HAWAII, FIRST TIME!

BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS - AUGUST 1996

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OAHU

Two months later, I was back to New York, this time with Guida and Di. We stayed one night at the Marriot, Newark Airport, and early next morning we're flying to Honolulu, via Los Angeles. The first stop was at Waikiki, and we stayed at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, a very nice hotel that is said to have introduced the world to Hawaiian hospitality in 1901. We practically have no photos, since we were using the video camera to capture the beach, the Dole plantations, Iolani Palace and the rest... The only survival was this one taken to greet us at the arrival...


"ALOHA"



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BIG ISLAND

Then, we flew to the Big Island. As the video camera was operating, no photos were taken. Unfortunately, after the visit to the Kilauea Volcano the camera broke down until today, and everything was lost... Well, there is one exception:


"KING KAMEHAMEHA'S HOTEL at Kona Beach is on one of the most historic sites in all of Hawaii, as King Kamehameha the Great had his royal residence adjacent to the current site of the hotel. When we arrived the Hotel was extremely busy with the Big Fish Contest, but anyhow we managed to survive... and saw everything that was to be seen: Kailua-Kona, Kohala Coast Resorts, Waimea, Hilo, Lava Tree State Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (one video camera out of order for ever...), and back to Kailua-Kona!"

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MAUI

The third Island to be visited was Maui, and for us it was the best of all three. Furthermore, the Four Seasons at Wailea is superb!



"IAO VALLEY is a beautiful site. Furthermore, it is also the place where occurred in 1790 one of the most famous battles that changed Hawaii history forever. By then, King Kamehameha the First destroyed the Maui army in an effort to unite the Hawaiian Islands. It's better to bring mosquito repellent...


"IAO NEEDLE is a natural rock pinnacle presiding over the Iao stream and surrounded by the walls of the Pu'u Kukui Crater"


"WAIHEE-HONOKAHUA. The road from Waihee to Lahaina via Honokahua and Kaanapali was impressive. You should pray not to get a car coming in the opposite direction, at least in some of the sections of the road. Some years ago there were recommendations not to bring rented cars to this road, but the views by the sea were superb..."


"LAHAINA - After the thrilling experience of the Honokahua road, we got to Lahaina, the so called «jewel in the crown of Maui». Lahaina town seems to be the second most visited spot on Maui after the beaches, and has an excellent restaurant: David Paul's Lahaina Grill. We managed to get three seats at the bar - tables were completely full - and had a superb meal cooked by David Paul Johnson. It was a remarkable experience"


"SHOPPING - After dinner we went shopping, which is one of the top sports in Lahaina. Crazy Shirt T-shirts and Aloha shirts were some of the buys. We also saved the Planet with Di's Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt, and then we returned home, to sleep at the Four Seasons in Wailea"