Laugh with Life

Hanauma Bay... such beauty!

2007-06-03T17:24:00.001-07:00

This "Curved" bay was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park. This is THE BEST protected cove if you are new to scuba diving or snorkeling with a diverse population of marine life and a large, rich coral reef.

The bay floor is actually the crater of an ancient volcano that flooded when the exterior wall collapsed and the ocean rushed in.

We had a good time taking a walk up this hiking trail just to catch the breathtaking view of the entire Bay area... such incredible beauty and the serenity.

More of Ko Olani Lagoons

2007-06-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

The string-rays comes up these close to the side for feeding...

You can find 3 lagoons at Ko Olani where it is safe to swim and has a barrier from the hard waves from coming in... the water is of course crystal clear and soft sands. You can really spend hours here and not realise the time passing by so quickly, believe me when I say this... I literally had to drag my feet to leave this place.

Beach bum signing out till the next update on the next sight-seeing!!! :)

Ko Olani Lagoon..

2007-06-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Entrance to Ko Olani beach resort...

Managed to see a hammerhead shark, string-ray and some beautiful blue fishes... no idea what they are called though.
A very busy hammerhead shark entertaining his guest.

Bad boy string-ray doing a time-out for bad behaviour!

Heiaue Park

2007-05-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

Checked out Heiaue park and I was amazed with the beautiful view and the peace and quiet of the place, you can also hike at this park as there is a trail to follow. Here are a couple of shots I took...

Alrighty... till the next update.. you all have a good week ahead. Hugs Hugs :)

Things to do at Waikiki - part V (Mai Tai's)

2007-05-30T17:40:00.001-07:00

What's the best way to end your night at Waikiki - having a tall glass of Mai Tai's.. ingredients are pineapple juice, light and dark rum (though I swore they put at least 3 shots of rum in my glass!!)

Things to do at Waikiki - part IV (Sunset)

2007-05-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Watching the sunsets around here by the beach can make you totally speechless, I find it to be one of the most rewarding sight to capture. Can never get enough of it I guess :)

Surfer dude coming in to shore while the sun is setting...

Things to do at Waikiki - part III

2007-05-30T17:03:00.001-07:00

More pictures of the walkway on Waikiki area...

There were showing Casino Royale by the beach...

Things to do at Waikiki - part II (Diamond Head)

2007-05-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

If you are standing at Waikiki beach area pier, you can see the Diamond Head as per below.. Diamond Head is the most famous volcanic crater in the world, located on the South-east Coast of O'ahu at the end of Waikiki overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

You get to see some lovely fishes in the clear water too while standing on this pier. I saw an eel swimming around the pier area.
Waves crashing on this pier, you can imagine how lovely it sounds. Really enjoyed taking in the fresh sea breeze!

Things to do at Waikiki - part I (Beach activities)

2007-05-30T16:04:00.001-07:00

When you get to Waikiki, there is so much to do; surfing, playing or swimming in the beach, having picnics, enjoying the eateries, shopping, having a few Mai Tai's, watching the sunset, catching a movie on the beach with huge giant screen and walks by the beach... Monday was a public holiday:

Here are some pictures taken of surfer's and swimmers in Waikiki Beach.

Never ending of beaches...

2007-05-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we took a drive out to Kuilei Beach where there is a gorgeous view of surfers trying their luck with the big waves... breathtaking view and this is actually on the way to Waikiki.

On the way to Kuilei, we saw another rainbow in front of us - its amazing, how many rainbows I have seen since I got here!

Below pix - you can't actually see it but there were so many surfers in the water.. too tiny to capture on camera.

Check out the view of some ocean front houses...

Observing the surroundings of nature walk...

2007-05-23T13:13:00.001-07:00

There is no way you can walk without stopping and admiring the unique and pretty surroundings around Hawaii... On the nature walk we did at Nuuannu Pali - we came across a couple of unique plants and flowers... and was told that Hawaiians speak of their love for the Aina (land, earth) - as it carries a deep spiritual connotation. Aina embraces rich emotions, solid traditions, connections to the past and heartfelt love. Many of these plants were introduced by the Polynesians, some indigenous Hawaiians and foreigners.

Came across this hairy-stemmed plant with several large, flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers.

There were so many bunches of these found on plants - mostly can be found in lower parts of the plants. Closer to the grounds.

No distinct smell though. But so pretty....

These look like bluebells - leafy stemmed plant which grows in clumps and in a narrow bell shape.
These were found very much closer to the ground and it was growing amongst other plants.. they were quite spread out.
The only colors I saw were these lilac pinkish tone.

So so pretty!

