Stan and Marie's Adventures

Hawaii's Mariner's Ridge

2011-01-30T21:02:00.002-05:00

The Mariners Ridge Trail is a 3 mile round-trip journey highly recommended in many travel books as one of the very best ridge hikes on the island. We were not disappointed. Being 60+, we did stop—and sometimes stumble--along the way to take pictures of astoundingly lush mountain vistas buttressed against a shimmering turquoise ocean.

But the piece de resistance is the glorious panoramic view from the top of the mountain range. [We have not shown the amazing views at the end of the trail out of respect for future hikers] The ascent is well worth struggling across the gauntlet of boulders, loose dirt slick with pine needles, and dry but deep gullies.

The insects are minimal, the gusts of wind are refreshing, and the tree branches used for balance hold fast. It took us only an hour and a half each way—not from sea level but from an already high elevation at the end of the Kaluanui Road at the trail entrance.

While challenging for us, we were greeted by a cool and collected “Tarzan and Jane,”

happy tourists from our home state of North Carolina...a daring handsome young local, a man jogging to the top and even jogging back down, and a woman heroically forcing herself uphill on the sidewalk. We would never have made it to the peak if we had to trek to the trail head.

A reminder: it’s much safer to wear running shoes than sandals, and put your water bottles in your back pockets so that you have both hands free to hoist yourself up and lower yourself down rocky pathways [Of course this is our very own Tarzan on the left and he did mention that he usually does not wear any shoes at all]

France in May, 2010

2010-05-28T04:52:00.002-04:00

Off to Paris and what a start it was. We loaded everything up in the car. Stan and I needed to drive two different cars to Brian's house because we wanted to leave one there. Now, this would have been no problem, but Stan had his cell phone in my car....so he couldn't call to see if he had remembered his passport...which also was in my car. It turned out that he had remembered to bring it, but there were a few minutes of anxiety as he drove down the road, uncertain of his fate.

Brian fixed Stan's computer then off we headed to the airport. Now I have a wonderful GPS packed in the car, but I didn't bring it out to use. So, we made what I thought was the right turn....and no hotel in site for parking our car. Around and around in circles we went while the minutes ticked away. Finally we pulled over, took the GPS out of our luggage and plugged in our hotel. Yep, there it was....but there we were not! So, we turned around yet another time and off we went. When we got to the hotel, I RAN ahead to register the car, and Stan unloaded the lugguage. Finally, a bit rattled we were in the shuttle headed to our destination. That's when the read challenges began.

Vacation Rental in Hawaii: http://alohafamilyproperties.webs.com

2009-04-17T11:17:00.000-04:00

Sunrise Condo Sunset Condo
Aloha Family Properties offers you two studios in the lovely Fairway Villa just steps from the beach, major hotels and a full size grocery store. Our condos were completely updated in December of 2007 with new flooring, paint, and furnishings.

Visit our website for additional information: http://alohafamilyproperties.webs.com/

You will be glad you decided to stay with us!!
We offer you Security, Quality, Fair Pricing, & Convenience

Several years ago my husband, Stan, and I fell in love with this beautiful island. After scouting so many buildings, we finally decided that the Fairway Villa was the only place we wanted to stay when we returned to the island. [Our realtor claims that we saw every apartment building in Waikiki TWICE--AT LEAST before we made our selection.] We offer a secure, relaxing environment in a high rise ideally located in the very heart of Waikiki. It is a very easy 3 minute walk to the beach.

We now own two studios in this building and both were updated in May, 2007 with paint--including the ceiling [I hate dirty ceilings], new floor coverings, new queen size beds with top of the line mattress, towels, linens, pots and pans, most furnishings, pictures, and small appliances.

VIEW: I like to start with the view because it is the reason that we own this particular studio and are located in this building. Our lanai offers views of Diamond Head, the mountains, the city, the golf course, and the ocean. From the spacious 29th floor recreation deck, there are 360 degree unobstructed views of Waikiki, including Diamond Head, the adjacent mountains, the Honolulu skyline, and the ocean.

RECREATION DECK: You can watch the magnificent sunrises and sunsets and the weekly fireworks; you can swim in the invigorating pool, relax in the hot tub and sauna, sunbathe, lounge in the many shaded areas, or cook on large barbecue gas grills. If you like quiet, this is the place for you since the management requests that you use earphones for music on the recreation deck!

ATTRACTIVE APARTMENT: Our apartment is tastefully decorated and comes with a full bath /shower, and a large lanai. You will enjoy the large TV with VCR/DVD player, AND HIGH SPEED INTERNET. There is a WASHER/DRYER IN THE UNIT. You no longer have to stand around in a laundry room while on vacation.

We have a COMPLETE KITCHEN including a full-size refrigerator, four-burner stove/oven, a microwave, toaster, rice cooker, baking pans, blender, crock pot, and full cookware---everything you need for an extended stay. We have stayed in each of our units for 6 months at a time. This is a non-smoking condo.

