She's Baaack!

Well my feet are back on solid ground! (Which I am REALLY grateful for, due to the plane ride over the stormy Pacific!) I had such a great time and will just post some of the highlights! I may have to make this a 2 (or 3) parter so as not to overwhelm!

I had such a great time visiting with my wonderful friend, my girls, and Toby. It was so good to be able to talk face to face with her again! I have really missed her and the time we spent together and I think we both realized that even time apart doesn't change the people we are together.





I had such a great time and was able to experience a lot of different things. First I will start with the fruit, which was amazing! This first fruit is called a Rambutan. You open it up and on the inside it looks like a big peeled grape. There is a pit inside the grape that looks like an almond and actually gives the fruit a nutty flavor (I thought so anyway!)




This one is called a Lilokoi (which Sophie also gave me as my Hawaiian name, that's Lilokoi Smiley to you!) and it was my absolute favorite! I think it is also called Passionfruit to us lay people. You eat the seeds and it is sweet and also really tangy. Kind of like eating a sour patch kid but soooo much better!



I don't know the name of this one, nor did I try it, but I thought it was cool because it looks similar to a pineapple but apparently the inside is like custard!



Amy and I went snorkeling, which was sooo cool! I wish I had a waterproof camera to show how cool the fish were! They were so beautiful, colorful, and big! Amy saw a sea turtle, but I missed it :( The photo below is Toby. It is whale season as well and I was able to see a fin and a lot of splashes way off in the horizon, which was VERY cool!



We went to the hot ponds which are these super warm ponds which are right next to the ocean and heated by lava from underground. It was so nice and I had so much fun playing with the girls and seeing the little fish swimming at my feet!



Being the 2nd rainiest city in the U.S there were quite a few rainstorms (in between and even during the wonderful, warm sun!)




This little one was always happy, she didn't care what it was doing outside! To be honest, neither did I!

My trip is going to have to be posted over the course of the next few days because to be honest, I am feeling a little jet lagged and my brain isn't working right. More to come, but I leave with the gift I got myself the day I left.