Hawaii 2008


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In late May 2008 Daddy and I went to Hawaii by ourselves. We spent about a week on the islands splitting our time between Oahu and the Big Island. We tried to see as many people as possible but found a week is simply too short. Still, we managed to visit most of our family and as many friends as we could. Here are some pictures from our short but sweet vacation.

Miya and Mari

Friends Miya and Mari at the
Bishop Museum.

Aunty Sachi

Aunty Sachi playing Go Fish
with me.


Aunty Jen

Aunty Jen playing Uno with me at
her new house.

Uncle Scott

Here's Uncle Scott and me playing
Wii.


feeding fish

Feeding fish behind the Ilikai.

jellyfish

Look! A jellyfish!


Great Grandma Higa

Great Grandma Higa and me.

airplane

Flying to Hilo.


Great Grandpa Sato

Great Grandpa and me.

Great Grandma Sato

Great Grandma and me.


sofa

Chilling on Great Grandpa's
sofa.

family

Here's daddy too.


mountain apple

Great Grandma and me and a mountain
apple tree.

pineapple

Great Grandpa's pineapple patch.


bananas

Bananas!

Uncle Joel

Uncle Joel and me at Big Island
Candies.


Update: 3/23/2022
Dad found some journals he tried writing when they visited Hawaii together back in 2008. Unfortunately, they're mostly about what they did and are short on details. Still, it is a small look into what went on and who they saw.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Arrived Honolulu on time. Tyler slept on plane for last hour of flight. Woke up just before landing. Sat on plane while passengers exited. Started to get warm so Tyler started to feel sick. Got off plane finally, but he still didn't feel well. Went to restroom where it was cooler and where he finally felt better. Bought him a guava juice and sat in terminal while he drank. Went downstairs to baggage claim to retrieve suitcases. Exited terminal and walked to shuttle bus stop. Driver asked how old Tyler was and I said he was 4. He said to Tyler, "For the next 10 minutes you're 3. When you get on the bus you can be 4 again". Tyler rode the bus for free. Tried to get air to blow on Tyler but he was too small. Started to feel ill again. Fortunately, we were the 4th stop so we got to condo in time. He went straight to the bathroom and was fine after that. We settled in a little and then went to Rainbows for mix plate (Daddy) and saimin with slush float (Tyler). Returned to condo where we ate, showered, and went to sleep.

Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tyler woke up about 6am. Played for about 1/2 hour and then said he was hungry. Daddy got up and then we proceeded to Wailana's. Tyler had hotcakes, eggs, sausage, and guava juice. Daddy had the hotcake special. After we ate we came back to the condo and decided to go to Ala Moana Mall. Got there about 1/2 hour too early so we walked from Macy's side down to Long's. Bought guava juice and guava jelly. Returned to car and then went to Shirokiya's. Later, we went to Macy's for Aloha shirt, but none on sale. Returned to car and proceeded to Costco. Bought a couple CD's and swim trunks for Daddy. Next, went to Borders. Tyler got two Sponge Bob books. Headed back to condo. Called Renee about Sunday and Denise about dinner. Tyler ate leftover saimin from Rainbows for lunch and then drove to Pearl City to see Great Grandma Higa - nobody home. Drove back to Waikiki and rested a little while at condo. Went to dinner in Nui Valley with Denise, Craig, Miya, and Mari. Ate at Gyotaka. Visited a little while and then returned to condo to shower and sleep.

Friday, May 30, 2008
Went to McDonald's for breakfast. Tyler got pancake breakfast platter while Daddy got spam, egg, and rice platter. Came back to condo where Daddy received phone call from Lara's dad (Mr. Fujimoto) about DVD software. Went to Fujimoto house to help install software. Ate lunch there - Korean BBQ. Stayed little while. Tyler made cards with Mrs. Fujimoto to send home to Mommy, Jordyn, and Connor. Returned to condo. Addressed cards and went to Post Office in building to mail. After, looked at fish downstairs in retail area of Eaton Square. Went to Food Pantry for Lay's Potato Chips for snack. 6:30pm went downstairs to meet Uncle Ed and Aunty Lucille for dinner. Picked us up in Aunty Lucille's car so Tyler could have car seat. Went to Kaimuki - Big City Diner. Tyler had hot dog and fries while Daddy had cheeseburger. Came home around 8pm.

Saturday, May 31, 2008
Had breakfast at Wailana's again. Same as last time but no guava juice. Returned to condo to prepare for visit to Bishop Museum with Denise and girls. Met them there about 10:25am. Saw whale exhibit. Played whale migration game. Saw ancient Hawaiian relics and exhibits on volcanoes and life in Hawaii. Returned to condo and ate at McDonald's. Afterward, went to Aunty Teru's. Saw Sachi, Aunty Teru, and Uncle Wayne. Stayed there through dinner time. Tyler played cards with Sachi. Ate early dinner because Sachi had to work at 6pm. Stayed a little while until Uncle Wayne returned from errand in Waikiki.

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Went to McDonald's for breakfast and got same thing as last time. Returned to condo, but first stopped at Food Pantry for bread so we could feed fish behind Ilikai. Saw lots of fish and a few big jellyfish. After, Tyler was tired so he slept from about noon to 3pm. Went to Jason and Jen's new place in Waipahu. Tyler played Uno and Wii with Jen while Jason cooked. Uncle Howard, Great Grandma Higa, and Mika were first to arrive. Uncle Clyde walked over from his house and then cousin Scott arrived later after work. Had steak, portabello mushrooms, salad, and clam chowder. Afterward, Scott and Tyler played Wii. Left around 9:30pm and returned to condo for shower and sleep.

Monday, June 2, 2008
Last day in Waikiki so went to Wailana's for breakfast. Had same as last time. Came back to condo and went to Hawaii Kai Costco. Bought candy, CD, and books. Next, went to Kahala Mall. Went to Town & Country and KB Toys. Got McDonald's drive thru. Ate at condo. Went to Ala Moana again. Bought books at Shirokiya and gifts at Disney Store. Returned to condo for a little while and then got gas for car. Came back to condo to pack but heard dripping sounds. Space behind a/c had drip from upstairs. Bathroom fan dripping from ceiling. Found out 30th floor had broken pipe. Little while later dripping stopped. Uncle Ed stopped in to check where it was dripping. About an hour later, picked up Uncle Ed for dinner at Gyotaka on King St. Had great dinner. Tyler had saimin and tempura with shave ice. Returned to condo after dropping off Uncle Ed to shower and finish packing.

The journal entries ended after Waikiki. There was probably too much going on in Hilo, so Dad was probably too tired in the evenings to write. Here's a brief synopsis of Hilo though.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008 & Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Flew to Hilo where we met Uncle Joel and visited with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Sato. Highlights included checking out Great Grandpa's huge backyard where they grew bananas, pineapple, and mountain apple. We also checked out the new huge bathroom Great Grandpa had built. But, before we left Hilo we went to Big Island Candies to buy omiyage. One thing Dad does remember, however, was Uncle Joel and Tyler having regular thumb wrestling competitions in the back seat of the rental car.