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Ray and I shared a room at Hale Mokihana dorm, where you had to have a room key (which looked like a big dogtag) to take the elevator up.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 765
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My side of the room was in typical disarray. (And it got a lot worse over the next few days.) I think I brought everything home.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 605
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Ray brought only one bag with him -- and kept a lot tighter ship. He's a very experienced (and confident) traveler.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 606
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Ray spotted this rainbow from our dorm room window and quickly got me to snap this shot. It was gone in a couple minutes.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 557
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Ray enjoys the view from the "roof" of the dorm. The real roof was a little higher, though.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 596
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With Diamond Head in the background, Ray chats up another masters athlete.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 590
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Ray and I start out for Diamond Head on thebus (as it's known). Fare was $2 for me and $1 for him with a senior discount.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 616
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Ray worked up a sweat but never complained about the steep steps near the end of the journey up Diamond Head.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 577
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Just before you reach the top of Diamond Head, you go up this narrow circular staircase.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 570
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Inside a bunker at the top of Diamond Head, trekkers could buy a certificate attesting to their feat. We said, "Nah."
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 584
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Ray is 81, but he seemed to have less problem on the hike than some 18-year-olds. One van driver expressed amazement at Ray's feat.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 577
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Now I know what it feels to be atop Everest -- and wondering whether I have to go down.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 555
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From atop the viewing area, Diamond Head provides a 360-degree view that knocks your socks off.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 564
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Now we know where they take the postcards of the Honolulu skyline.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 573
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From Diamond Head, one can see the University of Hawaii dorms -- ours is the round tower at center right.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 499
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Lighthouse offered Diamond Head climbers another Kodak Moment.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 541
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On the way down the hill, you have to snake your way into the outlook bunker. Watch your head, Ray.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 542
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Ray watched his head, and watched me document his feat. For me, I had to shimmy down on my butt.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 534
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Ah, heading downhill seemed a lot easier that going up. Something to do with gravity.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 530
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Switchbacks normally are a pain. But handrails on the Diamond Head trail helped a lot.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 587
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It was only AFTER we hiked up that we read the tourist warnings. (We anticipated the hydration needs by buying Gatorade before heading up.)
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 522
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In high school, they used to call me Stone Head, so I guess this trip was fated.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 545
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Ray and I scampered up Diamond Head. Actually, we went realllly slow, and took advantage of the handrails.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 570
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Ray and I opted against taking a taxi back to the bus pickup point. We went through a cool tunnel.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 500
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Ala Moana shopping mall was your typical over-the-top collection of button shops, souvenir stands and upscale retails outlets. What set it apart? The foliage.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 556
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Gardens at a shopping mall normally aren't this lush. But this is Paradise, baby.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 532
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Ala Moana is a crossroads for Oahu tourists since a lot of buses stop there. Ray and I explored some shops.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 530
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Looking for dinner Wednesday night at Ala Moana mall, we passed a sushi joint.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 503
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Raw fish on the eve of masters nationals? We passed.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 575
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The food court at Ala Moana mall was your typical colorful fare, plus some Hawaiian-specific outlets (not shown).
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 534
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Ray and I ordered from this place. Ray made the better choice -- a mahi mahi burger. I got clam chowder.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 546
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Folks wait for their free tickets to the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Ray and I passed the half-hour wait by trading old track war stories.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 549
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Signs at Pearl Harbor remind folks that the Arizona Memorial is a solemn place, urging proper reverence.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 538
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Mural of the USS Arizona greeted folks at the ticket-issuing desk. We waited two and a half hours to take the tour.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 541
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Outside, docents described the attacks of Dec. 7, 1941, with a relief map of Oahu.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 565
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Gardens at the reception area gave tourists a gorgeous place to wait their turn for the boat out to the Arizona Memorial.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 547
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Ray checked out one of the informational displays overlooking the site of "the day which will live in infamy."
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 556
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Tablets overlooking Ford Island at Pearl Harbor displayed the names of the dead, listed by the ship they were on.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 575
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Ray posed on the walkway entrance to the submarine Bowfin tour, which helped kill time waiting for Arizona Memorial visit.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 680
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Ray was suitably impressed by the Bowfin, which sunk 44 enemy ships during World War II.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 581
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Ray wore a shirt from the 1997 world masters meet in Durban, South Africa. He's been to a lot of world meets, including the first one in Toronto in 1975.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 570
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Ray had easier time than me navigating the openings between sections of the sub.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 549
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Ray would have been a perfect size for the submarine force.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 542
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The officer's mess on the sub Bowfin didn't look messy at all.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 547
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Ray and I argued over whether I could fit on the submarine bunks. I said I could; he doubted it.
Date: 08/12/2005
Views: 596
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