Hawaii

Hiking Diamond Head- the worlds most recognized volcanic crater. The view of Waikiki was beautiful!
Diamond Head is an extinct and commanding volcano named after a misunderstanding by explorers from the west. While exploring Diamond Head Oahu the explorers thought they had found diamonds, but had really mistaken shining calcite crystals at the extinct volcano to be true diamond gems.

Hanauma is a marine embayment formed within a volcanic cone and located along the southeast coast of the Island of Oʻahu. Hana means 'bay' and uma means 'curve,' rendering "Curved Bay."  Hawaiians simply call this feature "Hanauma". Hanauma is 35,000 years old. It’s actually the floor of a volcanic crater that opened up to the ocean when its exterior wall collapsed.

Todd didn’t believe me that I needed a life jacket. I had to of been the only adult with a life jacket... Yet I still managed to have a panic attack. I’m not good in water. My second try I did much better. The water wasn't very deep so between that and the goggles it literally seemed like we were inches above the coral. We swam straight into 4 massive sea turtles and tons of fish. My favorite part of the whole trip was playing volleyball with a group of people we met on the beach. We killed them of course!! The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed park located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu. Within eight simulated tropical villages, performers demonstrate various arts and crafts from throughout Polynesia. We went to a show called Ha: Breath of Life. It's an ancient, yet universal tale. It's the visually stunning story of a boy born in a distant paradise. He's nurtured by a village, learns the ways of his people, finds love by moonlight, and defends everything with heart-stopping bravery. Kailua Beach-Besides having often been rated as one of the "Best Beaches in the World," Kailua Beach is a world-class wind surfing destination for pros and amateurs alike. Unfortunately it was so windy when we went that we didn’t stay  long. The streets in Waikiki are a lot like San Francisco. There are lots of talented people. This man was amazing at drawing people.  Matsumoto Shaved Ice!! Half of the customers are tourists so you know it must be pretty dang famous. And goood!! It has even been displayed in various magazines, news articles, and television programs. It was like a normal snow cone but it had ice cream in the bottom. We loved it!   And we were lucky enough to be able to tour through the newly remodeled Laie temple.  What an AMAZING trip!!!