The Hawaiian islands. True paradise. In the Spring of 2002, we spent about 12 days on three islands in Hawaii. Honolulu in O'ahu, Maui, and Kaua'i. These are the most beautiful islands I have ever been to. The tropical breeze on Maui is unparalleled. The sunsets, the Luaus, the beaches!

The first three days were spent in Waikiki, Honolulu. This is a crowded area. There is the famous view of Diamondhead crater from the beach, a world-famous site. We hiked up this and were able to see for miles. It is not a difficult hike, and is about 2 miles from start to summit. What views! We stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki On The Beach. Drinking Lava Flows and Mai Tais at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider the perfect way to relax at the end of the day.

We flew to Maui on day three and stayed at the Outrigger Wailea Resort, the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in (by far). The beaches there are beautiful. We just lounged in the sun. It was so relaxing. The next day we went whale watching at Maalea Harbor. This was fascinating. There is a law that prohibits the boats from getting closer than 100 yards (91 meters) to a seen whale. However, occasionally you cannot see a whale that is deep under water and approaching a boat. We had the opportunity to witness a breaching humpback whale not more than 50 feet from our boat! These whales are BIG.They can grow to over 50 feet long and weigh anywhere from 30 to 50 tons! That's up to 45,400 kilograms! When the whales come way up out of the water head first (breaching), they then fall sideways and create a tremendous splash and mini tidal wave.

Snorkelling is something I could do right off the rocky section of the shoreline by our hotel. I was amazed at the world beneath the surface. The water was crystal clear so I saw fish of many colors. I was shocked at how many fish were just a few feet under water.

On day 5 we did the famous bike down the volcano. We had a van pick us up right at our hotel and shuttle us on the long but scenic drive to the top of Haleakala, Maui's volcano at 10,023 feet above sea level. Haleakala means "house of the sun". This is a massive volcano. At sea level it is 33 miles long and 24 miles wide. From the base of the volcano at the bottom of the ocean to the summit, it is over 25,000 feet in height. The summit of the volcano is cold, about 30 or 40 degrees colder than at sea level, so we dressed appropriately. As we coasted down the gentle slope with our group, we stopped often to take photos and strip off layers of clothing. At the top, however the view looks like you are on the moon. The crateris 7.5 miles long and 2.5 miles wide with a circumference of about 21 miles. HUGE! By the time we were nearing the bottom, we were back in shorts and tee shirts.

We went to Wailea's Finest Luau outside our hotel on the eve of day five. The performers, the food, the breeze, and the drinks, along with my wife, made for a perfect evening. The lavish buffet and open bar were extremely enjoyable. Yeah, I got a little drunk. There was a Polynesian Revue and a three-time world champion fire knife dancer.

On day 6 we drove about one-half of the way to Hana. The Road to Hana is famous. The weather was rainy that day but nevertheless fun. The road is winding the whole way. We had a rented Jeep Wrangler that was a lot of fun to drive. We stopped off at Paia, a town I have dubbed "stoner town" because everyone there was smoking marijuana. They sell a lot of hemp clothing there. We ate at the famous "Mama's Fish House". I had Ono, which was out of this world delicious.

Day seven was another beach day and snorkelling. The Mahi Mahi I had at "Stella Blues" was the best I've ever had. At night, my wife and I lay in a hammock under palm trees looking up at the stars. I'll never forget the sense of peace and relaxation at that moment.

Day 8 we flew to Kaua'i and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kaua'i Resort and Spa. Another world class hotel. The beach here is beautiful. Just watch out for the black, softball-sized smooth, round rocks that roll in with each wave. Seriously, at one point I thought for sure my ankles would snap. Swim back to shore, even when you are only in a foot or two of water. Another thing, not just in Kaua'i but Maui, watch the ocean! The waves are large and powerful I'm used to the three foot waves of the Jersey shore. In Kaua'i, I was in 7 and 8 foot waves.

Our final day and night we relaxed and explored the resort grounds. We drank a lot of Mai Tais again. We plan on going back to Hawaii again. It was just too good to be a one-time trip.

Here's a recipe for an authentic Hawaiian Mai Tai:

1 oz Royal Hawaiian light rum (or any light rum)

1 oz Demerara rum

1 oz orange Curacao

dash of French Orgeat syrup

dash of rock candy syrup

juice of one-half lime

one-quarter oz lemon juice

orange juice

Fill a large glass with ingredients, add crushed ice and orange juice. Garnish with mint leaves and fruit on skewer. Enjoy!