Welcome to the commentary for chapter three! Remember to post a comment in order to be entered in the drawing. Once all commentaries are up one winner will be selected and they will receive signed copies of the first 3 books in the series.

Okay, chapter three!

Waikiki Beach is insanely crowded all the time. That said, there are a ton of beaches throughout the state that have very few people on them and sometimes can be empty.

Luaus are one of the most fantastic experiences you can have in the islands. When we lived in Hawaii, we’d go to a luau every couple of months just to enjoy the food and the fantastic shows. You also get to meet fascinating people sometimes. Cindy meets a particular couple, Charles and Jean. Some people might think that Charles and Jean are thinly veiled references to my husband and I. Those people wouldn’t be wrong. My husband is, among other things, an archaeologist. Every once in a while I put in inside jokes for family and friends.

Historical preservation is a BIG issue in Hawaii.

“You no like the weather, wait five minutes.” That’s true. Weather changes very quickly in the islands.

I love collecting seashells and there are some great beaches in Hawaii for doing that. There’s also a beach on Kauai where you can pick up sea glass.

Lomi lomi salmon is an amazing thing. If you ever make it to a luau or a Hawaiian restaurant, try it. Even if you don’t like salmon. I hate salmon and I gladly eat it. It’s got tomatoes and onions in it. It’s like this amazing salmon salsa.

In my opinion, watching the sun rise or set in Hawaii is a deeply spiritual experience.

When I go snorkeling I’m a bad girl and I don’t use the flotation belts that you can get. While I recommend you use them (it helps you not stress and makes things a bit easier) it is easy to float on your stomach on the ocean as you watch the fish. Also, quick snorkeling tip for those with glasses. If you can remove the screws holding the arms of the glasses in place and put the lens portion down into the mask, you will be able to see just fine without having water leak into your mask. Just don’t lose the screws!!! A boat captain showed me this neat trick when my family and I were snorkeling off the coast of Mauai. On that same snorkeling trip we saw thousands of amazing fish and circing about 15-20 feet below us were several sharks.