Hawaii 2011 – Oahu Part 1 *pic heavy*

Tags

hawaii, oahu, photography, travel, trips, Vacation

I love Hawaii! Prior to this trip I had been to Oahu with my family roughly 5 years ago. This was my first romantic getaway with someone that I love so it was a really special trip.

The view from our seats:

Hawaii has the most amazing skyline… the very first time I visited I felt the sky was just such a pure blue color. For this trip the sky was a bit cloudy and windy at times but it was still very beautiful.

Walking along Waikiki beach during our first night:

I highly recommend visiting Oahu if its your first time to Hawaii. It’s quite touristy but it does have all the major shopping and nightlife. Plus, if your home state sales tax is higher than Hawaii’s current ~4.5%, you can feel better purchasing higher priced items here. (A few more shopping photos to come in future posts)

Our hotel room lanai overlooked the Ala Wai canal: (sunny view here)

Every morning we’d watch the sunrise and watch people walking along the canal.

We hiked up Diamond Head the next day and this was the view:

I highly recommend the hike! Not overly challenging but not too easy either. To reward ourselves we had our first shaved ice of the trip at the bottom of the crater:

Diamond Head State beach park: (if you visit this beach, bring all important valuables with you, as it is notorious for car trunk theft!)

Lots of little tidepools with small crabs and fish that got stuck:

The sand here is so sparkly!

Justin and I bought a handful of Groupons in preparation for our trip. Just sign up for email alerts for Honolulu, HI and you’ll get cheaper meals and excursions this way. For under $30 we each got a Groupon for a sunset cruise on a catamaran!

Our boat, the Island Magic:

On the docks a fisherman had just caught some mahi mahi so I had to take some quick pics Apparently while we were there there was a mahi mahi shortage so I’m sure this fisherman was happy to get these.

This photo was one of my favorites for this entire trip! We were allowed to sit at the front of the catamaran where I snapped this photo. I currently have it in a frame in my guest bathroom.

I was quite snap-happy throughout the trip, so you’ll be seeing a lot of Justin in my photos. Sorry if that’s bothersome.. but then again I’m not that sorry. Haha.

I love him, what else can I say?

All posts in this series:

• Oahu 2011 Part 1
• Oahu 2011 Part 2
• Oahu 2011 Part 3

Thank you for reading!

♥ E&I

July 2010 – Las Vegas Photoblog

Tags

Las Vegas, photography, traveling, Vacation

Here are a few photos from my Vegas trip! I stayed in the ‘burbs instead of on the strip. Sorry, most of my photos are from the daytime and nothing too exciting really.. I didn’t want to bring my GF1 camera around at night at the clubs/bars because it was too bulky and delicate to bring around.

Saw these men’s “panties” at Daiso! Haha.

My host’s adorable daughter and their pup, Chewy:

My favorite Poketo for Target print!  Poketo will be in Target stores nationwide on the 10th but I was lucky enough to scoop it up early.

Cheesy Vegas nails.

Hoover Dam!

Two toned mountains! Sad about the lowering water line but still beautiful nonetheless.

These metal plates were all over the ground. So beautiful!  I wish I could find a gold-toned, metal feather necklace similar to this.

My only pic of me from this trip.

Jackalopes at the gift shop:

Full Target for Poketo haul:

Pedicure with a teeny bit of Konad stars:

Respite from the 108 deg heat! I like my yogurt with lots of mochi and strawberries :3

Went to ‘old’ Las Vegas strip for the first time:

I’m not a big gambler but hung around the casinos a lot.  Visited Aria for the first time since its opening!  Unfortunately the ENTIRE floor smelled like cheap vanilla air freshener.

Also visited the famous pawn shop from History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” show:

Chumlee is my favorite person on the show. Hehe.

I loved this green tattoo building next door. Even the windows are green!

Overall it was a really chill time.  Stayed up one night until 6AM at the club though.  I don’t think I’ve ever pulled an all nighter before that!  Thanks for reading…  nothing too exciting but an excuse to work on my photog skills

♥ E&I

Potential Japan Trip

Tags

budgeting, japan, Money, travel, Vacation

I’m seriously contemplating a Japan trip for my sister and I for August 2010 to congratulate her on her college graduation.  15 nights, 2 of them on our own ($80/night per room), 13 of them with a small guided tour ($2380 per person).

