Beautiful Hawaii

 It's been another wonderful week in Hawaii. We're diving almost everyday on wrecks, seawalls and through sea caves. The view below from below the waves is truly spectacular. Actually, the view of the volcanos, palm trees and knife edged mountains isn't half bad either.
Earlier this week we visited Pearl Harbor and toured both the USS Missouri (Mighty Mo) with her nine 16'' guns and 880ft hull. Wow, what a huge ship. We also explored the inside of USS Bowfin submarine, which was quite interesting. A few days ago we went on a muddy hike to a beautiful waterfall and went surfing again at Waikiki Beach.
Our good friends Matt and Sheila have been terrific hosts and great company over the past couple of weeks. I wish we had a few more weeks that we could stay here.
Tomorrow we're going diving again and on Sunday I'm going deep sea fishing with Sheila while Nadia and the girls go diving. Life is good.
Matt let me use his underwater camera when we've been diving so I've included a few pictures below.

Cheers, Rob

Eagle rays gliding through the blue

Cushion starfish 

Spotted moray eel 

Green sea turtle 

Maya diving through giant sea cave 

Along the rocky coast, southeast Oahu 

Maya and Nadia checking out the scenery 

Maya and Mira hiking through the forest to a waterfall 

People hanging out a waterfall in the mountains 

USS Bowfin 

Memorial over the USS Arizona, sunk during the raid on Pearl Harbor in 1941 

Mira in front of the USS Missouri's giant guns 

Matt and Maya getting ready to dive

Hawaii

WE LOVE HAWAII!!!!! The surfing, the diving, the waterfalls, and my mom brought back henna and i have been going crazy with that!

- Mira

Fish

So far, I am loving Hawaii. Everything has been great. Yesterday we went on a hike to a waterfall, which was super fun. And a couple of days before that we went diving, both dives were on wrecks. We took the SeaFox out one evening for sunset, and Papa caught a delicious fish. We also went surfing one day at Waikiki beach, it was wonderful. So yeah, the stuff we have done so far has been pretty great. But I have to say, one of my favourite parts has been the food. Almost every night we eat fresh fish. Wherever we go to eat has fresh fish. Now normally, I don't eat meat, except for fresh fish, which I still don't eat often. Since we have arrived in Hawaii, I have eaten at least one meal a day that includes fish, a lot of the time it is two meals a day. It is absolutely wonderful. I just don't know how people do it all the time, I guess my body must not be used to it. After almost every dinner, I leave feeling completely full, food coma enducing full. I guess my body must not be used to all the protein, or I'm just not making good judgement calls about when to stop eating.

Maya

Aloha Hawaii

We recently left Mexico after two fun weeks with my sister Jane in Punta de Mita. Maya and Mira loved spending time and laughing with Auntie Jane who was a great host and sister (thanks for wonderful hospitality Jane). 

We're now in Hawaii with good friends Matt and Sheila, who have traveled to many places to see Nadia and I including Zimbabwe, Jordan, the UAE, and Cambodia where we spent Christmas together. It's now nice to spend time with them where they live, near Coco Head on Oahu. Matt owns several dive shops on the island and took Maya, Mira and I wreck diving a couple of days ago, while also taking all of us with Sheila for a sunset cruise on one of his boats. The highlight of the boat ride was hooking and landing a nice fish which we later ate for dinner (delicious). The kids have also surfed at Waikiki Beach and tomorrow we plan to hike to a waterfall where the kids can also cliff jump into the water. 

Last night we also had a barbecue at Matt and Sheila's house where I was able to see my old Rhode Island friend Steve and my cousin Paul. It was great to catch up and hopefully we'll get to see them again before leaving Hawaii.

Cheers, Rob

 Girls diving on a wreck at 90ft.

