(AND OTHER HAWAIIAN PLACES)

Me, Tropical Tim, at the North Shore of Oahu. Known for some of the biggest and best surf in the world, the North Shore attracts visitors and the world's best surfers to the huge waves.

One of the most famous landmarks in the world, Diamond Head towers above Waikiki. Visitors can climb to the top of Diamond Head for a spectacular view of Waikiki. The hike is free (except for the sweat) and well worth the effort.

The Southeast Coast of Oahu offers some incredible scenery. Layers of volcanic eruptions can clearly been seen, tracing the birth of an island in the same manner that tree rings show the growth of a tree over the years. The highway runs right beside the coast and the view is unbelievable. A drive along this coast is a memorable experience.

Another great view of the Southeast Coast. The highway that runs along the coast is visible in this shot. Sandy Beach, a famous boogie boarding beach, can be seen in the background.

This is world famous Waimea Bay, located on Oahu's North Shore. Known for it's big waves during the winter months, Waimea Bay is the site of several world surfing championships. Also popular (with some people) is jumping/diving off the big rock in the pic during high tide. This pic was not taken during high tide. During the summer months the surf becomes very gentle and snorkeling becomes the popular sport.

A view of the bay at the Turtle Bay Hilton. Needless to say, a beautiful resort and the ONLY resort on the famous North Shore of Oahu. Believe it or not, the waves in the background were part of a winter swell and were 20 to 30 feet high - one of the reasons Hawaii is considered to be a surfers' paradise.

A second view of the bay at the Turtle Bay Hilton. If I had a telephoto lens you might get a feeling of how spectacular these waves were. During days when the waves are crashing into the North Shore, traffic slows to a crawl and a normal 30 to 45 minute trip from Sunset Beach to Waimea (or vice-versa) can become a 2 or 3 hour game of stop and go. The awesome power of the mighty Pacific makes it a journey you will remember forever.

THE MAGNUM, p.i. ESTATE

Lots of people fondly remember the Magnum, p.i. series of days gone by. Magnum (and Hawaii 5-O) helped make Hawaii a dream destination for millions of people. The estate where the Magnum shows were shot is a private estate, and great measures are taken to ensure the owners privacy. From the road tarps, working in conjunction with the lush flora, block the view of the estate. This is not an accident. However, the savy Magnum fan can obtain a small view of the mansion. Bev Kirk, Craig Pitts (a visitor from down under - don't ask me down under what), and myself set out to see what we could see. Here are the results. Magnum fans - ENJOY!

This is a shot of the guest house. Sadly, it appears that it has not been well maintained. It's proximity to the beach certainly has added to the general decline. It still is a thrill though to see it in person.

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This is the back gate of the estate, the one Magnum used when he was going out for a swim in the turtle ponds behind the mansion. One friend asked "Why is the sign on the gate facing the estate?" I don't know...and I don't know what it says either.

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A view of a part of the mansion. You really can't see the whole thing through the fence, but it is interesting to take a peek anyway. Even though it is only a small part of the mansion, it is quite recognizeable.

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A second look at a part of the mansion. Perhaps the Andersons will see this page and take pity on me and invite me to return for a tour of the estate. Don't laugh - my Broncos won the Super Bowl, proving anything is possible.

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The current Zeus and Apollo on patrol of the estate grounds. Don't let the size of the small one fool you, he/she barks really loud.

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A few of the turtle ponds behind the estate. Rabbit Island is visible in the background. The ponds are enclosed by a rock wall and offer an excellent swimming oportunity as Magnum demonstrated on numerous occasions.

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Tropical Tim getting into the Magnum thing. Yes, that's a Tigers hat I'm wearing. Craig let me borrow it for this picture, which he also took. The sun was setting behind the Ko'olau Mountains (hence the darkness of the pic), and we had had a busy day circling the island. To top things off, Craig asked for his hat back after he took this pic. Aussies are so stingy.

MAUI

The view of Napili Bay from my hotel room's lanai. I had the pleasure of seeing this view many times when visiting my Mom on Maui. Sadly, my Mom has gone lolo (crazy) and moved back to Colorado and this view is no longer available to me, at least not for free. Sigh...

Beautiful Napili Bay. A great place to swim and snorkel. Located between the Ka'anapali and Kapalua Resorts, Napili is a wonderful place to re-charge the batteries of the soul. Sunny days and incredible sunsets are the norm here, and humpback whales entertain visitors daily during the winter months.

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