but I can relate on all of the pre-trip "stress".

Aha! You see? I wasn't the only one having flashbacks every time I talked to kopp (or as I read this). I tell ya, there should be a support group for adult children who take their elderly parents & grandparents traveling. As I said to kopp, and now to you, chepar, one line my brother used to recite time and again was, "your reward will be in heaven." And he's an agnostic!

kopp, I'm just giggling reading your post since I know what you were going through. I know you still had a pretty good time, and so did they, right?

AnnMarie - I hear you about having health and wits at that age!

chepar - 3 weeks - I'll pray for you! Have a wonderful time.

M - Yes, "Blessed are the peacemakers." I sure hope so! (I finally opened the chocolates last night when I had company for dinner. Yum-yum!)

Morning comes, and I prepare to call a taxi to take us to the dreaded LAX. “Oh, kopp, didn’t I tell you? Dear Friend H is picking us up. She’ll get us there faster than a taxi.”

Have you ever taken a taxi in Naples, Italy? If so, then you know what I mean when I say a Naples taxi is a cakewalk compared to the white-knuckle ride we had the 10 miles to the airport with Dear Friend H at the helm. When are these seniors going to realize they should not be driving? Never mind. That’s another story.

It took – and I kid you not – 1 hour and 20 minutes to get through check-in, baggage scan, and security. Poor Dad. Those darned wires from his bypass surgery trigger the alarm every time, even with the necklace he wears. What a trooper, going through the full body scan. But finally we’re on our way. I had to chuckle when the announcement was made, “This is Hawaiian Airlines flight No. 3, non-stop to Honolulu.” I certainly hope it’s non-stop.

So, 5 hours later, we arrive in Paradise. The agent announces it’s a short 5-minute walk outside the terminal to baggage claim. Well, excuse me, but that’s the longest 5 minutes I’ve ever walked; in actuality, it took us about 15. I guess the luggage went to the main terminal while we unloaded at the inter-island terminal. Whatever. This is the land of the ‘hang loose’ attitude, and I was ready for some R&R.

When my husband and I travel together, we almost always carry on our luggage. I like having peace of mind in knowing my suitcase will be there when I arrive. I had purchased a brand new fire engine red roller just for this trip, knowing it would be easy to find coming down the carousel. Yep, you guessed it. By the time we got to the baggage claim, most people had cleared out, leaving only one lone red bag circling round and round. From a distance, I could tell it was not my bag. I don’t know why, but I started visualizing the perpetrator sifting through it with his wart-infested hands before realizing his mistake. Breathe…breathe…

So, with only my purse and parents in tow, we leave the airport via the Alamo shuttle. Thanks to terrific advice on this board, I had signed up for their Quicksilver program, which has a separate and seldom-used (it seems) check-in area. This probably saved a good hour at the car rental counter. I was the only one in this line versus at least 20 in the other (and we all know how long it takes for each person to go through the paperwork). Signing up ahead of time was very good advice!

Gosh, this is getting too long. I’m just now leaving the airport. More later.

Just had to share one more, re: your white knuckle ride.

You know that handle or strap that is fastened over the back doors of cars? My friends and I call it the "Jesus Handle." When on white knuckle rides, as we round corners and get jostled in the car, we hang on to the handles for dear life while hissing, "JEEE-ZUSSS!"

Melissa - LOL!!!

Actually, I am more familiar with the imaginary brake pedal that I keep stomping on.

Melissa, you were getting flashbacks talking to Kopp? I would get off-age hot flashes, that's for sure ;)

Kopp, in only 4 days I'm taking a pair of stubborn parent/step-parent on a short Memorial weekend trip... I don't think it will be as easy for me as it is for you :)

I'll post my memoirs to compare.

Well, I never needed the imaginary brake with my father... It was more a case of ignoring the whine-chug-a lug-lug of the transmission as he shifted madly to get up to 4th gear for his cruising speed of 25mph!

Now, teaching my daughters to drive....my knee still hurts from floorin' that "passenger side brake" and its been 3 years since they got licensed! One daughter claims she could feel the floor of the car buckle downward, I was pushing so hard. I answer that it was my heart and stomach dropping that caused it!

