Task 1 - Visit Hawaii (The Tours)

My trip to Hawaii is coming up fast and still many things to do. The flight and hotel are booked and paid for. The extra camera gear I wanted was ordered and has arrived. New swimsuits and other clothes have been purchased. The packing list has been written. I even bought a new snorkel set to use at the beaches.

The hardest part being the itinerary of what to do and when to do it is nearly done all that is left is to finish booking the tours. It wasn't easy to decide what to see and when to see it and I decided to use the services of a tour company who has expereince on the island and whose track record and reviews demonstrate that they are a trusted resource on the islands for helping tourists cover as much ground and see as much as they can during their trips.

We selected 4 different tours to make sure we see as much of Oahu and Hawaii as possible.   Our tours are a tad out of order from how maybe they should go but in order to get everything done I had to get creative with the order.

1. Tour one is something I really wanted to do and the others while not necessarily their first pick agreed to join me.  This excursion is a hike, kayak, and hike trip through Kualoa Ranch and out to Mokoli'i island also known as Chinaman's Hat by kayak. While out on the island we will enjoy lunch and an opportunity to explore the island and snorkel its shores.
2. The second tour perhaps should have been the first since it really is a great way to get an introduction to the island of Oahu.  It includes a stop at Waimea Valley & Waterfalls, Kualoa Ranch, the beaches of Oahu's North Shore, Nu'uanu Pali Lookout, Halona Blowhole & Cove, Turtle Beach, Byodo-In Temple, Hanauma Bay amung other locations.
3. The third tour we selected is the One-Day Hawaii Volcano Eco-Adventure to the Big Island to visit the Volcanoes National Park, Hilo Town, Rainbow falls, the Thurston Lava Tube, The Black Sand Beach and other attractions on the Big Island.  It will be a long day and much ground will be covered but it will be an adventure we won't soon forget. I am looking forward to seeing the lava flows.
4. Our final scheduled tour is another long and very full day of exploration. It starts off with a somber reminder of Hawaii's role in WWII by visiting the Pearl Harbour Visitor's Center and the USS Arizona Memorial.  It is followed by a trip to the Dole Plantation where we will get the opportunity to explore its Pinaple Maze and possibly send a pineapple or two home to family. Next we take a Hoku Pa'a Canoe Ride at the Polynesian Cultural Center followed by a Ali'i Luau Buffet and a La'ie Town Tram Ride before enjoying the Traditional Ha: Breath of Life show.

The tours are not cheap and to help spread the cost rather then book them all at the same time we are going to the most expensive today and the rest later as we get a little closer. The most expensive tour is the one-day fly away to the Volacano National Park on the Big Island.