LOCATION: You will be in the very heart of Waikiki where EVERYTHING IS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE: the emerald beach, an expansive golf course, a kaleidoscope of surfers by day and street entertainers at night; economical or exclusive shopping areas--from the hurly burly market place to the most upscale boutiques; lush gardens of the most luxurious five star hotels; a well-equipped 24-hour fitness center, and a teeming variety of restaurants.

You can stroll along the Ala Wai canal, walk to the golf course, visit the child-friendly zoo and the hands-on aquarium; or if you want a little less stimulation, you can burrow in at the public library. And for your convenience, the LARGEST COMPLETE GROCERY STORE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF WAIKIKI IS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY.

By staying at the Fairway Villa, you are so close to so much that you might want to forgo the expense of renting a car. But if you decide to get a car, we offer A COVERED SECURE PARKING GARAGE.

Purchased within the past year, our condos are inspected monthly and have an extensive yearly review. They are occupied part of the year by the owners and we take great pride in having top quality units. We have painted and updated with new flooring, new furniture, and appliances. These condos are in top condition.

You can leave home without worries. Check out the link below for additional picutes. You'll also find another link to our website with the rental agreement and a map of the location. Give us a try. You will be glad that you selected these properties for your next vacation

Mahalo,
Marie and Stan
We are retired educators. Marie [57 years old] was a middle school and high school counselor, and Stan [63 years old] was head of the Humanities Department at the local college. Retiring on the Outer Banks near our two grown children and three small grandchildren, we have lived and worked in North Carolina for 30 years. We will be glad to provide references upon request.

Please see our video below, and visit our website at: http://alohafamilyproperties.webs.com

Coming to Paradise? Stay for Less

2009-04-16T10:46:00.000-04:00

This is what I dream about when I think of Hawaii. Lying on this beach, feeling the cool gentle breezes over my body and just relaxing day after day. I'd like to have the stress of everyday life, just float away.

We discovered this beach on our first trip to Hawaii and now go back every year. I'm sitting INSIDE now just thinking about it.

Check out our condos for a great vacation in Hawaii. Subscribers to the site get an immediate discount:
http://alohafamilyproperties.webs.com

Guest Comments:

2008-11-27T19:49:00.000-05:00

Shirley:
Great site, and wonderful landlords. Clean well kept suite and great security. Enjoyed the perks. Most comfortable and close to all ammenities. The welcome was appreciated and the paper a real bonus. Thanks, good job, keep it up.

Lucy:
We stayed in Marie and Stan's rental condo for six weeks this past winter. We enjoyed it very much, the location was wonderful as was the condo, very clean and in very good condition. Marie and Stan were just super people and we enjoyed meeting them. I would not hesitate to recommend this condo to anyone wishing to spend time in Waikiki.

Kim M:
We booked the condo in the spring of 2007. We were very pleased with the quick replies to our emails and questions. We had stayed numerous times in the building before at other units so we were familiar with it. We just returned from our trip in 2008 and were happy with the condo. It was very clean and comfortable. It was nice to stay in a unit without wiping out the dresser drawers first. The boxed treats and card left on the pillow when we arrived was also a nice touch. Too bad Stan and Marie couldn't do anything about all the rain we had!

carla zimbler:
I stayed in Marie's apartment for two weeks and I found it delightful, beautiful views and the photo's I took of a COMPLETE RAINBOW from the roof were absolutely not repeatable,I had never seen it before, will try to put one on. All the facilities are nearby,the the sauna was my favourite followed by the pool and whirlpool. Restaurants, night life and beautiful beaches. Marie and Stan were really wonderful hosts and I hope to go back there again very soon.The apartment is really beautifully equipped and extremely comfortable.

Brian M:
I spent two weeks in Waikiki this past summer. I had not rented from a private owner before, and I was very pleased with this condo--from the professional responses that I got with my first e-mail to the return of my security deposit. I hope to rent again from Aloha Family Properties on our next visit to the island. This is a quality condo, a great location, and the building amenties are unbeatable.

Koko Gardens: One of the less known hiking trails on Ohau is the Koko Gardens. This area has so many different kinds of plants and vegetation and is a quiet place to spend the day. Some of the many plants found are:
Cacti
Alluaudias
Sansevierias
Baobabs
Dryland Palms
Aloes
Euphorbias
Adeniums

Of special note is the native grove of wiliwili trees (Erythrina sandwicensis) found in the Hawaiian section.

KOKO CRATER BOTANICAL GARDEN is home to a collection of rare and beautiful plants from the tropical regions of the world. Some are rare or endangered in their native habitat. It is a cinder cone remaining from the last active volcano that occurred on O'ahu approximately 10,000 years ago. This crater is the tallest tuff ring in Hawaii, measuring 1,207 feet in height. The slopes of the crater drop steeply into the Molokai Channel, an area which lacks protection from any offshore reefs, causing very turbulent seas in this area.

We have never seen so many different nor such large Cacti. They grow in one whole section that is amazing both in the variety of plants and their individual size. This collection is amazing. This is a little known treasure on the island. From our experience, this park has few visitors and is one of the island's best kept secrets.