Hawaii bound - dreams of getting lei'd

In just under two weeks I'm headed off to Hawaii - one week in Kauai and two weeks on the Big Island. I can hardly wait - spam sushi and surf here I come.

Unlike the last time I was in Pineapple Heaven, I am going to be completely footloose and fancy free (i.e. no homework hanging over my head like the sword of Damocles). I've been looking at variety of excursions. Here's my current bucket list (in no particular order)

• swimming with the manta rays 
• visting the Mauna Kea observatory at night
• learning to snorkel (aka getting over my irrational fear of sharks. Irrational because I often dream of getting eaten while swimming in a pool. Damn you Jaws, you have made me a nutter)
• visiting a macadamia nut factory ('cause I'm a nutter)
• going to a slack key guitar concert
• attending a westcoast swing dance event. There's a lively community of dancers on the island...I just don't know when they're holding events
• writing some new lyrics (maybe getting me a tenor uke)
• eating a puka dog

I'm so excited. Bear with me as I geek out on everything Hawaii.