The Big Day (AKA the day you fly with your pets to Hawaii)

Aloha. I'm power blogging today so that I can get this information out there for those of you moving your pets here. This is the perfect time of year to fly over because it's not too hot anymore for the airlines to restrict boarding and not yet too cold.

To repeat, if you're new to this blog, the entire process of preparing and moving our pets is described in detail starting from the first post. For best understanding go back to the beginning and read forward.

Here is some very important information regarding additional final preparations for the big day. If you don't have someone to take you to the airport and you have big dog(s), pre-arrange your SPECIAL transportation! We needed to call for a taxi that would fit us, the dog crates and our luggage. I must have called 2 or 3 times to repeat how important it was for us to get a van with space for passengers, luggage and dogs. That a row of seats should be REMOVED to make room. As it turned out, they sent a mini-van without the seats removed. The driver had no idea how to remove them. I had to climb in the van and figure it out and remove the seats for him, and was only able to do so in a rush of adrenaline like when a mother has a car on top of her child or something. If we missed the flight after all the preparations, it would have been, well, I can't think of a polite word. I made the cab driver leave the van seats in our driveway and come back for them later.

For the other end, make sure you have transporation arranged from the airport in Hawaii. This went smoothly because Jay from Aloha Airport Shuttle RULES! Book him in advance by calling (808)538-3355. He removed his back van seats before coming to the airport. He was waiting for us when we arrived, picked us up at baggage claim, and took us to the Animal Quarantine Station. He waited for us to pick up the dogs, then drove us to the nearest park outside the airport so the dogs could pee. Dogs/animals can't be let out of their crates outside the Quarantine Station or anywhere on airport grounds so this is important. He then put up with the smell of Tasha's "accident" all the way to the Windward side of Oahu. Thank you Jay, soooooo much!

Another final preparation was a trip to the groomer to get all the excess hair off the dogs to make them as comfortable as possible for the introduction to Hawaii's warmer climate. Our groomer is booked far in advance so I had to plan ahead. I scheduled it BEFORE the vet health certification day, so that the bath wouldn't interfere with the application of the Fipronil at the vet.

Okay, so the Big Day had finally arrived. Time to move our dogs to Hawaii! As I posted previously, you must make sure your flight arrives in Honolulu (if that's where you are going)while the quarantine station is open. For that to happen, we had to leave very early in the morning. We got up very early to walk the dogs so they could take care of their business and we dosed them with the calming remedies I mentioned earlier. At the airport, we got a giant baggage cart. We let the dogs out of the crates and put them on leash. I honestly am not sure if this is allowed, but I watched a show on Travel Channel about traveling with dogs (I cannot remember the name, sorry) and the host walked his dog into the airport on a leash in one hand while carrying the crate in the other. Here's photographic evidence that we did it without getting arrested.

At the ticket counter, the airline employees stuck "this side up" and "live animal" stickers all over the crates (as if mine weren't enough already!) and placed baggage tags on them.

For the Northwest Airlines Priority Pet program, a tag is placed on each crate with tickets that are to be torn off by the baggage handler and delivered to the flight attendant. The flight attendant then deliveres it to the pet owners in their assigned seats to show that the pets were boarded.

After checking in for our flight, we took the dogs out for one last walk, then went to the special large baggage drop off point. We had to seal the dogs into the crate with zip ties and bid Aloha to them.

We waited around in the boarding area and watched them load the dogs through the window before we got on. The gate attendants received a transfer ticket from the baggage handler showing that the dogs had been boarded. So it appears that the baggage handler tears the ticket off and delivers it to the gate. If we're waiting to board, they call our names and give us the ticket so we know the crate has been loaded onto the airplane. Alternatively, the ticket could have been delivered to our seats after boarding. We flew the first leg on Alaska. Here's the pics I took when we landed in Portland. I posted a few more of these in my earlier posts.

As I mentioned previously in the post "booking your flights" we were very fortunate to be able to claim our dogs at the layover and walk them. In Portland, we went to baggage claim and grabbed a luggage dolly. Here's the dogs straight off the plane.

Before we chose Portland as the layover airport, I researched and found out that Portland has a pet relief area. I mapped out the airport in advance, so we knew where to go. The pet relief area is adjacent to baggage claim. We wheeled them out to the pictured area below, with the doggy sign. We watered and walked them. They each lapped up a packet of waterbites gel as well.

There was some time before we had to check them in for the next flight, so we hung out with them until the last possible minute. Here are some pictures of the dogs hanging out during the layover in their crates, in the baggage claim area of PDX.

We gave the dogs a treat to chew during the layover. This turned out to be a big mistake! Tasha got airsick and made a mess in her crate on the way to Honolulu. After checking the dogs back in, we had lunch and waited for our flight to HNL. The Northwest agents at the gate let us know the dogs had been boarded.

