ToddâEUR(TM)s Hawaii Trip At-a-Glance

*Hey Dad,*

Thought I’d give you just a quick synopsis of our family trip to Hawaii (and point out a few tricks that worked or didn’t work for us). If you think about it, it really is a terrifying thing to take eight children on a 6000-mile journey to paradise. Not that I was afraid of the paradise part, but I was sure the plane trip would be hellish. But it wasn’t.

In fact, outside of being a long, tiring flight, everyone did great. I’m sure it was in part because so many dads and moms prayed for us and because we scheduled the flight so that we arrived in Hawaii at bedtime and left Hawaii at bedtime, giving us some big chunks of sleeping in flight.

Another thing that made it less horrific was that we spent the first night in a nearby hotel (Pacific Marina Inn). It was a quick 5 minutes from the airport, and they showed up not long after we called them from the baggage claim.

The next day we made a few stops for necessities at Wal-Mart, Goodwill (for pots and pans), and Safeway (where a gallon of milk cost $7). Before that, we spent some time at the Aloha Swap Meet in the parking lot of Aloha Stadium where you can buy every Hawaiian souvenir imaginable (8 T-shirts for $20).

We finally showed up at Malaekahana State Park where we came face to face with the “shack.” And the front desk people who told us it was rough when we booked it 6 months ago were right. It looked a little like a place Pa Kettle might have thrown together…80 years ago.

I was a little apprehensive at first but by the second day it had grown on all of us and seemed perfect for our big, messy family (and it was cheap). About the only negative thing about the shack was that it was surrounded by dozens if not millions of cockadoodling roosters and their families…and they don’t crow at morning’s first light, they crow all night long.

Our first night it started around 3AM, and it sounded like they were in our room. They didn’t crow just once but every 5 minutes all night long. I could hear one call out and then another demonic rooster would answer in the distance…like they were talking to each other.

The next morning my son Ike (9) went out to investigate and found 8 chickens in the tree right outside our window. The following night I lay in the dark plotting how I could kill them or really scare the feathers off of them.

Other than that and the fact that the winds were unrelenting, the shack was great. The view was incredible and what’s not to like about having 3000 miles of ocean as your front yard? With that, I would highly recommend Malaekahana…but it is rough…I mean really rough.

In fact, if you’re a tent camper, you could stay on the beach for less than $10 a night. They even have smaller cabins and “Yurts” (round canvas tents) for under $50. It could make a Hawaiian vacation doable for lots of people.

Side note: I would not pick the last of February for my vacation time. It was gray every day and rained a lot (we still had sun and warmth but a lot of windy gray). Also the windward side is windy in winter. I’m thinking I’d do a Google search or ask around for the best time to visit.

OK, I’m not going to bore you with a play-by-play description of our trip, but I will mention some highlights:

*North Shore*
– Sunset Beach – Can’t swim there but the waves are incredible and it’s the site of the surfing world championships. Fun to watch the waves/surfers.
– Sharks Cove – awesome cove for safe snorkeling. Wear water shoes for wicked coral and rocks.
– Just north of that look for lots of people parked along the road. That’s the site of beach sea turtles (11-3pm). My wife and kids even saw a monk seal. Very cool and the rocks are fun to climb on.
– Historic Haleiwa. Cool surfing village. Lots of shops and restaurants. We ate at L&L Barbecue, which is supposed to be local Hawaiian fast food.
– Matsumoto’s Shave Ice. World famous shave ice place that my family loved.
– Plus dozens of great beaches and scenic views.

*Honolulu*
– Pearl Harbor. Great!
– Diamond Head – hiked to the top for a spectacular view.
– Blow Hole – the crashing waves force a geyser through a hole in the rocks.
– Hanauma Bay – An incredible place where you can snorkel in safety among coral and view all kinds of big, colorful fish. Mega cool.
– Rainbow Inn. Famous Hawaiian diner.
– Waikiki – Gobs of people, excitement, and touristy stuff. Lots of fun to stroll in the evening when the tiki torches are lit.
– Duke’s – The only fun beachy place we ate at…but worth the wait. Great family dining on the beach. Incredible scenery and lots of atmosphere.

*South Shore — Ko’olina*
– Ko’olina Resort – Four man-made lagoons that offer beautiful beaches and safe snorkeling. We even saw a seal and some whales off in the distance.

Those are just some of the places we went, but we saw so much more. Hawaii really is different than everywhere else we’ve been. The animals are different. The plants are massive. The culture is different. And the oceans and beaches are as exotic as the brochures show. AND I think with some planning, it is doable for all different kinds of budgets.

After going, I’m convinced that you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it. You can if you want…and it wouldn’t be hard. But if you’re willing to rough it a bit…it can be done.

Even the airline tickets can be a lot cheaper than you think. I was talking to one guy who bought a round trip ticket for $175…twice. I even saw those kind of prices advertised on Travelocity.com. If you can be flexible and leave with only a couple week’s notice, you can get some super incredible deals.

My last thoughts are these: there is a difference between a Hawaiian vacation alone with your wife and with all your children. One is restful, relaxing, and involves holding hands, eating at fun restaurants, and moonlit walks. The other isn’t restful, is kind of stressful, but is as memorable as the other. It’s just important to remind yourself of that fact about twice a day.

Well, that’s about the way it went. Thanks for praying for this dad. There were times when I could feel the ungluing beginning…but somehow it held. I know it was because you prayed for this dad. Because of your prayers, I did NOT ruin our Hawaiian time. And for that I am thankful.

Mahalo (Thank You),
Todd