Recap of Hawaii [Oahu & Maui]

Disclaimer: Right now, we are all at the age where we want to jump, play and find adventure, we are not sitting on the beach and lounge people. This recap is a collection of memories of a trip full of laughter, lots of sand and lovely family moments. Scattered throughout the recap are pieces of advice about what to eat, what things to do and just general tips for people who are thinking about traveling to Hawaii. I know I cannot transport you to Hawaii with us, but I hope this gives you a glimpse into the Eickhoff’s First Christmas Vacation.

Aloha, friend!

Aloha’ doesn’t just mean ‘hello’ in Hawaiian. It is a way of life. It is a value, one of unconditional love. It means the outpouring and receiving of kindness and love. The workers at our resort, the people on our bike tour and the guides on our zip-lining excursion reflected this idea and reminded us that there is more to a language that just the strict translation.

December 26

We were picked up at 3:30 am from the Eickhoff house after not sleeping all night long except for an hour nap. We arrived at the airport in our matching shirts and towing our matching red suitcases. We had just unloaded from the van when a little girl tugged on her mom’s arm and said, “look mommy their all wearing the same thing.” She was one of many people to make comments about our outfits.  As we walked through the airport, we looked like a swarm of red engulfing people walking between us in a sea of plaid. My mom dressed us in the same outfits years ago when we all flew together, but we hadn’t traveled all six (seven including Jake) in many years, so she jumped on the chance to dress us all the same again. She chose insulated plaid shirts from L.L.Bean because we weren’t traveling with winter jackets but needed warm clothes for one of the activities we were going to be doing. Because of our matching outfits, we named our group ‘The Plaid Pod’ because of the outfits we were dressed in and the whale pods we were hoping to see.

We took off at 6:50 a.m. after devouring Angel’s Bakery Donuts and made one stop at the LAX to change airplanes and then we were on our way again.

We landed in Honolulu around 2:30 where a chartered van picked us up and brought us to the Embassy Suite Waikiki. We were all starving upon arrival, so we ventured out to find food. We ate at the Hula Bar & Grill, and in hindsight, we would have preferred to eat somewhere else (see notes about future changes).

After dinner, we walked along the beach and explored the area that we were staying in. Embassy Suites was located one block off the shore and was surrounded by outdoor shopping. Because of the time change, off and on sleep on the airplane, and no sleep the prior day, we all went to bed really early.

 December 27

We were up bright and early at 5:15 and we were picked up a little after 6:00 am to begin our tour of the historic district and Pearl Harbor. Our driver was a native Hawaiian and a very humorous narrator. The driver took us through the historic area which was something we wouldn’t have otherwise seen and pointed out sights like the Iolani Palace, the Hawaii State Library, Honolulu Hale, and the Hawaii State Capitol. The entire downtown historic district still had decorations and lights set up from the ‘Walk of Lights’ and Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas) decorations everywhere.

After the bus tour, we arrived at Pearl Harbor where the national anthem was played, and the colors were raised. This was an incredibly moving experience to listen to our National Anthem as you stand on the grounds of the attack on American soil.

Each of us listened to our own individual narration by Jamie Lee Curtis that described each point throughout the Pearl Harbor museum and had recordings from veterans who were located on the base during the attack. I would highly recommend purchasing the audio guided tour when you are walking around Pearl Harbor because it adds a new level of depth.

After walking through the museum and watching a short film explaining the event in more detail, we were ferried out to the USS Arizona Memorial. Unfortunately, we were not able to go abroad the memorial because they were fixing the memorial due to storm damage. However, we were able to still see the Memorial in great detail. As we were ferried around the memorial, we observed oil in the water surrounding the ship. The oil has been leaking out of the USS Arizona since it sank. This leakage has been called the ‘Black Tears,’ and it is said that the boat will cry the Black Tears until the last survivor of the USS Arizona dies. Over forty of the survivors have been brought back to be entombed with their fellow shipmates.

