babymoon, hanauma bay

there's no other place like it.

2 of the 7 reefs were closed due to such rough currents, but we were able to snorkel back door lagoon, keyhole lagoon and sandman's patch.  benji went to channel by himself because i wasn't quite as daring to venture so far out.  it's a good thing witch's brew and toilet bowl were closed.  i'm sure he would have pulled me way out there.

we saw SO many fish.  and, we were only in the water for 10 minutes when a turtle swam right in front of us - i nearly screamed in my snorkel!  we also saw butterfly, parrot and sturgeon fish, moorish idols and tangs.

honu!

after two 2-hour snoozes, we were fried and ready to seek some shade.  and after-sun lotion.  but man, whatta day.  whatta experience.

here's a real doozy to end our amazingly-fun day in the sun.  as if my pregnancy brain hasn't been kicking my butt enough, it didn't cease on vacation.  upon reaching the entrance to hanauma bay, i noticed the parking lot was full, and they were flagging people to drive on.  quick thinking (ha.) i noticed 3 other vehicles parked directly across the street and - lucky us - there was one space left!  i swung in and thought nothing else of it.

so.

can you imagine our surprise, after 6 hours in the sun, totally burnt to a crisp, ready to get back to our bungalow and whatdoyouknow - no rental car.  no cars on the side of the road, period.  $#@%!!!

we. got. towed.   

first a call to 9-1-1 (because in HI, that's who you call when you get towed...) and three other numbers before we reached the correct tow yard... a 15-minute wait for a cabbie... then the fun really started.  

we jumped in this newish minivan, eager to find our vehicle.  immediately, i could tell the van hadn't been in for a tune-up or an oil change since it left the plant.  this thing smelled like the engine was gonna blow.  and at 45 mph, it should not have been ferociously shaking, right?!  ben was peeking at the dash, trying to spy if the temperature was in the red; i had my beach towel over my face because the smell was so rotten (sorry about the fume ingestion, baby 3!).  ben and i were silently laughing so hard, whispering our exit strategy if this thing were to blow up.

after a $46 ride, we realized we didn't even have exact change and cabbie wouldn't take a card.  but - he was sooo quick to dismiss the issue, really just telling us "you get out here.  you fine."  standing in the middle of chinatown, with a friggin cooler, snorkel gear and beach crap, we realized there wasn't a tow yard in sight.  after our nervous laughter subsided, and we noticed we weren't in the greatest area - but yet, we were THE perfect targets for mugging with our arms full and sandal-clad - i spotted a tow truck race down an alley a block away.  

needless to say, after $180, we were able to escape chinatown in our ford escape.  this experience would end any decision making on my part and commence benji in full-charge of anything else to happen during our 4 remaining days.