Greetings, friends. Ten days in Hawaii flew by and every day was crammed full of adventures. I’ll attempt a brief recap. I’m still soaking it all up while recovering from jet lag and the time change. This was the view from our rented condo.

It was a long flight over with one plane change, but we were so excited, we didn’t mind it. Coming home was a completely different story.
The first day in, we went to a nearby beach to watch the sun set, and of course to dip our toes in the Pacific ocean.


The second day was a beach hopping day which sunburned all the kiddos despite all the sunscreen, but they had a ball!

Then later that early evening, we heard sirens going off. We started getting texts from the condo rental company about an incoming tsunami and that we needed to evacuate to the Waikiola Village which was on higher ground. Needless to say, there was a brief moment of panic since none of us had ever experienced anything like that. Thankfully, the tsunami didn’t materialize and six hours later, we were allowed to return to our condo.
Because of the tsunami evacuation, the Luau we had scheduled was canceled, so we had to try to find another one, which it turned out, wasn’t hard to do. And, it was truly one of the highlights of the trip to me. I loved the fire dancer!! I can only imagine the hours of practice it took. My grandson even got on stage with the dancers! 🙂 And the food was delicious!





It’s hard to keep track of the days and what we did on what days. It all ran together. Plus there is a five-hour time difference between Hawaii and Texas. But we made a loop around the entire island visiting Rainbow Falls, Volcano State Park and black sand beach all in one day.

This Banyan tree was unbelievable! You can tell from us in comparison to the tree how massive it was.

Visiting the Volcano National Park was another amazing adventure! We hiked down to the Kilauea volcano floor, then back up. I made the 5 miles, but was definitely struggling toward the end of the climb back up.

I loved this photo my daughter took that looks like my grandson was trying to blow out the volcano. 🙂

We also went through the lava tubes.

Then on the way back to the condo that day, we stopped at a black sand beach. It was pitch dark, but still got some good photos thanks to the flash!

One of the highlights of the trip was our venture over to Honolulu to Pearl Harbor. It’s sobering to understand the enormity of what happened that day in December. And I learned some things I did not know about what caused Japan to send the bombers. Surprisingly, it was over oil. Because of what Japan was doing in China, we had cut off our oil exports. That was the trigger. We boarded the USS Missouri for a tour, then headed over to the Arizona memorial before touring a submarine.







The kiddos got to swim with dolphins and they loved it so much!

I know there was so much more, but I’m going to stop there and leave you with this bit of information. On August 6th, Kilauea erupted. We missed by two days! This photo is from the U.S. Geological Survey site. I’m glad we missed it, although it would have been amazing to witness.

A hui hou…

I hope you enjoyed taking this journey with me. Now, it’s back to business and a new book release!!!

