After a couple of melt-downs from the drum section (my section) and a lot of whining about still being hungry and tired from some of the others...and several loooong text messages from me ';urging'; them to hurry...all my boys finally made it to the very well done security meeting. The security staff at HHV is VERY impressive! (Just a word about text messaging. If you are a middle aged person working with young people, you HAVE to learn to text. That%26#39;s how they all communicate these days. But the kicker is, you also HAVE to learn all the acronyms or text messaging shorthand...sorry BB...but it is necessary.) The time was around 10 pm and they were all barely able to keep their eyes open so we herded them all back to the Diamond Head Tower so they could get some much needed sleep. Bed check was done, but not necessary that night : )
Day 2 begins with a theme that would run throughout the entire week...they were supposed to be up, Honor Choir t-shirt on, breakfast eaten and loaded on the bus and ready to depart for the Arizona Memorial at 8 am. Everyone is ready to go....aaaa where are the band boys? Text messages start flying back and forth. Someone got their wallet stolen, another one got lost trying to find the ABC store to get breakfast, someone else forgot to set their phone alarm...geeeezzzzz. We finally pull out of the HHV transportation center and it starts...I%26#39;m hungry! Can we stop for breakfast? OMG, do boys every get filled up?
We had a wonderful local tour guide who brought out his ukelele and started teaching the kids a fun ';Aloha'; song during our ride to Pearl Harbor to tour the Arizona Memorial. This sweet song with a very catchy tune would become our theme song throughout the week
';A-L-O-H-A, a little aloha in our day —
spread a little aloha around the world.';
We arrive at the Pearl Harbor bus parking later than expected, herd the kids to the end of the now very long line, and wait for our tour guide to go get our tickets He returns and the decision is made to go to the Aloha Flea Market at Aloha Stadium first, then come back when the line is shorter. So we herd the kids back on the bus, drive the short distance to the stadium, and set them loose at the Flea Market. They head right for the food stands! After an hour or so, everyone was back on the bus and seemed to be happy with the bargain shopping they had found and especially thrilled with the food. Back to Pearl Harbor where we parked, herded, and walked right in.
For those of you who have not visited this very solumn memorial, it is a must. When you enter the visitors center, the first thing you notice is a change of mood in the air. We were escorted into a theater to watch a 23 minute documentary about the attack. The reminder from a military officer to remain quiet during the film was not necessary...you could hear a pin drop. Many tears were shed, including my own, during this very vivid reminder of the attack on our country. We were then led to boats that would take us over to the Arizona Memorial. It was a sobering experience, especially the shrine room where the names of all 1177 men who were killed on the Arizona that day are engraved in marble. Hardly a word was spoken by anybody from the time we entered the visitors center until we departed nearly 2 hours later.
Back on the bus, we headed to Pali Lookout. The Nuuanu Pali Lookout overlooking the 985 foot cliffs of the Koolau Mountain Range, is one of the best views on Oahu. It was here in 1795 that King Kamehameha and his warriors defeated the Oahu armies by sending them over these steep, forested cliffs and claiming his victory and uniting the Hawaiian Islands. (according to hawaiiweb.com) It was quite windy and a little rainy, but nobody cared because the magnificant view. Afterwards, our bus driver stopped at a place where 6 restaurants converge so lunch was very quick and easy...albeit fast food. After a little more sight seeing and singing we made our way back to HHV to get ready for the evening%26#39;s activities.
We herded all 53 down the walking pathway along the ocean and in front of the hotels to a public park where a welcome pizza party and hula dancing lesson took place. The kids seemed to enjoy themselves as our tour guide taught them a hula dance while accompanying himself on his trusty ukulele. We adults even participated! Afterwards, we herded them back to HHV to the rehersal rooms where the first rehersals took place. What beautiful voices these kids are blessed with! The orchestra didn%26#39;t get much practice in because the drum section (again, my section) was too busy whining about the equipment we had rented for them. I finally cajooled them into getting the darn things put together so we could at least play through the set. After all the moaning and groaning, we played, and because of the acustics in this small room, they sounded like a 100 piece orchestra and were overjoyed with themselves...even developing a little swagger. Oh geeeeze...I think I like them better as grumpy whiners!
They had about an hour of free time before bed check, so most donned their swimsuits and headed for one of the lovely HHV pool areas for the first of many meet and greets that would take place there. Bed check went fine and all is well. Day 2 is in the books!
Stay tuned for Day 3.
Oahu Trip Report - Herding Cats - Day 2
Bips....I am tired out just reading! I think herding ';real'; cats might be easier. Hats off to you! Being on Oahu is no doubt, the frosting on the cake!
I have enjoyed all of your reports thus far. I look forward to more! Thanks.
Oahu Trip Report - Herding Cats - Day 2
Thanks for your Day 2 report ';Sister'; Bips (you know, it%26#39;s one of those Baptist terms...wink)!
Bet you slept well each night after a long day on the ';cat';tile drive, Bips. Surprised you didn%26#39;t lose one of the little doggies along the way (yet!). Enjoyed your details about the P.H. Memorial, as I%26#39;ve never been.
I like those details about the all the sightseeing and eating. :) Too bad Caddy wasn%26#39;t with you,%26#39;cause my voice is so poor, I would have had lots of ';free time';. (But maybe an attention getter no?)
I know Day 3 (or maybe later) will be the day where you break free, let your hair down, and shake up Oahu just a bit! :)
';Brother'; Caddy
Very nice, I need to get my wife to read this becuase we have enough difficulty herding one seven yr old boy.
Bips, Too funny! Really enjoy your reports.
Hope the person who had his wallet stolen did not have too much in it. What about his id? Did it take a long time with the police?
Thanks for posting Bips! Enjoyed reading.
Sounds like you had a tiring but good time. The Arizona Memorial is a sad, teary but enthralling experience. I am glad you took the ';kids';, I think it is something they need to understand about the sacrafices the ';older'; generation went through to help ensure they have the opportunity to be grumpy whiners. While I hate war, it seems we are always engaged in one to some extent.
Looking forward to hear how the next day of the cat herding went!
Pattie, you are right real cats would have been easier...especially the band guys : )
Brother Caddy, Stay tuned for the ';loss of a little doggie'; part.... Definitely go to Pearl Harbor next time you are on Oahu. A MUST DO!!!
Gold, What did your wife think of my TR?
Yung, all your questions will be answered shortly.
scorchestra, glad you enjoyed my TR. Hope your vacation is fabulous!!!
Goofy, taking the students to Pearl Harbor is a very high priority to the owner of this company. We also go and perform on the Missouri on another day. Stay tuned.
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