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Update 3
Up early & gazing at Waikiki beach at sunrise...through a cab window cause we we off the the airport to catch a flight to the Big Island (Hawaii).  Just the landing strip flabbergasted us...how did we not know that Hawaii had fields of coarse, desolate, crude mounds of black lava???  After taking off in our rental car, we drove miles saying "I can't believe it!"  The bleak black lava next to the glistening vividly turquoise sea was such a contrast & gorgeous.  Yet somehow, a few resorts we created right in the middle of these lava desserts...bright green grass, fluorescent pink flowering shrubs & pools surrounded by beautiful villas!   We turned off the big road, drove to the Hapuna State park...and there it was...the Hawaii you see on all the postcards...breathtaking!  We sat high on the bank gazing at the sight...& in just a few minutes, Bob spotted a whale...& soon another...& another.  We feasted on that spot listening to the  waves crashing for a looooong time.  We continued our drive on the north west part of the island as the lava fields turned to mossy green fields with snow capped mountains in the background. We stopped at another beach & almost stepped on a sleeping turtle.  Carefully we played hop-scotch on the rocks examining the life between them.  The more we looked, the more we saw.  Turtles were being tossed with the waves seemingly with no control.  No wonder they slept soundly when they finally made it to the beach!  Around 5, we headed to Kona to find our hotel which turned out to be a gem. We stood on our balcony & watched the flaming red sun sink into the Pacific.  Amazing!  Then we sunk into our beds...

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Update 2
We made it to Oahu...after another flight change and arriving in a nick of time to catch our scheduled outing to the Polynesian Cultural Center...had to run out & flag down the bus that was pulling out! We hopped on the bus with the Sly's and off we went right through the middle of the island.  The center had replicas of several of the Polynesian island's villages & reenactments  of many cultural dances...highlight was the ones involving lots of fire!  While talking to some of the "natives" in the villages, we learned that only about 5% of the Hawaiian population are Hawaiian but in the Fiiji Is has almost 60%.  We were all pooped when we got back to our hotel.  About an hour later...the airlines delivered our lost luggage.  Yippeee!!!

2015, we're off again! This time Philippines

January 6
Remember Sleepless in Seattle?  That's us.  Stuck here due to flight delays & changes...Sly's, our traveling partners, however, are soaking up the Hawaiian sun.  I must admit though, these inconveniences are small compared to what so many face each day...and in the end, they don't end up in Hawaii!  We will be boarding soon...I hope.