Things worked out in February 2022 that we could go on a vacation to Hawai'i even while the COVID-19 pandemic continued. We had to be in masks in the airport, on the airplane, and during any public transit we used...but we still got to go! It was a fun trip! We had to use "Safe Travel" to provide documentation of having the COVID-19 vaccination so we could receive a pass from the screening process. It wasn't a big deal to me...it was less hassle to provide the vaccine record this way than to have to go through the screening process once we arrived. I saw in a newspaper while there that the "Safe Travels" protocols were potentially being lifted in the coming months.
I used my Canon Rebel T6s quite a bit on this trip. I kept the Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone plugged in as well and had to keep remembering to turn it on as I shot. There are some clips where I forgot (or Elphie was shooting and didn't know about it). I had apparently forgotten to turn off the microphone after shooting the sunrise over the frozen Lake Michigan in Chicago so I ended up buying batteries for it the first day in Hawai'i. I noticed during the flight that the microphone was still in the 'on' position. Some of the Pearl Harbor footage is a bit over exposed. I'm not sure what happened exactly. I thought I had the camera set to adjust automatically but I guess I didn't. I adjusted everything once and it went back to over exposed again so I had to reset it again.
The clips during the flights were shot using our iPhones. We used our iPhones at other times as well such as traveling around the islands or, in my case, if I didn't have my Canon Rebel T6s ready to shoot at the time. Elphie's friend Debbie, who also had her vacation in Hawai'i as we were there...and hit her 50th state, shared a shot she got with her iPhone of a sea turtle up close and it is included as well.
I used my Canon Rebel T6s quite a bit on this trip. I kept the Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone plugged in as well and had to keep remembering to turn it on as I shot. There are some clips where I forgot (or Elphie was shooting and didn't know about it). I had apparently forgotten to turn off the microphone after shooting the sunrise over the frozen Lake Michigan in Chicago so I ended up buying batteries for it the first day in Hawai'i. I noticed during the flight that the microphone was still in the 'on' position. Some of the Pearl Harbor footage is a bit over exposed. I'm not sure what happened exactly. I thought I had the camera set to adjust automatically but I guess I didn't. I adjusted everything once and it went back to over exposed again so I had to reset it again.
The clips during the flights were shot using our iPhones. We used our iPhones at other times as well such as traveling around the islands or, in my case, if I didn't have my Canon Rebel T6s ready to shoot at the time. Elphie's friend Debbie, who also had her vacation in Hawai'i as we were there...and hit her 50th state, shared a shot she got with her iPhone of a sea turtle up close and it is included as well.
Creating the intro I wanted took more time than it did to actually edit the footage! As I have been doing, I wanted to create the effect of photos being dropped onto the title map. Originally I had an idea of having them land in different spots dependent on the location of the shot but I settled on having them all land at the bottom. In some previous projects, I ran into some difficulties as the number of files became large so I decided to do groups this time, adding with each new group until I had all the photos "stacked" in a pile. I set the flight path to pause at Kona then Oahu where the majority of the photos were shot. I created the intro after I finished the editing of the project so I hoped to keep it around 30 seconds so the project would stay under three hours in total but it ended up being around a minute and 30 seconds. The font I used was chosen by Elphie as it appeared "relaxed" and felt somewhat Hawai'ian. I added in the state flag of Hawai'i as well as the flag for the Kingdom of Hawai'i, placing them on either side of the main title. I used a relaxed effect as well and chose to not use the intermittent effect this time.
For the soundtrack on this intro, I decided to take a few different songs and transition between them using a sound effect of tuning a radio with a knob to the channel. The effects I found and used were two different ones for "AM" and "FM" then I added very short snippets from Dread Pirate Roberts "Word Power (Instrumental)" version of "White Riot" as well. The song clips are from "Aloha, It's You" by Huntingtons, "Paradise, Hawai'ian Style" by Elvis Presley, "Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho, and "Aloha, Oe" by Johnny Cash.
For the soundtrack on this intro, I decided to take a few different songs and transition between them using a sound effect of tuning a radio with a knob to the channel. The effects I found and used were two different ones for "AM" and "FM" then I added very short snippets from Dread Pirate Roberts "Word Power (Instrumental)" version of "White Riot" as well. The song clips are from "Aloha, It's You" by Huntingtons, "Paradise, Hawai'ian Style" by Elvis Presley, "Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho, and "Aloha, Oe" by Johnny Cash.
I created a couple of map animations using Motion 4 on my Macbook for the footage shot during our flights. I created dotted motion paths and had a little Southwest Airlines jet follow with the path over screenshots of Google maps. I decided not to try to make maps of the drives around the Kona or the bus ride around Oahu.
https://youtu.be/kXQKIK5trvU02.11.2022
We left Chicago on Friday February 11th, 2022. We took the CTA to Midway International Airport in the morning and passed through the security checkpoint with little issue. We were flying on Southwest Airlines. Our flight was meant to leave around noon but it was delayed by around 40 minutes. We had a layover in Phoenix, AZ but it wasn't affected by the delay. I captured a couple shots going to the airport using my iPhone and captured some shots during the take off process and during our flight to Phoenix of the terrain below us. I tried to capture another plane flying by us in the opposite direction but missed the opportunity.
After landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, I captured a "Welcome to Phoenix" sign along with another highlighting the black history of Phoenix. We had to do a pre-registration during the layover so we didn't have to go through COVID-19 screening upon entry into Hawai'i. The pre-screening was a fold out table in between gates of the terminal. Once we were directed to it, it was easy to find and the process was pretty simple as well. We got a special wristband to wear. We went searching for food. Elphie was in the mood for McDonald's but apparently they were out of beef patties and fish. We ended up getting food from Los Taquitos instead and sitting in a hallway to eat it while we waited for our next flight. As we waited to board, I noticed a few folks in Pittsburgh gear and we spoke briefly.
After boarding, I captured another plane landing through the window and some of the sunset as we taxied to the runway. I captured our departure from Phoenix and during this flight, I was able to capture two planes going the opposite direction with their exhaust showing clearly in the sunset sky. I also captured as we crossed over the ocean near what I assume was San Diego. There wasn't much to see while over the ocean.
I captured our landing at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keahole then a shot while at the airport after we got off the plane. This airport was open air and we walked down the steps off the airplane to the tarmac and then to the gate. At this point we had to show our wristbands to bypass the COVID-19 screening process. Once we were able to obtain our luggage, we got a taxi to the University of the Nations which is run by Youth With A Mission. This was where we were staying because Elphie was part of YWAM some years ago and attended the University of the Nations. We were afforded a nice low-cost room for a week! Upon our arrival at the University of the Nations, we ran into a little bit of trouble getting in touch with the person responsible for getting us into our room. While we attempted to call, we were offered to hang out with some of the folks on the campus. I was pretty tired by this point after two long flights and a generally long travel day. Also, for our home time zone, it was quite late at this point. I think the idea of hanging out was appealing to Elphie but I just didn't have it in me. Thankfully, the lady we needed so we could get in our room finally called back and she got herself up and over to help us out. We felt bad she needed to get out of bed to help us but we were glad she did. Otherwise we would have been squatting on couches in the common area. Once settled into the room, I documented the travel experience a bit on social media before going to sleep.