 Sunset boated off of Cocohead

 Maya captaining our friend Matt's dive boat

 Blue jack caught just before sunset

 Dinner with Steve Pazienza, my cousin Paul, and friends Sheila and Matt

 Interesting crab seen on dive

 With my sister Jane at her art studio

 Ocean swim with Matt on his boat

 Boards for sent on Waikiki 

Waikiki 

America

I love America  The junk food is so delicious - cheezits, Doritos, Sour patch, Nerds, War heads, etc. In the airport, there was a bowl of candy, you were only supposed to take one.  Well, I had a different idea...

- Mira

PS. MINE!

The Miracle of Flight

"I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going.  And I have trained myself to love it.  Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight.  And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to.  But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings.  You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you."    C. JoyBell C.

Many thanks to Kate Evans for sharing this beautiful poem.

- Nadia

Flying above the mountains of Oaxaca

Nothing Days

What a weird schedule we have had here in Punta Negro with our Aunty Jane. We wake up between 8 and 10, and then lie on the couch for a couple of hours. We make plans, to go to the grocery store maybe, or go surfing, but don't leave the house until the afternoon, that is, if we leave at all. Our lunches are at three, our breakfasts at noon, so dinner doesn't usually happen until 8 or 9 at night. By the time we have finished eating, it's normally pretty late, and the day isn't even done yet. We clean up the table, and wash all the dishes, before taking one last dip in the pool and/or showering. Of course after showering it's time for bed, so we get into our pajamas and curl up with Aunty Jane. Then we watch a couple episodes of the Big Bang Theory, to put ourselves to sleep. By then it's usually midnight, or maybe even 2. We wake up in the morning, and it's between 8 and 10, and we lie on the couch for a little while. We make plans to go to the grocery store, or maybe to go surfing, but don't leave until the late afternoon, that is if we leave at all...

Maya

Aunts

Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother... Keep secrets like a sister... and laugh with you like a best friend. - Unknown

My aunt and I can't talk without bursting out into laughter, she is super nice and doesn't have any rules! Her house is like kids heaven!

If you want to laugh, look on YouTube and search corn challenge gone wrong!

Mira

Soul Food

As I've mentioned before:

Meeting up with people you know, people you've know for more than a few years, is food for the soul.

Nadia

Hanging with my sister Jane in Punta de Mita, Mexico

After what my sister Jane said has been an interminable wait since the start of our trip last June, we're finally all together at Jane's seaside house and art studio in Punta de Mita, Mexico. Jane lives down a a non-discript dirt road in house that has it's own private beach and which she's transformed into a beautiful studio where she shows her artwork (mobiles made from driftwood, beautiful mirrors, natural jewelry, handmade furniture and much more). 

Since we've arrives she's had us laughing with stories of her past few years in Mexico, and much to my chagrin, has kept Maya and Mira laughing about 'Papa childhood stories', which they can't get enough of. 

We're here for a couple of weeks and are taking things easy. The girls start the day doing their schoolwork while I go for a run. This is followed by a late breakfast then talk about what to do for the day. For example, today we didn't get out of the house until after 12 and took a drive to see a village where Jane and her husband Chris used to live until a year ago called Los Demarcos. Unfortunately, Chris in the US right now so we won't get to see him on this trip. Nadia has also traveled to Akumal so it's an all Maroni affair in Punta de Mita.

Yesterday we also had a late start and went surfing in the afternoon followed by a trip to resort down the beach from Jane's house. The place is way out of our price range so we only walked the premises after getting permission at the front desk and left after 30 minutes. The place is huge but it was empty.

A couple of days ago we took a boat trip to some islands offshore. I brought my fishing gear in hopes of trolling a bit on the way out to the islands but the captains refused due to his lack of a fishing permit. Of course, on the way out to the islands there were fish jumping everywhere while I looked at my unused rod and gear sitting in the bottom of the boat. Sometimes life can be cruel. Fortunately, today in Los Demarcos, Jane found her old friend who has a small boat and he's agreed to take me out fishing on Monday. This worldwide trip has been almost a complete bust for fishing so I hope to redeem myself a bit in Mexico and Hawaii by bringing in some fish.

