'N Family' Hawaii'95

Date：95/Mar/13-27 (15days)

This flight to Honolulu was more comfortable than the last year travel because Shiori grew to be 2 years and 2 months old and we got on the plane at Hiroshima airport. We had the 5 hours transit time at Kimpo airport in Seoul, but time had passed without any troubles.
Next morning, over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, the captain invited us to the cockpit and we could unexpectedly enjoy the calm morning view above clouds.

Pacific Monarch was the 33 floors condominium located behind Hyatt Regency Waikiki. The pool was equipped on the roof. Our room was the mountain view at the 14th floor, so we could watch the beach only at the terrace but enjoy the beautiful night view to the north and west.
We stayed here for 2 weeks.

Of course, the nearest amusing place was the beach. We visited Kuhio beach again and again because Waikiki beach was much crowded with many tourists and the wave was high. Surrounded with a brick-water, Kuhio beach was more safety for us to swim with Shiori.

We enjoyed many attractions at low cost. For example, Kodak Hula Show, Waikiki Aquarium, Honolulu Zoo and the sightseeing of the downtown by Waikiki Trolley.
The Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race was the most interesting. This is the race of more than 20,000 ducks which are held at the Ala Wai Canal in March every year. The duck was yellow rubber duck as big as a tennis ball. They floated on the water in some groups without going down the canal, and some people picked up them by the mops. It was very peaceful race. This race was held for a charity event by American Cerebral Palsy Association, so the fee of the vote would be used beneficently. After watching the race for one and half an hour, we left the canal without seeing any ducks to reach the goal.

We visited Sea Life Park for the first time. Shiori was very pleased with a dolphin-shaped baby carriage. This park was located at one of the scenic spots and the view on the way to it was wonderful. The shows by dolphins and sea lions pleased us.

Joining the whale watching tour on NAVATEK 1, we could actually watch two whales making an excursion. The ship didn't roll and we enjoyed chattering with some American and Australian people during the cruising to the destination.

Ko Olina Railway in the southwest of Oahu was the attraction few Japanese tourists knew. It was a little difficult to go there by theirselves and there were some not-safety area on the way. So, you had not better go there by a rent-a-car and so on. Some travel agents prepared the optional tours. It was about one and half an hour trip. We went through Ko Olina Golf Club, watching Ihilani Resort and Spa, shaken on the old train which had carried pineapples in days of old.

We recommend you the viking dinner at the pool side of Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. We had dinner, enjoying hula by two beautiful young girls with the musical band. The fee was $25 per person. For our memory of this family travel, we bought a ling of Hawaiian jewelry for Mari. Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry Factory at the 3th floor of Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center had a large stock of jewels and its quality seemed good.

Others

Activity)1)The ceremony and hula show held at King's Village every evening was interesting. 2)Waimea Valley was ..... If you don't have enough time, you had not better visit there. 3)I was overwhelmed by the big scale of IMAX in every time, but I wished the story of the film showed at Waikiki to be more interesting. (IMAX of Polynesian Cultural Center was worth appreciating.)
Dinning)1)Perry's Smorgy was one of famous restaurants, but the taste was not so good. 2)Fatty's Chinese Kitchen at the 1st floor of Miramar at Waikiki served delicious chinese foods and they were very cheap. But, if you wish to try them, you have to wait your order for a long time in the small and crowded shop. 3)The rhamen of Tenri Stamina Rhamen at the front of Duty Free Shoppers was the chinese noodle mixed with Kimuchi.
Shopping)1)Some Body Shops had been opened in Japan. But at the shop in Ala Moana Shopping Center, the price was much lower than that of the shops in Japan. 2)At Hopaco, a stationary shop in Ala Moana S.C., we found various unique and useful stationries.