Dream Vacation: Prequel

I am borrowing the prequel idea from the movie media because I hadn't organized my Hawaii photos as well as I should have.  This "chapter" includes our landing in Oahu and the airport landscape.  

Charles and I were afraid that we wouldn't get to the airport on time traveling from Muncie to Indianapolis.  So we reserved a room at the Indy Red Roof Motel.  We were so full of anticipation that we both woke at 2:00 a.m.  We showered, dressed and headed for the airport which was not far from the motel.  However, we either missed a turn in the inky dark or had poor directions.   Nevertheless we finally arrived at the airport in time for the 5:30 a.m. departure.    

The airport surroundings are so lovely that I enlarged this photo to 8 x 10 and framed it.  It hangs on  my living room wall with other photos from Hawaii.  Vacation photos from San Antonio, New Orleans, Cancun and Playa del Carmen are on that wall as well.

A warm aloha from our greeter Melissa in the airport in Honolulu July 3, 2002.

Our faces show exactly how we felt upon arrival to this Paradise on earth!  Our leis are composed of real  flowers!  Our emotional high lasted about 24 hours!
  

Dream Vacation: Part One-the Arizona Memorial

In the summer of 2002, my husband and I flew to Oahu, Hawaii.  It was my dream come true!  We enjoyed every thing we did and every place we visited.  When we arrived home, we were exhausted, but certainly not disappointed.  Oahu is lush and lovely beyond any imaginings I had about this Paradise on Earth.  Because I have so many photos of this vacation, I've decided to present it in sections.

This is Charles, my late husband on the deck of the Arizona Memorial.  

Although the line wound around very long sidewalks, the crowd was patient and polite.  We were across from the line shown here, but it didn't take as long to get to the Memorial itself as one would expect.

the people in the line immediately in front of us

The wall has every Arizona sailor's name listed.
It's rather overwhelming to see that this many service men died in one place.
Although I had three uncles who served during WWII, they naturally didn't share
with a six-year old about their time in the service.
Two uncles served in the Navy; one was attached to the Marines.  So that means
that he and the Marines were often in the first group landing on a battleground.  My uncle who was attached to the Marines was a medic.  Another uncle was in the Army.  They served proudly and came home safely at the war's end.
 

a section of the ship; oil still leaks from the ship

I'm showing these other photos to clarify just how long the line was that day.  Neither my
hubby or I complained about the wait, nor did we hear any.  I think this behavior shows how much we all wanted to show our respect to those men.

Project 64: Raw Sienna

Featured here is my favorite place mat.  I
prefer it because it has my current favorite colors-
shades of blue and brown.  Well, they have
been for nearly three years.  Those colors are
soothing to me so I have them in my kitchen
and one of my bathrooms.  

I bought this bag in an Indy airport shop.
The year was 2002.  My husband and I were
on our way to my dream vacation spot- Hawaii!
I've often been told that "the grass is always
greener on the other side."  Of course, this
was said as if I'd never find a place that's
as close to Paradise as one can find on Earth.
Well, we did...and it was!  Greener and more
lush than any place that I've ever eyed in
my life!  Neither of us was disappointed, except
for how short our time was spent there.  We
saw as much as one can cram into three days.
Oahu, Hawaii, was truly my dream come true.
And my bag will spark that memory for however
much more time I have on this marvelous blue marble.