02.12.2022
We woke on Saturday February 12th, 2022 earlier than I think I had expected to. The rooms had open screened areas near the ceiling and so we could hear birds and the campus noise. The time difference from Chicago also probably played into us waking when we did. We had an ocean view room! We were too late for breakfast as we were misinformed so we went to the Banyan Tree Cafe to get some coffee. We had some stuff we could eat in our room from a gift basket we were given so we made that work. We also walked a little around the campus.
We woke on Saturday February 12th, 2022 earlier than I think I had expected to. The rooms had open screened areas near the ceiling and so we could hear birds and the campus noise. The time difference from Chicago also probably played into us waking when we did. We had an ocean view room! We were too late for breakfast as we were misinformed so we went to the Banyan Tree Cafe to get some coffee. We had some stuff we could eat in our room from a gift basket we were given so we made that work. We also walked a little around the campus.
Debbie was flying in later in the afternoon so we decided to walk downtown. We checked out a couple sports bars to see what seemed best to watch the Super Bowl the next day and checked out some of the other restaurants in the area. We visited a farmer's market and ran into the Pittsburgh folks again! We stopped in an ABC Store where we loaded up on souvenirs to give our family for Christmas, including some Kona Coffee. I also got a battery for my microphone. We continued to walk and passed the Hulihe'e Palace and the Moku'aikaua Church across the street. The church is the oldest Christian church in Hawai'i and the palace was used by the Hawai'ian royalty at one time. We continued through another business area where Elphie had worked during her stay here, however, none of the buildings appeared to be where she worked from what she remembered. She recalled a large tree over where she worked. We found the only large tree in the area...but the closest buildings were not what she remembered. Some people we talked to gave the possibility that the building may have been torn down.
We continued by the Kailua Bay area with a couple beaches. Niumalu Beach on one side where there was a sand castle and a homeless person bathing. On the other side was Kikaua Beach and Kamakahonu Beach further over across the pier which appeared to also be part of a resort. We hung around here a bit and got some shots of Ahu'ena Heiau which is a protected religious site that had been reconstructed. It is part of the Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark. It's interesting because you can swim up next to it. Signage asks folks not to go onto it though. We decided to head back to the campus. As we walked on the oceanside, we noticed crabs on some of the lava rocks and I got some shots of them as well as the waves crashing. We also stopped to get tacos from Ocean Street Tacos for lunch. While sitting on the balcony of our room, I took a shot of an interesting looking building across a field. In searching the maps, I believe it to be the temple for the Church of Latter Day Saints.
Once Debbie arrived, Elphie met her at the gate and road with her to park her rental car. Elphie had bought her a leis and flower for her hair to celebrate her 50th state visited. She had also bought some mac and cheese flavored candy canes and a couple other things for her birthday. This little celebration I did not capture on video. We decided to go to Wal*Mart to get a cooler and some food to carry with us as we went about our days. I also bought a pair of water shoes. I captured the Hawai'ian flag on top of the Wal*Mart. As we returned to the campus, I captured a couple shots of the sunset.
We went back into the town to search for somewhere to eat. We ended up going to a place called the Fish Hopper. Elphie and I shared a seafood pasta. We walked back over to the Kamakahonu Beach where Debbie got in the water a bit then went back over to the Kikaua Beach and Debbie got in that the water there as well. Elphie was spooked by some fish! As we returned to the campus, we stopped near a beach volleyball court where a game was going on. Nearby was another game with a mini trampoline and a ball. There was a band playing in the courtyard area. We would be back frequently to this area including the next day to watch the Super Bowl.
02.13.2022
On Sunday February 13th, 2022, we woke to see a cruise ship from our ocean view. We went to the cafeteria and had breakfast and got our 'to-go' dinners which we left in our rooms. We walked around the campus again so Elphie could show Debbie around. We went to Oceans Sports Bar to watch the Super Bowl. We got there quite early actually, ha! We got quite a bit of good food and drink during the time we spent there watching the game. It was a decent spot to watch the game. We saw a few geckos running around the walls.
Afterwards, we walked through the town again. The idea was to capture the sunset, however, we probably would have had better luck if we stayed back near Oceans. Along the way, we stopped by a place called the Surfin' Ass which sold "Donkey Balls" and Elphie got some video of the product. When we got to the Kailua Bay Pier, we found that the sun was setting behind the trees and land on the other side of Kamakahonu Bay. I was able to capture a rainbow and some of the sunset along with a few other scenic views. I also captured the moon. I captured as a cloud passed in front of it. We unexpectedly ended up listening and watching from a distance as a Luau was happening at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. It was interesting. We captured a couple songs including 'Happy Birthday' for Debbie and a fire dancer. At least one of the songs sounded much like a praise and worship tune. This was basically the end of our night. Back at the campus, I had a sudden upset stomach and had to hurl in the toilet. I felt find afterwards. Elphie and I walked up the campus to a water fountain then sat on a patio where some of the students were hanging out for a bit before heading back in for the night.
On Sunday February 13th, 2022, we woke to see a cruise ship from our ocean view. We went to the cafeteria and had breakfast and got our 'to-go' dinners which we left in our rooms. We walked around the campus again so Elphie could show Debbie around. We went to Oceans Sports Bar to watch the Super Bowl. We got there quite early actually, ha! We got quite a bit of good food and drink during the time we spent there watching the game. It was a decent spot to watch the game. We saw a few geckos running around the walls.
Afterwards, we walked through the town again. The idea was to capture the sunset, however, we probably would have had better luck if we stayed back near Oceans. Along the way, we stopped by a place called the Surfin' Ass which sold "Donkey Balls" and Elphie got some video of the product. When we got to the Kailua Bay Pier, we found that the sun was setting behind the trees and land on the other side of Kamakahonu Bay. I was able to capture a rainbow and some of the sunset along with a few other scenic views. I also captured the moon. I captured as a cloud passed in front of it. We unexpectedly ended up listening and watching from a distance as a Luau was happening at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. It was interesting. We captured a couple songs including 'Happy Birthday' for Debbie and a fire dancer. At least one of the songs sounded much like a praise and worship tune. This was basically the end of our night. Back at the campus, I had a sudden upset stomach and had to hurl in the toilet. I felt find afterwards. Elphie and I walked up the campus to a water fountain then sat on a patio where some of the students were hanging out for a bit before heading back in for the night.
02.14.2022
On Monday February 14th, 2022, we took a drive to Volcanoes National Park. Along the way we stopped on a lava flow and checked out the scenery which included looking out toward Ka Lae or South Point which is the southern most point of the United States of America. There were information signs regarding the lava flows and the terrain of the area. We also stopped at Punalu'u Bake Shop along the way and got some breakfast. The have a famous sweet bread as well as Malasadas which Elphie got. I got a chocolate cream puff. There was a guy there playing music. We sat outside and ate our food before continuing to Volcanoes National Park, capturing scenery along the way. Elphie saw a couple of goats as well but I didn't see them. Turns out they were there...we saw them the next day and a lot more of them headed to Hilo a couple days later.
