Final Hawaii and 2004 Thoughts

Final thoughts of the Big Island of Hawaii:
- Great snorkelling here, especially on the south end of Kona. Lots of see turtles and fish, without having to endure strong currents.
-Very interesting history and culture: much of Hawai'i legends start on this island. It has the oldest city in the state, has the most southern point in the USA, and there are many neat landmarks to view. We also visited Waipio Valley, and hiked down to the shore to view the waterfalls and wild horses, and made the 1 mile hike up at a 25% grade in only 25 minutes.
-Boogie and body boarding are great on this island. The best place on the west side is Hapuna Bay. Additionally, if you can stand the windiest and longest 2.75 mile hike of your life, you can visit the amazing Green Sand Beach which also has some awesome surf.
-Kona is a very interesting place to stay as it is a popular destination for cruise ships, and the host of "the" ironman triathlon.
-Our favourite places to eat include a small cafe that looks over the hillside of the Captain Cook monument and the Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea which is host to the largest portion sizes ever. As our travellers book says, "the way Mom used to cook before she realized it was bad for you".
-Interestingly enough, I spotted more yellow wristbands for Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong's "Livestrong" cancer foundation than yellow ribbons on cars that read 'support our troops'. Our other interesting run in with the color yellow was a girl in a g-string yellow bikini who insisted on doing cartwheels down a crowded beach and having her friend take photos of her.
-I also endured the worst McDonald's food in a long time. The drink came in a cup that read, "Celebrating 25 years of happiness". I have this feeling that their definition of happiness may be quite different than mine.

Closing thoughts...
It has been difficult to be enjoying a luxurious holiday during this time of such devasting tragedy in so many parts of the world. It is also frustrating to be away from Canada, and relying on American news stations to convey accurate information. However, it was promising to hear yesterday on a local radio station that Canada has donated $40 million dollars to the effort, and it is also great to be with family during this time.

May 2005 be a healthy and happy year in which we all realize the riches in our everyday life. May we all be positive contributing members to the global community that we are a part of.

Enjoying the New Years celebrations, we'll enjoy them high in the sky. All the best and lots of love,
Anna*

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give". - Churchill

PS. Photos to be posted of the Hawaii adventures in the next week.