This is something you can see out of a horror movie.. it was indeed creepy staring at this - it looked like there were long locks of unwashed hair falling from the above branches.

That aside, I still thought the Banyan tree was amazing - such thick trunks and roots...

This was a real eye-opener! They call this the Octopus plant... I found this to be real unique as the red branches sprout out from the plant in a weird direction...

Have seen many of this around Honolulu too. Another pretty sighting.

This looked like cotton tail but there weren't. They grow on any branch and or any tree.

I was told that they simply get attached onto any branch.. very fluffy and soft.

A very unique sight!

These are only a few plants and flowers that grabbed my attention - waiting to see more in our other hiking trails at other mountain areas...

Hanauma Bay... such beauty!

2007-05-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

This "Curved" bay was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park. This is the very best beach area if you are love snorkeling or scuba diving - diversified population of fish and a rich coral reef. The bay floor is the crater of a volcano that opened up to the ocean when the exterior wall collapsed.

There is a large sandy beach perfect for sunbathing and there are several hiking trails leading to breathtaking lookouts. We had fun walking up this trail to catch the breathtaking view of the entire Bay area...

City girl goes on a nature trail!!

2007-05-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

What a Saturday we had!!! We headed out Saturday morning to the Nuuanu Pali Lookout ("Cool Height Cliff") which overlooks a 985 foot cliffs of the Koolau Mountain Range and I must say is one of the best views on O'ahu. Great place to go on a nature trail plus have a picnic with the amazing view.

This is the breathtaking drive up to Nuuanu Pali lookout... nothing but greenery all over.

Entrance to the Pali lookout.. all geared up for the walk... there's no turning back now!

Check out the great view... ahhhhhhh... it was so windy up here.

We walked up this hill where I almost wanted to turn back and go sit in the car!! We hiked up to this spot and it was so peaceful..

Thoughts to myself for Monday... to sit at home quietly and recover from all that walking... though I must say, it was SO worth it to follow that nature trail at Pali lookout.. No regrets!

O'ahu "The Gathering Place"

2007-05-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

O'ahu is one of the 7 islands which consist of Hawaii. Honolulu is the state capital of O'ahu and this is where we and the other 3/4 of Hawaii's population live.

The other 6 islands are called Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i, Kaho'olawe and Hawai'i. O'ahu is the 3rd largest Hawaiian island.

Believe it or not, I thought traffic in KL was bad - wait till you see the traffic over here! Just when I thought it was a small island and no such thing as traffic.... I was wrong.

In Honolulu, you can spot high rise buildings, skyscrapers, modern homes and a mix of old plantation-style houses. Generally, as you drive in O'ahu, you can see houses pour down on O'ahu hillside (picture below).

The one thing I really enjoy about this place; besides the beach, beautiful weather, shopping, the food amongst other things - I love the fact there are breathtaking mountains such as the Ko'olau mountains all around O'ahu (pix below). I find it to be a place rich in nature!

About the much talked about 'leis' is made from a flower called Plumeria and it smells heavenly and comes in a variety of colors (pix below). Ps: Jamie, thanks for the 2 buddha's babe :)

Ohhh... do you know what the local Hawaiian's call a white person? Haoles (pronounced as how-lees) I thought that was the funniest word I've heard :)

More on Hawaii to come.. till then.... Maloha for reading everyone.

*Maloha means Thank You.

To all the beautiful moms...

2007-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a special Mother's Day dedication to all the wonderful and beautiful mothers I know...

Malachitti, Vimchitti, Mama in Seattle, Aunty Puspha, Carmen, Jinnie and Razia and not forgetting my late mummy and nanny. May God continue to bless you all with good health, keep you safe and that there will be never ending of motherly love, abundant warm hugs and tender kisses.

I know am not there to give you my big hugs - but here's some BIG BIG hugs going out to all the mothers in KL and in Seattle.

Love you all :)

Waikiki by night...

2007-05-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Waikiki pulls the crowd in from everywhere on Friday and Saturday evenings, everyone is out and they get there as early as 4pm to get good parking spots and spend the whole night there; dinner, shopping, watching the hula dancers perform by the beach or at the park, fireworks display and ending the night with walks by the beach. There are so many talented performers that perform at clubs or at the bars. There never seem to be a dull moment here. During the day - now that's just a totally different story - will post up some pictures later on when we conquer Waikiki during the day, you'll get to see surfers having a gala time on the wave.

Hula dancers performing at the Kapiolani Park on Friday night - sadly no grass skirts and coconut shells were spotted! They perform so gracefully and I must say that the music was ever so calming...ahhhhh...