Cheers, Rob

Sister Jane

Jane's living room with artwork 

View of Jane's private beach from her veranda

Jane and the girls 

Blue footed Boobie on Marietta Island

Jane, Mira and Maya on boat in sea cave

La Tranquilla Resort, down the beach from Jane's house

Jane and the girls along the coast

The Marrietas

I look over to my right as the captain exclaims that we have arrived. There are probably 30 or 40 people floating in orange life jackets. More people are jumping into the water and swimming past the buoys, toward shore. I strap my fluorescent life vest to my waist, and dive overboard after Papa. Mira and Aunty Jane follow. Slowly, we make our way towards the rock face, along with the rest of our boat. Once the cliffs loom overhead, it is time to brave the tunnel, and swim to the beach. Jane had said that the last time she was here, the current was incredibly strong, and getting through the tunnel was a challenge. Luckily, this time the hardest part is avoiding the neon blobs exiting the hidden beach. Although, that's not to say that the current, between swells, is easy to swim against. We swim farther from the open air behind us, into the dark. Well, it's not really dark since the tunnel isn't too long, and there is sunshine ahead of us. We reach the beach sooner than I expected. In what is probably, at most, 50 meters across, and only 10 wide, are hundreds of people. Some are still in the mandatory life jackets, others have tossed them aside, into the sand. We are trapped, like mice in a hole. Cliffs are on all sides, except were the tunnel is, or where the few caves are. Having time to spare, and for lack of better things to do, we decide to explore one of the caves. As soon as I enter the cave, my body automatically recoils. The air is intolerable, maybe even toxic. Before Papa even has a chance of smelling the monstrosity that is this cave air, I leave and warn him of the danger. We were told earlier not to go in the caves and not to touch the rocks, but now I think they just say that to prevent the two caves from become the latrines. It's funny, everyone around us is laughing and smiling and taking photos, we are just standing on the beach, wrinkling our noses at everything. The amount of space is so tiny, and thousands of people come here everyday. The ecosystems just can't take it. The islands will being shut down on May 9th. Only for three months though, so I'm not sure how much of a difference it will make.  Oh well. It's cool to think we are on one of the last boats out to these islands. After swimming back to the boat, our captain drives us around the island. Despite the swells, and the shallow water, he hugs the shore, making sure to go into every little nook and cranny,
take us into caves and tunnels, and give us great views of the birds and the rocks. All in all it was a great trip, even if the water and the caves weren't the cleanest.

- Maya

Pets

I think pets are a wonderful Idea because they keep people's minds off stuff and you can do stuff like this:

And, as long as you cuddle them and never ever hurt them, they will cuddle and never ever hurt you. If you love them as much and my aunt Jane, then they will be so spoiled and do hilarious things. Pets are good, as long as you are good to your pet.

Mira

Jane Maroni Organic Designs

            In Mexico, art is everywhere, in restaurants, in galleries, even on the streets. Here in Punta de Mita, the art happens to be in my Aunty Jane's house. She is an artist. Her house is beautifully situated on a hill above the beach. Inside there are piles of driftwood, shells, and seeds, shelves of fish and dolphin bones, and even one whale bone. Most of which will be incorporated into her artwork, although some she just keeps for herself. She found most of it on her morning walks on the beach. Her and my Uncle Chris work together to create amazing mobiles, furniture, and wall hangings. She designs most of the pieces, and he puts them together. They are a great team, as all of the artwork is absolutely beautiful. In fact, if I could I would have their pieces hanging all over my house. If any of you would like some of this amazing artwork, visit my aunt's website, http://www.janemaroniorganicdesigns.com , or her Facebook page, Jane Maroni Organic Designs.

- Maya

 One of my favorites - made with driftwood and old shells.

 A wall hanging with dolphin bones and drift wood.

Another beautiful mobile - again with driftwood and shells.