My Dave Tires: Hawaii, Days 8-10

My Dave Tires: Hawaii, Days 8-10

September 23, 2015 0 Comments A+ a-

Don't be a lame duck and skip the first two posts just to get to this one, trust me--the week leading up to the events in this post were all worth it.

Ok, I'll get started. I know you guys can't wait any longer!

DAY EIGHT, September 12: After a couple of rainy days in Oahu, T and I aimed to pick a perfect day to hike the Diamond Head crater. We happened to pick one of the most humid/hottest days out of our stay in Oahu...great! Aside from all the sweating and puffing we did hiking a measly 1.5 mile hike, the view was worth it instantly when we saw Honolulu and Waikiki from the top.

If you're on the fence if you should do this touristy hike, I'm saying do it. Just do it. It gives you a perfect vantage point of Honolulu/Waikiki. You might have to push several tourists out of your photos first, but again, worth it.

We went around 11 in the morning, and we wish we went earlier in the morning--it would have been cooler. Next time we're doing this, we want to see BOTH the sunrise and the sunset from Diamond Head.

Photo op before we hit the switchbacks to the top.
We were probably around 1/2 way to the top. So much switchbacks and slow people. 
See.
This was the WORST thing I've ever experienced.
A little backstory to the tunnel picture. I usually don't get claustrophobic, but I read some articles on this specific tunnel being the death of some people, not literally. I started having a mild panic attack right when I entered the tunnel. Why? Well, it was HOT and HUMID inside, I was already hiking up 70+ steps of stairs into this tunnel. The people front of us were extremely slow, it could fit only a single file of people, so you have people coming back down rubbing up on you while you make your way up. I think the slowness of people walking up really got to me, because I started breathing differently when I got out of the tunnel and swearing to T that I would never do that again.

Unfortunately, I had to do it on the way back, but this time the tunnel was fairly empty so I basically ran downhill through the tunnel. Much better!

TL;DR: If you have claustrophobia, wait until the tunnel is empty before proceeding...VERY QUICKLY.

After the tunnel and 90+ more steps, this was the view!
Around the boulder is Waikiki and Honolulu!

Waikiki and Honolulu...and the tourists!

After.
When we looked up this hike, we planned around two hours for this so we could take our time and get up/down safely. In the end, it only took us a hour! #Winning.

After the hike T and I were SOAKED through our clothes with sweat, and we were supposed to meet a family friend for lunch at Liliha Bakery. I'm the smart one in the relationship because I brought a total outfit replacement, and all T brought was a pair of boxers (not even a fresh shirt). I was able to freshen up in the bathroom and feel all relaxed in my dry clothes. Not the same could be said for T (again, I told you so).

Lunch was great with an even greater company, but T and I were itching to go to Waikiki and walk around.

First we got dropped off in a super nice hotel/shopping mall full of designer stores (remember my first post about Asians and designer stuff), well this mall was entirely in Japanese. I was probably the only white person there, never did I think I would encounter this in America--what an experience!

To my frustration, all the maps/guides were in Japanese, I couldn't find the bathroom!
After running around the mall for a little bit looking for the bathroom, we got our way outside and towards the beach for a very memorable night!


So. Stoked. I'm not an avid watcher of the show, but a lot of the cast were familiar to me from Lost! We originally looked around for any H5-0 filming sets that we could crash, but instead we found this event. It was the season 6 premiere red carpet event. We didn't know this existed, but honestly the timing was perfect.

We walked by early enough to get some front standing room!
We arrived at Queen's Surf Beach around 3 pm, but it wasn't until around 5:30 that some stars from the show arrived.

Shawn Garnett -- Flippa in Hawaii 5-0!
Taylor Wily -- Kamekona in Hawaii 5-0!



A bunch of people came by here and there, but by 6:45, THE people you wanted to see were blazing by. T and I couldn't contain ourselves when this person came by...

Jorge Garica, Jerry on 5-0 and Hurley from Lost!
Unfortunately we didn't get a selfie with Jorge, he was whisked away by a security guy before he had the chance to reach our corner. I was so upset but I was so starstruck. I love Hurley. So. Much.

