Hawaii - the series: the finale. My thoughts & reflections

This is it, stalkers.  The end of our Hawaiian vacation.  I think I did pretty good at milking this trip for every drop it had. 

Ah, Hawaii.  Even though it is a state, it is almost like another country - like places we visited on our cruises.  Yes, they're American citizens, but they have a language & culture all their own.  

 Of course you know Aloha.  Hello AND goodbye.  Confusing.  Another one we heard a lot was 'mahalo'.  That was thank you.  

  Hawaiins have a love affair with vowels.  They have more vowels than consonants in their words.  Like the town we stayed in was Waikoloa.  Now, how would YOU pronounce it?  

I was talking to our snorkeling captain guy & he asked where we were staying.  I said (very matter of factly...I KNOW how to talk...) Y EE coh lo ah.  (emphasis on the EE)."  

He said, 'Oh,  y ka LO a?'  (emphasis on the LO).  UHM, yea - isn't that what I said?!

The street names are impossible to pronounce.

 This one is far away but it says, 'Pa'ahana'.  Really?

Yea, no clue...

 They have these things called, "ABC stores."  They are every freaking where.  The ABC stands for 'another block covered.'  That's why they're everywhere.  They are gift shops & have snacks, drinks, etc.  The one we visited near the Ironman start had these...

 and these.  They made me giggle...

 I already covered this, but it pissed me off so much I'm going to reiterate.  There are no lovely ladies in coconut bras & grass skirts dancing & saying in their angelic voices, "Aloha..." & giving you lei's.  Total crap...

Near Honolulu where it's more populated, we saw a lot of people riding bikes to get around...

 yet in the middle of the street in a random location were Ferrari's & Lamborghini's.  Go figure...

 They had trees that had these 'things' that came from the branches.  If they were able to get to the ground, they grow into it & take root.  Weird...

 

 We heard before we left that things are more expensive there.  That makes sense because it all has to be flown or boated in.  Gas was around $4.50 a gallon.  We saw a Subway one day & instead of $5 footlongs, they were $7.  We went to the grocery store to stock the kitchen & a bag of chips was around $4.  

Now, for all my McDonald diet coke lover stalkers.  YES, thank GOD in heaven there are McDonald's in Hawaii.   There are not a LOT of McDonald's though.  And nooooo, your precious 'any size diet coke' is NOT $1.  Try more like a medium for $1.59...

So now that I've been there, I really have no desire to go back.  I know, I know.  But sure, I had a good time & saw lots of cool stuff, but that time difference is a real bitch.  If I ever did go back (& my advice to you if you ever go), I would have to give myself a couple of extra days after coming home to re-acclimate before re-entering the real world... Oh, & hope your dad doesn't get hit by a truck an hour after you get back.  Just sayin'...