Right before I left, I got a nasty kidney infection that my doctor thought might've been appendicitis (it wasn't, thankfully). She was concerned about me, so she gave me IV antibiotics right there in the office. It was the first time I'd ever had an IV, and it was ok. They had a student nurse trying to set it up, and she jabbed my arm about a million times before finally finding the vein. That was fun. Then the doc put me on Cipro 500 mg, which the internet revealed to be the same antibiotic and dosage they prescribe for people who've been EXPOSED TO ANTHRAX. Yiiiikes. It's a heavy duty germ killer. It tore up my stomach unless I took it with food, and I wasn't allowed to consume any diary at all, because lactose is Cipro kryptonite. Anyway, it knocked out my fever and symptoms in a few days. Now that I'm done with the cycle, I've been eating crazy amounts of yogurt to try to rebuild the friendly bacteria colonies that were wiped out in the Cipro scorched earth regime.
Before I forget to tell you, I was on the same plane from Chicago to San Francisco as Dave Chappelle, just a few rows infront of him. He showed up at the gate just before boarding began, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who recognized him other than the stewardess (who had a heads-up that he'd be a passenger). He was in line and I made eye contact with him. I was in the throes of a high fever (the antibiotics hadn't kicked in yet), so I was a little addled and stared a little longer than I normally would. He could tell I recognized him, and he smiled and then put on sunglasses. None of the people around us (all older white folks) took the slightest notice of him. Then, when he got on the plane, he took out a blanket and all but covered his head with it - presumably to avoid detection by more of his fever-addled public.
In Hawaii, all time zones are the same.
In the Honolulu airport, as in many airports, there's a wall of clocks designed to represent the current time in cities around the world. But the person responsible for maintaining these clocks is totally unconcerned with trifling details like time zones. Of course it's the same time in Oslo as it is in Tokyo! I lolled and lolled.
The Spouting Horn
There's a lava shelf on Kauai. The surf flows underneath it and bursts up in a geyser of salty spray with each wave.
Houses on stilts
There are a lot of houses on stilts. These guys know what's up with typoons.
Spelunking and obvious tourists
This is at the mouth of a cave that we explored (sans guide). Please observe my dad's awesome Chevy Chase / National Lampoons vacation wear and my Mom's awesome hat. There was no way we were going to be able to escape being immediately pegged as tourists.
Fruity drinks
Yes. There were many of these. This one was a mango margarita.
This one was a "Lava Flow" - half strawberry daiquiri and half piña colada. So decadent.
Scary beach warning signs
Hula lesson on a boat
I took a hula lesson from this chick on a boat trip to Fern Grotto (a place only accessible by boat, and full of many wonderful plants but curiously few ferns).
Hiking around Waimea Canyon
We drove up a stomach-turningly twisty road for an hour to get to Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of Hawaii. It was misty and foggy, but pleasantly cool.
Brother pointing out a waterfall on the other side of the canyon that he hiked to on a previous trip. I missed the first time they pointed in unison and made them strike the pose again (hence the goofy grins, as they were laughing at me).
Then they did this. Wiseacres.
This graffiti in the canyon facilities made me giggle, as did this sign.
After the canyon, we went a bit further to the beginning of the Na Pali Coast and its famous cliffs. Hiking here was a little scary, because the cliffs had really steep drop-offs. If you fall off one, you're pretty much toast.
This was in a museum/park ranger station somewhere along the road. December plums, indeed.
Obligatory sandy-foot beach photo
These dudes would wait for a good-looking wave to roll up, then race towards it and flop down on their little boards and do incredible flips into the air. This went on for about three hours. Also, Hawaiians really do flash the "hang loose" hand sign (the shaka) at each other, but minus the waggling and with the wrist rotated so the thumb points up and the pinky points towards the person being greeted.
I got lei'd by my brother / Nick's car
Because he's a copycat, Nick peeled this sign off of an airplane seat and stuck it on his glove compartment. I've done that with every car I've ever owned (all two of them). He says that some of his passengers ask him all seriousness if he has a life vest under the seat. He always says yes.
Airports and planes
GROSS. There was a nest of hair trapped between the inner and outer windows on my plane from Oahu to Kauai. Luckily it's a short flight.
Chandelier made of shells
One of many rainbows
My brother and his boat
The stairs to get from one level of the ship to another are crazysteep. They're more like ladders than stairs. I can't imagine trying to climb up or down one when the ship is rolling in major waves (which it usually is).
In the mess hall, the chairs have little ropes that you attach to the table. This is so that your chair doesn't move too far from your food when you're on the high seas. And the surface of the table is covered with super-grippy anti-slide stuff to help keep your plate from going too far. My brother says that you always have to hold your glass to keep it steady, and you generally try to eat as quickly as possible.
