We went to Oahu from Feb. 1st to the 5th. Leilani loves to travel, and not even camping in the rain can spoil her fun. Well, too much driving puts a little damper on it, but other than that she was happy as can be.
Andy adds: Oddly, it wasn’t the driving around this time that caused her worst behavior (although me driving in circles trying to find the scenic route to the aquarium was no fun for anyone). Whereas last time in Oahu, Leilani voluntarily closed her eyes to nap in the car when she was tired, this time she screamed her head off. So after the first 2 days of that, we didn’t even try to get her to nap in the car. Instead we took her to parks and museums and let her run around, and she mostly let us go places. All in all, we really got to see a lot, and she got lots of play-time.
On the shuttle bus to the car rental place, ready for a big adventure. I think she liked the bus more than the airplane, probably because she wasn’t strapped in. Come to think of it, she probably rides less in a bus than on a plane. She first called it a school bus (which are pictured most in her books, and seems to fascinate her), so I had to explain that it was a “shuttle bus.”
Our campsite – we took the photo right after we had pitched the tent, it was the last time it was dry enough to sit outside for the entire trip. For me the constant rain and the mud on the campground were a bit of a problem, because I tried to keep my clothes clean (at least for the first few minutes…), but Leilani loved the mud and the puddles.
The pigs also liked the mud, and weren’t afraid to come close—at first. We chased them, I with the camera and Andy and Leilani hollering loudly. The campground host came by several times to inquire about them, he looked like someone thinking about dinner.
They came pretty close to the tent when they coulndn’t see us. We had to be sure and remove all food when we went away.
Leilani still likes pickles and fish for breakfast, she asked for them:
We need to buy a third headlamp! That’s how she “read” in the tent at night.
An Easter Island statue in front of the Bishop museum. Andy asked her to point to the big nose…
The Bishop museum has a science building that Leilani enjoyed very much—Daddy too, especially the remote controlled underwater robot submarine. Here she is inside a simulated volcano, about to slide down the lava tube.
We found a jade vine and made some earrings.
That was one of her favorite exhibits – a miniature grocery store. This was one case where we had to take turns entertaining Leilani while the other parent could enjoy the museum.
Leilani really likes museums now. At the Academy of Art we stayed for almost 4 hours… the last hour of which cost us a $50 parking ticket. But it’s a great museum with lots to see and great courtyards for Leilani to explore and just run around.
Near the Waikiki aquarium we found this cool swing, made from the tangled branches of a Banyan tree. The aquarium was less of a hit this time, it was too soon after the last time. But again, she had space to run around on their lawn, and so she was happy.
Feeding the pigeons:
Honolulu from the Punchbowl (just for the memories: I sat in the car while Leilani cried and Sonja took a walk, and then once she fell asleep driving in circles, we switched, and I got to see the view. Then we just read books in the car while she finished her forced nap.)
The children’s museum was Leilani’s favorite. Here we are inside a kaleidoscope.
Blowing giant bubbles is harder than it looks…
