Take me home country Rose

Referring to a song we heard everywhere in Hawaii (the island and the state , I know it took me time to get my head around it)

Yup thats me taken with a pre digital camera using film

Every decade or so when its a big anniversary we celebrate by having a big Holiday this one was Hawaii, 9/11 happened between booking it and going. I have never travelled on such empty planes. Americans being used to getting on planes the way we get on buses could not come to terms with heightened security. The security people were lost , it all being new to them and I remember one bloke with a roll of guns complaining at not being allowed to take them onboard . Nonetheless we had seats to ourselves on all flights and were thanked in Hawaii for our support .

LITLE CHAPEL Ah ha !Ah ha !

Tropical islands except or those ones a few feet across are rarely what I expected 

We stayed at the hilton Waikoloa Village waiulua bay Hawaii and the PrincevilleResort Kauuai and they were luxurious especially by the standards of someone whose normal lodging when forced into a long weekend somewhere against my will , normally for a wedding , is a motel chosen from some chain becuase it has an offer on. But beware , like cruising not everything id included and its not just Hawaii that takes your breath away if you are cavalier with the extras .

The people who stay here or some of them do not need to ask the price and you can if you wish spend all your time within the resort ignoring Hawaii completely and some did . Imagine that to become so inured that you dont want to leave the complex.

I think the staff recognised our social standing and were particulalrly nice to us , of course they were extremly friendly anyway though I think whilst out and about I did get ripped of when I gave a barman $100 in mistake for a ten telling him to 'keep the change' which he seemingly did . It was only that night in the hotel whilst checking my depleted reserves I realised I could not account for $90

It is expensive on Hawaii , you have been warned

There were native Hawaiian artifacts on display along the halls and in the meeting areas of the Hotel all under glass on discussing them with the manager he said they used t be on display but he had caught a guest trying to set fire to a cape made from bird feathers with a disposable lighter and since then all artifacts had had to be protected.

We took a flight over Hawaii , originally it was to be by helicopter but we could not afford it so we took a small plane flight , the Pilot had a southern drawl with a humorous set of quips  and was extremely entertaining for the whole flight with endless , facts and asides. He made the flight for us herein and to allow one small brag pre takeoff he did the safety talk part of which was putting on and wearing the lifejacket (unlike the major airlines we had to wear them whilst onboard. As I once read that by the second flight most of the lifejackets on a commercial flight have been stolen we were slightly better off actually having a jacket)  he explained how to put the lifejacket  on and only Sue and I did it , everybody else stood there in various states of confusion , holding the end of the ties which they managed , in some cases, to make look like an advance origami course. One person actually had their head and arm in the same hole. Amidst the  general confusion and in some exasperation the pilot looked at the confusion then at Sue and I and said well you guys are OK so you can get on board. He smiled as he said it and we realised why - it gave us choice of seats so we got pole position so to speak. These pictures are from the plane

One thing, we had as I said intended to take a helicopter trip thinking it would give a better view ,      I spoke with someone who did it and he said the view was very restricted and only those in front could see anything , everybody in the plane had a window , so my tip is take the plane.

A genuine Hawaiin village of the sort Captain  Cook was eaten in*

* I know but it is a good line - I wont tell you what the Hawaiians did cos this is a family show , but it was a mark of respect , sometimes being a wallflower is preferable. Talking of wallflowers Daisies grow everywhere in the world except Antarctica.

Actual lava - there were  places where you could walk on the lava with the molten stuff flowing by underneath in someplace's it was open and you could see it running by your feet .

Cant remember if he was king of Kings - I think he was sen as the founder of Hawaii.

Plants naturally are unique I was told that none of the plants or animals originated there they all got there by hanging on something or being blown on the wind or drifting ashore from the sea.

Agatha Christie went surfing there. I was also told but cant find it that there are 13 climatic zones in the word and Hawaii has 12 of them. It is certainly possible as you drive to experience all kinds of weather and up in the mountains is snow.
Country Rose is a song sung by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole during our flight over the island.