Koko Crater

Tom and I decided to tackle Koko Crater on our second full day. It was a mild overcast day, not too sunny, and seemed to be suitable for a lengthy hike up an exposed ridge.

We got our first real look at what we were in for when we pulled into the parking lot.

Are those tiny dots people??

Wow, that's ... a lot of stairs.

The official count is 1048 stairs, it turns out ("stairs" being a generous term for what are really railroad ties!). They're not really evenly spaced, either, or very steady in some places. At around "stair" number 500, there's a sketchy bridge, followed up a sharp increase in the angle of ascent.


It was really something.

But when you finally make it to the top, the views are spectacular.

Waikiki with Diamond Head Crater (think that looks like a good climb? Hmm).

(Did I mention it was very windy out?)

Koko Head, with Hanauma Bay nestled in the middle.

The only problem is, you have to go down eventually.

Aw, crud.

It was great, but exhausting!

We went swimming at Waimanalo Beach after that! Phew!

The southeast tip of Oahu

Tom and I did the nice easy walk to Makapu'u Point. It's a really popular walk because it's mellow -- there's a paved walk and it's not very steep -- and the view payoff is high. Lots of families were doing the walk. It's a great place to try to spot whales (which we all did -- that was great).

To one side, you can see Waimanalo and the southern part of Windward Oahu.


On the other side, you get views like this.


The peak is called Koko Crater. Think it looks like fun to walk up that thing?

Yeah. So did we.

In southeast Oahu

We stayed in a little B&B in Hawaii Kai, in an area called the Haha'ione Valley. This was the view out our window.


I took that picture in the morning, when it was a little overcast. But another great thing is that the valley has a sound track! Seriously, when we stepped outside, there was an absolutely symphony of bird songs calling from all corners and heights of the valley. Plus there were apple-banana trees in everyone's yards. It was awesome!

A distant shot of "our valley", as we quickly began calling it.

We loved this valley, it was so snug and peaceful.


And a total bonus -- as you can see from this picture, a bus route even stops right there!

It's the little shelter on the right, see it?

It's perfect!

When can we move in?

After spending two weeks in Hawaii ...

... it's kind of a drag to hear the pilot say, just as the plane's about to land, "Well good morning everyone, and welcome to Boston! The temperature is currently eleven degrees with a northerly wind of about fifteen miles per hour!"

Ugh!

I think we've gotten re-used to the cold, but we're still a little time-zone confused.

We had a great time though!

Eyeglass hazards

So Tom and I were at the grocery store yesterday, when Tom lets out with a good sneeze.

After the sneeze, he looked at me, and his glasses were all fogged up!

It completely cracked me up, right there in the cereal aisle. I don't wear glasses, and it just never crossed my mind that a sneeze could have that effect!

The best part -- Tom is a three-sneezer! So, two more sneezes, two more eyeglass foggings. I was laughing so hard the cashier wanted to know what was so funny, so of course we told him, and he and everyone else who overheard all started cracking up too.

I didn't stop laughing till we got home (Tom just pretend-sulked even though he knew it was hilarious too).

Cleaning my room

Some people are really good at sorting through incoming mail and paperwork, dealing with it once and for all, and not letting stuff pile out.

Me, not so much. I pay bills on time, definitely, but mail sort of ... piles up, because I don't decide right away to throw something out, or to file it somehow, or what.

And all that stuff piles up not in an in-box, not on a desk, but ... on my bed. Which is the guest room bed, but still. The surface of a bed can fit a LOT of paper, it turns out.

I'd show you a picture but it's just ... well. I don't want to!

I'm making progress, definitely. I'd say about half the bed spread is showing now, as opposed to about an eighth (which is how it started out earlier this evening).

There's going to be an impressive paper recycling pile this week!