Cruise in the Morning

Tomorrow I embark on the 15 day cruise from Honolulu to Auckland through Tahiti. The boats name is Rhapsody of the Sea and has a lot of fun things to do. The wi-fi is really expensive, so I don't know for sure if I will be able to post regularly. I will try my best, though, and will be posting whenever internet access is available. Until then I will be relaxing on a cruise ship. Haha, doesn't sound too bad at the moment. Also, there is now a donate button and ads all set up. These are an attempt to make money from this blog for the trip. Any little bit helps. I have been trying to get my blog out there from many means. If you have any suggestions, let me know and please tell your friends to check it out. Thank you to everybody that reads this!

Day 8

Two More Days

We leave Hawaii on a cruise ship to New Zealand Wednesday. We spent today preparing for leaving the country. The first thing that needed doing was making sure every laptop was in top shape by going to the Apple Store. Then we went to different stores to try to get situated for snorkeling on the trip (They are must haves for Tahiti and the Great Barrier Reef). Here is a little list of what I am bringing, other than what was already packed.

1. Aqua Sphere Goggles-$25 It is actually quite hard to find the right pair of goggles. These things are amazing. They seal to your face like no other pair of goggles in the world and never fog up. A little bit expensive, but worth it.
2. Snorkel-$5 Not a name-brand, in fact it was the cheapest one I could find. All the other snorkels were pretty expensive, and I really only need a tube that I don't have to pick up my head up to breathe.
3. Fins-$? Some pretty nice swim fins that fit really well. I don't know the price exactly, but I think they were somewhere around $20-30.
4. Aqua Socks-$7 Yes, these things do look pretty lame. That is probably one of the reasons that they are so cheap. I would normally never get them, but I would rather wear geeky-looking shoes in the water that nobody can see, than step on a stonefish and DIE. I think it was a smart purchase.
5. Wallet-$7 I got a black, leather wallet that looks super businessman-like for cheap. It might seem like a pointless buy to most people. You need to understand that my current wallet is very fat and heavy. It is also red, so it sticks out like a sore thumb. This new wallet is super thin and light. You can't see it poking out of my pocket, and it isn't a burden to carry around. In other countries there is a lot of pick-pocketing on tourists, so I thought that this would be a better choice.


Day 7

Birthday Boy

Today was Carey's 18th birthday, which is a pretty big deal. We spent the day doing whatever he wanted. This consisted mostly of relaxing and eating good food with a little bit of surfing and swimming mixed in. Out of all of the places that we ate, I think that Ted's bakery was the best. It is a little place with breakfast, pastries, and BBQ for lunch and dinner. We had a ton of pastries and a few breakfast meals that were all super good. The prices weren't too bad either. We also went to Matsumoto's Shave Ice for snow cones, and they were all right. I didn't think that they were quite all that they were made out to be, but still pretty good. We didn't even take boards out until around sunset because the surf was so small, but the session wasn't half bad. It's just always good to get in the water here.

Day 6

Pearl Harbor and Waikiki

This morning my family and I went to go see the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. It was really sad, but a good experience. I think that anybody who comes to the area should go and take the free tour. There is a lot to learn, like how it was sunk in 1941 and is still leaking up oil. After the tour, we spent the rest of the day in Waikiki. I didn't really think that it was all that it's made out to be. It was fun, but it was a lot like any other big city and very touristy. For dinner, we went to this AWESOME place called Rainbow Drive In. It has been around for 50 years and is still amazing. Probably the best restaurant that we've been to so far. Everybody should try their homestyle Hawaiian food if they can.
The following are a couple of photos from the memorial:

Day 5

All I Did Today

I don't have very much to say in this post because I was surfing all day. I couldn't get any photos due to being in the water the whole time. There was a slight swell, but I think it's backing off in the morning. It's too bad because Sunset Point was really fun!

Day 4

Great Road Trip

Today we spent the day driving along the entire perimeter of Oahu. We made occasional stops for sightseeing and eating. The Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm was amazing! They had all sorts of free samples and things to see. I didn't even know that I liked macadamia nuts until today. We also went to a cool little state park with no people and beautiful, clear water. There was an island maybe a 1/4 mile off shore that we swam to and hung out at for a bit. It was paradise.
Here are just a few random artsy photos from the day:

Day 3

Settling In

Man, am I starting to like Hawaii! My brother, Carey, and I borrowed some old, beater boards and went out to Sunset Beach. It was so great. The surf was like nothing I've ever been in, plus the water was like 80. It's a little reefy, but fun if you're careful. When it started raining really hard, I didn't know that was going on. There is warm water, hot air, and then rain for random two minute periods? Anyways if you have never been to Hawaii, go. But I recommend bringing your own boards if possible.

Day 2

And We're Off

I haven't been able to post lately due to lack of wi-fi, so I am sorry. I left Oakland today at 10:30 and am now in beautiful Hawaii. We are staying with a super nice family right by Sunset Beach and are loving it. The trip has officially begun. We have a week here before we move on to New Zealand. I might not be able to post as often because of obvious reasons, but I will as regularly as possible. Here is a photo of the delicious pineapple ice cream, waffle cone I got from the Dole Plantation

Day 1

Made It

Barely made my daily post, but I did. The countdown clock isn't exactly right, it's just counting until the 12th because that's the day I leave town. My plane leaves on the 13th out of Oakland. We are almost ready to leave! It is getting very close.

1 Day Remaining

Oops!

I am really, really sorry to all of the people that read my blog(probably 2 or 3, but hopefully more). I missed my post for Saturday, but I'm just going to act like this is it even though it's Sunday. I will write another one tomorrow, or I guess it would be today? Well either way, there will be another post and to end on a good note, I got a nice photo camera so I can take and post some pictures during the trip. Good night to all who are reading this right now, if any. 2 Days Remaining

Sweetness

I had to give away my dog, Sweetness, today. She will be missed by many, but I hope she is happy in her new home. That was a big step, but there's still a lot more that needs to be done. Until I am sitting on a beach in Hawaii, it is going to be a tough road.

3 Days Remaining

Counting Down

It is getting close. The final goodbye's are beginning. 4 Days Remaining

Starting to Stress

There's not much time until I leave, and there is a lot that needs to be done. Nobody is packed, the house isn't cleaned out, and the storage unit isn't filled. Everybody is working and we have no idea how we are going to be ready in time. But whatever happens, we will make the best of it. I am super excited.

5 Days Remaining

Waiting

I am having trouble sitting here, knowing that in a week I will be in tropical Hawaii. I cannot wait. For now I spend my days packing and doing my online schooling. Well, and a little bit of fixed gear bicycling. Anyways...

6 Days Remaining

Home

I am back from the last trip until the big one. My surfboard is sold and it is just starting to set in that we are really leaving. A lot has to be done in a short amount of time.

7 Days Remaining

Having Fun in Malibu

Spending my day surfing Point Dume and eating piecakes.

8 Days Remaining

Last Trip to Malibu For a Year

I am leaving in a few hours to go visit my family in Malibu. It's going to be my last time seeing any of them for a year, which is a pretty big deal. The surf is looking good, so hopefully I can get some waves while I say goodbye.

9 Days Remaining