Row of designer brand shopping outlets, bars and restaurants are along this whole stretch of Waikiki which is about 3 miles. Its funny that when we walk for 3miles along this stretch, you don't really feel it and you hardly complain, think my feet has recovered from the shock with all the walking I've been doing this week, kinda getting used to it now. And oh yea, there were alot of entertainers by the road side performing such as mimes, guitarists, magicians...

At the Sheraton Moana Surf Rider after our 3mile walk....

Don't try and adjust your glasses to look at this picture! A lady took this shot of us outside the Sheraton Moana.. apologies that the picture is kinda blur.. didn't really want to bug that lady to take another shot.

Waikiki beach area... the area is so incredibly calm with gentle winds blowing as we walked back to the car after the night out... such an exciting night out. Goodnite Waikiki!

A colorful sighting.

2007-05-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Imagine waking up and seeing a rainbow outside your balcony... speechless!
Such a sight to wake up to and start the day with...

Aahhhhh, looking forward to more rainbows around here at Oahu island :)

December 7, 1941

2007-05-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

1,177 crewman who lost their lives on USS Arizona battleship during the attack of Pearl Harbor. Why?? All because of the deteriorating relations between Japan and the US over the security of the Southeast Asia.

That December 7 morning, at Pearl Harbor - 185 vessels of the US Pacific fleet lay calm and serene. 7 of the battleships were tied-up along the battle-ship row. Without any warning and being undetected on the radar, Pearl Harbor and most of the ships especially the USS Arizona was attacked by 800kg armor piercing bomb (pix below). In less than 9 minutes, it sank with 1,177 of its crew.

Today, the USS Arizona is the final resting place for the many lost lives. A 184-foot long Memorial structure lay across the mid-section of the battleship.

We took a boat out to the Memorial and visitors were told not to make any noise but to only whisper when inside the Memorial. Standing on the Memorial structure and looking beneath at the destroyed ship was unbelievably a hair-standing experience.

May these 1,177 souls continue to rest in peace!

Chinaman's Hat!

2007-05-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

There's a tiny island resting on Koaloa Beach called Chinaman's hat! Also formerly known as Mokolii ("little lizard"). A cone shaped pop of lava resembling the quintessential peasant's chapeau worn by rural folk in China.

At low tide, you can make it out to the island; but the trek requires some sort of footwear to protect the feet from sharp coral.

The island faces the great big Koaloa mountains which is simply incredible and yet calming.

Tide was high therefore sitting or walking by the beach and admiring the tiny island was the next best thing to do.. winds blowing and waves smashing on the beach was enough to enjoy the moment.

ps: there were no sighting of any Chinaman on this beach :)

No Nails!

2007-05-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

We went to see the Byodo-In temple which is located at the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park at Kahekili in Kaneohe. This temple was to commemorate the 1st Japanese immigrants to Hawaii in 1968.

This temple was built entirely without the use of nails! Apparenty, the temple was built to represent the mytical phoenix, its wings upheld by pillars of stone.

Byodo-In translates to "Temple of equality" and not to discriminate and is home to Amida, a golden Buddha towering about 18feet.

The Bell house is 5foot high, 3 ton brass bell called Bon-Sho (sacred bell). It seems the tone of the bell sounds a message of deep calm and peace, cleansing the mind of evil and temptation. This bell is rung before one enters the temple.

We had a good time ringing the bell together, the sound of it did create a sense of tranquility.

Walked around the temple and came across some lovely black swans flapping away in the lake.

Oh! btw I was biten my monster mosquitos while trying the take the 1st shot of the temple from the grass.. esh esh...

Beach, beach and more beach...

2007-05-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Nothing like inhalling some fresh air around the Kaneohe Bay...

One can have a picnic, read a book, sunbathe or simply stare at the vast amount of water infront of you.. it was indeed hard to leave this place... Raj practically had to carry me away and throw me into the car :)

And to think, this is just the beginning of experiencing pure joy of Hawaii!

Venturing into Kaneohe

2007-05-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Mountains... oceans... greenery... ahhhh - simply gorgeous surroundings.

We drove to Kaneohe (west from Pearl Harbour), we passed such great huge mountains, nothing I have ever seen. I was sitting in awe looking at the beautiful sights around me.

Can you believe such beauty in one place?

The Arrival

2007-05-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

I had to pinch myself hard when I arrived in Oahu, Honolulu... when the plane was landing, I saw vast area of beautiful blue beaches and lovely greenery.

The drive back to his place was breathtaking as the fresh, floral air was energizing. Passing breathtaking, natural beauty that I can't wait to get my hands on.

Check out the view from the balcony which overlooks a golf resort and the Pearl Harbour... simply breathtaking!