We passed a sign welcoming us to Volcanoes National Park and that was also the point where the GPS indicated we had reached our destination but there were no buildings or parking lots or anything so we kept going. We kept seeing signs for Nene crossing. We passed through an area with a sign calling it Ka'u Desert. We started seeing smoke as well and finally got to a place with a ticket booth and parking lot. I did not prepare for the higher altitude and cooler air. We bought a hoodie at the gift shop and I had to borrow Elphie's hoodie that looks like Fruit Stripes bubble gum. A park ranger explained how to access a viewing area of the current lava flow in the Kilauea Caldera in the Halema'uma'u crater (not sure which name to use for it) so we headed out to see that. We got to a parking lot to walk to the viewing area and encountered a couple of Nene. They are apparently geese. As we walked, it appeared a lot of the trees had ash on them. The road we walked was called Devastation Trail which circles the crater of Halema'uma'u. It had a broken spot with quite a pothole. As we got closer, we could see the smoke rising. We entered into the designation viewing area. The crater had a lot of areas where smoke and steam were rising up. The area with the lava had a distinct area where it was flowing from and a pool where it was collecting. Some of it cool and grey in color while other areas were glowing red or orange. You could see it bubbling up at times in spots as well. I did my best to capture this on camera. I took a lot of pictures but also video. In the editing process I cut out the points where I took a photo while capturing video. I used my larger lens to get some close up views and tried hard not to be too shaky. I know it still is shaky but I think I am improving somewhat at being more steady with my shots when I don't have a tripod available. The whole area was pretty cool to see including the various different lava flows and the different colorings and designs they made. We were there for quite a while.
After we left, we decided to drive down the Chain of Craters toward the ocean where a previous lava flow had occurred in recent years. We stopped at an overlook for a bit before continuing toward the ocean. The road had quite the turn in it! Down by the ocean, we saw a few signs describing the vegetation and whether it was considered native to Hawai'i. There were wild mangos growing there! We also saw the Holei Sea Arch. We walked a bit more. There was a patch of Palm trees growing nearby. I captured some shots of the terrain. I shot closeups of the lava right in front of me then the hillside just a bit further where we had drove down to get here. I shot the sun through the cloud cover on one side of us and the clear skies with the moon on the other side of us. We decided as it was getting dark to drive back up to the lava flow to see it at night.
When we got there, we had to park down the road a bit. Elphie decided to remain in the car. while Debbie and I walked the trail. There was a glow in the sky from the lava flow and it was definitely worthwhile to see at night. I got quite a few pictures and video again. I used one of the posts to keep folks from leaving the viewing area and finding themselves in a dangerous spot to try to steady my shot a bit. Again, it is shaky but I'm happy I captured it and happy to be able to share it and have it for memories.
Afterwards, we tried to go somewhere to eat nearby. There was a restaurant but it required reservations due to Valentine's Day. After driving back to Kona, we tried to eat at Humpy's but they were no longer serving food. We were directed to A-Bay's and got our dinner there. As Elphie warned, this was the downside of Hawai'i...everything closes quite early.
We passed a sign welcoming us to Volcanoes National Park and that was also the point where the GPS indicated we had reached our destination but there were no buildings or parking lots or anything so we kept going. We kept seeing signs for Nene crossing. We passed through an area with a sign calling it Ka'u Desert. We started seeing smoke as well and finally got to a place with a ticket booth and parking lot. I did not prepare for the higher altitude and cooler air. We bought a hoodie at the gift shop and I had to borrow Elphie's hoodie that looks like Fruit Stripes bubble gum. A park ranger explained how to access a viewing area of the current lava flow in the Kilauea Caldera in the Halema'uma'u crater (not sure which name to use for it) so we headed out to see that. We got to a parking lot to walk to the viewing area and encountered a couple of Nene. They are apparently geese. As we walked, it appeared a lot of the trees had ash on them. The road we walked was called Devastation Trail which circles the crater of Halema'uma'u. It had a broken spot with quite a pothole. As we got closer, we could see the smoke rising. We entered into the designation viewing area. The crater had a lot of areas where smoke and steam were rising up. The area with the lava had a distinct area where it was flowing from and a pool where it was collecting. Some of it cool and grey in color while other areas were glowing red or orange. You could see it bubbling up at times in spots as well. I did my best to capture this on camera. I took a lot of pictures but also video. In the editing process I cut out the points where I took a photo while capturing video. I used my larger lens to get some close up views and tried hard not to be too shaky. I know it still is shaky but I think I am improving somewhat at being more steady with my shots when I don't have a tripod available. The whole area was pretty cool to see including the various different lava flows and the different colorings and designs they made. We were there for quite a while.
After we left, we decided to drive down the Chain of Craters toward the ocean where a previous lava flow had occurred in recent years. We stopped at an overlook for a bit before continuing toward the ocean. The road had quite the turn in it! Down by the ocean, we saw a few signs describing the vegetation and whether it was considered native to Hawai'i. There were wild mangos growing there! We also saw the Holei Sea Arch. We walked a bit more. There was a patch of Palm trees growing nearby. I captured some shots of the terrain. I shot closeups of the lava right in front of me then the hillside just a bit further where we had drove down to get here. I shot the sun through the cloud cover on one side of us and the clear skies with the moon on the other side of us. We decided as it was getting dark to drive back up to the lava flow to see it at night.
When we got there, we had to park down the road a bit. Elphie decided to remain in the car. while Debbie and I walked the trail. There was a glow in the sky from the lava flow and it was definitely worthwhile to see at night. I got quite a few pictures and video again. I used one of the posts to keep folks from leaving the viewing area and finding themselves in a dangerous spot to try to steady my shot a bit. Again, it is shaky but I'm happy I captured it and happy to be able to share it and have it for memories.
Afterwards, we tried to go somewhere to eat nearby. There was a restaurant but it required reservations due to Valentine's Day. After driving back to Kona, we tried to eat at Humpy's but they were no longer serving food. We were directed to A-Bay's and got our dinner there. As Elphie warned, this was the downside of Hawai'i...everything closes quite early.
02.15.2022
On Tuesday February 15th, 2022 we set out for Ka Lae (South Point). Elphie talked about folks cliff jumping here and so I figured I might give it a try. As we drove in we passed farms which included herds of cattle as well as some satellite dishes which are apparently part of a Universal Space Network. There was also a windmill farm. We got to South Point. There's a hole in the ground where water flows in that Elphie believed to be where you climbed out of the water after your jump but I didn't see how that would work well. I got some shots of the hole and the scenery around us. It turns out there is a chain ladder that you climb. Some young girls had apparently just got done doing their jumps. I figured if they could do it, it couldn't be that bad but I did want to see someone else go first to get an idea of what I was in for. A couple of dare devil types ended up doing it and doing it together. The guy launched himself backwards while the girl took a running leap toward him. Another couple took a turn but doing separate jumps. The girl went first then the guy who had somewhat lost his nerve, ha! The dare devils then decided to jump in the hole! That was interesting. Once in the water they were taken back out to sea and climbed up the ladder. I captured some footage of these jumps. Back at the cliff, another guy went and I decided it was time to give it a shot. While I got ready another girl took a jump...it took her a few minutes but she finally worked up the nerve to go! That other guy jumped again then I got up on the platform. As I was getting ready to jump, the guy swam underneath me so I had to wait. This was a bit nerve racking as it seems a bit higher once you're on the edge and ready to go. Once he cleared, I took my jump. While editing the video, it was the first time seeing myself do it. I more stepped off the ledge rather than leap. Hitting the water stung a bit but I was fine overall. I swam over to the ladder. I guess the dangerous part would be getting swept out by the tide. Once I grabbed the ladder, the tide went out and I was left dangling until the water came back and I could pull myself up and get my feet on the rungs. The ladder moved a lot with the water and with my motion. This was the harder part to do...a lot harder than taking a jump! After the jump, I got a bit more footage of the area then we walked over to the actual southern most point. There was a little bit of a pond where the tide was coming in and out at this area. The waves were getting bigger and a storm was coming in so we decided to leave at this point. Along the path from the jumping area there were different art pieces that I captured some footage of as well. This was a fun experience. As we left, I captured footage of the satellite dishes right before the heavy rain hit.
