PHOTOS & VIDEO: HAWAII DAY TWO, KO OLINA BEACH LAGOON

A blissfully simple day today, which was just walking the few feet from our Ko Olina condo to one of the lagoons here, then back to the pool. These lagoons, four identical crescent-shaped man-made beaches with rock barriers, provide some of the safest ocean swimming experiences in Oahu -- which is relative, because the currents are still pretty impressive and need to be respected. Anyway, the area is impeccably kept, extremely clean, and there were showers and bathrooms and shade areas as well. It was uncrowded and mellow as can be, and is ideal for families.

Water test day for the new Panasonic DMC-TS3. I am very pleased! Here are a few photos and a short video. Enjoy!

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PHOTO ESSAY: HAWAII DAY ONE

Yes, it's Spring Break Time again, which means I go on vacation somewhere and you get lots of photographs. This time, after a 28-year absence, I am once again on the island of Oahu, in the State of Hawaii, in the country of the United States, and in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I am stoked, brah!

The first day started yesterday as we boarded our evening flight to Honolulu. Surprise to me was 1st Class seats! WOOOO! Second surprise to me was that after we boarded and had several Complimentary Beverages and Snacks, we all got kicked off said 757 for mechanical issues, and hours later left on a 767, which was way nicer anyway. I also got $100 bucks credit at Delta and a beer voucher. Or at least I spent my food voucher on a beer.

We arrived at our absolutely stunning condo in Ko Olina around 1AM Hawaii time. I'm really going to have to be pried out of here when it's time to leave and go back to Seattle. Holy man, this place is sweet. The whole area here is very clean and quiet, although I imagine it will become less so when a new Disney resort is finished next door in September. But still -- I RECOMMEND.

We went off to Zippy's for breakfast, and then that cultural Hawaiian landmark, Target, to get some food, a booster seat, and a large pink bucket and sand shovel.

Then it was time to visit the pool, or pools, I should clarify. Oh, MAN, that warm sun feels so good to my rain-soaked psyche. I relaxed in one of the water lounges and left only when prodded by family. Here's more of some of the things around the resort.

MissEight trying out the underwater capabilities of our new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3.

So so lovely.

After a shower and a rest, off to a sushi dinner at a local conveyor joint, which we all agreed was delicious, then off to a strange and very large department/discount/import store inexplicably called "Don Quijote," where I was to find Dave's Hawaiian Ice Cream and had the Halo Halo. Be sure to check out the ingredients. AND I LOVED IT.

MissEight bought a fake flower clip for her hair, and I found some Obama car dash figurines -- no birth certificate, though. Maybe tomorrow. See ya!

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MUTANT MONDAY

This morning, I had a very vivid and odd dream wherein I dumped over a bin of small blocks and two exotic spiders appeared: one rather large and one REALLY rather large. The latter spider was about the size of my palm and looked and moved like a crab. I was going to let it scuttle away and pretend it went to France or something, but then I realized it was heading towards my mom's clothes closet. She has major Spider Fear, so then I thought, damn, I really should kill that thing, because she'll lose bowel control if she sees that in one of her shoes or something. It was quick, that big spider, and before I had a chance to figure out how to safely and efficiently end its existence, MissEight came into my room and woke me up. She had drawn some animals and wanted to share them with me.

The Lion Ostrich

The Mole Wolf

The Catfish Crow

The Cheetah Penguin

The Anteater Fly

The Elephant Dog

...and The Spider Cat.

I swear I live in some Dali-esque alternate reality sometimes.

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