Today started with a drive to the airport. We were sad to leave the Waikoloa Marriott, but we have a date with Pearl Harbor. We got through security and had a quick breakfast before flying to Oahu (Waikiki).

While booking, we were given two choices on hotel. I said, “Hey! It’s our last night… let’s splurge” so we chose the Halekulani. What a good choice. This is an amazing hotel and the people are just fantastic.
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This morning started early with a phone call from a doctor’s office 6 time zones away. And, it was a wrong number. And she gave me attitude (her: “it’s the number down on the sheet” me: “I don’t care… it’s wrong”). Life in paradise is rough! I went back to sleep until 9:30.

After another buffet breakfast (first mimosa that showed up before I was finished with breakfast), we went down to the pool for a couple hours. Then, given that it’s our last night on the big island, we thought it was a good idea to try out the beach and get in the ocean (having spent most of our lazy time by the pool so far).
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The day started like yesterday did: breakfast buffet, tardy mimosa, lazy morning by the pool…

For the afternoon, we went to the Kekaha Kai State Park. The road was less than paved and our poor little rental car cried most of the 1/2 mile driveway to the beach. The beach itself was not much to speak of. It reminded me of a rocky, choppy version of Sandy Point (under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge) except that it was surrounded by lava.
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Is it Monday? It doesn’t feel like Monday. Are all you suckers working?

We started our lazy pool day at 8:30 (well, Holly woke up at 7:30) with another buffet breakfast. There was some foul-up with my mimosa (didn’t get it until I was done with breakfast), but the food was good.

We spent most of the day by the pools. The “Infinity Pool” was neat; one side of it was shorter than the others and continually overflowed onto some rocks. While Holly and I were hanging out in the Infinity Pool, we remembered how nice Cancun was (no kids).

After I took a nap in the room and Holly took a walk and some pictures, we had dinner at Merriman’s Market Cafe (we didn’t see any of Shawne’s “Lite’s Out” memorabilia). Holly had Ahi wrapped in Proccuitto and I had mozzarella/tomato salad (which was awesome) and a nice fish (I think it was kamachi).

Now we’re sitting on our lanai (balcony for you Hawaiian neophytes) sipping drinks. Aloha.

Sunday morning started with very sore backs. The bed at our hotel was SO stiff and uncomfortable. After stretching out for a bit, Holly and I hit Ken’s House of Pancakes in Hilo. Even though I felt fine, I ordered the ROUGH NIGHT omlette which was an omlette topped with chili and cheese.

After making sure everything was packed, we asked for a late checkout so we could leave our luggage at the hotel instead of the trunk while we went on our Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Circle of Fire and Waterfalls tour.
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