We stopped for lunch at L&L Hawai'ian Barbeque. I got a BBQ burger and crab rangoons. They were pretty good. They apparently sold a Spam Masabi there...Elphie was not impressed. During the drive back toward Kona, I hoped to get video of a cemetery we had passed. I kept preparing to shoot when we got to what looked like it could be it only to nearly miss it as we went by. I did capture a quick clip, though. Since we didn't really have any other plans, Debbie decided to find a beach to go to. It was north of Kona and passed the Mauna Lani Resort where she was going to stay for her birthday the next couple of nights. The beach we ended up at was called Hapuna. As we walked from the parking lot, I noticed there were big waves! There was quite the sound from the crashing of the waves. Elphie was concerned about safety but I enjoyed the waves and had a good time! I captured the sunset along with the waves. I struggled to get a steady shot. As we watched the sunset, we noticed whales jumping in the distance. I was fortunate enough to get a decent shot of a couple of them jumping. The waves continued to get bigger and crash harder as we sat there. Someone indicated that there was a surf advisory. Behind us, the moon was rising so I got some shots of that with the palm trees in front of it.
When we decided to leave, we drove over to where Elphie thinks she might have lived when she was no longer living on the campus of the Univeristy of the Nations, though she wasn't entirely sure. We decided to get dinner at Humpy's. I realized that we ate at another Humpy's while in Anchorage and did a little search online to see that they were associated with each other. While sitting there, I shot some more footage of the waves.
We stopped for lunch at L&L Hawai'ian Barbeque. I got a BBQ burger and crab rangoons. They were pretty good. They apparently sold a Spam Masabi there...Elphie was not impressed. During the drive back toward Kona, I hoped to get video of a cemetery we had passed. I kept preparing to shoot when we got to what looked like it could be it only to nearly miss it as we went by. I did capture a quick clip, though. Since we didn't really have any other plans, Debbie decided to find a beach to go to. It was north of Kona and passed the Mauna Lani Resort where she was going to stay for her birthday the next couple of nights. The beach we ended up at was called Hapuna. As we walked from the parking lot, I noticed there were big waves! There was quite the sound from the crashing of the waves. Elphie was concerned about safety but I enjoyed the waves and had a good time! I captured the sunset along with the waves. I struggled to get a steady shot. As we watched the sunset, we noticed whales jumping in the distance. I was fortunate enough to get a decent shot of a couple of them jumping. The waves continued to get bigger and crash harder as we sat there. Someone indicated that there was a surf advisory. Behind us, the moon was rising so I got some shots of that with the palm trees in front of it.
When we decided to leave, we drove over to where Elphie thinks she might have lived when she was no longer living on the campus of the Univeristy of the Nations, though she wasn't entirely sure. We decided to get dinner at Humpy's. I realized that we ate at another Humpy's while in Anchorage and did a little search online to see that they were associated with each other. While sitting there, I shot some more footage of the waves.
02.16.2022
On Wednesday February 16th, 2022, we rode with Debbie to Mauna Lani Resort so she could check in and get situated. We checked out the view from her room prior to leaving. We headed to Hilo, Hawai'i to see a black sand beach and see the other side of the island. While we traveling, we saw lots of goats along the road. I was able to capture a few of them as we drove. We took a mountain pass road and experienced quite the downpour complete with hail as we went along.
In Hilo, we decided to get Poke. I had never had it before but I really enjoyed it! We went to a place called Poke Market and I think we ordered the "local favorite" possibly. It was good whatever it was that we got. We drove to Carlsmith Beach Park passing a park with "Kamehameha The Great" statue. We parked then Debbie and I decided to get in the water. There were sea turtles swimming around. Debbie got a video fairly close up. While I was in there, one came right up to me and then swam away.
We walked from there to Richardson Ocean Park where the black sand was. I decided to adventure a bit on some lava rocks. The waves were pretty good here to. I had left my camera and phone with Elphie and I'm glad I did...coming back I stumbled a bit and ended up in the water completely soaked!
Driving back to Kona, I captured the fog as we headed back up into the mountain pass, then the clouds surrounding Mauna Kea. I also captured the sunset as we headed west and possibly a shot of the snow cover on the top of Mauna Kea. Perhaps during another trip but I think it could be interesting to experience snow in Hawai'i!
When we got back, we returned the cooler to Wal*Mart. While there, we encountered a couple folks in black body suits. We decided to go to Outback Steakhouse for Debbie's birthday dinner. The poke filled me up so I wasn't particularly hungry but she insisted we eat some of her food. I ate as much as I could of the bread and Bloomin' Onion but I couldn't take much of it!
In Hilo, we decided to get Poke. I had never had it before but I really enjoyed it! We went to a place called Poke Market and I think we ordered the "local favorite" possibly. It was good whatever it was that we got. We drove to Carlsmith Beach Park passing a park with "Kamehameha The Great" statue. We parked then Debbie and I decided to get in the water. There were sea turtles swimming around. Debbie got a video fairly close up. While I was in there, one came right up to me and then swam away.
We walked from there to Richardson Ocean Park where the black sand was. I decided to adventure a bit on some lava rocks. The waves were pretty good here to. I had left my camera and phone with Elphie and I'm glad I did...coming back I stumbled a bit and ended up in the water completely soaked!
Driving back to Kona, I captured the fog as we headed back up into the mountain pass, then the clouds surrounding Mauna Kea. I also captured the sunset as we headed west and possibly a shot of the snow cover on the top of Mauna Kea. Perhaps during another trip but I think it could be interesting to experience snow in Hawai'i!
When we got back, we returned the cooler to Wal*Mart. While there, we encountered a couple folks in black body suits. We decided to go to Outback Steakhouse for Debbie's birthday dinner. The poke filled me up so I wasn't particularly hungry but she insisted we eat some of her food. I ate as much as I could of the bread and Bloomin' Onion but I couldn't take much of it!
02.17.2022
On Thursday February 17th, 2022, Elphie ventured on our own. The waves were still pretty high! We went into the business district to see if we could find new sandals for Elphie then decided to go to a beach I found on the map near the campus. As we walked that direction, we decided to detour around the jail and walk along the oceanfront at Hale Hawalai Park. I think it was a jail. It had bars and the word "police" on it but it is likely the nicest jail one could ask to be incarcerated in. There was a sign regarding the marine life featuring a sea turtle. We saw a helicopter taking water up from the ocean in the direction of the campus and wondered what might be on fire but never did hear anything about it.
We walked to Honl's Beach. It seemed like it could be fun with the waves, however, it was very rocky. There were some folks boogie boarding in the area. There was a sign about the inventor of the boogie board and some ancient history of surf or boogie boarding. I also captured video someone parasailing.
