Hawai'i: The Rest

This one will be really long. I apologize but we didn't get back until late on the third day and on day four left for the big island where our hotel charged for wifi. So instead you get one long post with all the pictures. Well not all the pictures, but most of them. Don't worry. It's mostly pictures and videos! Though I do apologize in advance for the poor video quality.

Day the Third

On this day we went to Pearl Harbor. I had been dreading this. Why? Well, because like most people I have fears, and one of those fears happens to be drowning. To me it's one of the worst ways someone could die. You know it's happening and it takes it's time. It's strange when you think about it. That I fear drowning yet spend as much time as possible seeing how far down I can go, how long I can hold my breath, how far out I can swim. Going out there I was scared. Not of drowning but of being so close to those who did.

my music

While there we went into a submarine. They're bigger in the inside than I thought, but just as cramped as you'd expect. If that makes much sense.

Some of the bunks. To save space they were folded together. The ones against the wall went from ceiling to the floor.

We also went to the museum, and the history felt more real than when you're in a classroom.

To keep spirits high on German U-boats they'd give out medals for surviving. Bronze was for surviving 90 days on patrol. Silver for surviving more than 90 days. Gold, well no one ever received gold. No one ever lived long enough.

A sun dale!

Basically a mass grave of the fallen at Pearl Harbor

After wards we played there, then went out to the Arizona, where we stood on the grave of +1,000 fallen men.

Some people released their leis into the water.

Another sunken ship

After Pearl Harbor we had a few hours before we were to leave for a Luau. Some friends and I got food then walked around.

They have good food! Ate way too much!!

Aww, a wedding!!

So this guy walked by and I was amazed at his back tattoo but he was too far away for me to do anything. Sooo...I snuck up behind him and took a picture. It was so funny, my friends were a block behind on the ground laughing. It could be because I ran behind the bushes and popped up behind him brandishing a camera...

Ya, I swam there anyways. Rebel!

I climbed a palm tree :)

Then it was off to the luau! Which happened to be a very long bus ride. I'm sorry in advance for the poor video quality.

This was made to drown the surrounding area. Before tourism the entire area was a beautiful swamp, but then they drained it to build buildings.

Some sick graffiti!

The amount of homelessness is just astounding. Walking around at night is just sad.

At the luau

Every table offered pineapple

Where'd my feet go?!

Johanna

Dinner

Haha Calvin Helmer!

On the Fourth Day of Hawai'i

Gundy said to us "Today's your free day." HECK YA! I started off the morning with the Diamond Head Volcano hike.

Megan Allen :)

Bailey Tillman.

Jacob Lessin. I don't think he likes that I took a picture haha

Comforting

There's Waikiki beach and you can somewhat see our hotel.

Sara and I

It just goes on and on

Gundy

I think that's all the female chaperons.

The walk down was funny. I was walking with some Australians and their accents! Love it!

While waiting for the bus after the hike we came upon some trees...

Beautiful

I testing the dead stump on the side to see if it'd hold my weight

The guys following my lead. How many boys does it take to climb a tree?

That is a num nut that she's holding. Well it's not actually called a num nut but that's what we high schoolers were calling it. The oil within it's shell acts as an anesthetic They could've used this during the Revolutionary War! Would've worked a lot better than alcohol.

Sammy holding her num nut

Sammy

This is how I get down from trees...

HOLY COW!! I HAVE MUSCLE DEFINITION!!!! :D

I spent the afternoon on the beach. I have no pictures because by "on the beach" I meant "I was in the freaking ocean instead of laying on the beach being boring and tanning". I swam out there way far, as in I was out with the surfers. So I'm out there when this cute surfer guy comes up to me. Long story short, we talked for awhile. I learned he's from Austria, is 19, and since graduating the year before has been traveling the world. I learned some other things, but the one thing I never learned was his name! Nor he mine. I told Jake about it and he didn't care about the fact that whilst in a bikini his girlfriend was being hit on by a shirtless surfer. He'd cared more that I later ditched the guy, told him I was checking the time and never went back. Mainly because after battling and barely making it to shore, I was too tired go all the way back out there. Wish I had gotten his name though.

In the evening we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner then caught our planes to the big Island.

Sweet drums!

The jazz band played there!

Still can't used to how everything in Hawai'i is so open

No he's not naked.

