Zweback, Bergsrud! Thanks for Majuro and the Hawaiian pit stop, too

It’s time for me to express my gratitude to Mark Bergsrud of Continental Airlines.� Growing up, my cousin Mark creamed me in ping pong more times than there are grains of sand on Waikiki.� He also knew�great music when he heard it.� I have him to thank for my Neil Young fascination.� For these things, and for our trip to Majuro, I thank Mark.� Without you, Mark, there’s just no way we could have done this.��

You’re a handsome devil, too.�

Zweback back atcha!� If we ever end up in a nursing home together and there’s a ping pong table, watch out!

It turns out that the only American carrier to Majuro is Continental, and the only way there is through Hawaii.� What the heck, I said, let’s spend a week there.� Sure, there are lots of tourists on Waikiki.� Sure, it’s expensive.� But, dang it, it’s pretty darned nice.� Who can say anything bad about sand, sun, water, and ukeleles?

Birds of Paradise, anyone.� I had to pay a guy ten bucks for this shot.� I say it was worth it.

Besides the beach, we did the standard tourist trips.� Pearl Harbor, of course.

The trip out to the�Arizona was very moving.� It’s a powerful experience to be�above that ship knowing all of those sailors are buried below.�

Snokeling.

Do you think I could market a calendar of pictures liek this?� Actually, creeping on fish in those crystal clear waters is really amazing.� It kinda makes my father-in-law’s fish finder on�Lake of the Woods�seem a little inadequate.� My favorite moment was spying� a humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the state fish of Hawaii.

Climbing Diamond Head and making friends with other tourists.

These are my friends Yuko and her husband.� We met on the�Honolulu city bus on the way out to Diamond Head�State Volcano.��Yuko took�a shot just like this on her camera.� I wish I knew her last name; it’s probably posted on her MySpaceJapan page.� If any of you MySpace surfers find it, let me know.�

Looking back on Waikiki from Diamond Head.

Sometimes the spf 45 sunscreen went to our heads.

Made some more friends.� Touched by�two angels (who also sold us all of our aloha shirts and skirts).

We took a side trip to the�Big Island to visit our�friends�the Staleys, too, but I’m going to save�that for another entry, so stay tuned.

It was great to be in Hawaii, but tiring.

Hawaii is a great place to visit.� I’m glad it’s on the way to Majuro.� I’m glad it’s on the way back, too.� Thanks, Mark.

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