After a while, I decided it just wasn't really doing it for me and we decided to walk back to Kamakahonu Beach. The water was considerably calmer here...and it also was rocky, but one didn't have to worry about being knocked over by waves onto the rocks. As I swam around, I noticed the fish all around me. I was able to capture a few shots of these fish! I swam out by the Ahu'ena Heiau at the Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark though often I could still touch bottom. I swam beyond it a ways before coming back in. It began to get a bit cool. There was another Luau that night and we hung around during part of it. It was the same program so we eventually decided to go elsewhere. I tried to capture another sunset as best as I could with the trees in the way. There wasn't as much cloud cover this time though.
As we walked back, we decided to get a pineapple whip float at Bubba and Finn's. Thankfully we got there just in time! We ate it outside the Just Uke's ukulele shop. We ate food we had in our room for dinner so we could get rid of it before we left the next day and we packed up to prepare to go in the morning back to the airport then fly to Honolulu on Oahu.
https://youtu.be/YSWteKjX5QcWe walked to Honl's Beach. It seemed like it could be fun with the waves, however, it was very rocky. There were some folks boogie boarding in the area. There was a sign about the inventor of the boogie board and some ancient history of surf or boogie boarding. I also captured video someone parasailing.
After a while, I decided it just wasn't really doing it for me and we decided to walk back to Kamakahonu Beach. The water was considerably calmer here...and it also was rocky, but one didn't have to worry about being knocked over by waves onto the rocks. As I swam around, I noticed the fish all around me. I was able to capture a few shots of these fish! I swam out by the Ahu'ena Heiau at the Kamakahonu National Historic Landmark though often I could still touch bottom. I swam beyond it a ways before coming back in. It began to get a bit cool. There was another Luau that night and we hung around during part of it. It was the same program so we eventually decided to go elsewhere. I tried to capture another sunset as best as I could with the trees in the way. There wasn't as much cloud cover this time though.
As we walked back, we decided to get a pineapple whip float at Bubba and Finn's. Thankfully we got there just in time! We ate it outside the Just Uke's ukulele shop. We ate food we had in our room for dinner so we could get rid of it before we left the next day and we packed up to prepare to go in the morning back to the airport then fly to Honolulu on Oahu.
02.18.2022
In the morning on Friday February 18th, 2022, Debbie returned from Mauna Lani Resort to pick us up and head to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keahole for our flight to Honolulu on the island of Oahu. We were awakened much earlier than we would have preferred due to maintenance crews apparently cutting down coconuts from the trees outside of our unit. We saw them working on other trees as we left. Debbie dropped us off then returned the rental car. As we went through security, my patched up shorts I was wearing apparently caused some issues with the body scanner so I had to go through extra security. We were fairly early and due to limited space at the gate despite it being an open air airport, we had to wait in another part for a while. When we were permitted to go into the gate area, we had to pass through another security screening to ensure we weren't bringing fruits or vegetation with us apparently. We had to get in a boarding line that was split between two destinations which seemed like it could get confusing. Eventually, we ended up boarding our flight, walking out to the airplane. I got some shots of the flight staff giving the emergency information and, as we taxied, of the lava flows surrounding the runways. I then shot our take off, a few shots of Maui as we passed by, and a shot of the shadow of our airplane over the ocean. As we approached Oahu, I got some more shots then captured the landing process at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. I was a bit disappointed in that we were on the wrong side to see Pearl Harbor as we approached for landing. In looking at maps now, I'm not sure we could have seen much had we been on the other side anyway. We passed over another airport that I found to be called Kalaeloa. Once we gathered our luggage, we decided to take a taxi to where we would be staying. Elphie and I had an AirBnB unit...tiny, but we didn't need a lot of space. Debbie had a hotel room. It turned out we could see her hotel from our window! We stayed in a building called "Big Surf" and walked to it from Debbie's hotel.
Once we unloaded, we went to find dinner. We decided to go to the Ala Moana Center. It was a mall. We also needed to get bus cards so we figured that there was a transit center there we could use. We were told to try the ABC Store by a local bus rider since we didn't see any machines around. We could have done this by the places we were staying, ha! We got our bus cards then decided to get dinner at the food court. Elphie and I tried Poi Bowls and they were pretty good. We went to Wal*Mart to gather a few things to get through the rest of our time including stuff to make sandwiches to take while we were out during the days. After this, we decided to walk over to the beaches. We saw a bird in a lagoon that had head feathers that sort of looked like a mohawk. I messed around a bit with my Canon Rebel T6s camera seeing what I could do with it in low light. I played around with the exposure settings and ISO. I was hindered a bit by not having my tripod to get steady low light shots. Debbie decided to go back to her hotel while Elphie and I hung around a bit longer. I came away with some footage of the stars, the moon, clouds, and the building along Waikiki.
Once we unloaded, we went to find dinner. We decided to go to the Ala Moana Center. It was a mall. We also needed to get bus cards so we figured that there was a transit center there we could use. We were told to try the ABC Store by a local bus rider since we didn't see any machines around. We could have done this by the places we were staying, ha! We got our bus cards then decided to get dinner at the food court. Elphie and I tried Poi Bowls and they were pretty good. We went to Wal*Mart to gather a few things to get through the rest of our time including stuff to make sandwiches to take while we were out during the days. After this, we decided to walk over to the beaches. We saw a bird in a lagoon that had head feathers that sort of looked like a mohawk. I messed around a bit with my Canon Rebel T6s camera seeing what I could do with it in low light. I played around with the exposure settings and ISO. I was hindered a bit by not having my tripod to get steady low light shots. Debbie decided to go back to her hotel while Elphie and I hung around a bit longer. I came away with some footage of the stars, the moon, clouds, and the building along Waikiki.
02.19.2022
we got up fairly early on Saturday February 19th, 2022 to make our way to the North Shore area which is known to be a favorite spot for surfing. We rode TheBus and passed by the Dole Plantation among other interesting things on our way out. Funny thing about the Dole Plantation, my parents' made a trip many years ago and included in the trip was a tour of the Dole Plantation where samples are available. The tour guide warned not to eat too much as it may upset one's stomach...my father apparently didn't heed the warning and ended up not feeling well and missing out on snorkling.
We arrived in the North Shore area. We got off at a stop by a Starbucks so Elphie could get a drink. We then began to walk, stopping relatively soon after to get some Poke at Poke For The People. At this restaurant, it was sort of like ordering at a Subway where you tell them what you want and they build it for you. It was pretty good. Across the street was a smoke shop which I took a shot of for Elphie's mom and next to it was Kaimana Hawai'ian Shave Ice. Debbie got some for dessert but Elphie and I felt full from our Poke and figured we'd get some another time before the trip would end. We continued to walk through the business district included passed a farmer's market. When we got to where we could see the beaches, we turned left across a small bridge where children were jumping off into the water. We passed by a surf shop then asked someone which way for the best waves in the area. It turned out we needed to go back across the bridge to the beaches on that side. We crossed back over as the children continued to jump then went into a parking lot only to find a dead end into water we couldn't cross so we backtracked a bit to get around and to Haleiwa Alii Beach. The waves were pretty big and there were folks surfing. I captured a few shots. There was a guy shooting near me with a telephoto lens. Debbie and I also decided to go into the water. We chose a spot that seemed a bit away from the surfers so as to not get hit in the head with a board. While swimming in the waves, we encountered a sea turtle also swimming in the waves. I got knocked a couple times pretty good by the waves but it was fun!
