Hawaii Part III

Rob at the Polynesian Cultural Center

On Tuesday we just hung out at their house till 11am and then went to the University devotional (all three of the BYUs have a devotional or forum every Tuesday at 11am where someone speaks for an hour). President and Sister Wheelwright both spoke. After that we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center which is a theme park next door to the university. Sister Wheelwright gave us tickets. It is expensive to get in so we wouldn't have gone otherwise. They feature all the main Polynesian islands (Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, Somoa, Tahiti, and New Zealand). You learn about their cultures and do various activities, such as canoeing, coconut tree climbing, get a fake tattoo, make fire from rubbing sticks together, use traditional musical instruments, play around with their weapons, learn words in their native languages, learn to hula dance, and so on. Everyone was dressed in their traditional clothing too. I enjoyed the canoeing best. We then ate at their buffet - the chicken curry on brown rice was delicious! I didn't care for many of their other traditional dishes which I tried. Then there was a show called Ha: Breath of Life, which was fantastic. I would really recommend the show! The Tahitian Hula dances were incredible. I cannot even begin to imagine how one would shake one's hips like that. I tried and it just wasn't happening. Then the guys who twirled fire sticks were beyond amazing. It reminded me of watching something similar on Clifton Beach (in Cape Town) years ago.

A traditional hut in the Polynesian Cultural Center

A Samoan guy making coconut milk from a coconut he split.

Polynesian Cultural Center

Canoeing at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Me at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Waiting to go to the show at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Rob and I began thinking where we would like to vacation next. We won't be able to afford going away until he has finished his PhD so that is three years away. But we were thinking we would like to try going to Key West, Florida and have as many family members come join us while we were there. Of course I would love to go to Tahiti but Florida is so much closer and so it would be cheaper for us, especially if we are living more east of Utah after Rob finishes his studies.

Happy feet at Hukilau Beach

Wednesday we headed off to the beach. In the morning we went to Laie Beach Park (see map). Most of the beaches are called "Beach Park" because they have grassy areas with spots to picnic between the parking lot and the beach. We were the only ones there for a while. We first walked around and took some photographs. Rob ran up and down the beach a few times. We then ventured into the warm water and bodyboarded for a while. So much fun! We then went to get some lunch and went on to another beach: Hukilau Beach Park. He the waves were less choppy, although still the same size. We went bodyboarding again and the waves got bigger and generally were about 5 feet. That was a little bigger than my liking. There were some other bodyboarders there too. Then there was one gigantic wave which took my down and creamed me into the sand face-first. Somehow my hairband also came out and was lost. My nose and teeth hurt! (And did so for several days.) So I went and sat on the sand for a little while before heading out again, but the waves were just too big and strong for me. And they were small compared to Sunset Beach Park and Waimea Bay! By this point, I was really missing my babies and was looking forward to returning to Provo to be with them, even though I was loving being in Hawaii. 

Laie Beach - we were the only ones there for a while

Rob heading into the surf

Me riding a little wave

After getting pounded by a bigger wave

Some surfers

Hukilau Beach

Clear water at Hukilau Beach

Catching a wave at Hukilau Beach

On Thursday morning we went to the Temple. It is so very pretty inside. The theme is the beach. The colors used were sea blues and greens and all the artwork was of the coastline of Hawaii. Even the detail on the light fittings were of palm trees. It is probably the prettiest temple I have ever been in. In the afternoon we headed back to Hukilau beach. I swam out past the waves and just let the swell pass by me. It was nice. Rob then came in and we bodyboarded for a while, but the waves were very rough. I just kept getting thrown about it so it wasn't much fun. That night the Wheelwrights took us out to eat at a restaurant called Lei Lei's situated at the Turtle Bay Beach Resort Golf Course. The food was amazing. Of course, both Rob and I had fish.

Friday we flew home and how happy I was to be with my children again. Stephen had grown so much and the twins hugged Rob and me over and over again. It was lovely.