We spent our last day with a must-see, Pearl Harbor. Currently the USS Arizona memorial is inaccessible which is unfortunate. But we enjoyed the little video they showed us about the events leading up to Pearl Harbor and the significance of the memorials they have in the area today. It was very moving! Then they took us on a little boat ride and got us as close to the memorial as possible while a nice volunteer told us some more about it. Very cool but very sad!
We then explored the USS Missouri. It was not cheap, but we think it was worth it. It is huge! We could probably spend longer there than we did, but we were kind of short on time. It was cool to learn about the different wars it had participated in, and what life would have been like for the people living on the boat.
While we were on the top deck, Bailey peered over the edge just to see how high up we were. He got an extra surprise when below us he saw a sea turtle swimming about! He quickly got my attention and we watched the cute guy for a couple of seconds before he swam away. We were literally the only ones who saw him. I felt so lucky! Also so happy because I have never seen a sea turtle in the wild before!
By then we had been at the site for 4 hours already and had to head out! We were a little bummed that we didn't have time to see the submarine and the aviation museum. But at the same time, we were kind of tired. If I were to plan an itinerary for someone who likes museums and history about the same amount as I do (which is a lot, I think!) I would have them hit Pearl Harbor on two separate days just so it's not just one full exhausting day of education. If we could go back tomorrow it would be perfect! We aren't too worried though, we will just hit it next time we are here. Which hopefully is soon!
We headed back to Laie for one last stop at Seven Brothers with our friends. Shey also recommended that we try Ono Yo's frozen yogurt. As a frozen yogurt enthusiast, I could not disagree. It was delicious!
Shey needed to be dropped off at the airport a little earlier than us, so at that point Dillon drove us all to town to drop her off. We were so sad! At least last time we said goodbye, we already had solid plans and plane tickets for when we would see each other again. Shey and I have made lots of travel plans over the past week for the upcoming months, but nothing is set in stone. So who knows when we will reunite! So sad!
To kill some time, Dillon took us through Waikiki so we could experience the most touristy part of Oahu. I would not like to vacation there! There were tons of people everywhere and lots of high end shopping. We walked to Waikiki Beach, which I'm sure would have been a lot more beautiful without so many people on it. Interesting fact, it isn't even a real beach! It is completely man-made in order to appeal to the tourists of the city.
I'm glad we visited Waikiki because now I know about it, but it made me so grateful for our awesome friends who have been the best tour guides! It is always difficult to plan a vacation for a place you are unfamiliar with, but Shey and Dillon took it upon themselves to take us to the best places and restaurants. It was so low-stress for Bailey and I, and I feel like we were really able to get an insider's look at Oahu!
The rest of the night will be spent relaxing at the airport. We have a direct flight leaving at 8:45pm which will get us to SLC at 6:55am tomorrow. Bailey and I will head straight to work and school from there. We will be exhausted! Overall, though, we do feel refreshed. It is in the middle of the semester and we have been so stressed. It has been so nice to be able to take a break and just play and relax!
No comments:
Post a Comment