We got on TheBus to head back but taking the other direction so we could see more of the island as we rode. We rode along the shoreline, seeing a ton more beach areas and a couple resorts. We saw an inlet area that appeared to have a beach dividing the ocean from the inland water that came from the mountains. It was likely a nice area for hiking and probably some waterfalls had we gone there. We passed by some more farmer's markets and through some state park areas. I saw an island that looked familiar from movies like 50 First Dates. We encountered some rain as we returned to Honolulu.
Once back in Honolulu, we got dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill in Ala Moana Center. Debbie apparently had developed blisters from all the walking we had done during this trip and was not interested in walking any more. The next morning she was flying back to Seattle. She decided to hang back in her hotel and Elphie and I went exploring around Honolulu a for a bit longer since we had a day pass on TheBus. We went into downtown looking for any sort of "night life." Before we got there, we stopped at the King Kamahameha Statue in front of Ali'iolani Hale and the Iolani Palace across the street. Both sites are on Atlas Obscura. We walked down the road and came across a Bourbon Street Bar that seemed to be the place were most folks were going. After this we decided to head to Waikiki. We found the hotel my parents stayed at - the Hyatt Regency. Across the street was a statue of a surfer which had been Lei'd called Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. Apparently he is an Olympic champion and "father of international surfing." At this point we decided to call it a night and headed back to our AirBnB.
We arrived in the North Shore area. We got off at a stop by a Starbucks so Elphie could get a drink. We then began to walk, stopping relatively soon after to get some Poke at Poke For The People. At this restaurant, it was sort of like ordering at a Subway where you tell them what you want and they build it for you. It was pretty good. Across the street was a smoke shop which I took a shot of for Elphie's mom and next to it was Kaimana Hawai'ian Shave Ice. Debbie got some for dessert but Elphie and I felt full from our Poke and figured we'd get some another time before the trip would end. We continued to walk through the business district included passed a farmer's market. When we got to where we could see the beaches, we turned left across a small bridge where children were jumping off into the water. We passed by a surf shop then asked someone which way for the best waves in the area. It turned out we needed to go back across the bridge to the beaches on that side. We crossed back over as the children continued to jump then went into a parking lot only to find a dead end into water we couldn't cross so we backtracked a bit to get around and to Haleiwa Alii Beach. The waves were pretty big and there were folks surfing. I captured a few shots. There was a guy shooting near me with a telephoto lens. Debbie and I also decided to go into the water. We chose a spot that seemed a bit away from the surfers so as to not get hit in the head with a board. While swimming in the waves, we encountered a sea turtle also swimming in the waves. I got knocked a couple times pretty good by the waves but it was fun!
We got on TheBus to head back but taking the other direction so we could see more of the island as we rode. We rode along the shoreline, seeing a ton more beach areas and a couple resorts. We saw an inlet area that appeared to have a beach dividing the ocean from the inland water that came from the mountains. It was likely a nice area for hiking and probably some waterfalls had we gone there. We passed by some more farmer's markets and through some state park areas. I saw an island that looked familiar from movies like 50 First Dates. We encountered some rain as we returned to Honolulu.
Once back in Honolulu, we got dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill in Ala Moana Center. Debbie apparently had developed blisters from all the walking we had done during this trip and was not interested in walking any more. The next morning she was flying back to Seattle. She decided to hang back in her hotel and Elphie and I went exploring around Honolulu a for a bit longer since we had a day pass on TheBus. We went into downtown looking for any sort of "night life." Before we got there, we stopped at the King Kamahameha Statue in front of Ali'iolani Hale and the Iolani Palace across the street. Both sites are on Atlas Obscura. We walked down the road and came across a Bourbon Street Bar that seemed to be the place were most folks were going. After this we decided to head to Waikiki. We found the hotel my parents stayed at - the Hyatt Regency. Across the street was a statue of a surfer which had been Lei'd called Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. Apparently he is an Olympic champion and "father of international surfing." At this point we decided to call it a night and headed back to our AirBnB.
02.20.2022
On Sunday February 20th, 2022, we didn't have anything planned. We decided to just go to the beach. We walked and entered near the lagoon where we had gone on our first night in Honolulu. We kept walking and ended up in front of the Hyatt Regency again. I brought the Boogie Board that was in the AirBnB and wanted to give it a try so we were looking for somewhere with some waves. Before settling in at the beach, we passed the Waikiki Christmas Store. We also found a stand to purchase a pineapple beverage in a pineapple called the Waikiki Grass Shack Bistro. It was good, it was also quite pulpy. It's a good thing we arrived when we did as it closed almost immediately after we made our purchase.
I went in the water where we first set up and found it wasn't particularly deep then there was a wall. We moved to another area on the other side of where the wall was and I went quite a long way out before getting where I couldn't touch the bottom. I took the Boogie Board out as well but never figured out how to catch a wave. At some point I began to feel a bit nauseous from looking through the clear water and the movement. I was trying to watch where I stepped in hopes to not end up stepping on any sea creatures, especially a crap or jellyfish or something like that. While letting the nauseous feeling pass, I got some shots of Le'ahi (Diamond Head) volcano. At sunset, I set up on the rocks that make the wall and got a decent shot of the sunset with boats and surfers in the foreground. I lost the focus a little bit and was somewhat shaky without the tripod but generally, I was happy with the shots. I got a few shots of the surfers after the sun was set as well. It got quite a bit cooler once the sun set.
We decided to get Hawai'ian Shave Ice at Lawson Station. I got a Blue Hawai'i and Elphie got a Strawberry Mango Snow Ice. We found a spot to sit nearby and enjoyed them though we got pretty cold from it, ha! At this point we decided to go search for dinner. We headed to the mall nearby called the International Marketplace. As we walked we passed some street performers. We arrived at the mall but most everything in it was closed or closing. We found the food court area and across the street was Surf And Turf Tacos which we decided on getting. It was a long line with capacity restrictions but eventually we were able to get some food. I got a quesadilla and Elphie got a bowl. We ate outside again then went into the mall to try to use the restroom but they were all closed. We went back to the beach to use the restroom there. On our way out of the mall, we passed a Don Ho statue. As we headed back toward out AirBnB, we passed the street performers again from across the street as well as some kids playing reggae in a band called The Free Little Birds. We also encountered a couple drunk guys as we got closer to our AirBnB. One didn't quite make it and fell on the lawn by a hotel and took a nap there I guess...the other guy stumbled away and around the corner.
I went in the water where we first set up and found it wasn't particularly deep then there was a wall. We moved to another area on the other side of where the wall was and I went quite a long way out before getting where I couldn't touch the bottom. I took the Boogie Board out as well but never figured out how to catch a wave. At some point I began to feel a bit nauseous from looking through the clear water and the movement. I was trying to watch where I stepped in hopes to not end up stepping on any sea creatures, especially a crap or jellyfish or something like that. While letting the nauseous feeling pass, I got some shots of Le'ahi (Diamond Head) volcano. At sunset, I set up on the rocks that make the wall and got a decent shot of the sunset with boats and surfers in the foreground. I lost the focus a little bit and was somewhat shaky without the tripod but generally, I was happy with the shots. I got a few shots of the surfers after the sun was set as well. It got quite a bit cooler once the sun set.
