Planes, Trains, and Cruise Ships

Saving Money With Awesome Adventures

When I was living in California, I so wanted to visit my brother in Hawaii.  I didn't want to just visit on Oahu however, I wanted to visit as many of the Hawaiian islands as possible.  Hawaii is not cheap, so I did some research on how to get to all the sights on my list.  Flights between the islands are in the range of $100, not a bad deal for a flight.  Hotels though can be exceedingly expensive.  

Enjoying the view at Haleakala National Park.

The Arizona and Other Hawaiian WW II Memorials

Valor in the Pacific

Valor in the Pacific is the name given to the collection of World War II museums and memorials on Oahu, the most famous of which is the Battleship Arizona Memorial.  The collection of sites and exhibits is so comprehensive and vast that it took me two separate trips to see everything I wanted to. 

Taking in the Arizona Memorial constructed over the remains of the battleship Arizona.

The Most Secluded Place on Oahu Ka'ena Point State Park

An Easy Hike With A Roaring Ocean

Oahu certainly felt the most crowded of the Hawaiian Islands on my visits, especially downtown Honolulu.  Despite the awesome food and attractions (Diamond Head and Iolani Palace for example) of the south eastern side of Oahu where Honolulu is, after a few days I wanted a break from all the hustle and bustle.  The best place to get away on Oahu in my opinion is Ka'ena Point State Park on the far north western side of Oahu.  

Enjoying the seclusion of Ka'ena Point on Oahu.

Diamond Head Compound and Hiking Trail

Hiking, History, and a Volcano

Diamond Head, a Hawaii State Park has a rich history.  Encompassed in its limits east of downtown Honolulu are a geologic history of the volcano which formed the mountain and a military history of the people who used the summit as a vantage point for spotting enemy ships.  

The tunnel entrance at Diamond Head State Park.

Volcanos and Such on the Big Island

The Big Island of Hawaii That Is

I spent two days on the big island of Hawaii, so called the big island because its actual name is Hawaii.  The first day I spent based out of Hilo on the eastern coast of the island.  This was the day I decided I would visit Hawaii Volcanos National Park to see some flowing red lava.  

Cruising around the Big Island in the convertible I rented.  The last minute upgrade was 100% worth it.

Home of Hawaiian Royalty

Iolani Palace on Oahu

The Iolani Palace is not an old palace by any means, built in the late nineteenth century.  It is an important place though, and is a national historic landmark.  The Iolani Palace serves as a reminder of how some conniving individuals stripped Hawaii of its leaders, assimilated it into US culture, and later made it a state.  What's past is past, and the US cannot right the wrongs it conducted in the past of the native peoples it over ran (no one alive today was around when the US did its worst to the Native Americans and Hawaiians), but it can commemorate them.  The Iolani Palace Museum commemorates the peoples of Hawaii and serves as a reminder to respect other cultures and sovereign states, something we still need a reminder of.

Standing in front of Iolani Palace in Honolulu on Oahu.

Dreading a Ride on the Pineapple Express

The Worst and Best of the Oahu Dole Pineapple Plantation

Some tourist traps are awesome, just too much fun too pass up.  Some tourist traps suck.  The Dole Pineapple Plantation on Oahu in Hawaii has aspects covering both ends of this spectrum.  Some parts of the tourist trap that is the plantation suck and other parts are awesome.  In this post I am going to list one awesome for every sucky quality of visiting the plantation, located in the middle of the island, all of which can be encountered in a one hour visit.  

The Pineapple Express turns around at the end of the track to head back to the station and the gift shop.

Snorkeling and Paddle-boarding on Oahu

Watersports Hawaii Style

I previously posted about going submarine in Maui, but that was actually in a submarine.  On Oahu we took a different approach and decided to get our hair wet by checking out the aquatic life of the Hawaiian islands by snorkeling.  We traveled to Hawaii on a cruise from Vancouver, and after visiting Maui, Kuai, and the Big Island got off on Oahu for a few days of fun with my brother who lives there.  

Diving down to check out fish sheltering near a pile of rocks.

The Food Galley. . . I Mean Gallery

Food-Related Photos From Around the World

I am not person who takes pictures of her food.  I see photos all the time on Facebook of what someone had for lunch or dinner.  I just do not see the appeal in posting photos of a chicken breast with mashed potatoes on social media.  Almost as protest, I try to abstain from taking such photos as often as I can.  Sometimes when traveling though I see something I simply cannot not photograph.  All of those random food and restaurant photos (which I refuse to put in a regular post) have now been deposited here for your enjoyment.  And now the awesome, the disgusting, and the truly random food gallery.

Iguana stew with black beans and rice from Roatan, Honduras.  

Above the Clouds and Under the Sea in Maui

First Days in Hawaii: Maui 

I spent two days in Maui last summer while on a cruise.  Maui, much like Oahu offers a a lot of diversity in activities and culture.  No matter our mood, there was something to suit it on Maui.  Maui was the first of the four islands we visited on this trip, and of course the first thing we did was rent a jeep wrangler.  I mean its Hawaii right?  Also jeeps and compact cars were the same price at the rental agency.  I think everyone who stood in line in front of or behind me rented a jeep.  

The entrance to Haleakala National Park on Maui.

Brewery Tours Across the Globe

Why Not Tour. .  a Brewery?

Touring a brewery, distillery, or really any factory is a standby way for me to pass a couple of hours while I am waiting for a flight or need a much needed break on a road trip.  Plus most tours offer samples.  Over the past four years, I have visited five breweries that I will compare and contrast here.  The breweries range over two continents and some very small islands.  However, they are brand names that most folks from the US will be familiar with.  I have listed them here from my personal least to most favorite. 

Budweiser Tour

The Budweiser brewery I visited was in Fairfield, California.  Fairfield is a little city between San Francisco and Sacramento, and I passed through it every time I went snowboarding the in the Lake Tahoe area (Lake Tahoe Snowboarding and More).

Outside the Budweiser brewery in Fairfield, California