U.K. to U.S.A. Fantasy flydrive

This is a fantasy fly drive that is being created on the message board of the yahoo travel group uk2usa. Follow the growth of the holiday fantasy as it grows on the group pages or on this web site. Enjoy !

part 6 Hawaii

 Day 103 Fly into Honolulu Oahu Airport. It is a long flight from Boston but travelling west across time zones means local time is still fairly early when we arrive. We take the rest of day to check out Waikiki Beach where the majority of the hotels are. We take a stroll thru International Market Place which is about three blocks long right Kalakaua ave which is the main street of Waikiki.

Day 104 We pick up the rental cars and take a drive around the island it takes three hours if you dont make any stops. Along the way we see Diamond Head which is at the north end of Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Zoo and also the Honolulu Aquarium. The next attraction is Hanauma Bay which is the best place to snorkel. We just walk thru the shallow water and the fish swim by our legs (by the way they filmed Elvis Presley movie on Hawaii here). Next is the SeaLife Park where we see shows of dolphins and baluga whales. Across the street from Sea Life Park is one of the most beautiful beaches in Honolulu always deserted with calm winds and very few people. The next stop is the blow hole where we can see the water come out thru a hole in the rocks (you have to see it to appreciate it) This is a drive by the ocean on one side. The next place is China Hat which is a rock formation in the ocean that looks like a China mans hat. At this point we are about halfway around the island. The next attraction we pass is a Buddhist Temple with the mountains behind us and a pond with giant goldfish that we can feed. Next we pass North Beach, the windy side of the island where the surfers go especially in November and December when it is high tide. Pearl Harbor is next which is infamous for the attack of December 7, 1941. There is a film at the Pearl Harbor Center and then they take you on boats out to the Pearl Harbor Memorial that is housed over the hulls of the USS Arizona......there you can see what you saw on the film........then you are almost back to Waikiki.....anybody tired yet ?

Day 105 Following yesterdays epic tour, today is a great day for the beach or time at Hanauma Bay. See the picture to better imagine the scene.

Day 106 Get up early today we are going to climb Diamond Head it takes about an hour and we will be exhausted. However, its worth it as we can now see the whole island from this viewpoint. The less active of us drive to the top, but of course that is not as fun.

Day 107 Today is the day for the Dole Factory there we can taste fresh pineapple. They will also walk us out to the pineapple fields and show us the easy way to take the top off the pineapple. In the evening we head to the Pacific Beach Hotel across from the beach at Waikiki this is a good place for breakfast, lunch or dinner (which we have) the restaurant is a three story aquarium with all kinds of incredible fish. They have a diver who will go inside and put up a sign welcoming you to Hawaii a real favorite with the locals good food at moderate prices and the mai tais are to die for.

Day 108 Today we check out of our hotel and head for the airport for a 15 minute flight to Kauai called the Garden Isle since it rains 300 out of 365 days on the north side. Many movies were filmed here including from here to eternity and the tv american special the thornbirds. We can see pineapple growing again.

Day 109 Today we go to the famed Fern Grotto where we get on a boat (sort of) and go where the waterfall is. Paradise.

Day 110 Today we drive to the north side of the island. Its a small island and it takes about an hour to do so. We arrive at the Napili Coast where some of us take a boat and the others take a helicopter ride to the part of the island that can not be seen by car.

Day 111 Today we leave Kauai for the island of Maui. This is the second biggest of the islands and it takes about 15 minutes to get there by air. We arrive at the Maui international airport and there are three areas of interest here. Located southwest from the airport is Wailea very quiet and serene and was the home of golfers until several big mega resorts were built there. If you like to far away and quiet this is the place to stay. The second place is Lahaina a small Waikiki Beach you will find everything here. Maui is a fairly big island and the third and the most popular place where some of the best snorkeling in Hawaii and where the action is head north to Kaanapali Beach where everything is there.

Day 113 Today we can check out the beaches and then head for a small crescent shaped island off the coast of Maui, Molikini. You cant beat the snorkeling here.

Day 114 Well today we will get up before the sun comes up around 4am and head to Hana a volcano on the other side of the island we want to be there for the sunrise, its awesome with a treacherous road (some of the car companies wont let you take your car up there). There are bicycle tours, no brakes downhill, glide away.

Day 115 Well today we head to the Big Island of Hawaii it is the largest island in the Hawaiian Islands. It takes about 45 minute flight to get there. There are two distinct sides of the island, one is Hilo where it rains all the time. Then on the other side of island about a three hour drive is Kona where the beaches and major hotels are.

Day 116 Today we drive to Hilo and the Hawaiian Volcanic Park. Upon reaching the park we go into the Park Headquarters where they will show us a film about the volcanoes and if we are lucky it may even be active while we are there (barely active that is) There is a circle drive thru the park which we take. We pause and walk thru a lava tube. We see roads cut by molten lava flows. We also see nature restore itself with trees beginning to grow right thru the old lava. This is something we will never forget. For those of us with enough energy we to stop at the macadamia factory or the kona coffee factory. This is where we can also see the greenhouse of orchids being grown.

Day 117 Today is our last day in Hawaii. While in Kona we decide to go to the beach. No white sand beaches here, black sand beaches due to the lava, incredible. In the evening we go to luau at the King Kamaeuha Hotel (spelling is wrong) people call this the King Kam hotel.

Day 118 We set off to fly back to the USA mainland.

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