We decided to get Hawai'ian Shave Ice at Lawson Station. I got a Blue Hawai'i and Elphie got a Strawberry Mango Snow Ice. We found a spot to sit nearby and enjoyed them though we got pretty cold from it, ha! At this point we decided to go search for dinner. We headed to the mall nearby called the International Marketplace. As we walked we passed some street performers. We arrived at the mall but most everything in it was closed or closing. We found the food court area and across the street was Surf And Turf Tacos which we decided on getting. It was a long line with capacity restrictions but eventually we were able to get some food. I got a quesadilla and Elphie got a bowl. We ate outside again then went into the mall to try to use the restroom but they were all closed. We went back to the beach to use the restroom there. On our way out of the mall, we passed a Don Ho statue. As we headed back toward out AirBnB, we passed the street performers again from across the street as well as some kids playing reggae in a band called The Free Little Birds. We also encountered a couple drunk guys as we got closer to our AirBnB. One didn't quite make it and fell on the lawn by a hotel and took a nap there I guess...the other guy stumbled away and around the corner.
02.21.2022
On Monday February 21st, 2022, Elphie and I took TheBus went to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial site. My mom really pushed for us to go...but I had hoped we would get a chance anyway. Most of the exhibits were free and we were able to take the ferry to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. While we were at the U.S.S. Arizona, a sea turtle came swimming along the remains of the ship. I went into a couple of the buildings that highlighted the days leading up to the attack and life after during war time. One thing I found interesting was that some of the attacked ships were able to be repaired and put back into use fairly quickly so that they played a part in the ongoing war. For some reason, I had some trouble with my Canon Rebel T6s and its exposure settings. Some of the photos and footage is very much over exposed.
Once we finished up the time we wanted to spend at Pearl Harbor, we tried to take public transit to a McDonald's in the Hickam Air Force Base only to find that it was closed to the public since it is still an active base. Our hope was to see the buildings which still show some damage scars from the Pearl Harbor attack. While sitting outside the fence, I zoomed in on a building to see if anything might show up. I also zoomed in on a building near where we were sitting that had some holes...but they may have been from old signage rather than scars from the war.
We caught TheBus into Honolulu to find an Elvis statue commemorating "Aloha From Hawai'i" the first concert ever broadcast on satellite television. It stood outside of Blaisdell Center. This was the second Elvis related Atlas Obscura find for us! While there, a guy was feeding the fish in the pond. Some of the fish had fins sticking up out of the water like sharks but when they got closer it was obvious that they were not sharks. The guy gave Elphie some cookies to feed the fish as well. We headed across the street to Jack-In-The-Box but decided we didn't want anything from their menu and headed to the Ala Moana Center food court. We stopped by Wal*Mart again then I went to the McDonald's nearby to get my first Shamrock Shake of the season!
From here, we walked back through the Ala Moana Center and out to the Ala Moana Park and continued to the "Magic Island" then onto one of the beach areas. I tried to take a panoramic of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach at night with the lights on and captured some footage as well from near the breaker wall before heading back to the AirBnB. I was trying to see if it seemed likely to capture a sunrise, however, it seemed more likely that the sun would be rising over the mountains from the other side of the island. As we walked back, we encountered cats who apparently must live in the park. There were quite a few! We also passed by a guy fishing in the nearby lagoon.
Once we finished up the time we wanted to spend at Pearl Harbor, we tried to take public transit to a McDonald's in the Hickam Air Force Base only to find that it was closed to the public since it is still an active base. Our hope was to see the buildings which still show some damage scars from the Pearl Harbor attack. While sitting outside the fence, I zoomed in on a building to see if anything might show up. I also zoomed in on a building near where we were sitting that had some holes...but they may have been from old signage rather than scars from the war.
We caught TheBus into Honolulu to find an Elvis statue commemorating "Aloha From Hawai'i" the first concert ever broadcast on satellite television. It stood outside of Blaisdell Center. This was the second Elvis related Atlas Obscura find for us! While there, a guy was feeding the fish in the pond. Some of the fish had fins sticking up out of the water like sharks but when they got closer it was obvious that they were not sharks. The guy gave Elphie some cookies to feed the fish as well. We headed across the street to Jack-In-The-Box but decided we didn't want anything from their menu and headed to the Ala Moana Center food court. We stopped by Wal*Mart again then I went to the McDonald's nearby to get my first Shamrock Shake of the season!
From here, we walked back through the Ala Moana Center and out to the Ala Moana Park and continued to the "Magic Island" then onto one of the beach areas. I tried to take a panoramic of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach at night with the lights on and captured some footage as well from near the breaker wall before heading back to the AirBnB. I was trying to see if it seemed likely to capture a sunrise, however, it seemed more likely that the sun would be rising over the mountains from the other side of the island. As we walked back, we encountered cats who apparently must live in the park. There were quite a few! We also passed by a guy fishing in the nearby lagoon.
02.22.2022
Tuesday February 22nd, 2022 was our last full day in Hawai'i. We'd be flying out early the next day. I had thoughts about getting up early to catch a Hawai'ian sunrise with my camera but after determining that it was more likely to rise over the mountains than the ocean, I decided to stay in bed. We slept in a bit. After discussing possibly taking a bus west of Honolulu to see whatever is out there, or perhaps going to the zoo, we decided to just hang out at the beach again. This time we rode TheBus. I tried once again to use the Boogie Board but couldn't figure out how to launch and catch a wave. We went to Kapi'olani Beach Park that indicated they may be good for surfing. There were folks on surf boards in the area. The first beach had a lot of rocks when I went out into the water so I decided to move a bit to an area that looked less rocky. There were still rocks but it seemed better. Before going into the water, I took a couple more shots of Le'ahi (Diamond Head) from a wall going out into the ocean called The Queen's Walkway. I also got some shots of fish in the water.
Moving where we did, we were now at the Queen's Beach. While I was in the water attempting to figure out how to use a Boogie Board, I encountered another sea turtle in the waves. Elphie bought some sort of Hawai'ian pastry from someone to enjoy while sitting near some folks practicing poi. She also pulled a broken chair out of the garbage to sit on.
When I came back from the water to catch the sunset, I used the chair to try to get a more steady shot. This sunset was somewhat impeded by clouds at the horizon. After the sunset, I got some shots of ships and folks Boogie Boarding near a wall where the waves were crashing. It seemed the waves would take the folks around the wall rather than smash them into the wall. After changing into dry clothes, I got a couple shots as it got dark of folks on hammocks and more shots out into the ocean. I also captured a couple more statues of surfers. We had Burger King for dinner before heading back to the AirBnB for our last night. We packed up and got a little sleep...not much, as we had to get up really early to make it to the airport in time!
Moving where we did, we were now at the Queen's Beach. While I was in the water attempting to figure out how to use a Boogie Board, I encountered another sea turtle in the waves. Elphie bought some sort of Hawai'ian pastry from someone to enjoy while sitting near some folks practicing poi. She also pulled a broken chair out of the garbage to sit on.
When I came back from the water to catch the sunset, I used the chair to try to get a more steady shot. This sunset was somewhat impeded by clouds at the horizon. After the sunset, I got some shots of ships and folks Boogie Boarding near a wall where the waves were crashing. It seemed the waves would take the folks around the wall rather than smash them into the wall. After changing into dry clothes, I got a couple shots as it got dark of folks on hammocks and more shots out into the ocean. I also captured a couple more statues of surfers. We had Burger King for dinner before heading back to the AirBnB for our last night. We packed up and got a little sleep...not much, as we had to get up really early to make it to the airport in time!
