Trip journal - day 9
9 September 2005
Arrived in Honolulu. We loaded most of our luggage in the back of Sini’s truck. Bob and I rented cars. Then we caravanned behind the truck to Turtle Bay Resort. Even though we’ve been in Samoa, and especially Sauneatu, I’m still impressed by the steep volcanic cliffs and jungle growth. Oahu is a bigger island than either Tulopa (Western Samoa) or American Samoa.
Also, a striking contrast between Samoa (third world, or perhaps second world) and Oahu.
Caroline, who had been napping, announced that she had to go to the bathroom, so we made an unscheduled stop at the Laie Temple Visitor’s Center (the door was locked – not open until 9:00 am, and it was before 9:00 am), but they let us in and Caroline was able to go.
We arrived at the hotel. Sini’s son, Les, helped with the luggage. The receptionist and Les chatted – both are Polynesian Cultural Center alumni.
We checked in. Amazing room, with balcony overlooking the beautiful private beach and pool complex. Wireless broadband in our room, so I caught up on email, and news (which I haven’t really been on top of the past week or so – for example, Linda had to tell me in Samoa that Chief Justice Rehnquist had died). Blue Pacific, with a palm tree-shaded hot tub, waterfall water slide pool, and swimming pool. We changed into suits and sat in the hot tub and swam in the pool.
We ate the lunch buffet in the Palm Terrace restaurant (the hotel has several restaurants). Lots of fresh fruit, salad, make it yourself cold cut sandwiches. Then Cindy, Caroline, Molly, and I drove back the coastal road past the temple, the BYU-Hawaii campus, to the Polynesian Cultural Center.
The Samoan show was the highlight. It was a more humorous replay of Sini’s “show” at the umu. It included starting fire by rubbing sticks together and touching the smoldering stick to a coconut frizzle. It also included climbing a much higher coconut palm. The star of the show was a crackup, asking each group how to say “fire” in their native language (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, etc.). We ate at the Banyan Tree Snack Bar (I was still a little queasy), went to the Imax theater (movie about saving coral reefs) did some shopping, then met Sini and the folks for the big show at the Pacific Theater.
It was a wonderful revue of Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Fijian, Tongan, Maori, and New Zealand culture.
Home to hotel and to bed.
Arrived in Honolulu. We loaded most of our luggage in the back of Sini’s truck. Bob and I rented cars. Then we caravanned behind the truck to Turtle Bay Resort. Even though we’ve been in Samoa, and especially Sauneatu, I’m still impressed by the steep volcanic cliffs and jungle growth. Oahu is a bigger island than either Tulopa (Western Samoa) or American Samoa.
Also, a striking contrast between Samoa (third world, or perhaps second world) and Oahu.
Caroline, who had been napping, announced that she had to go to the bathroom, so we made an unscheduled stop at the Laie Temple Visitor’s Center (the door was locked – not open until 9:00 am, and it was before 9:00 am), but they let us in and Caroline was able to go.
We arrived at the hotel. Sini’s son, Les, helped with the luggage. The receptionist and Les chatted – both are Polynesian Cultural Center alumni.
We checked in. Amazing room, with balcony overlooking the beautiful private beach and pool complex. Wireless broadband in our room, so I caught up on email, and news (which I haven’t really been on top of the past week or so – for example, Linda had to tell me in Samoa that Chief Justice Rehnquist had died). Blue Pacific, with a palm tree-shaded hot tub, waterfall water slide pool, and swimming pool. We changed into suits and sat in the hot tub and swam in the pool.
We ate the lunch buffet in the Palm Terrace restaurant (the hotel has several restaurants). Lots of fresh fruit, salad, make it yourself cold cut sandwiches. Then Cindy, Caroline, Molly, and I drove back the coastal road past the temple, the BYU-Hawaii campus, to the Polynesian Cultural Center.
The Samoan show was the highlight. It was a more humorous replay of Sini’s “show” at the umu. It included starting fire by rubbing sticks together and touching the smoldering stick to a coconut frizzle. It also included climbing a much higher coconut palm. The star of the show was a crackup, asking each group how to say “fire” in their native language (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, etc.). We ate at the Banyan Tree Snack Bar (I was still a little queasy), went to the Imax theater (movie about saving coral reefs) did some shopping, then met Sini and the folks for the big show at the Pacific Theater.
It was a wonderful revue of Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Fijian, Tongan, Maori, and New Zealand culture.
Home to hotel and to bed.
posted by Barney at 7:02 AM
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