Aloha from Hawaii: Day Two

What's a trip to Hawaii without spending some quality time with its underwater residents? Decked out in flippers and masks, we spent most of Saturday snorkeling with fish and sea turtles. As a first-time snorkeler (not by choice, my first attempt as a young elementary school aged kid was thwarted due to overly chapped lips), I was both nervous and excited to roam in the vast ocean, spying on creatures from a brand new vantage point. After pushing through some initial hyperventilating tendencies, I felt such peace and tranquility among the aquatic life.

Our boat stopped in two locations - the first (Molokini Crater) housed most of the fish and the second (Turtle Town) was home to the sea turtles. Together, they provided a complete, satisfying snorkeling experience. Side note: I also learned the hard way that zinc-based sunscreens are not effective for my skin (and am still feeling the effects of this realization).

After a wonderful snorkeling excursion, we returned to the resort, freshened up, (some of us had a smores appetizer), and went to dinner at Morimoto, the restaurant located at the lower pool that specialized in Japanese-inspired fare. With a delicious food and magical ambiance, I thoroughly enjoyed our time at Morimoto. Following dinner, we all decided to retire to bed in preparation for our early start again the next day.