Hawaii 2019 - Day 10

Our last day in Hawaii is always a tough one (except for DD, he always loves to go home).  We had a great vacation and the 6 of us love hanging out together.

The morning started with our last buffet breakfast, then we headed to try and get a photo with Santa.  Hawaiian Santa was pretty exciting.

Once we got a photo (which the kids are having difficulty looking at the camera), good thing Santa was patient, we headed back to the rooms to pack.  Lola and AA packed the day before, so they were just ready to help the others.

Check out the photo in the middle of this blog post.  He has sure grown up in 2 years.

http://akcoolidge.blogspot.com/2017/11/hawaii-2017-travel-day-and-day-1-in.html

Lola helped MBM while AA enjoyed the cartoons on Disney Jr with the kids.  We were hoping during the packing we would find the headphones T lost, but no such luck.

We packed up and headed on the tram to the Lobby.  We dropped of the bags in the luggage locker, and then made our way to Kona. The kids weren't happy about leaving, but eventually we got calm and had a good drive to our first stop, Target.

The landscape is very cool, Lola just looked out the window the whole time.  T found a pair of headphones, AA got his strap for his golf bag that is a little broken, emergency airplane snacks for Lola and MBM got a christmas book for the kids to share.  T was reading it through the whole store, making sure there was no violence before showing it to B.

We got back in the van and headed to try and make B's dreams come true.  She wanted to drink out of a coconut.  We headed to a farmers market that Lola and AA went to the last time they were on the big island.  Lola saw a guy drinking out of a coconut, so she went to ask him where he got that.  He gave great directions, and we found the little market where a man was cutting the coconuts to drink.

B watched patiently.  She took a few sips, and said, it is enough.  She didn't really like it (the progression of the photos says it all).  T on the other hand thought the coconut water was really good, and cleaned it dry. We all enjoyed the meat of the coconut after the water was gone.

Then we headed towards the water to have a little picnic of snacks Lola packed.  T was wearing Lola's hat because he left his in the car. 

We headed back to the van to go to a park that AA found.  The park was amazing!  The kids had some great "unstructured free time".

Next up was Kona Brewing for supper.  The food was just a good as we remembered from the last time we were there.  DD loved his Shrimp Melt.  MBM had a pork "hawaiian" pizza and AA with some meat trio including a spicy sausage.  Lola had the seasonal fish.  There was also a live band, the singer was very good.

We still had hours before we had to get to the airport for our Red Eye flights, so we headed back towards our hotel for dessert.  After waiting to go to the Macaroni Grill  and looking at the christmas trees and fish in the pond, we aborted the restaurant choice and the kids and DD had ice cream while Lola had a root beer.  Then we got some Starbucks for the drive.

We wasted enough time and headed to the hotel to get our luggage.  Packed up we headed to the airport.  AA dropped off all the crew, and went to take back the rental car.  Lola waited to check their bags until AA got back, while the others in the party dropped off their bags and headed through security. 

AA got back in good time, but the Westjet desk was so behind that there were over 50 people in the line waiting to check their bags.  (we know that because these 2 kids were playing games with their parents, counting people, asking people where they were heading too, and just trying to kill time).

Unfortunately Lola and AA didn't make it through security to say good bye to their friends, but we exchanged photos through text.  We were all a little sad that no good byes were done.

Lola and AA slept all the way to Vancouver and then barely made their connection to Winnipeg, but did with no delays.   B had a night terror on their red eye, but other than that they survived too.

AA eventually had to put pants on...in Winnipeg.

Everyone made it home, and missing each other but we all know christmas is coming soon.  Sure glad to have better internet than what we had at the hotel, makes blogging much easier!

Hope you all enjoyed the blog, until next time.

Lola.

Hawaii 2019 - Day 9

We booked a dolphin and turtle boat tour which had snorkeling.  We went to the tour and activity desk to do this the day before, and she recommended Hawai'i Nautical as she knew they had kids gear, mainly life vests.

