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I brought my children to Oahu for
our annual Spring Break get away. We were lucky to book a good last
minute deal to Waikiki for a 5-day 4-night trip at Hilton Hawaiian
Village Resort.
We left Los Angeles on Monday April
25 for our morning flight to Honolulu
via American Airline. For domestic travel, I thought one hour arrival at
the airport before departure time should be enough. I was wrong. The line
was long due to vacation period and early morning prime time. Lucky for
us, an American Airline employee directed us to Tom Bradley International
Terminal for security clearance. We were then bused to American Airline
terminal for boarding. Thank to his flexibility, we were able to board
our plane on time for the trip to Honolulu.
We arrived at Honolulu
International Airport in the afternoon local
time. After checking in our hotel room, we spent the rest of the
afternoon relaxing at the swimming pool. At night, we took a walk
to Waikiki to see the nightlife of the
city. I noticed the Hawaii tourist
industry is hit hard by the current recession and the earthquake in Japan.
The street is still crowded but it is nowhere near the level I saw when I
visited the island in 1997. There are definitely less Japanese tourists
on the streets of Waikiki.
On Tuesday April 26, we went to USS Arizona Memorial
to let our children witness the historical site of Pearl
Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. The Pearl Harbor Visitor
Center is new and
it is now away from the sinking ships. We need a ferry to get to the USS Arizona Memorial.
After we return from Pearl Harbor, we stopped by Honolulu Zoo. The zoo is bigger than I
thought. My kids had a good time walking around the zoo and looking at
the animals.
On Wednesday April 27, we went to Hanauma Bay,
a popular snorkeling site on the southeastern tip of the island. Hanauma Bay is a sunken volcanic crater
ringed with golden sand that is open to the ocean on one side. The
topography of the bay is suitable for novice as well as advanced
snorkelers. Due to environmental concern, tourists are required to watch
a short educational video prior to entering the bay. Feeding is also
prohibited due to over feeding concern. I remember when I was there in
1997, there was no restriction. I really miss the scene of hungry
fishes swimming around me fighting for food. Not surprisingly, my kids
were thrilled to see the colorful tropical fishes in the bay.
On Thursday April 28, we went to Diamond Head State
Monument for a
hike. This time, I let my kids take the city bus to get there. They were
not used to the feeling and constantly complained about the waiting. To
me, vacation time is also education time. At least, they know the feeling
and if they don’t want to ride the city bus when they grow up, they
should work harder and, most importantly, smarter for a better lifestyle.
The hike was a medium level hike until we almost reached the top when we
had to climb up the steep steps. When we got to the top, we enjoyed a
breathtaking view of Honolulu skyline and
the Diamond Head Crater. The view itself
is definitely worth the hike.
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