Seeing and hearing firsthand accounts from survivors and veterans added a whole new level to the experience. It makes you stop and reflect on the fact that this was the only attack on American soil and that we are one of few countries who can say that. Many lives were lost during the attack and hearing the stories from those who lived through it was truly sobering. The architect incorporated the Tree of Life into the design of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. The Memorial is higher on the two ends and drops in the middle as a testament to Americans’ hearts and feelings throughout the war. According to the official Pearl Harbor website the design is explained as follows:

“It’s a metaphor for the United States at the time of World War II. On one side, the first peak represents the country’s pride before the war. In the middle, the sag represents the shock and depression the country faced just after the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. On the other side of the structure, the second peak represents the might and power of the U.S. after the war. Together, all three components tell a story.” (https://visitpearlharbor.org/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-uss-arizona-memorial/)

The anchor incorporated in my photos from the U.S.S. Arizona weighs 19,000 pounds, and when Pearl Harbor was bombed, it flew 200 feet through the air upon impact. I would suggest to anyone visiting Hawaii, to visit Pearl Harbor. It is an incredibly poignant experience and reminds you of the sacrifice and lives lost by the people stationed at Pearl Harbor and the surrounding area on December 7, 1941.

From Pearl Harbor, we went to the USS Missouri. Truman’s Daughter, Margaret, christened the ship while Truman was still a senator. In 1986, the USS Missouri was recommissioned. On December 7, 1991, the warship participated in Operation Remembrance in Hawaii, the 50th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. We arrived at the USS Missouri around noon, and we were hungry but very disappointed because there was only one option, a slider truck. The wait was ridiculously long which caused us to rush our tour of the ship, and the food was unimpressive. (See notes: things we would change). This ship was very unique because it was active during the beginning and was the ship used for the Japanese surrender, so it was apart of the entire WWII. The ship was impressive and has all the original equipment that was used when it was active.

After the U.S.S. Missouri tour, we were driven through the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. We drove by Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii which is the largest military hospital in the Asian and Pacific Rim region, and the only United Nations Peace Operations Institute in the United States. Apart from those impressive facts, the hospital is pink in coloration.

Once returning to our hotel, my dad, sister, and brothers went to the beach and my mom, Jake and I went to a bar that overlooked the beach called Rumfire. While the others were swimming, we made friends with the table next to us which was a group of people from Texas who were amazed that anyone enjoys living in the state of Minnesota. Once everyone ate, we walked around the Waikiki Shopping area. It was during this walk and after a street performer scared all of us, that we decided we would prefer to vacation in a not so populated area.

December 28

On Friday, some of us got up early and went to the beach to watch the sunrise before we left for our flight to Maui. The security at the Honolulu Airport was very slow. (Secret note: there is a lower level to boarding that is only open from 10 am until 2 pm, and that line moves much quicker and fewer people know about it).

Once in Maui, we had rented a van since we wanted to explore more of the island. The process to get our van took much longer than expected which was a tad frustrating for a slightly impatient person like me.

Once we (finally) loaded into our van, we made the hour drive to the Royal Lahaina Resort. Our resort was a mix of hotel rooms and villa houses and had a restaurant that was apart of it. The resort was directly located on the beach unlike the Embassy Suites in Waikiki. The restaurant had a breakfast buffet that I would strongly suggest. It had gluten free and vegetarian options and was an excellent source of energy before starting very activity-filled days. We were supposed to go to a Luau that night, however, we had our reservations moved because it was down-pouring. Instead, we sat on our balcony and listened to the calming noises of the waves crash on the shore and the rain pour down and the lightening flashing all around us.

December 29

Our first full day on Maui we woke up early because we had to be at the Maalaea harbor at 7:30 to board our ship, the Pride of Maui, for the snorkeling and whale watching excursion. Upon boarding, we were given a light breakfast that included fruit and pastries. It was quite windy so unfortunately, we were not able to snorkel at Molokini Crater so instead, we snorkeled in a more wind protected bay area. Maija and the boys had the opportunity to snuba. Snuba is like scuba however you don’t have to be certified because the equipment is left floating on the surface in a little raft. While they snuba-ed, my parents, Jake and I snorkeled. Jake and I enjoyed following rainbow fish around, and my parents saw a turtle. I truly enjoyed snorkeling and would most definitely do it again in a heartbeat (and hope that it wouldn't be as windy next time).

We had hamburgers, fruit, and drinks on the boat for lunch which was surprisingly delightful and they even had vegetarian options.

After snorkeling again for a half hour after lunch, we headed farther out into the ocean to watch for whales. Law prohibits driving within a certain range of the humpback whales so we would sit in neutral for a while, but even at a distance, you could still marvel in their immense size and how incredible they are as creatures of this earth. I would have loved to have stayed and watched them longer. However, there was an afternoon excursion after ours, so we had to return to the harbor.