Sorry I couldn't meet with you Kopps! Melissa invited me, but those were the few days I had both daughters home from college at the same time.

Melissa - when my son (now 23) got his first car, the dealer gave him an extra key and said it was his Jesus key. Sensing our puzzled expressions, the dealer said it's an extra key for your wallet that only opens the door, does not start the engine. For the times you lock your keys in and then exclaim "OH JEEE-ZUSSS" just like you mentioned!

chepar - oh yeah, baby!

Faina - memiors, to be sure. Just remember, you are woman, you are strong! You can do it!

lucy - so much for our GTG - more on that later. Must have been the shortest GTG on record! Glad you could enjoy your girls.

Aloha, y'all!

Kopp,

I think we are related too, especially the Norwegian heritage part!Unfortunately, I never got the chance to travel with my Dad as he passed away shortly after retiring. I have taken trips with my 84 year old mom who refuses to use the electric carts in the airport, or god forbide a wheelchair even when her knee blew out on a trip. "People look at you when you are on the cart and it's embarrasing." They look at you more when you move at a snail's pace and have to stop in your tracks every few minutes to rest! No wonder we have to be at the airport two and a half hours early, it takes that long to negotiate the terminal! She is a good little packer though, and all the polyester travels well! I can so relate to the childhood bedroom being the packing room...mine still hase the Sears white French provencial bedroom set with little floral decals. Neat little piles of clothing spend a week waiting to go in the bag. I am accused of waiting til the last minute if I pack the day before.
I hope your trip is swell and you don't experience too many squabbles! Have chi-chi for me and one for Mom too!

Mary2go - OMG, I think you must be my long-lost twin sister separated at birth! You've described my mother to a T - LOL!

OMG....perhaps I should change my name to kopp! Too funny! Parents are all alike!

Kopp, ROTFLOL!!! HILARIOUS!!

However, I have slighty different take and "learning experience" from your writing. You give great insight into why I make my kids nuts before trips. Thanks for the pointers on behaviors I'll TRY to curb.
We're going on another multigenerational trip soon, so i'll print this thread for my son and DIL. They'll be grateful for the commiseration.
Knowing some of my limitations, I'll insist that Son drive on St John, so Grandma (me) can experience white knuckle syndrome on the "wrong" side of the road there.

One of the many perks of having a retired Army soldier for a father is that the Hale Koa Hotel is available for us to enjoy. Filled with retirees as well as those currently home on leave, the Hale Koa is everything Hawaiian dreams are made of: the swaying palm trees, the lush tropical plants, the luau gardens, the gigantic pool with the barefoot bar (and very good chi-chi’s!), a huge park with playground and BBQs, and even a PX where you can purchase groceries, personal items, and every Hawaiian souvenir imaginable at super prices. Several weddings took place on the grounds while we were there. Oh, the beautiful leis for the bride and groom! Oceanview rooms run around $120/night, with no taxes. There are several perfectly adequate restaurants on-site, best of which is Koko’s Café for breakfast. Sitting at an outside table, listening to the birds chirping and feeling the wonderful coolness of the tradewinds is a terrific way to start any day. And the delicious Kona coffee gives you a good kickstart for the day’s activities.

Dad’s after-breakfast routine was to sit in the open-air lobby with newspaper in hand, adjusting his hearing aids to compensate for the winds blowing through his ears. Before long, it’s the morning “Military Retiree GTG.” It was quite adorable watching him and all his new-found buddies gather for their little chats about the places they’d been, wars they’d fought in, etc. Good stuff, Dad. We’re so proud of you!

When traveling with my parents, the days go something like this: breakfast promptly at 7 am, then the GTG in the lobby, sunbathing under the umbrellas, naptime inside at 10 am, medications at designated hours throughout the day (with absolutely NO excuses if you’re 5 minutes late), lunch promptly at noon, napping again for a couple hours in the afternoon, dinner at 6, and bed at 8:30. One evening we had to wait for a table so we didn’t finish dinner until around 8 pm. When walking the very short distance back to the hotel, Mother remarked about the number of people out (“Why are there so many people out at this time of night?”). Of course, the fact that it was Saturday at 8 pm in the middle of Waikiki had no bearing on the matter.