Then more stars arrived...

Grace Park, Kono on 5-0!

Grace Park was so sweet, she went to the other side of the crowds (across us) as they don't get attention from the stars that were arriving. She chatted and stayed around that area for almost 20-30 minutes before even gracing the red carpet. My idol.

She also stood and waited while we adjusted the lighting on the iPhone front camera when we asked for a selfie. I can't wait for the flash feature on 6s! Not the best picture but we were happy with it. I can just hope I look this amazing at Grace's age someday. Incredible.

The best part of the night took place after Alex O'Loughin breezed by us flanked by security... :( but :D!

Alex aka Steve on 5-0!
JIN! JIN! JIN!
Ok, taking a breather here. Daniel Dae Kim as Chin 5-0 and Jin on Lost!

T and I were practically crying from joy after this picture. Daniel pressed the shutter button for us as we had to warp in a weird angle to beat the iPhone lighting. 

T: "He touched my phone! I'm never washing it ever again."

It was incredible. If you find yourself near a red carpet premiere, just pack your bags and go. It's worth the hype, you feed off the energy from the fans around you and you become excited yourself.

A couple more of casts came by our way after the red carpet died down in time for the event/episode premiere and thanked us for being fans of the show. Aww.

And yes, no Scott Caan. We were sad, but seeing Daniel made it all up!

We decided not to stick around for the episode premiere, because it wasn't captioned so we headed back to meet T's parents a couple of miles away. It was a good way to get our steps in after standing for almost four hours! When we arrived at the hotel, we showed T's parents pictures and such before we hit the sack.

What a day! Worth waiting for right?!

DAY NINE, September 13: Sunday was way more relaxed, I think T and I were still wired from the night before's events. We kept saying we couldn't believe we met Daniel, we STILL can't believe it a week or so after it!

For today, it was pouring like crazy thanks to a hurricane heading for Hawaii. We decided to stay in and relax on our last full day in Hawaii, but we wanted to grab some more of Leonard's Malasadas and Starbucks. T's dad tried the Clover coffee for the first time, he said it was a much more smoother tasting coffee, so when you see a Clover machine in your area, try it!

We decided on Kapolei's Brick Oven Pizza for dinner, it was probably one of the top five best decisions we've all ever made. The pizza was so delicious, and the alfredo pasta won me over! If you're ever in Oahu and passing Honolulu, I suggest this place for a really good bite of pizza.

A very anti-climatic last day in Hawaii day but that night we saw a rainbow then we had fireworks bursting away from the lagoon (for a wedding celebration or something, we don't know). It was a perfect ending to our incredible vacation!




DAY TEN, September 14: We had to leave today. I say had because I was probably held against my own will leaving. No, I'm joking...sort of.

My last view outside of the hotel room. I miss this view so much!
But of course, a flat tire!
We got a flat tire heading to Honolulu to pick up some Mochi candies and Manapuas, and I was convinced that Hawaii didn't want us to leave. Unfortunately nobody else thought the same way. Darn it.

Had to sit in the back seat with the foam topper from the trunk.

By the time we got through security at Honolulu airport, we were exhausted and hungry. T and I munched on some manapuas and Starbucks. We also had some bags of chips in our bag for snacking on the plane, but look what happened to the bag.


The changes in altitude swelled up the bag, again, Lays...lay off the air in the bag and put more chips! We were terrified it would pop, (did I mention we were sitting next to a couple with a baby?) and wake the baby up crying...then the whole plane would have hated us.

Good news, it didn't pop! We ate the chips. The end.

We got back in Seattle around 10 but had to wait for our bags, there was a slight mix up and we finally got home around 11. Lila and I were reunited!

On our way back home on Tuesday! Lila does not like cars.
What an incredible vacation. I'm so glad T's family asked me to go along, but next time I hope I get to go with the full family and to other islands Hawaii has!

Thank you for sticking by my adventurous writing and living vicariously through me. I hope I get to read YOUR adventures when you make your way towards Hawaii. If you're not buying tickets to Hawaii at the end of this post, I have failed you and America.
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