Day 8; Friday - THIS IS THE MOMENT OF SWEET ALOHA!

So we got to the Brisbane airport last Friday and while we were waiting to check in...I remembered...that I forgot my temple recommend...!!!  Without it I wouldn't be able to go to the Temple in Laie...and I was not pleased with myself as I remembered to reminded Shaun to get his a few days earlier :(

My first call when we arrived was to the Temple to see how I could still go as it was definitely one of our to do's...They told me they could speak to my Bishop in Australia and arrange a temporary recommend...it was the best news I'd heard since we landed...I FB'd my friend Neta and asked to her please ask her Husband, my Bishop to call the Laie Temple which she did and he did with the promise of Hawaiian Macadamia chocolates and today was our temple day... xox

Back to see Jase who was busy working out in this beach front back yard...he and his wife hooked us up for PCC (Polynesian Cultural Centre) Thank you so much guys!! xoxox
How cool is PCC?  The best in Hawaii!!! Check out our pics...

This is my 3rd visit to PCC and I finally get to go on a canoe ride!!

C'mon peeps!  I can't be the only camera crazy tourist in the boat can I?

Shaun has been hanging out to find a waterfall all holiday...
Finally found one... at PCC!

I didn't think we would actually see anyone we knew here but as soon as we entered the New Zealand village there was Shannon...she is good friends with both of our sisters... Dort & Debs...Shaun recognized her straight away and how lucky is she to be living in Hawaii with her husband and family and working part time here at the PCC using Kapa haka as a living...I like the sound of that!

Shannon introducing herself and her tribal whakairo

This was the best little kapa haka show we've seen in a long time!

Shannon and her bro in law on the left and a
Witehira/Wihongi cuz on the right

Chur Aotearoa! Hei kona!!

And with our stomachs rumbling and a text msg from Jase telling us it was time to head to the Luau we were gone-ski...off to the Luau, we get a lei as we go into the dinner and show...Oh Boy! This is part of the reason we've both put on the kilos while we're here...but its holidays and I'm not counting!! lol!!

Mean dinner...Island styles...

...and the show is about to begin! 

This was a very cool dinner show! But check out this little dude
and his fire dancing skills!

Then comes that part in the show where they ask if anyone is celebrating a birthday this month...they ask all the birthday peeps to stand while we sing Happy Birthday to them...Shaun won't stand up but he also won't get away with the next question...Who is celebrating their anniversary???  We are invited to go on stage with a whole heap of other couples and the MC sings the Hawaiian wedding song while we all dance....naaaawww xoxox

The MC told us a few interesting stories, one about how hula was banned for 50 years because the Hauli (White man) thought it was too rude. How the steel guitar was discovered by a boy in Laie and how the Shaka was invented by a man, also from Laie, who lost his 3 middle fingers in a sugar mill accident and while surfing waved his remaining little finger and thumb to tourists watching on the beach who waved back in the same way...Shaka!

Boo ya...its the SHAKA!

What an awesome day we had today...but wait theres more...off to the night show 'HA-The breath of life'

No photos during the show please...but afterwards is fine...lol!

Shaun said the secret to a mean show...add water and fire!
Ha - the meanest show around!

We met up with this lovely lady by chance after the show...Laina..from Avondale ward in Auckland
she married our Stake Presidents son from Hebersham..what a small world aye? She's another legend
living, studying & working in Paradise!!

Pomarie Laie...Thank you and goodnight x

And after this the one hour drive back to Honolulu...this is the best holiday ever...the only thing missing are our kids and if we could bring the baby sitter too that would be double sweet...! lol!