We ate breakfast really early this morning as our shuttle for the boat was at 8:30 pick up in the lower lobby.  We were not late for the shuttle that picked us up, actually early.  It was a short couple block drive and then a walk down a beach to get to the boat.  There were only a total of 16 people on the boat that can fit 50.  It was glorious!

The wind was gusting up to 50 km/hr today, so the water was pretty rough, but MBM carb loaded at breakfast and took some gravol in order to be ok on the boat.  We relaxed on the journey towards the little bay where we were set to snorkel.

AA got in the water first, then B and Lola got in the water to join him.  B used the snorkel mask from the boat, while the rest of us used the equipment we brought.  The crew came out with us, Ryan a former lifeguard and fire fighter and Gail (we didn't talk as much with her). Our captain was Josh stayed on the boat.  The captain brought his 8 year old son, Noah on the trip this morning.

Out in the water, Ryan gave AA the life preserver thing (like from baywatch) in order to ensure the kids were good.  B grabed it and kicked her legs and put her face in the water.  She had a blast, and did so well.  We saw so many fish, got to touch 2 sea urchins and Ryan got to us, and lots of pretty coral.

The other 3 in our party, didn't have as much fun.  T thought he could go out on his own with the life preserver and didn't like the one that DD/MBM got (it was a little different looking), so he cried and didn't really enjoy the snorkeling.  Therefore MBM and DD didn't really get to see much.  It was too bad that both  B and T couldn't enjoy snorkeling at the same time.  B only lost 1 fin (which Lola got back on her foot), and had to take her mask off 3 times.

The current was pretty strong to it was difficult to get into bay but to get back, we could just coast.  On the way back, B and Lola tried to let T have the life preserver he wanted, so we went solo  Ryan went with us, but we didn't need any assistance.  Ryan was diving down to the bottom, B wanted to try it. Lola quickly told her no when she dove under with the snorkel (and helped her clear her tube).  What a brave swimmer.

Back on  the boat we enjoyed food and drink, as well as Noah and B had a great talk about the fish she saw (looking at a picture book).

We headed back to shore where we saw a few turtles when we were anchored.  Lola was a little disappointing we didn't see any turtles in the bay and no dolphins. But it was a great day on the boat.

Back at shore, we got our shoes, and headed back on the shuttle.  Back at the hotel we got ready for photos with Santa, as there was a huge craft sale at the hotel today.  We got there, and to our dissapointment he was gone at 1. We will try again tomorrow.

We went swimming for the rest of the afternoon at Kona Pool.  On our walk there, we saw so many turtles in the lagoon. In one spot there were 5 turtles. MBM napped hard.  The water felt really cold today, as there was a lot of cloud and a lot of wind.  The kids made up games in the pool, dove for rings and went down the "epic" water slide 2 times with DD and AA.

Wondering our way back to the hotel, to get ready for supper.  T was talking about Donkey Kong the whole way, it was crazy how much he remembers about the game he has only played a few times.

We got ready for our last dinner here at the hotel.  We went back to the Italian restaurant where the kids can play in the grass while the adults enjoy some adult time.  The food was good, and DD enjoyed his pizza so much, that is all we heard about.  The kids weren't as successful at playing with the other kids, until the end when we were leaving they had a great game in a rocket ship built out of the jenga blocks.

We walked to the lobby to see the Christmas trees all set up, and wait for the boat, as the kids have been asking to try get on one.  We waited, and finally got on,  it was packed as there was only 1 boat running and it goes so slow.

It was pretty slow, but T was happy we saw a grizzly bear statue as well as got to go right by the Buddha with the babies that they talk about every day.

After supper the kids went to bed, and the adults fell asleep too, but this evening, DD told Lola to wake him up at 9:05, like come into the room and get him.  MBM tried to wake him up but was unsuccessful, so Lola went over there with her key to go get him.

It was an early morning, so we only played a little of Over Cooked 2 before heading to bed.

Good night Lola.