Upon arriving back at the harbor, our little pod ventured to Big Beach (Makena Beach). Apparently, there is a must-visit beach just south of Big Beach called Pa’ako Beach (Secret Cove) which I would love to explore next time we visit Maui. Despite the day being an overcast day, the beach was incredible. All seven of us went in the water together, and body surfed (some better than others). This was probably the most enjoyable and the moment on the trip when we all enjoyed each others company thoroughly. As we were laughing and shouting in the waves, we attracted other people around us who did not help when trying to safely conquer waves.

Apart from myself and my mom, everyone was very good at body surfing and had a blast. My mother and I enjoyed riding the waves and watching everyone surf. For about three hours our family laughed, surfed, and thoroughly basked in the incredible strength of the ocean. As I was attempting to gracefully get out of the water, I got absolutely flattened by an incredibly massive wave which was amusing to my mother watching me but not so enjoyable for myself.

That night we went to dinner at our resort. I don’t usually order anything around my family because I am a “grazer” which means I will eat what people don’t eat which allows for no food waste and I get to try parts of everyone's' meals. Unfortunately, after a day full of snorkeling/snubaing and body surfing, not many people had leftovers. Next time I need to take into consideration the amount of food/calories burned throughout the day. Nevertheless, the food was tasty, and Jacob even stepped outside his pizza comfort zone and ordered lobster mac n’ cheese. They had live music and beautiful dancers throughout the meal which were so captivating and yet, there was a crazy, little monster sitting across from me with terrifyingly spiky hair and a love for pizza (see the photo of Jacob). We all went to bed quite early that night because we had to be up again at 1:15 A.M.

December 30

The day started bright and early at 1 in the morning as we all groggily piled into our rental van and headed to Maui Mountain Riders base camp. After completing wavers and given jackets, we hopped into their shuttle and were driven up Haleakalā Crater. We were one of the first groups to arrive at the top around 4:00 A.M. Haleakalā Crater. (It’s so important to get to the top early and wait at the front of the viewing area, so you have the best view of the sunrise.) The Crater is apart of the Haleakalā National Park. Despite having a government shut down, we were able to enter the park and use the bathrooms provided at the top. This is because the various mountain bike companies came together to pay the operators to keep the gate and restrooms open. The only unfortunate part is they were not able to pay to have the heated visitor’s center open. This was unfortunate since at the top of the crater it was 34 degrees with a very gusty wind. Despite being quite adapted to the cold, these Minnesotans did not bring the proper attire for sitting at the top of a volcano for three hours. We may be proud Minnesotans who hail from one of the coldest states in the US and love winter, but we did not bring the appropriate clothes as they are too much to pack and we didn’t really think it would feel “that cold.” Oh, how wrong we were. The flannels were warm, however, standing still does not provide the body with much body circulation so after about 30 minutes everyone was freezing.

While we were waiting, freezing our fingers and toes off, Jacob who is shaking he’s so cold, turns to me and asks, “Why can’t we go inside the warming house?” I told him, “Well, it’s because the government is shut down, so that’s not being funded to operate right now since it’s a National Park.” He gives me a puzzled look, “But why is the government shut down?” Thinking of how to most easily explain this question, I said, “The Congress and the President aren’t able to agree on a budget because Trump would like money to build a wall.” He blinks up at me (important to note as he’s still currently shorter than me) and turns around and mutters under his breath, “Damn you, Trump.” The rest of our family bursts out laughing and laughs even harder when they realize it was Jacob saying it and not me. A family from our bus who is to the right of us erupts with laughter as well.

At around 6:20 A.M. we see the sky start to fill with flaming orange color along the horizon line. About 10 minutes later the clouds have lightened, and we can see clouds rolling into the crater on the opposite side. Unfortunately, that was about the extent of our sunrise because it was cloudy. Despite that, the clouds changing colors and rolling into the crater was incredible to watch.

Right upon exiting the national park, new vans were waiting for us with bikes and helmets for us. We began our bike down the volcano at 8 A.M. still completely bunded in all of the warm clothes we packed. The bikes are regular road bikes apart from the fact they have moped breaks on them and giant, cushy seats. When you participate in the bike, the guide, (who was in our case a master of the bike tours and could bike without using hands and would only stand on one peddle,) leads the way down the road. The road is the same road used to access the volcano by vehicles which is why the mountain bike van brings up the rear which prevents cars from passing us. We would stop every thirty minutes to let the vehicles that were backed up behind the van to pass us. During these stops, you were able to take pictures of the changing landscape around you. The bike is more coasting, rather than biking and requires very little energy apart from breaking. The road mostly consists of switchbacks. With every few switchbacks, you could feel the air warming as we descend from the volcano.

For me, this was the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring aspect of our trip because the bike ride fully engaged all my senses so that I could fully take in the marvelous world whizzing by me. I was able to watch the landscape change from very little vegetation to green groves of trees. I could smell the changes in the incredible scents from eucalyptus to lavender to salty ocean air. I was able to feel the temperature slowly increase as we descended the volcano. I could hear the wind whip around me and the occasional whopping from Jacob who was biking in front of me. I could taste the salt in the air. Throughout the ride down, I could not stop thinking about how blessed I am to be able to see, hear, feel, taste and smell the breathtaking Earth around me and to be able to experience that while cruising down a volcano. I think I so often take for granted some of the functions of my own body. But then I experience incredible moments like this to make me fully appreciate how amazing the human body is and how lucky we are that we are able to experience such a phenomenal planet.

Besides the first big stop that we took posed photos at, we had two more extended stops. The first was because our guide found a chameleon that was hanging over the road, so our guide stopped to show us. He held it up towards Jacob's face and then he shouted loudly and almost made Jacob pee his pants. The chameleon was, of course, harmless and actually quite adorable despite not changing as many colors as I thought they would. The second was to stop in a little town for lunch. We picked up sandwiches from a grocery store which ended up being way more food than we had expected. (See notes about things we would change).

At 10:30 we arrived at our final destination and the end of our bike tour which was the town of Paia. Throughout the bike tour, we descended 6,500 ft of elevation change over 26 miles throughout the morning. From the top of the crater which is around 9700 ft in elevation to sea level where we ended, we experienced the vast beauty that the island of Maui had to offer.

When we got back to the resort, the boys and mom went to nap while Jake, Maija, my dad and I enjoyed sherbet and gelato while watching whales off in the distance. After such an exciting morning, it was so peacefully to just sit, enjoy delicious sherbert and listen to the waves roll.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the water and laying in the shade to avoid getting more sunburnt.

That night we put on our most floral outfits and went to the luau at our resort. A luau is one of those “have to do once in your life events,” but I definitely would not need to go again if we return to Hawaii in the future. It was an entertaining show filled with dancing, singing, and fire and Jacob even got to participate in as a luau dancer in training.

 December 31

After all piling back into our rental van, we headed to a ziplining course about an hour away. It was raining for most of the drive which didn’t seem like ideal ziplining weather, but we saw a full rainbow over the ocean. Upon arriving at the course, we realized that we were actually booked for the next day so left and drove the hour back to our resort.

Despite spending an extra two hours in the car and not getting to zip line, it gave us the opportunity to explore the town of Lahaina and gave us the hope that tomorrow would bring sunnier weather. While Daniel took surf lessons, the rest of us ate lunch and explored the shops. While in town we purchased shaved ice which tasted much more flavorful than I thought it would be (especially if you ask for ice cream on the bottom), walked through stores and saw the biggest tree on the island. The tree is a banyan tree that was planted in 1904 and is 75 ft high and 150 ft wide.

We spent most of the evening laying around and resting and then at 8 p.m. everyone (minus Daniel and Jacob who prefer pizza) enjoyed a meal at Pulehu, An Italian Grill. This was probably my favorite meal while we were in Hawaii because the food was exquisite. Maija and I split a seared Ahi with spinach risotto and vegetable. I thought this dish was incredibly prepared; the seared ahi was cooked more than I’ve had it elsewhere which I actually prefer and the spinach risotto was delightfully creamy. (Also pictured are my parents’ meals.)

Despite eating dinner so late, none of us made it to midnight, but I would say we had a pleasant day ringing in the new year nevertheless.

January 1

Up early, once again, the Plaid Pod headed out to Northshore zip-lining for our actual zip lining day and the weather could not have been more different. The day was perfectly sunny with not a cloud in the sky.

Before I proceed in telling you about your zip-lining experience a backstory is required. Jake and I have four comedians, who are best friends that we love watching (repeatedly) and quoting (A LOT). One of the comedians, Bert Kreischer, who has a standup special on Netflix, has a bit about going zip-lining. While he was zip-lining with his family, the instructors told them to “When in doubt, spread em out.” Now, my family, being the annoying yet hilarious people we are, decided to ask our zip-lining instructors if that was actually a rule. Unfortunately, they said it probably referred to spreading people out on the zip-lining, so one person goes at a time, not referring to spreading out your legs. However, after asking the zip-lining instructors about it, they proceed to call us “Team Spread Em Out,” and it became our war cry all morning long.

