Our Wonderful Hawaiian Holiday

We were blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime when Jun Kodama, son Leif's longtime friend, proudly announced that he was getting married and Judy and I were invited to attend the wedding in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii on the 7th of February 2005. But a bit of background is necessary first before we say "Aloha".

Jun attended high school with Leif, and over the years we got to know him so well that he is like our third son (our "heart son", as the Hawaiians say). After graduating from university, Jun took a position in Japan teaching English as a second language. We received an e-mail in the summer of 2003 that Jun was coming to Ottawa with his girlfriend Kyoko, and was going to introduce her to his parents.

Oh, and by the way, he was going to propose to her right after we had lunch with them in Ottawa's Byward Market. At right is a picture of us at lunch. As can be seen, Jun is exhibiting just a bit of nervous anticipation! 

Obviously his proposal was joyfully accepted!

Then came the wedding arrangements. As relatives and friends were located in both Canada and Japan, Jun decided on the tried and true Canadian solution - compromise. The wedding would take place on the Hawaiian island of Maui - equally far for everyone to get to!

For us, this decision was ideal!!! We had never been to Hawaii, we had lots of Aeroplan points and Judy's niece Robyn and her husband Jerry lived in Lahaina, twenty minutes from the plantation where the wedding was to take place. Concerning the Aeroplan flights, we had to accept rather circuitous routing there and back even though we booked over a year in advance. To get to Hawaii, we flew from Ottawa to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Honolulu, spent the night, then on to Maui the next morning. Our return flight was a real test of endurance! Maui to Honolulu, spent the night, Honolulu to San Francisco, spent the night, San Francisco to Chicago, Chicago to Toronto, and, finally, Toronto to Ottawa where we arrived at midnight --- but our baggage didn't! Air Canada had managed to lose our baggage on the flight from Toronto to Ottawa, a non-stop flight where we had even put our bags on the conveyor ourselves ..

Robyn and Jerry Downer have a very successful travel agency in Lahaina - Klahani Travel. They book cruises and other vacations for clients living all over the world. We had advised Jun to contact them when he was making preliminary wedding arrangements, and they graciously provided him with contacts and assistance. From that point on, it was strictly an administrative exercise, but a complicated one, especially on Jun's part coordinating arrival, pickup, lodging, etc. Of course for us, evidently the big problem was getting Garry a Hawaiian shirt as dress was to be "Hawaiian casual." I had a rather dated one, but certain people (Judy) felt I should buy a new one. Try buying a short-sleeved Hawaiian type of shirt in Ottawa in January!!! In the end, I wore the old one and it wasn't out of place at all, except it had shrunk a bit ... by being in the closet ... for a long time ...

But before we get into the wedding pictures and details, I'd like to show you Robyn and Jerry's totally "unique" home overlooking the ocean and backing onto a golf course, so just click here.

Now on to the wedding and reception! Just click here!

On the morning after the wedding, Jun arranged for all of us to go whale watching. Click here for a "Whale of a Tale!"

We also explored Maui, including of course, Lahaina and vicinity, an historic and interesting locale.

Robyn and Jerry hosted us at a traditional Luau.

And finally, our trip home via Honolulu, and San Francisco (... and Chicago, and Toronto).

To return to the Main Menu, just click on the cats!!!