Waikiki to the Big Island

Yesterday we headed from Waikiki to the Big Island where the Hawaiian Eye Conference is being held. We called up Benny, our friendly limo driver from the previous night, to pick us up and get us back to the airport. If you ever need a taxi in Oahu, give Benny a call. His rates are the same as a taxi, and you ride in style. His number is 808-721-5579. He requires 2 hours notice. It costs about $38 from the airport to Waikiki.

Waikiki is the group of buildings just to the right of the wing. The Diamond Head crater is on the peninsula in the center of the photo.

We flew into the Kona side of the Big Island. This side of the island is a wasteland. It's all black lava fields, and looks like the surface of the moon. In places, grass has sprouted among the lava rocks, but even then, it has the feel of a desert, and not a tropical island. The Hilo side of the island has rainforest. And of course, Mount Manakea has snow this time of year, and the northern part of the island has real desert with cacti. Mara and I came here in 1995 when we were living in Oahu. We went up to the active volcano at that time. This is an amazing island with its diversity.

When we lived in Waikiki

During the first year or our marriage, Mara had to return to Hawaii to finish her Masters in Public Health. She was here for 13 weeks, and I spent 8 of them with her, in a tiny studio apartment we had right on Kalakaua Avenue on the Waikiki strip. Our apartment building is the five-story one just behind the bus. Were were in the one on the top floor, left corner.

I loved it and every time I come here, I like to walk by that building. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary living there. The apartment was tiny with no kitchen. We bought a mini-fridge and a hotplate. While Mara was in classes, I'd watch TV. I'd work out at the gym in Waikiki. We'd go for walks. We'd eat at the little noodle shop across the street. We'd take the bus together to the grocery store or to Queen's Medical Library. We'd lay in the park. In the evening's we'd stroll amongst the tourists on the Kalakaua strip, basking in the vibrancy.

Living here is one of the fondest memories of our early years of marriage, and it's one of the reasons I love coming back to Waikiki.

Arrival in Waikiki

We made it to Hawaii, on the way to the Hawaiian Eye Conference on the Big Island. I love this place. We got in last night and walked out of the airport to catcha taxi to our Waikiki hotel, and were greeted by a limo. Did you know the meter is the same rate as a regular taxi? Nice.

Melonie and Emilly, with driver behind Mel.

Paparazzi shots

We got to our Waikiki hotel. Russ took off to meet up with an old friend for dinner. Mel and Emilly and I went down to Wolfgang Puck's and had pizza. One of Mel's cousins who works for medical referral came by and surprised her and the three of them headed out to see Honolulu, getting in after midnight.

I walked down the Waikiki strip, which I love. It's a place of everything. Every few feet there is some street "performer" (and I use the word loosely) trying to make some money. Here is a guy dressed in a monkey suit, standing on a crate, with his buddy playing the ukulele. Hey, you know this is America.

In the morning we walked around Waikiki in the daylight, picking up some souvenirs. Waikiki has to be the most famous beach in the world and one of the greatest tourist strips on the planet.

View from my hotel room

Statue of Duke

Saipanese Tourists in Waikiki

At the International Marketplace in Waikiki