The flight went smoothly, with no delays, which was a huge relief. This is another reason why I chose PDX. On at least two previous trips to Hawaii, SFO was often fogged in or the runways were over capacity, so our flight was prevented from landing, and as a result we missed our connecting flight. For this trip, I purposely chose a LONG layover.

When we landed in HNL, it was about 3pm. I was beyond excited to see the dogs. Jay from Aloha Airport Shuttle called my cell as soon as we were on the ground to let me know he was right outside baggage claim. We grabbed our bags as quickly as possible and he zipped us to the Animal Quarantine Holding Facility. Here's a pic of Jay, our hero, and the outside of the Airport Animal Quarantine Station.

Inside the facility, there is a window where we presented our paperwork. All we needed at this point was the health certificate. They had our file ready, showing that we had already paid all fees and presented us with an airport release card to fill out. I've kept the airport release cards because I recall seeing them as a requirement for future trips in and out of Hawaii.

Finally. . . the moment of reunion! The door opened and they wheeled the dogs out to us. They were quickly released into our custody, no muss, no fuss, no quarantine.

Here's Jay loading the dogs into his van, which he thoughtfully prepared by removing the back seats. He also brought us bottled water.

Again, you are not allowed to remove your pets from their crates at all while on airport property. After six hours, they probably had to pee pretty badly so Jay promptly drove us to the nearest park, which is off Sand Island Access Road. On the way there we noticed the unfortunate smell coming from Tasha's crate. She tossed her cookies during the flight from Portland to Honolulu. Think about what to feed your pet before the flight if at all. Here are pictures of their first pee on Hawaiian soil. . .

By the way, peeing is called going shishi in Hawaii. After the pit stop, we drove over the Koolau mountain range to our new home on the Windward side. Danzig set to work marking every coconut palm in sight. We went to the beach immediately, to introduce them to the ocean. The dogs grew up drinking from the rivers of snow runoff on their walks.
They'd never been to the beach before, and didn't know the ocean would be salty! Here's a clip from their first beach walk, and Danzig trying to drink the seawater!
They learned pretty quickly that the ocean is not for drinking.

Almost a year after our move, the dogs still love the beach and get as excited to see the ocean as the first time they every stuck their toes in the sand. Reviewing my previous posts, I realize life has been good since we got here. The nice man we met and photographed on the beach last year, who I referred to as "Mr. Obama" in my early blog post became President of the USA. We've become a happy part of this small beachside community and run into someone or some dog that we know almost everywhere we go. Every day I appreciate my life and feel so lucky to live in Hawaii.

Mahalo for reading along and sharing in our adventure. Aloha!

Aloha! LOST filming site spotted!

Over this weekend I realized that we've been here almost a year. With the summer weather we have been stand up paddling and hiking a lot. Last weekend we walked into another LOST shooting set. See the rear view in the pic? I think it might be some kind of temple where they'll add the top part of it using the computer effects. [UPDATE: after seeing the episode, it was Jacob's Lighthouse!] Last weekend Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof hosted a panel at the Hawaii International Film Festival to discuss ABC's TV show LOST, and Yunjin Kim (Sun), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Terry O'Quinn (Locke) and Michael Emerson (Ben) were there. Yeah, so even though I don't have TV, we watch all the DVD's on the PS3. Gotta love LOST If you live in Hawaii. I may have mentioned this before but several of the actors live in this small town. I've run into Ian Cusack (Desmond) a few times but he told me he won't come to my yoga class because he doesn't like Bikram, the man not the yoga. Oh well.
Over the past several months we had a parade of visitors. That kept us busy as we didn't take any time off work while entertaining the visitors. A couple of avid LOST fans visited, and we took the filming sites tour at Kualoa Ranch. These pics are of Hurley's golf course site, and then a screenshot from the show.














This is the "Tempest" Dharma station from the tour, and how it appeared on the show.




















Our nephew visited alone, he's 9 and flew all by himself from California. Among the fun things we did, he burned out the PS3 by overheating it and wanted to skateboard a lot. Here's a pic I took at Aala Skatepark in Honolulu, and a pic from inside the Atlantis Submarine ride, of a giant sea turtle.















Another set of visitors came in and we went to the Big Island for a mini vacation. We stayed at the Fairmont Orchid. Beautiful.
OK, back to what his blog is about, the doggies. Tasha and Danzig survived the summer heat without air conditioning. However, I wouldn't recommend trying it with arctic breeds. There were a few days where they didn't even want to eat because they were too hot. We will probably install air conditioning before next summer. I am going to post this now and then go back to my last draft about dog travel preparations and the flight itself and finish that up for you. Mahalo for reading!

