Deployment is finally OVER!!! | Oahu | Hawaii

After a long (really, really long) seven months, my hubbie is finally home! I was lucky enough to meet him in Honolulu, HI and bring him back to San Diego with me earlier this month. We’ve spent the last couple of weeks just enjoying out time together (and for him, some much deserved time off from work).

Of course I took my camera with me to Hawaii, but I didn’t take all that many photos, at least not as many as I usually would. My attention was on my hubbie, and admittedly on staying cool. I wilt in the heat and humidity and wasn’t feeling terribly creative. Even so, I have a photographic recap of the places we visited to share with you. I hope you enjoy!!

Day 1 – Diamond Head State Park

The path up Diamond Head

My man! So glad to have him back!

Looking out from Diamond Head

Overlooking Honolulu from Diamond Head

Looking down from Diamond Head

We met this awesome Red-Crested Cardinal on the trail. Isn’t he gorgeous?

Day 2 – Chinatown in Honolulu

These two ladies were making leis and were kind enough to let me take a few photos of them and their beautiful handiwork.

Day 3 – Hawaiian Railway Society

This place was an HDR photographer’s dream…the only exception (for me) was the heat. It was a really warm day and I had a hard time finding my creative zone. Still, big warehouses, accessible to the public, full of historic trains in various states of repair. It was fascinating!

The Hawaiian Railway Society also offers a 90 minute rail tour…I thought it was a bit of a bust. There wasn’t much in the way of scenery from the train. It was worth the stop to see the trains, though.

Day 4 – The Dole Plantation

So, no pictures from Dole…it was hot and humid, and every time I’d pull my camera out it would start to rain…just enough to make me put my camera away again. We had lunch at the plantation, it was pretty good, but the highlight was the Pineapple Float – frozen Pineapple Whip in Pineapple juice, a perfect treat for a warm day!

Day 5 – Iolani Palace

We stopped at the only royal palace on American soil on our way to the airport. Again, not many photos because it was raining off and on so my camera mostly stayed safely bundled in a plastic grocery bag. If we’d had more time I would have liked to tour the building, I guess that will have to be on our next visit. This time we just walked around the grounds, which were lovely!

And that’s it! Like I said, really not that many photos from five days…but I had other things on my mind :) I’m so glad this deployment is over!