02.23.2022
We got up sometime around 4:30am on Wednesday February 23rd, 2022 to catch a TheBus to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The bus arrived close to on time. I was a little be unsure about the bus due to indications of a detour but when I put in our time we wanted to arrive into the map app on my iPhone, it showed it as a possibility to catch a bus just down the block from our AirBnB. We loaded up, returned the key to its spot, and got to the bus stop and waited. The bus took us to the terminal as we hoped it would and we set off to go through the various security checks. Once we got through it all, we got to our gate with just about 15 minutes to spare! The sky was lightening up with the sunrise which I caught out the window of the plane as we began to taxi. I got some shots as we took off which included Diamond Head and another crater. As we approached Los Angeles where we would have a little bit of a layover, we hit clouds coming over the land. It was interesting capturing the shadow of the plane in the clouds below. I was able to capture the Hollywood sign, Dodger Stadium, downtown Los Angeles and SoFi Stadium as we came into for a landing at LAX.
Once off the plane at LAX, we found which gate we would be departing for Chicago from then went to get food. I had mistakenly believed that there was an In-N-Out in LAX. It turns out what I had to eat last time was Chick-Fil-A and for some reason thought it was In-N-Out in that spot. If I wanted to get In-N-Out, I'd have to leave the airport. It wasn't far but I definitely didn't want to go through the security checks again. I got Chick-Fil-A and Elphie got Panda Express. Our flight to Chicago was delayed by several hours.
We finally boarded our flight and it was dark by this time. I captured our take off and some city lights below us as we turned east to head home. I captured our landing at Midway International Airport and the baggage handler while we waited to get off the plane. Once we gathered our belongings, we were going to take a bus home, however, someone was in the midst of being arrested in the tunnel to the CTA from the terminal so we decided to just take a cab home. It cost more and was a bit of a hassle as the cabbie didn't seem to want to use GPS so we had to direct him how to get to where we lived.
Once home, we were greeted by Stein who seemed unsure about us at first but eventually became he usual, snuggly self...purring like crazy. I was going back to work in the morning and it was already 1:30am so I unloaded my stuff as quickly as I could then went to bed.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9ZwEF2QQpMwCQYi9D2CDrJ8rh3XFk7k
I really enjoyed this trip. I enjoyed the big waves in the ocean when I had the chance to experience them. Seeing a volcano was awesome! It is definitely a trip I will look forward to doing again in some years once we get some other things we would like to do out of the way.
I layered the closing credits on the return flight footage...I put the soundtrack information scrolling over some of the footage prior to arriving at Midway. The rest I put on the approach to LAX. Besides the soundtrack listing and information on the shooting, editing, and animation/title work, I included a "thank you" to Youth With A Mission and University of the Nations for housing, AirBnB, Wal*Mart, ABC Stores, TheBus, Southwest Airlines, and of course, Atlas Obscura for making the trip possible.
Once off the plane at LAX, we found which gate we would be departing for Chicago from then went to get food. I had mistakenly believed that there was an In-N-Out in LAX. It turns out what I had to eat last time was Chick-Fil-A and for some reason thought it was In-N-Out in that spot. If I wanted to get In-N-Out, I'd have to leave the airport. It wasn't far but I definitely didn't want to go through the security checks again. I got Chick-Fil-A and Elphie got Panda Express. Our flight to Chicago was delayed by several hours.
We finally boarded our flight and it was dark by this time. I captured our take off and some city lights below us as we turned east to head home. I captured our landing at Midway International Airport and the baggage handler while we waited to get off the plane. Once we gathered our belongings, we were going to take a bus home, however, someone was in the midst of being arrested in the tunnel to the CTA from the terminal so we decided to just take a cab home. It cost more and was a bit of a hassle as the cabbie didn't seem to want to use GPS so we had to direct him how to get to where we lived.
Once home, we were greeted by Stein who seemed unsure about us at first but eventually became he usual, snuggly self...purring like crazy. I was going back to work in the morning and it was already 1:30am so I unloaded my stuff as quickly as I could then went to bed.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9ZwEF2QQpMwCQYi9D2CDrJ8rh3XFk7k
I really enjoyed this trip. I enjoyed the big waves in the ocean when I had the chance to experience them. Seeing a volcano was awesome! It is definitely a trip I will look forward to doing again in some years once we get some other things we would like to do out of the way.
I layered the closing credits on the return flight footage...I put the soundtrack information scrolling over some of the footage prior to arriving at Midway. The rest I put on the approach to LAX. Besides the soundtrack listing and information on the shooting, editing, and animation/title work, I included a "thank you" to Youth With A Mission and University of the Nations for housing, AirBnB, Wal*Mart, ABC Stores, TheBus, Southwest Airlines, and of course, Atlas Obscura for making the trip possible.
The soundtrack came together pretty well with this project. I was able to have most songs that I wanted in specific areas fit in together. I realized after I was done working on the project and compressing the files for YouTube, I had entirely missed a song I had intended on using since we planned the trip. Oh well...I suppose I will use it next time the place we visit makes sense for it as Hawai'i would have.
The first file I had uploaded for the Kona part of the trip had something go wrong during the compressing process. It created psychedelic color effect starting with the sunset on February 15th, 2022 and continuing most of the rest of that file until the end of February 17th, 2022. I didn't check the file before uploading and so I was unaware until it's YouTube 'premiere' while it played through and I saw it. A new file was compressed and uploaded in its place.
Additional soundtrack includes "Aloha! It's You" by The Huntingtons, "Paradise, Hawai'ian Style" by Elvis Presley, "Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho, "Aloha Oe" by Johnny Cash, "Vacation" by 180*, "This World" by The Castros, "Pacific Ocean Blue" by Hushpad, "In The Ocean Of His Love" by Glenn Kaiser, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole, "Sound So Soothing" by Peg And The Rejected, "The Volcano" by The Aggrolites, "Volcano" by U2, "Volcanoland" by Caedmon's Call, "Beacon Of Hope" and "Solid Foundation" by Dread Pirate Roberts, "What I Can't Describe" by The Transplants, "My Time Now" by Pilfers, "Against A Sea Of Troubles" by Five Iron Frenzy, "Southern Ocean" by The Pomegranates, "The Ocean" by Mae, "Ocean" by Lovedrug, "Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans" by The Smashing Pumpkins, "Oceana" by The Violet Burning, "The Ocean" by The Choir, "This Love Is An Ocean" by The Throes, "Jonah" by Grammatrain, "Oceans" by Pearl Jam, "Ocean" by Wish For Eden, "The Ocean" by The Bravery, "In Blue Hawai'i" by Joey Joesph, "The Ocean" by Norway, "Hui" by The Ws, "Surf's Up And So Are You" by The Carmines, "Surf Kennedy" by Gay Black Republican, "Surf Song" by Sean Henry, "Surfin' USA" by The Beach Boys, "Tony Adams" by Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros, "Things To Come" by Rancid, "I'll Be'Neath The Canopy" by The Dingees, "Over Oceans" by Josh Garrels, "Headphones" by The Uh Ohs, and "Mud" by Flatfoot 56.
Footage filmed using a Canon Rebel T6s with an Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone and iPhone 6, 8, and 13 by Debbie, Elphie, and Joel A. Swanson. Titles, maps, and other animations created using Motion 4 on a Macbook by Joel A. Swanson. Edited using Final Cut Pro on a Mac Mini by Joel A. Swanson.