Final Preparations

When you have all the necessary documents required by the 5-Day or Less Program checklist, get ready to send them to the Animal Quarantine Branch. You can't send them too early, and if you wait until the last minute there will be some scrambling because of everything else associated with travel (such as your own personal things other than the pets). Allow time for getting a money order, going to a notary, and the vet. It's a good idea to call the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture in advance of travel to make sure they received everything.
The links to the checklist, Dog and Cat Import form, and vet instructions for the health certificate can be found at http://move2hawaii.blogspot.com/2008/11/step-1-at-vet.html
I had the Dog and Cat Import Form notarized before sending, as the signature line requires the signature of a notary public or DOA employee. You may want to go to your bank to get a Cashier's Check for the fees because personal checks are not accepted. You can wait to pay at the airport (where credit cards would be accepted), but the forms say that processing will be delayed. I had the Pet names and microchip numbers included on the cashier's checks. We used FedEx to send everything in. The checklist says to make sure they are received more than 10 days before the pet's scheduled arrival.
You are also required to provide a health certificate done within 14 days of arrival in Hawaii. The checklist says "If I did not send an original health certificate . . . when I submitted my other documents, I will provide the health certificate upon arrival. . ." I think it's cutting it close to have the certificate done and then send all the documents in together, so I chose to send all the documents except for the health certificate first. This way I could call ahead to make sure they were received and have enough time to send them again if something happened to them. Make copies of everything before you send it!
Make an appointment with your vet within 14 days of your flight. At this appointment, obtain the health certificate and have your pet treated for ticks (with Frontline or something containing Fipronil). There is a checklist to take to the vet with you available on the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture Website, which I linked to in an earlier post. Carry the original health certificate with you at all times when you travel to Hawaii with your pets and protect it like your passport!
As an additional precaution, we had the vet write a letter regarding the weather restrictions. This was in response to an item on Northwest Airline's checklist to provide certification that the animal could handle cold weather. "To Whom it May Concern, I am writing this letter in reference to (dog description, name). (Dog's Name) has been examined and determined fit for travel. (Dog's Name) is acclimated to weather above 85 degrees and below 45 degrees for short periods of time. If we can be of any further assistance please contact our office at (phone number)."

So if you've completed the checklist, bought the plane tickets, crate trained your pets, tested travel products, all described in detail in my previous posts, time to pack and get ready for the big day!

Dogs can't wipe their feet

Or, at least mine can't. As a result I fight a neverending battle against sandy floors. The dogs had a grooming appointment today. I seized the opportunity by taking them to the beach beforehand, knowing for once I wouldn't have to clean them in the beach shower (I did so anyway, to avoid getting my car all sandy, but not as thoroughly). I also tried to get them to swim in the ocean instead of just walking along the shorebreak. I got in the water myself to swim, Danzig followed me, but when his feet started floating he didn't like it and went back to shore. Tasha got wet, then went back and stood there barking at me. Then they both kept trying to come in but every time a wave came they backed up. Maybe it's that Arctic breeds don't like swimming. Oh well. At least I didn't have to clean up the salty sandy mess they became. While they were being groomed I cleaned and vacuumed. So the clean floors will last a few hours anyway. That's another thing to get used to living in Hawaii, especially if you go to the beach a lot. Dogs can't wipe their feet and will inevitably track sand into the house.

Full Moon Luau, Doggie Acupuncture

Too tired to type today. . .so here are some pictures from last weekend, or maybe the weekend before, it's all a blur :-) Is it summer yet? Seems like it's been here for months. . . Also, went to a chinese doctor for the dogs. They both had acupuncture, so they could romp on the beach with more mobility. Above is a pic of all the needles in Danzig's hips, and the little electrostimulator machine, attached to the needles. I'll post another moving to Hawaii post soon, after I get some sleep. . .

Mahalo!

I am so happy to hear from readers, and especially glad to know that I can provide information to help you bring your pets here happily and safely! You've motivated me to stay home and write a post instead of going to the beach
:-) Doggie health update - no more fleas. hooray. Weather is hot, Tasha got a haircut. Here's a pic of her with a lot less hair, she seems comfy.


Now I'd like to answer some questions here so all readers can benefit from the answers. One friendly reader wanted to know what I taped and attached to the kennel. You might laugh when you see it, but here it is:




Looking inside, you will see that it's carpeted. The light blue around the edges is a puppy training pad. on top is half of an area/bath rug from Costco. The other half is in the other crate. Then I slept in a T shirt for a week without washing it, so it smelled like mommy, and we put it in the crate for something familiar and comforting. And the rope bone is her favorite toy. For the outside:

• I bought zip ties and fastened them through all the holes to make sure the crate would not come apart. The last thing you want is an escaped dog running around an airport runway. Some (maybe all) airlines require you to zip tie the door shut at check-in. That scared me - I would want airline personnel to let them out in case of emergency - so I included scissors in the envelope taped to the back. And extra zip ties, so we could get in and out of the crate during the layover.



