HAWAI'I 1996

Andy and I planned to drive to Florida in the spring of 1996 to play golf.  In January, Phil called me and said, “I’d like to modify your vacation plans.”  I said, “Oh, do you want to come with us?”  Phil said, “Yes, but not to Florida.”  I said, “OK, what’s up?”

Phil explained that a friend of a friend had offered him her house in Hawaii for two weeks.  He added that she usually rents it out for $1300 a day.  That about did it.  I checked my math:

 
Travel
Lodging
Total
Florida
$100
$1000
$1100
Hawaii
$800
$0
$900
I’m pretty good at math.  I’ll take Hawaii for $-200 please, Alex.
So we decided on Thursday February 29th – Thursday March 14th.
On the 29th, Andy and I flew from BOS to IAD to LAX to HON without changing planes!
We spent the night in Waikiki.
The next morning, at about 4, I got up and walked around the hotel.
About 5:30 Andy woke up.
We left the hotel in the dark, and headed toward the brightening horizon.
In about 30 minutes, we could actually see things.
In about an hour we saw a sign “Diamond Head 1 Mile”.
We had a 1:30 flight to the Big Island, so there seemed enough time to take in Diamond Head.
Another 30 minutes put us inside the crater.
Outside the crater we caught a bus back to the hotel.
We got to the airport at 12:20 for our 1:30 flight and checked in.
While sitting at the gate, an airline employee asked if we’d like to leave on the 12:30 which was just finishing boarding.
Well, we could sit in this airport for another hour, or be on the Big Island by then.  No brainer.
Forty minutes later we’re at KOA (Kona Airport), the finest airport in the world.  It’s even better than MHT.
We rent a mustang convertible and drive north to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel where the house is located.

This is "The House":

Better pictures next year

This is the Tea Area:

This is the view:
 
This is the third hole on the golf course:

This was our roommate:
here's Andy playing a round:
After 17
Mary and I went horseback riding to see more of the Island: