Hawaii Trip: Day 1-5

Saturday: Day 1 - What a flight! 21 hours either in the air or in airports! We were fortunate enough to have free seats available on several, but not all the flights out to Hawaii for Isaac's car seat. The long trip from Los Angeles to Honolulu luckily had a free seat, so we could actually put Isaac in his car seat. He was a monster for a part of the time, but he did fine with the pressure from ascent and descent.

Sunday: Day 2 - God at work. We attended Hilo Missionary Church for the morning service. Of all places, in this tiny church in Hilo, HI I was amazed to see that the IVP apologist and author Dr. James Sire would be delivering a talk on Worldviews the very next evening. It's ironic because we keep bumping into each other: I sat next to him at an IVP training conference, he spoke at UW-Whitewater where I went to school, I took a 3 week class from him for credit at Talbot School of Theology, and now I bump into him here of all places. He even thought it was surprising. Danica and I were just talking about how I need to start thinking about writing and publishing. As it so happens, he is the former editor in chief for InterVarsity Press. We had a good talk afterward and writing and publishing and he is even willing to look at some of my work and give some advice. Also, there is an issue he is dealing with which I have materials he wants me to email him. During church, the sermon was done by a filmmaker who testifies to God's miraculous activity in Japan. Talking to him afterward, I realized he and one of my relatives who travels to China need to talk.

UPDATED: Sunday night, Danica's uncle Dave got some fresh caught mahi mahi and ono fish. He took it out back, behind his house, threw it on a wood slab, cut it up, and then handed me a few of the raw fish pieces to eat, raw! It was yummy, but could use some wasabi. Danica's cousin Trini cooked up the rest of the mahi mahi and some of the ono, but left the rest of the ono raw (it's called sashimi when it's just the raw fish). So, I've been eating a bunch of raw ono since then. We also cracked some macadamia nuts in Dave's backyard and ate mac nuts. I also got introduced to lychee. They are little round fruits that taste like a combination of watermelon and cantalope. We had tuna sandwhiches Doris made from ahi tuna she canned herself.

Monday: Day 3 - Richardson's Beach. Got to snorkel alongside giant sea turtles. I ran into one face to face and had to push off of its shell to distance myself.

Tuesday - Wednesday: Day 4 -5 The Beach House. We spent 2 days at a beautiful beach house that is situated directly against the rocky shore line, lined with tide pools. It was great snorkeling. I saw many fish, and even an octopus going past, a pufferfish, and many crabs. I tried in vain for about 2 hours to catch a crab with patience and some metal pinchers used to flip food on the grill. I did catch a crab and through it into a net, but it scurried back out. I ended up finding a small hermit crab, and Isaac loved to watch it walk. He squatted down and watched it inquisivitely. I turned it on its back, and Isaac reached down and meticulously righted it, so it could walk. Jeff detatched a large electric propeller from a surfboard and said I could hold it and it would propell me along while snorkeling. It worked great! I was brave enough to go out further with the propeller, because the currents were strong and I was concerned about being pulled out to sea. We went to a farmer's market and got a fresh coconut, drank the milk from it and ate the inside. We also picked up a bunch of fresh papayas and had a bunch of authentic Hawaiian food for lunch and dinner.

Tuesday: Day 4 - UPDATED: That evening we went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant called Nihon. I ordered a plate with Terriyaki butterfish, sashimi, some other Hawaiian vegetables, and Saki. Danica had shrimp tempura. The bowls were top heavy, and so I bumped my bowl of miso soup and spilled the whole thing over the table. Also I should add, "stupid chopsticks!". Besides that it was great. For dessert we had amazing pineapple shaved ice and green tea ice cream. It all sounds like something you could order at Shogun, but the fish is SO much more fresh. It was really good!






I stopped by a Fillipino restaurant and asked where could find some Balut, a delicacy in their country, but a horrible food concept. It consists of eating a partially formed baby chicken/egg raw! You just slurp it down like a raw oyster, and apparently let he egg rot in the ground for a while. I am going to try to summon the courage to eat one tomorrow. Wish me luck! At least I am on anti-biotics still for my sinus infection.