So each day I tried to make the most of their “awake” time.

If you had mistakenly taken someone else’s suitcase from a baggage carousel and did not return it to the rightful owner for over 24 hours, I am certain – all you well-mannered wonderful experienced travelers – that you would have at least written a note of apology or thrown in a free drink coupon, right? Okay, kopp. Stop whining over the suitcase. You got it back the next day. Move on.

To be continued…

Somehow this got deleted from that one liner about "awake" time:

Some days I would find myself cringing at their antics as I would become restless, wanting to make every second count. I had to keep reminding myself this trip was not about me, realizing how selfish I was becoming. I am very blessed to have such wonderful parents who still have a zest for life and want to travel, albeit in a limited capacity. My brothers don't know what they're missing!

What a small world!

"Mother remarked about the number of people out (“Why are there so many people out at this time of night?”). Of course, the fact that it was Saturday at 8 pm in the middle of Waikiki had no bearing on the matter." - is it possible she had a twin brother separated at birth, and now I am married to him :))

Oh, kopp! This is delightful. I can't wait to read more.

I just snorted outloud at work"adjusting his hearing aids to compensate for the winds blowing through his ears" Too funny!
When my Aunt and Uncle (also in their 80's) went to Oahu and visited Pearl Harbor they were shocked there were Japanese tourist also visiting. I was glad I wasn't there to cringe listening to my Aunt grumble about "them bombing the place to bits then having the nerve to vacation here" I had to stop myself from telling her that my son visited Hiroshima when he was in Japan...

Faina, I just knew somehow we had to be related, with us both being Russian and all and both loving Switzerland too! Too much of a coincidence, donchathink? So let's see...does that make you my Auntie Faina?

starrsville - ah shucks! Patience, my dear. Patience

And Mary - don't think for a split second that I haven't heard those same type comments. "Cringe" is the perfect word to describe my feelings. This summer my hubby and I are visiting Berlin and Dresden. Dad wonders how we could even think of going there.

Ah, it's a small world after all....but in this case, sounds like we are all one big tribe!

The day had come for our Circle Island Drive. After the morning’s rituals, we were ready for a day on the road. “I’ll get the car and you meet me at the lobby area in 15 minutes.” Sounds simple enough. 15 minutes pass, no parents, and no answer on their room phone. Of course, I’m in a no parking zone, but the guard (remember, it’s a military hotel) takes pity on me. He leaves his post to try paging them. Of course, I knew they wouldn’t be able to hear the page. 30 minutes. Guard is giving me the “why-are-you-still-here eye.” 45 minutes, I take the car back to the garage, walk back to the hotel. Finally, I find them at the snack bar. How sweet of them to think I’d need a drink for the long drive!

The sky was clear and sunny, and the water – oh, the colors were so spectacular, all the different hues of blues, aquas, greens. Mom was a real trooper, walking on the lava rocks, taking care not to fall. When we’d stop at viewpoints, I would read to them stories of the ancient Hawaiian rituals and customs. One they especially enjoyed was the burial ritual of the chiefs, where the servant who carved the burial cave had to be killed so as to hide the location of the cave.

(It’s amazing how it takes but a simple word to know where a conversation will end up going. No more had the word “burial” come out of my mouth, but Mother started once again to reassure me that everything has been taken care of for when she and Dad pass on, that we won’t have to worry about anything. The plots are paid for, we’ll have a nice view (what?), they want to be buried in their 50th anniversary party clothes, and the minister knows what songs to sing at the service. Thank you, Mom. I really appreciate that.)

We actually ended up having a wonderful day. Hanauma Bay was gorgeous. Bellows Beach was deserted, and we took a nice walk there. It’s so cute to see them holding hands, walking barefoot on the sand, with the water gently caressing their feet. In La’ie, we saw the natural arch formed after a tsunami. Fascinating. Lunch was at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, where we dined on shrimp scampi, messy but yummy! Dad usually doesn’t eat shrimp due to diet restrictions, but even he let loose and gobbled them up.

