After lunch and showers, we watched some of the snorkeling video. The GoPro really did a great job! Awesome! It's good to know that it worked, but now wasn't the time to watch it all. Instead of sitting on our butts inside, Matt and I wondered what else we could do with the rest of the day.
Together, we walked down to pool to talk to one of the sales people from Paniolo Greens to see if there was anything to explore nearby. The representative was very helpful. The Hamakua Macadamia Factory wasn't far away, but the best time for a visit would be in the morning so we could watch the nuts being processed. We decided to save this excursion for later in the trip.
If we were looking for shopping and dinner, Queens' Market Place could provide both and it wasn't far from Anaeho'omalu Beach. There were a number of nice places to eat, but she suggested we try Sansei Seafood, Steak & Sushi Bar or the food court.
We went back to the condo to rally the troops. Neither Price nor Mom wanted to go with us, but dad decided he'd come along.
It was still too early for dinner so we parked the car and went to the beach. Along the way, we passed a cat sanctuary! There were so many cats.
Price would LOVE this place! Most of the cats were sleeping, but I managed to get a picture of one of them with his eyes open. I texted Price to tell him about our great discovery.
The beach looked like something from a postcard. We took a few pictures and went to check out the Queens' Market Place.
The Island Gourmet Markets had everything you can imagine - food, wine, groceries and souvenirs. The three of us spent sometime looking around and then Matt and I bought a few things to take home. After we finished our shopping, we looked for a place to have dinner. The menu at Sansei Seafood, Steak & Sushi Bar was interesting, but it seemed pricey. Plus, Matt and I were planning to go to Umeke's for lunch. We decided to check out the food court.
This was no ordinary place! There were a few familiar names - Dairy Queen/Orange Julius, Starbucks & Subway, but for the most part the food was more authentic.
One step inside the food court and my mouth was watering. Some of the local favorites: Hawaiian Fish N Chips, Ippy’s Hawaiian BBQ, Lemongrass Express and Paradise Pizza & Grill. Matt and dad ordered from Hawaiian Fish N Chips and I ordered from Lemongrass Express. Our Food was AMAZING!
My summer rolls were almost to beautiful to eat!
When we were done eating, we went back to the condo to pick up Price and Mom. We wanted them to see the sunset at Anaeho'omalu Beach. Of course Price really just wanted to see the cats!
While I was driving to the condo, I was starting to feel really tired. I got up about two hours before everyone else and I didn't sleep very well. I looked at the dashboard and noticed an arrow flashing on and off. I said, "I'm not sure why the arrow on the dashboard is pointing to Matt. What does it mean?" Hmmm...I'm a dumb ass? It was my right turn signal!
We made a quick stop at the Island Gourmet Markets to get a few things and then went back to the condo.
Before we went to bed, we discussed more entertainment options. We had a folder full of brochures and Big Island vacation guides. It wasn't long before we made a decision. We picked the Ring of Fire helicopter tour and a luau. Since the office was closed for the day, we'd have to wait until the morning to book them.
Matt and I walked up to check out the Jacuzzi, but it was crowded so we decided to skip it. When we got back to our room, we organized our luggage for the trip to Oahu. I also traded a few messages with our friend Arvel to let him know that we would be at the drop zone on Thursday morning. He said he'd try to get the day off work. Sweet!
Before I could go to bed, I had to find a hotel room on Oahu. At first, I thought it might be nice to stay on the North Shore close to the drop zone, but the rooms were pricey. I was having a hard time deciding. It didn't make sense to splurge on a room. We'd be leaving the hotel before they started serving breakfast. I used Booking.com and got a room at the Aqua Oasis - $117.31 including tax. I'm not sure if it was a good deal, but I was getting tired of looking and needed to go to sleep.
