Hawaii

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Here are a few pictures and videos from a short trip to Oahu with friends last week. Ingrid and Jim (friends from Sacramento) and Ingrid's brother Mark (from Annapolis) and I all met up in Oahu at Bellows AFS for a few days. Jim went diving every day while Ingrid and I hung out at the beach. Mark had to spend a few days at the Marine Corps Base at Kane'ohe Bay. Fortunately his nights were free...we all had a great time. Nothing really beats Hawaii with friends.

Bellows AFS is on the East side of Oahu, quite a distance from Waikiki Beach and Honolulu. I recommend a visit to Waikiki, if for no other reason than to say you've been there, but I would never want to spend a great deal of time on Waikiki...there are just far too many people. I've been really fortunate to have visited some pristine, empty beaches around the world and Bellows AFS in Hawaii was no exception. Take a look at the video and you'll see that Ingrid and I were the only people on the beach the day the above video was shot.

Jim had told us about the Ha'iku Stairs one night and the next day we found them while we were roaming around Kane'ohe Bay waiting for Mark. There are 3,992 stairs to the top of Pu'u Keahiakahoe peak overlooking Kane'ohe Bay (sometimes called K-Bay for short) and it's said the views from the top are spectacular. There's quite a bit written about their history so if you want to read more just Google Haiku Stairs Hawaii and you'll find a lot of information. The stairs have been closed in recent years and hiking them is now illegal...something about being dangerous, etc. and now I just have to climb them! I'm home in Utah writing this, having just landed this morning and in the last few hours I've read everything I can find on the Ha'iku Stairs (also called Stairway To Heaven). One of these days very soon you'll be seeing photos and video from the top of Pu'u Keahiakahoe Peak!

A hui hou kakou
Debbie

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Photos

Hawaiian Sunrise
This sunrise was quite a bit more spectacular 5 minutes before this photo was shot. Unfortunately I stopped for a cup of coffee.

Hawaiian Freeway
It's a bit less congested out of the city. The surrounding mountains were beautiful.

"Dude! I don't know how to read sideways!"
This little guy was "relocated" from the kitchen to the great outdoors quite promptly.

Jim, Mark and Me
I closed my eyes in every single photo!

Bachelor Officer Quarters
This sign made me laugh! There are also separate quarters for enlisted men and enlisted women, but interestingly no Bachelorette Officer Quarters.

Comments

[Perry]

Great Vacation
Hey Debbie good to hear from you, I bet that was a fun vacation, I wish I lived somewhere like Hawaii. I hate winter. Take care thanks Perry

[melissa]

Coyte Chick, Again thanks for allowing me to travel your paths. Such a wonderous place. Patrick is now in Iraq