Before we left for dinner we had an epic game of Spot It!

Our hotel in Kona was pretty snazzy. Some pictures of our room:

The weather's so nice, and the hotel so secluded that I slept outside

Cid enjoys having her picture taken

Diaz Cinco

We woke early the next morning and after a long bus ride wound up here:

You can just make out one of the Falls

So much vegetation! Well...we were in a rain forest...

A bamboo forest!!

Just a wall of vegetation

One of the smaller falls

The branches of the trees fall down making up its' roots

That's one weird leaf

Tic-tac-toe anyone?

Two smaller falls

It's a dance move. Don't judge.

The Matetich guys

No one knows why that cross is there, how it got there, or who put it there. It might even just be the way the fence fell apart. No one knows.

Afterwards we hopped back on the bus and went to watch the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition rehearsals, and then marched the parade. They LOVED us! Especially when we danced. There was one guy who followed us for over half the parade dancing! Everyone was really into it, despite the extreme heat.

We had lunch with the Hilo high school band. I think we might've scared them. Their band is so much smaller than ours and every time someone would show up the band would start freaking out yelling and waving their arms trying to get the other band to sit with them.

We went to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, which isn't as exciting as you'd think.

The museum

Before heading to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Area, we walked through a tunnel created by lava.

Isn't this a strange little plant?

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Area

In Hawai'i it's illegal to be within 120ft of sea turtles. Thank goodness for zoom! They don't want people to get close because if you touch their shell they'll lose a protective coat of, well slime!

I made use of my goggles and saw the worst thing ever. So bad that i wouldn't touch bottom, which was all rock. What was it, you ask? Sea Urchins. All over the place!! So many of them!

Once I got out of the water Jake and Andy thought they'd be funny and threw me to ground covering me in sand. They literally threw me too. Andy grabbed my feet and Jake my hands. Mr. Smokrovich, the principal, stood there laughing! Though I did get them all back, well not Jake yet. I smeared wet sand across Andy's back, and got to make fun of Mr. Smokrovich for thinking the hang loose sign is the rock out sign. xD that was funny!

The Sixth Day

We got to do whatever. So Sara and I went for a run, where we were whistled at and checked out by college guys! Then we hit up the weight room and got our strength on!

After working out we went straight for the beach. Sara walked in got bowled over by a wave and never went in again. I stayed in and tried to learn how to body surf. After eight plus hours I got the hang of it and of boogie boarding. But until then I was attacked by the waves. They were merciless, and completely showed me who's boss. If you're ever sucked under by a wave don't panic. You want to remain calm and just try to keep your body parallel to the ground. That's Sara's problem, she panicked, and instead of getting back up, left.

By the end of the day I had my first sunburn. I was okay with it, until i realized how bad it was. See, I had no feeling in my face. Turns out I suffered from second degree burns. Once we got back going to school sucked. I was made fun of, and stared at and had to put up with people constantly exclaiming "Your face". At the track meet Thursday I was in a bad mood and was sick people doing the afore mentioned things. Of course one more person had to ask what happened. I'm so mean. I told her that I ran into a burning building to save a child, he later died in the hospitable due to severe burning and smoke inhalation. She ran out of the bath room crying. I'm such a terrible person. Especially cause I could just tell she was a really nice girl.

Anyway back to Hawai'i

Our Last Day

On the last day we had a free day in the morning to pack or whatever. Then we went into town to do touristy stuff until our reservation at Bubba Gumps. It was fun doing the touristy thing and I met this guy and his wife or girlfriend. Now I get a free shirt. This is what happened:

Me: Can I pet your dog?

Guy: Sure, thanks for asking.

*Random conversation*

Guy: Can I ask your advice on something

Me: Depends on what it is

Guy: *Whips out Iphone* I'm starting an online Tshirt business. What do you think of this design?

Me: I like it. I think a lot of tourists will go for it. I can't speak for those who live here though.

"Random conversation about shirts and stuff*

Me: Well I have to go

Guy: Hey in a couple weeks my site'll be up. Check it out, shoot me an email and I'll give you a free shirt.

So now I'm getting a shirt. The website is surfripper.com I don't know when it'll be up, but check it out!

That's really all that happened that day besides Bubba Gumps. We hopped on a plane and around 4:30 pm the next day were home.