By this time, my “navigators” had fallen asleep, so I missed the turnoff for Turtle Beach, where I’d read so much about the sea turtles. Oh well. Next stop was the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Not many pineapples are grown here any longer, and this place has become mostly a tourist trap. But they love the Pineapple Whip and the tour of the gardens, so of course we stopped. This little bit of sugar kept them awake until we arrived safely back at the hotel.

Good day. Good memories.

I'm enjoying your report, Kopp. It has actually brought some tears to my eyes and lots of chuckles as well. I admire your sense of humor and the fact that you have done this for your parents. :)

Thank you soo much for the laughing tears! I am a adult Military Brat :)

Tho my father has passed away..(on Memorial day which we found to be fitting) I still take mom on vacations with my family.It's nice to have the "military perks" and we get to spend quality family time. After all my parents hauled us around the world :)Sometimes with out us. Yea on those trips to Hawaii. :) My husband and I are going for our first visit with out the children,my mom bless her heart is watching the girls.. see what goes around comes aroumd :) All that she has asked for in return was to take a picture of the Hilton rainbow tower and bring her back some wooden grapes. (which were broken on one of our many moves)
My sibilings always say to me. "mom is going with you again?" are you crazy? :O) Yes but then aren't we all a teeny bit :)
Im glad I found your message this weekend I was kinda bummed thinking about how much we miss dad.. you made it so much better.. thanks again..
happy travels..
aka the Col's daughter

stw - tears and chuckles - isn't that what life is supposed to be about anyway? Glad you're enjoying.

wecamp - welcome! what goes around comes around - truer words never spoken! Wooden grapes? Now that takes me back...LOL! How about the wooden 3-foot carved fork and spoon hanging on the wall? I know where you can buy one cheap!

Plans had been made several weeks before this trip for my first ever TTG-Fodorite GTG. We were to have cocktails and dinner at sunset with MelissaHI at a local restaurant before Mom, Dad and I headed out to a musical performance at the historic Hawaii Theater.

Well, during that morning’s military retiree rap session in the lobby, someone mentioned to Dad that a marching festival would be taking place in the Ft. DeRussy Park that same afternoon. Turns out that May was Military Appreciation Month, and all sorts of activities were planned by the hotel. Well, anything to do with bands and marching gets Dad, the VFW commander back home, wound up and raring to go, so I knew the TTG-Fodorite GTG was not to be. MelissaHI was very gracious and understanding, and we made plans to possibly meet for just a few minutes another day.

This was quite a special event indeed. Every branch of the military was there: Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, even bagpipe players and a Fife and Drum unit. Each played a half-dozen or so songs while marching in intricate patterns. The re-enactment of the Iwo Jima flag raising was a tear-jerker, as was the moment of silence that was given to the soldiers currently fighting and those who have lost their lives. Very moving! The Commander of the Pacific Fleet gave a speech, which was followed by the playing of the traditional songs for each branch. It was hard for me to keep my composure when the Marines started playing, “From the Halls of Montezuma,” always a favorite of mine. This festival lasted well over two hours, until the sunset behind the palm trees. Taps was played, and we were dismissed. Wow.

But our night was not over. I hadn’t really expected the festival to last so long. We had tickets for a theater production called “In the Mood,” a song and dance musical variety program at the newly-restored Hawaii Theater. Literally grabbing a sandwich from the snack bar, we hurried as fast as tired feet would allow. Planting my parents in the hotel lobby with a firm, “Stay right here – don’t move until I bring the car around,” they actually learned their lesson and were waiting for me when I pulled up.

The show was outstanding. The small group of singers and dancers took the sold-out house through a dazzling musical review of the 1940s, with songs like “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Kalamazoo,” “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” “GI Joe,” and so many more. They were accompanied by the String of Pearls Orchestra. The evening reminded me of the old Lawrence Welk Shows we used to watch as kids.

When my dad can stay awake for an evening’s performance, I know it’s a worthwhile event. I even caught his feet tapping to the music a few times. Mom’s face was all aglow with laughter and tears mixed in together. The two of them were singing all the way back to the hotel and well into the next day.

