It finally took having visitors to get me over to the island of Oahu.  We had lots of fun there, I got pretty drunk on the beach in Waikiki.  Nothing like Fosters on the beach!  Actually, that’s probably why I was so hungover.  That and the Hpnotiq!  Mmmmm…

Waikiki from the top of Diamondhead.  Getting to the top of Diamondhead is NOT for the faint of heart.  It’s basically an hour hike UPHILL and up like 742389098432 stairs.  But you get this view as your reward.  So it is worth it.  Plus, it’s only 5$ per car to get into the park, so it’s totally a cheap thrill.  Assuming you’re not afraid of heights or 2378923897243 stairs.  Which I now am.

It’s kind of hard to photograph the USS Arizona.  This is the ship that was one of the many ships bombed at Pearl Harbor.  It basically exploded and sank immediately.  1,177 men died on board, and this site is a national military gravesite.  It’s also a tourist destination.  It’s kind of creepy.  But once you step off the shuttle boat that takes you to the USS Arizona, an eerie silence is perceptible, and the hundred or so folks wandering and taking it in are respecting it as a gravesite, so it’s completely silent.  It’s kind of depressing, but an important part of American history.

This is Sandy Beach, looking towards the “Halona Blowhole,” which is a hole in the rock where the waves splash through to heights of 30 or more feet.  This beach was incredibly beautiful, the sand was silky soft, warm, velvety and squishy between the toes.  The sort of beach which makes me want to move to Oahu forever.  Not a great surf beach, however.

This is Kualoa Beach Park, which was actually closed recently because of red-tide or some other bacterial presence.  It’s another amazingly beautiful beach, see above.  And continue below!

I think this  is one of the islands off of Oahu that was used to film the beginning sequence to Gilligan’s Island! But I’m not 100% sure.  In any case, who cares, because it’s freaking gorgeous.  I want to eat it.

JURASSIC PARK!  Basically.  The hills of Oahu have been worn down to these nubby, stubby, sharp, and striking peaks.  Barely 2000 ft tall, but still quite striking and incredible to see.  Big Island, where I am now, is so new geologically, that the whole island is one giant hill up to two giant peaks.  There really aren’t any sharp or interesting features like this, unless you count sharp lava rocks as interesting.  When you’re picking them out of your hand, you’ll beg to differ.  See previous entry about lava.

Oh Look!  I’m flying!  I’m flying!  Ohh, no! (*crash*) I’m dead!  What an IDIOT! (Wedding Crashers)

This guy was paragliding (?) off the sea cliffs above some really cool surf beach, backed by the steep part of Diamondhead, the updraft of which was probably causing the perfect, constant wind to glide around.   It looks like super fun, but really dangerous.  Pretty to watch, though.  Here, you can see C posing for the camera.  Thank you, C.

Ahh, the Hilton.  As much as I don’t want to support the family of Parisite Hilton, that Hilton Waikoloa is the shit!  It has it’s on tram car, a boat cab, and good (but pricey) restaurants, a sea-water lagoon with dolphins, and like 5498 pools.  And waterfalls and waterslides and shit.  Fun!   Thanks E’s old job for paying for it!

We watched the sunset from our hotel balcony.  I miss that balcony.  Sigh.

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