So as the Plaid Pod (or Team Spread Em Out) conquered the ropes, overcame our fear of heights, got shaken on a rope ladder and viciously spun in circles while hurtling across the jungle, we had such a fantastic time.

The crew who were guiding us through the lines were AMAZING. They truly made the experience worth it, and I would highly recommend zip lining through the Northshore course because of how awesome they made the entire experience when even saw a whale breach off the coast.

Note about Northshore zip-lining: It is more of a military/adventure challenge course rather than an extremely high zip-lining through the jungle. It was the online zip lining course that Jacob could go so it’s better for younger children and isn’t as high if you don’t have a fond relationship with heights (like my dad and me). With that being said, that is the best, first experience we could have asked for.

We ate a late lunch at the resort and then all napped for about an hour. We then headed north for the first time during on stay on the island to Kapalua Bay. The bay had more wood in the water than the beach in front of our hotel or Big Beach, but it was less crowded, and the waves were fun to bodysurf. Jake, my mom and I didn’t go in the water, but the other four had an enjoyable time bodysurfing for the last time, and I captured photos of them.

Once the sun started to set, we headed back towards the resort with the intention of stopping at Maui Brewing but unfortunately couldn’t get 7 people in. This was lucky for Daniel and Jacob however because they got to eat at McDonald’s instead.

After arriving back at the resort, the boys went up to the rooms to finish their McNuggets, and my parents, Maija, Jake and I walked one resort over and ate at Castaway Café. This restaurant is unique because every night they have a different menu theme, so the menu switches every night, so guests don’t get sick of eating the same food. The night we went there, the menu was Pasta night, so we order a few apps and two dishes and split everything. The food itself was good, but the conversation and sharing an entire meal together is what made the dinner one to

Jake and I also were celebrating our 7th anniversary on the 1st, and I would have to say, this has been our best anniversary celebrations yet.

January 2, 2019

We went for a morning walk along the beach so that we could have one last chance to take in the ocean and feel the sand between our toes. We packed up all our stuff and got into our rental van that by this point was completely full of sand. Our first flight left at 1 p.m. and went to Honolulu where we had a four-hour layover and then had a straight trip back to Minnesota which was overnight. I understand that you’re supposed to sleep on these types of flights, but I chose to watch four movies instead. Not my best idea in retrospect but ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ was quite hilarious and I was laughing out loud while everyone was trying to sleep.

January 3

We got back to the Minneapolis Airport at around 5 a.m., shuttled home and slept all day on the 3rd. The time change was definitely an adjustment coming back but ultimately worth it.

All in all, this was a trip to remember, full of adventure and so much family fun! This was our first time traveling all seven of us, and it was so amazing (and sometimes annoying) to be all together.

Important things to note:

First, Restaurants should be planned and booked far in advance especially with a party as large as the one we were traveling with. Next time we will make reservations ahead, so we eat at our first pick, not our fourth pick. Overall, I wasn't blown away by the places and would have loved the opportunity to eat more fresh seafood.

Second, “Hawaii time” is a real thing. Events like tour bus tours usually do not arrive precisely when they are supposed to however I would still not advice being late.

Third, I would strongly recommend right when you arrive at the island to run to the grocery store and purchase granola bars, water bottles, bananas and other snack options to have for lunch. We are not used to eating three large meals and after eating out for three meals a day, this left us feeling too full and bloated (in some case). Plus, cutting out one paid meal saves money and allows for more time to explore, lay on the beach, swim, etc. Buy groceries and pack lunches to take on the go.

Forth, next time we would definitely only stay on one island. Pearl Harbor was so moving and is a must-see, but I would not feel the need to go to again, and that was my only draw to the island of Oahu. If we only stay on one island that takes out two full days of traveling that could be adventure days.

Fifth, for our next time my Dad wants to ask each person what is the top thing each person wants to do and really dedicate a day to what that person wants to do whether it’s surfing for Daniel or hiking for me.

Things we would like to do next time we visit:

• Go hiking in Haleakala Crater

• Maybe get two Jeeps instead of one van so we could explore the off-road stuff, but half the fun is being together

• Hopefully, the weather is better so we could snorkel in a different sport, maybe snorkel on our own

• Go swimming with the turtles at Haiku-Pauwela beach

• Explore and hike through Na’ili’ili-haele Stream and Waterfall and the

With Love,

Rachel Elizabeth

(And the rest of the Plaid Pod)