Oh Please :O) there are other houses that still have them?! lol I believe mom has willed them to my sister,who CAN NOT stand nic nacs :0
and thanks for the welcome..The grapes were made of teakwood, or sandalwood.The giant bowl has bananna's apples,pears and one pineapple...
I'm hoping I can find some at the fleamarket. If anyone out there knows please holler :)
ps I too have Oahu Revealed... it's a great book!

Hey! Sounds like skipping the GTG was well worth it. I know you were kind of frustrated that morning, but it all worked out, no? and in the end, that's all that matters.......

Hi kopp,

We've been to the Hale Koa and understand why you waited in the car as long as possible for your parents--the garage is inconveniently located down the hill and across the street of a busy intersection!

There's a small military / war museum next to the hotel so I'm wondering if your dad made it there.

Wonderful trip report! Reminds me a bit of the Tom Selleck movie Folks! :-)

AnnMarie - I've now added that movie to my Blockbuster rental list. Sounds like a winner!

And yes, we did get to the Army Museum. Dad could stay in there for hours. Each picture inside tells a story of the lives of our war veterans. It's amazing how clear his memory is about certain dates, places, etc. It's like it happened yesterday.

In their gift shop, they were selling pins of various kinds having to do with military, and he bought the one with the Army WWII Veteran with some sort of symbol. He'll proudly wear that on his lapel, alongside his American flag that's always on his coat jacket!

The night had come for the Hale Koa Luau. Having watched the morning ceremony of the pig being placed into the hole with the ti leaves and coals, we eagerly anticipated seeing the end result later in the day. Mom really loves dressing up for all things Hawaiian, especially the luau. Going to a luau without her hibiscus-flowered dress would be like going to church in pants – it’s just not done! So when Dad phoned my room in “panic mode” only minutes before our scheduled 5 pm “meet at the elevator” time, I knew something was amiss.

I’m told there comes a point in one’s life when, no matter how much or how little one eats, one begins to lose weight (I’m still waiting). And then there’s the height-shrinking problem. A few years ago you may have been 5’3”, but now you’re 5’1”. When you haven’t worn your pretty orange flowered dress for several years but today it’s the only dress that you have and now it fits like a gunny sack (“Oh, why didn’t you let me bring my other dresses I had out on the bed?”), and this is the most anticipated evening of your vacation when everyone will be looking their finest – well, all I can say is that hom-ec class from 6th grade and a little ingenuity came in mighty handy!

A great travel tip I learned sometime ago was to take duct tape wrapped around an old credit card on every trip. You just never know when the occasion might arise for its use. Uh-huh, that’s right. A couple tucks here, a hem here, and voila – the pretty orange flowered dress is ready for the luau!

Our tickets included a free “exotic” drink for each of us. Knowing Mom and Dad don’t drink, I figured why waste the tickets. I could use a couple extra drinks. What a joke! The bartender must have had a spray gun that he used to spray alcohol into the cups (using a very fine mist).

We knew the pig removal ceremony was to begin when the conch shells were blown. Let the unwrapping begin. With everyone gathered around the circle of coals, Mom was thrilled when one of the Hawaiian guys picked her out of the crowd to come taste the pig – the cheek portion, so tender and delicious. Ah, her evening was not ruined after all!

The dinner and entertainment were all that we expected of a luau, plenty of food and lots of Hawaiian dancers and singers, a hula contest for the guys, and even the fire knife dancer. A tribute to the military was a moving moment, when all the vets and actives stood up to a round of appreciative applause, while the band played each of the respective service branch’s songs. When it came time for the Hawaiian Wedding Song, the emcee wanted to know who was married the longest. And wouldn’t you know, but Mom and Dad got the prize for their 55 years. On stage, they were serenaded and even danced (probably for the first time in 55 years!)

Truly a magical night in Paradise.

what a great evening! And you should send in a photo of your mom in her altered dress to the duct tape company!

Kopp- Maybe we are related too. My dad was retired military, a WW 2 veteran (he passed away in 2004), a Norwegian and I went on a trip to Oahu with my folks staying at Hale Koa in 2002. It was such a special vacation. We didn't go to the Luau but a Polynesian buffet and show at HK.

