Hawaii Trip, Day 1: Waimea Valley

First of all, I have to document my pedicured--and artificially tanned--toes. Both of which are firsts for me. The pedicure was a bonding experience with the girls, that I am anxious to repeat. Pampering and a leg massage can't be beaten. That was so fun!

As for tanning; even though I don't advocate the seeking out of cancer-inducing activities, I decided to do some fake-baking before we left. I knew that my winter-fresh complexion would be a total disaster on the beach, regardless of my hearty investment in sunscreen. So I bronzed up my body a bit before we left, in self-defense. I still got really, really burned. Oh well. Sunburns are a small price to pay for a few days in paradise.

It was dark when we arrived in Honolulu, but I was impressed by a landscape there at the airport. The smells, the colors--even in the dark--immediately struck me as something different from experience entirely.

I was also impressed by the lack of doors on buildings! Businesses that stay open all the time, such as our hotel, just open right onto the street. They don't even have a wall or door frame or anything! It's just crazy. I can't imagine living in a place where the weather is absolutely never bad enough to warrant serious protection. They just need a little cover from the rain occasionally, and apparently that's all!

Check out my hubby: He actually traded in his Wrangler jeans and Tony Lama boots for shorts and flip-flops while we were there. Who knew it was even possible? I had to document it.

These next pictures were taken in beautiful Waimea Valley on the North Shore. I'm a bit of a coconut and loaded them in backwards order. I'm far too lazy to fix the error, so invite you to walk backwards with me:

I cannot count the number of bizarre and interesting sites that crossed my country-bumpkin eyes.

Here is a Cannon Ball Tree, which I believe is most appropriately named.

Here's one weird plant growing out of the trunk of a palm tree.

The first pic we sent back to our kids. I thought the bamboo trees were so beautiful.

Waimea Falls was a stunning end to our beautiful meander through the valley. Ben was the only one among us who was brave enough to get in the cold water. He's waving way down at the bottom of the falls.This was taken after we rounded a corner and the falls came into view.

I LOVE jungle trees!! Oh, how I wish these picturesque giants would grow in our climate!
A native-style Hawaiian school house.

Here's Bonnie pretending to play a native Hawaiian game that none of us could figure out.Ben's demonstrating a game that Hawaiian children played in preparation for hunting wild chickens and such. They would roll a stone ball or disc and take out the chickens legs, then they would grab the thing before it could recover. Voile, dinner!
Ben, Amanda, and Andy really got into it.

The canopy was amazing! I could lay and stare up into those distant tree limbs and leaves forever. I loved the beautiful and intricate designs created as things interwove.
Aren't these little birds beautiful?! They sang the sweetest song too.
Amanda is standing beside the gorgeous trunk of a Rainbow Tree. So beautiful.

There were half a dozen of these beautiful little Geckos climbing all over this plant. They must have been only 2 inches long from nose to tail end. So cute!

Actually, before we went to Waimea, we stopped at BYU-Hawaii in Laie where Millie went to school. Look at this campus. And the beach is only a block away.
It's a wonder she ever got any schoolwork done!