Monday July 10th was our very last morning in Hawaii. Thanks to a little hiccup with the car the day before, though, we were able to have a little time in the morning, instead of having to return the car four hours before our flight and kill time at the airport. But first, we collected our free breakfast at the hotel.
I suggested we walk down to Waikiki Beach to go swimming one more time in Hawaii. Everyone but Peyton was all for it, so he stayed behind. We even tried the whole Waterstraut line of 'what are you more likely to regret?' But, he stayed firm in that he didn't want to go, so we didn't push. I mean it was pretty early.
But early just meant the beach was much less crowded than the afternoon before.
There is a pier that jets out and divides the beach area. At first we tried to the left of the pier, but the waves were a little much (probably why their were so many surfers out there).
So we decided to go to the left side, which was much calmer.
That was due to a wall that kept this area of beach protected from the waves. Yesterday, the water was over top of the wall, but it was a much lower tide when we were there, and the waves weren't crashing over the barrier yet.
I really hadn't expected to go snorkeling the last day. Waikiki Beach didn't strike me as a good place for such things. But we did grab our snorkels and goggles on our way out of the hotel room (and we wore are water shoes, since we were now sandal-less) As it turned out though, part-way along the pier and all along that barrier, there were fish and crabs. They were everywhere, and it was shallow and calm enough for everyone to snorkel and check it out. The only place you had to be careful was not to get too close to the separation of the wall where the open ocean came crashing in. The current there was pretty strong. Mom still did the 'look from above' approach and she still got to see plenty. Then there were crabs crawling along the wall, so anyone could see those- goggles or not.
I went up to the beach to call Peyton, to see if he wanted to walk down since he could snorkel one last time, but he still declined. While I was up on shore, though, I grabbed my camera and walked out on the pier in an attempt to get some pictures.
I don't know if you can tell at all, but there's lots of fish (especially in the bottom left hand corner) of these pictures. The brightly colored ones were more along the wall, but there were at least a hundred lightly colored silver guys swimming at the right angle, where the wall and pier met. I really don't think it photographed all that well, but these were some of my favorite beach pictures all trip.
We did have some more plans for the day though, so our time in the water had to come to an end. We wanted to go grab a Loco Moco at the Rainbow Drive-In, and then I had promised the boys we would go to the University of Hawaii Bookstore. I had gotten Calib a 'Rainbow Warriors' t-shirt at the bookstore last time, and he was really sad when he outgrew it, so I promised we would go and get a new one while we were there. When we were on Oahu before the cruise ship, though, we were nowhere near the bookstore. Then, it wasn't open Saturday or Sunday, so Monday before the airport was our only option.
We rinsed off all our gear and our water shoes one more time. I will miss the awesome snorkeling in Hawaii, but I won't miss my swimsuit never actually drying, and the constant crunchy-salt-water-hair.
We did swing by one more gift shop on the way back, and walked back to the hotel.
Breakfast was still out in the lobby though, so I decided to get one last bowl of Hawaiian Pineapple (it was SO good there!) And we still had a few more malasadas to finish up.
After that, we packed up and called down for the valet to bring the car around.
But, when we got down to the lobby, our van wasn't anywhere to be found. Apparently once again, the rental van would not start. I was afraid of such events, as I was sure we hadn't done anything the day before to cause the battery to die. But, now I was really upset. First of all, we had just under 3 hours until our flight left, so when Asa called the rental company yet again and they said they would send someone out, they didn't seem to be listening that we didn't have time for that. Eventually he got them agree to just come pick up the car at the hotel, but he would have to take the keys to the rental car place at the airport. The valets then called us a taxi.
I was most upset that I had PROMISED the boys a trip to the University of Hawaii Bookstore, and now I wouldn't be able to deliver. I don't promise the boys stuff often, but I never, ever promise and don't deliver. And they know it (in part thanks to that Peyton Manning trip). They know it so much they use it against me.
So, the kids will ask me if we can do something or if I'll do this or that. If I'm non-committal, they'll try and talk me into promising because then they KNOW it'll happen. (They don't often rope me into such things though- sometimes if Calib is really ancy for a hair cut, he'll make me PROMISE to do it that day. And there I will be at 11:30 PM cutting his hair when I really didn't want to).
But time was ticking away.
The taxi pulled up, and mom suggested we go to the bookstore, and just be quick as can be, and let the meter keep running. Our driver was awesome, and totally game for it.
It wasn't much of a detour, but we did make it. And we went as quick as can be. We all got shirts and notebooks and I even got a magnet.
And then we ran back to the taxi (mom said we took 17 minutes!)
We got to the airport about an hour and a half before our flight, but mom and Asa still had to go to the rental car place to return the keys. We checked our bags (after having to reshuffle all kinds of things to meet the weight requirements), and then the boys and I went into the security line while mom and Asa went off to Avis. But the line was ridiculous. It took us about 40 minutes to get through, and then we had to walk what was probably a fricken mile to the gate, getting stopped by the second scanner to check and see if we had any produce or such in our bags that we couldn't take off the island.
By the time we got to the gate, they were pre-boarding, and mom and Asa weren't there yet. It was very stressful. That 'get here two hours early' that's never applied to me before, finally applied. Apparently for some airports, it is a thing.
(Sidenote: The Honolulu Airport is really weird. It's SUPER spread out, and you're like going outside and walking across streets from terminal to terminal even after you go through security.)
Mom and Asa miscommunicated where to meet up, after mom got to go through the TSA Pre-check, and then they both has to sprint to the gate. It was honestly the only time in my life I had to think about what we'd do if we didn't make the plane.
Luckily, everyone made it just in time, and we were off to Oakland. So long, Hawaii. I probably would have been more sad to leave if the last couple hours hadn't been so stressful. But at that point, I was just relieved everyone was actually ON the plane.
I might not be a fan of the Honolulu airport, but I do enjoy Hawaiian Airlines. They take pretty good care of you, and even supply you with a meal. I mean, it's not gourmet, but it's also pretty decent for airline food.
And, as stressful as the airport was, we had something like five hours to shake it off before we landed. It's a really, really long way from home. I have enjoyed both my trips to Hawaii, but due to travel time alone, I don't really have a huge desire to go back anytime soon.
We arrived in Oakland at 9:30, Pacific Time. (Time to start adjusting back!) I really thought it would be easier to spend a couple nights on the west coast on the way home, because the flight along with the time change is pretty brutal. Add that to the fact that most flights back from Honolulu to Tampa involved two to three plane changes and a red-eye (and this girl cannot sleep on a plane). Even further cementing my decision, it was actually cheaper to do it this way!
Asa and mom went to get the mini van for this stop (this time from Alamo, who was WAY better than Avis), while we collected the luggage.
We did have food on the plane, but it was time for dinner - at least in Hawaii. I actually PROMISED the boys in Las Vegas that we could go to In-N-Out Burger once when we were in Oakland, and there was one not too far from the airport, so it was the perfect stop on the way to the hotel.
And you guys, my mom had NEVER been to an In-N-Out! She couldn't believe that at 10 PM on a Monday night there was a line of cars at the drive-through that went around the whole building.
Our hotel was in Emeryville, sort of between San Fran and Oakland. It's tough to find a place that sleeps six and is priced reasonably. But the Hyatt House fit the bill. We had a kitchen and a living room, with a pull out couch.
And a bedroom with two queen beds. (Asa was over the snoring and sleep talking of everyone else, so we slept in the living room- he was happy for the quiet).
We also had a balcony, which had a view of the bay, a couple blocks back.
Next Up: Our one day trip to San Francisco
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