Surprise! Part of the group is back in Hawaii. Good thing that the last trip just wrapped up. Debbie is returning to Hawaii. Larry is staying at home. He says that he is saving up for the trip to Oregon and the 2018 Europe trip. (We know that you are hopping up and down with excitement for the Europe trip).
Debbie has recruited some new traveling companions. Wendelin, Jennifer, Lindsey and Mia. Wendelin and Debbie have arrived early as the advance travel team for Princess Mia and her handler, Jennifer. Congratulations to Wendelin for surviving the first day with Debbie who had gotten up at 3:30 AM for her flight and did not sleep. Thankfully there are no pictures from the first day.
They began the next bright and sunny day with malasadas (Portuguese donut which are mighty fine). Wendelin agreed that a Princess would like malasadas. She suggested that perhaps Debbie should buy extra next time.
Off to Pololu Valley for an intense hike. Unfortunately, the closer that the pair got to the trail head the more that it rained. By the time they arrived at the entrance, the trail was muddy. After one look at the trail, they decided that the advance people should not wipe themselves out the first day and did not think they could drag the other one back up the trail if there was a mud issue (Debbie had already contributed heavily to the new Eng wing of the Kohalo Hospital with her broken finger in 2016 and didn’t want to go for a second wing).
Next stop Keokea Park for a picnic lunch. Yep, they actually packed a lunch. Who are these people? Has Wendelin every picnicked on vacation before?
Onward to Lapakahi State Park. The good news is that it was still raining and no longer sunny. It was like walking around with a mister. (No, not a mister man but a mister that mists water). Not an unpleasant feeling but left one feeling like undried clothes.
To console themselves for being damp, they stopped at the macadamia nut factory. Debbie walked in chanting “I will not buy nuts, I will not buy nuts”. The chant was successful for Debbie but unfortunately Wendelin thought the chant was “I will buy nuts, I will buy nuts” and it was also a very successful chant for Wendelin. The factory has asked Debbie if she would be willing to record that chant for them so that they could play it over the loud speakers. Wendelin’s last words as she left were “I will be back”. This lead to massive celebration within the factory.
Where’s the lava? And what do you mean that you did not buy macadamia nuts? You promised me nuts!
Good job, Debbie, showing Wendy all the highlights and not getting lost. No whales huh to show Wendy?
Wendy was looking for some whales. It seemed strange to drive and not see any spouts.