What <b>IS</b> the duct tape + credit card trick? I'm trying to envision it.

Oh Melissa, it's the coolest new gizmo I bring on every trip.

Wrap some duct tape around an old credit card. You'd be surprised what you might use it for: ripped luggage, sink stopper, eyeglass repair, all sorts of things. Oh, and of course now I will add dress alterations!

Over at TTG on their travel tips forum is where I found this helpful hint!

(If you're interested, I put a few of my trip pics on my report over there. Kind of fun!)

Toodles!

Mother’s Day Brunch at the Hale Koa was a lovely affair. Fortunately, there were no wardrobe malfunctions! Mom had been refrigerating the leis she got each night from Dad (he’s such a romantic!), so now she’s got like 4 of them on, all different and so beautiful and fragrant. It goes without saying that we ate too much, but how can you resist such delights as lamb chops, eggs Florentine, caprese salad, and macadamia nut cream pie! We were joined by some dear friends who live locally, so a wonderful time was had by all. Good food, good friends. Life is good.

I had been reading for months about PakePorkChop’s culinary tour of Chinatown, so Mom and I (and my local friend) decided to give it a try. Mom was feeling good, she’d slept the night before (very unusual for her), and she was ready for a walk. Dad was tired from whatever we did the day before -- brunch, nap, pool (more resting), dinner -- so we decided to leave him behind for a few hours.

This was a terrific tour. Starting with the history of Chinese migration to Hawaii, we then toured numerous restaurants, noodle factories, stores, and markets, with everything being pointed out in delightful detail along the way. We even sampled a very unusual yet refreshing drink, sort of like a strawberry smoothie with black blobs of chewy stuff at the bottom. I think it’s called Bubble or Pearl drink or something. Quite tasty. The food markets are always fun to visit, especially when such local delicacies as chicken feet, intestines, and even uterus are sold. Lunch was at a local dim sum parlor, quite a lively place. Mother had never tasted dim sum, but she quickly caught on to the “grab it while it’s available” mentality.

After the tour, I was finally able to meet up with MelissaHI for what has to be the shortest GTG yet, about 5 minutes. She’s a real doll and a delight! Thanks, Melissa, for putting up with my rantings!

The next day was our last. It was announced at breakfast,“Today is packing day, so we won’t be going anywhere.” Yes, it was the dreaded blood pressure rising day. How can one get so stressed about packing when there are no choices to make? Put everything on the bed; it all gets packed. Easy. It shouldn’t take all day. I know, time to back off. As I still hadn’t driven up to Tantalus/Round Top, I decided to set off on my own, leaving them to their packing.

The views from the top of the mountain were stunning. From one side you could see Diamond Head and all its glory; from the other side you could see the harbor area. But for me, the highlight was stopping at Lyon Arboretum, a part of the University of Hawaii where researchers and students alike study plant life in the tropics. This is what Hawaii is to me: the tropical rainforest with the canopy of foliage, the calls of the wild birds, the gigantic philodendron, the palms, heliconia, and the beautiful waterfall at the end of the trail. Only a few miles from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, this place is so serene and magical. Give me a good book, and I could practically sit here forever.

Later that afternoon, I walked the beaches once more, breathing in the sights and smells. Oh, how I love this place: the surfers riding the waves; the palm trees swaying from the warm, tropical breezes; the songs of the ukulele; and the warmth of the sand beneath my feet. But mostly it’s the Aloha spirit that lives in the people of Hawaii and all who visit. It’s paradise, right here on earth!

Mom and Dad were real troopers on this vacation. Yes, there were difficulties and struggles. But you don’t make it to 80 years old without overcoming struggles. For me, this time we had together was very special, and it is something I will treasure forever. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting me share this part of your life. I love you!

Aloha and Mahalo!

Awwww that was a really cute trip report, kopp! I do hope we can get together for a REAL GTG in the future!

Me too!

Me too!

(And if you're ever in Austin, we've got a great place called &quot;Hula Hut&quot; - it would make you feel right at home! Great place for a GTG!)