Tokyo | Nagano | Matsumoto| Takayama | Kanazawa |Hiroshima | Kurashiki | Kyoto| Yokohama!

The cheapest plane tickets I can find right now are 879 per person including taxes and fees.

Overall the trip will cost $6600+ since I want to pay for her.  That is an INSANE amount of money!  I know this trip is going to be worth it but the cost is just… mindblowing.

PROS:

• Firstly this will be a once in a lifetime trip for both me and my sister while we’re both young.  She’s going to dental school at the end of next year… and when she’s finally working perhaps I’ll be married or even have a family by then.  Who knows!
• We’ll get to bond like never before!
• She deserves this trip!  My sister works incredibly hard, she’s insanely smart and she needs a reward for her hard work.
• She’s never been to Japan.  I’ve been there 2x and the last trip was in 2002.  I remember it like it was yesterday!  It was THAT GOOD.
• She loves Japanese everything.  Enough said.
• If I continue with my savings of $1000 per month for the next 9 months, I’ll be covered.
• October ’09 and and April ’10 have 3 paychecks!  I’d definitely reserve those extra two paychecks for the trip.
• Two words:  It’s Japan!!!!

CONS:

• Expensive.  CRAZY EXPENSIVE.
• August is going to be HOT.  July was hot when I last went… All I wore were tanks and shorts!  August is going to be even worse.
• The flights I found are non-refundable.

I’ve reserved the 2 extra nights already… I’m still in contact with my friend/guide from 2002 so I can reserve our tour spots quickly.

But the up-front flight costs always make me freeze.  Non-refundable!  Nearly ~$1700!  UGH.  And I don’t know whether to wait it out and see if fares drop, or just buy them now since I’m so ahead of schedule when it comes to planning.

Argh.  What to do!!!

-E&I

EDIT:

Fares keep fluctuating!  I think I’ll wait and see what happens.  I’ll track the fares and see how low they can go for a month or so… And then I’ll try to make a decision.

What I wore.. in Vegas

Tags

Fashion, Las Vegas, summer, Vacation, Wearing Today

• American Retro Tank – $12 from Crossroads
• Coach Sunglasses – $65 from Nordstrom Rack
• Gold and brown handbag – $35 from Baghaus
• Gladiator sandals – $12 from Burlington Coat Factory
• Guess white capris – $10 from Guess

My ‘walking the Strip’ outfit!  The weather was an insane 100+ degrees during the day, so I had to keep cool by packing tops with natural fibers (cotton, linen).

Before my trip I stopped by Crossroads to sell some old clothes I never wear;  a pair of Citizens of Humanity Faye wide leg jeans that are now too small for me, and a pair of Loeffler Randall for Target flats that turned out to be too uncomfortable.  I bought this black tank with gold sequins with my ‘earnings’ and I still have about $13 of store credit left over!  I did a little research on American Retro… turns out it is a French brand.  Who knew?

I’m just lovin’ the sequins.  Pairing black and gold is now my signature look, especially in my accessories.  I just can’t get enough!

My favorite part about the sequins is that they’re very dainty and don’t accidentally catch on my accessories.  Yes!

-E&I

Louis Vuitton = Las Vegas

Tags

Fashion, Handbags, Louis Vuitton, Swimming, Vacation

One thing is for sure in Vegas.  Girls go all out when it comes to dressing up and going out.  I was able to observe a lot of fashion eye candy during my Vegas trip, and I noticed one thing.

Everyone carries Louis Vuitton.  Yup.  The moms, the daughters, the cougars, the ugly girls, the beautiful girls.  EVERYONE.

Fake?  Real?  I’m not so sure.  Most times you can’t really tell without manhandling them yourself. (Unless the beige straps are clearly stiff, plasticky vinyl)  I must admit, I do like LV.  I’ve been thinking about getting a wallet for a few years now, but I’m still too chicken to shell out for it.  As far as the handbags go…  Louis Vuitton is so incredibly oversaturated that I probably won’t buy one.  (But I WILL take vintage hand-me-downs.  Thanks Mom!)

This is what boggles my mind though:  There were a TON of girls with their Louis Vuitton purses at the pool.

What??  Near drunk people?  Sorry, but if I paid $1000+ for my LV you wouldn’t see it going NEAR the water.  Or even a bottle of SPF.

I don’t think I will ever understand this.

-E&I