Our first trip to Hawaii!

We have been taking crazy road trips now for several years.  There are so many things to do and see, in America alone, that I doubt I will ever get around to seeing everything I want to see in my lifetime.  We are down to about 10 states we still haven't visited.

For some time, I have assumed that Hawaii would simply be one of the last states we would get to.  Its out of the way.  VERY out of the way.  AND, we have been on a big history kick for some time, especially relating to the Civil War and Presidents.  Well, Hawaii is not exactly a place with ties to US Grant.

BUT, when opportunity presents itself, we know to roll with it.  A couple of very sweet friends JUST moved over there.  Another friend wanted to get over there to, so things kind of fell into place for a trip to Oahu.  This is definitely an area where having a place to crash for the week helps.

So, we didn't have to worry about paying for a hotel, but there were still some issues to deal with.  How would we get around- should we just rent a car and go, or maybe use some companies that do day tours?

We actually gave a lot of thought to this.  We read that Oahu traffic, especially around Honolulu, can get thick.  VERY thick.

This concern was quickly dismissed though.  Our friends who have moved over there suggested driving at times before or after rush hours.  They also stressed that Oahu drivers are super friendly and not aggressive.  More on this later....  but, we would discover that Hawaiians are exceptionally pleasant and friendly.  Yes, the traffic was heavy, like most major cities, but it was very doable.

We did check with some companies that provided guided tours around the island.  One was charging well over $100 a person for an 8 hour trip that appeared to include many of the places you would want to see in Oahu.  We called and found out that we would basically be getting transportation to and from Pearl Harbor, with many sights pointed out to us on the drive.  Most of that 8 hours would be spent on our own at Pearl Harbor.  We did not buy tickets for this.

AND, there is a very cool trolley company that hits just about all of the cool areas on the island.  We DID use this service a couple of times, and it cost TWO DOLLARS EACH every time we used it.  If we stayed at one of the main hotels, this would have been a GREAT and CHEAP way to get around!

PLUS, we had a reasonably priced car from Dollar Car Rental.  We had a very positive experience with these guys, check in and check out was totally hassle free and quick.  Having a car was nice, as we had time to explore and drive around the island.

We ended up having a great time, and I will be getting some photos up over the next few weeks!