In case you’ve missed here are the purchase links:
Love your pics beautiful memories.
Thank you for stopping by to share the memories!
Wow, you had an amazing trip! Thanks for sharing your pictures. It all sounds so fun (except for that tsunami warning!).
Thank you, Priscilla. It was an amazing trip, but certainly a far cry from a relaxing vacation. 🙂 I’m happy you stopped by!
Hi, Jan! Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos and experiences. Thank the Lord you weren’t inside Kilauea when it erupted! It appears your grandson didn’t succeed in blowing it out. I’ve preordered both books and look forward to reading them.
Blessings!
Patty
Thanks, Patty! I’m happy you stopped by and yes, thank the Lord we were safe!
Great photos, Jan! It must have been a wonderful time for you and yours, except for the tsunami incident.
It was an adventure I will never forget, Tim. And I read The Five-Toed Tigress on the plane. 🙂
Looks like a wonderful trip, Jan. I have always enjoyed my time spent in Hawaii. So glad you had a great time.
Thank you, John. It was a whirlwind trip for sure. Got to see and do lots.
Thanks, John. It was for sure an adventure!
An amazing trip for sure, Sister. Lots to see and do. The pictures make me tired. Love you.
Lol! And I totally forgot to share my snorkeling fail. 😁😁😁
Sounds like an amazing trip. We live on the coast of California and had some increased waves. Everyone around here talks about a tidal wave that hit the area in 1964, causing substantial damage.
Yes, the entire pacific coast was under the gun for a little while. Glad it never happened. Thanks for stopping by, Pete!
Your vacation sounds like a wonderful whirlwind. Love the photos, Jan, especially the one of all of you in your Hawaiian prints. I went to Pearl Harbor a few years ago. It was so moving. Glad you missed drowning in a tsunami and getting burned alive in a volcano. Eek! Welcome home!
Thank you, Diana. Yes, I am glad I missed all that as well. 😁 I am glad to be home.
Thanks for sharing the photos, Jan. It looks like you all had a wonderful time.
It was an adventure I won’t ever forget. Thanks for stopping by, Dan!
What a great looking family
Thank you, Jacqui!
Sounds like a great trip other than the evacuation part and glad it didn’t hit. We didn’t have enough time to go through the tubes, how fun for you! I felt the same way at Pearl Harbor. Such a special place and so much to see, I’ve done those trips where you don’t stop and see as much as possible. Last time, I just sat and enjoyed being there. Thank you for sharing all the beautiful photos too. I love your Hawaiian family shot. Did you try the poi? I was a fan of it then, but maybe my taste has changed since my honeymoon. Welcome back and can’t wait to read your latest! xo
It was a non-stop go trip and we saw and did as much as possible every day. I never got a chance to try poi. And I completely forgot to share my snorkeling debacle. 😁 Let’s just say I tried. Thankfully the boat had some of the viewing boxes and I got to at least see the coral and fish. But I could not make myself put my face in the water. Maybe someday.
What fun, Jan. Your pictures capture the excitement and the natural beauty. Thank you for sharing the experience and welcome home! 🤗
Thank you for enjoying the adventure with me, Gwen!
What a great and fun adventure you had. Tsunami, that is very scary. I remember the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004. The photos are fabulous and a lot of fun to look at.
Thanks, Thomas. I am glad you enjoyed the journey with me! I am very glad the tsunami did not materialize!
That looks like an amazing trip. I’ve always wanted to see an active volcano. Got grounded by one in Alaska once, but it was too far to see.
While seeing the volcano was pretty awesome I am glad we weren’t there when it erupted. 🤪 Thanks for stopping by, Craig.
What an amazing holiday, Jan. I loved being able to share some of it!
I am so glad you enjoyed sharing my adventures, Jaye!
❤️
I’m so happy you had such a great time, Jan! I loved both of my trips to Hawaii and did many of the things you did. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us.
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thank you for stopping by, Yvette! I can only imagine how long your flight was from Florida to Hawaii. Wow! Glad you enjoyed the memories!
Jan- what an amazing trip you and your family took. Rob and I listened to an audiobook last year by James Patterson called Eruption. It was so fascinating and seeing the lava tunnels you took picture of, it reminded me of the book. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos with us who will only dream of Hawaii. Love you.
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and that the lava tunnels reminded you of a book. While I enjoyed everything we saw and did, it’s not a place I’d ever desire to go back to. Thank you so much for stopping by, Tonya! Love you! Give Rob a hug for me!
Looks like a fabulous time! WE took my mom and dad to the big Island of Hawaii and we all enjoyed it a lot. Great photos. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! What a wonderful trip, Jan. Thanks for the pictorial treat. I love those kiddos, posing with you and you look fab!
Hi Jan, gorgeous photographs of a wonderful holiday. The tsunami warning would have unnerved me too, a scary event, but fortunately not a problem. I knew about the events resulting in the attack on Pearl Harbour and I know a lot about the horror of that day. It made the American decision to intern the Japanese residents in America much more understandable to me. I know how I would have felt if my son/s had been involved in that attack.
I am glad you enjoyed the post, Robbie. The events at Pearl Harbor were horrendous, but so it is with all wars. Such a waste of life and for what? It always comes back to greed and power. Thanks for visiting.
Yes, you are right 💖
what a fun trip you had and even with the tsunami scare! I enjoyed your photos for a nice taste of Hawaii