• I bought yellow duct tape so I could write information on it. I used a sharpie permanent marker to write the dog's name over the door, our cell phone numbers, our addresses, microchip numbers, flight numbers and airlines and flight times, etc.



• I taped a photo of the dog on top of the crate, with a sign, "Hi, my name is Tasha, I am very sweet and friendly I should be on flight (#) on (date) at (time), being transferred to flight (#) on (airline) at (time). I don't recall exactly, but I think I detailed that she needed to be taken to baggage claim after the first flight and highlighted it.



• Because Danzig has severe separation anxiety, I also taped a photo of both dogs on top of the crate and wrote a sign asking them to "Please keep us together so we can see each other." Those requests are highlighted. I taped all the signs down with clear packing tape. On Danzig's crate I included a note that he is very shy and might growl but not to be afraid of him, he's just scared.



• I used those clear FedEx shipping label holders to include copies of their documents (vet health certificate, quarantine paperwork). I also put the dogs' photographs and signs inside these plastic holders before taping them down in case I needed to edit them before the trip. Everything taped down with clear packing tape. The way baggage is handled, you want everything taped down solid.



• I taped a USPS Priority Mail envelope (made of Tyvek - tough stuff) to the back of the crate. Inside the envelope - waterbites gel (because you can't put gel in your carryon), extra food, extra zipties, scissors, extra duct tape, and those rope leashes you get at the vet for free, just in case. I used a bungee cord to help keep the envelope shut as well as duct tape.



• I placed "LIVE ANIMAL" labels all around the sides with "UP" arrows. The airline travel kit by Petmate comes with some of these labels and the water/food dishes that attach to the door. The labels also have a place for writing feeding/water instructions, which will be specific to your dog or cat. Northwest also provides such a label that you can print from their website.



• I used bike water bottles to hold extra water, after making sure whoever (airline employee) could easily remove the bottle and fit the nozzle through the door/cage holes and squeeze the bottle to dispense water into the dish (in case of a delay). Initially, I bought water dispensers for guinea pigs to attach to the inside of the door, but I couldn't get the dogs to drink and they were leaking so those went back to the store. I bungeed the water bottles to the crate. I also put a strip of duct tape over the bottles on the day of travel to secure them, and we were easily able to take them on and off during the layover to use them. If you don't have bike bottles, Arrowhead and Smartwater make bottled water with squeezy top dispensers.



• We had a special carryon bag just for the dogs. This contained their quarantine paperwork, leashes, treats, medications (TravelEase/ Happy Traveler) and cleaning supplies/poop bags. You don't want them having an accident in an airport without some way to clean it up immediately.



• I got those circular white metal rimmed paper tags - you see them most often used on keychains for identification - and made temporary tags with flight information to put on their collars. I read another suggestion to make collars out of white underwear elastic and write the flight info directly on the elastic to make sure there's no way it will get lost.

• I happened to have extra bungee cords so I used them to fasten the doors shut so they wouldn't swing open during the non-zip tied portions of the journey (overkill and probably not necessary).

Note: Check the airline's weight limits for your dog combined with the crate before adding too much flair!



I know, I went a little crazy on this project. I've seen other dogs traveling with absolutely nothing on their crate but the baggage tag. By the time they're checked in there will be so much more "flair" on the crate because the airline adds their own RED "UP" arrows and other various tags and labels and baggage stickers. So you may want to keep it simple to avoid too much information.
All the embellishments survived the flights. I already posted these pics before, but here they are again, showing the crates coming off the first airplane. Later I'll post pics of the layover, the pet relief area, the quarantine station, the moment we were reunited in HNL, etc.


Note the small cargo door size - a reason to check to see if your crate will fit.





Another question relates to how I "bribed" airline personnel. Well, I didn't really bribe them, and it probably wasn't necessary, but I wanted the pilots to know they were on board and to pay attention to the ventilation systems in cargo. They control the climate and air down there. I also wanted to make sure the flight attendants knew where we were sitting so they could give us the status updates (that the dogs have been boarded) so I wouldn't run screaming from the plane if there was a chance they were lost luggage. I prepared goodie bags with a really cute photo of the dogs. I included a note with the goodie bags (in this case, chocolates) that said the pictured dogs are flying with us today on (detailed flight information) and that we were sitting in (assigned seats) and to please make sure the appropriate ventilation systems/temperature controls were working properly and to let us know any information as it became available. I gave the treats to the pilots/flight attendants as we boarded each flight.

For the question about crate size - I also had the same idea that I wanted my dogs to be as comfortable as possible and be able to stretch out, so I wanted two 500 (extra large) crates for them. See my earlier post http://move2hawaii.blogspot.com/2008/11/some-things-you-might-want-to-start.html
With the airline restrictions, we had to get 400 size, and it turns out that was better. Your pet will want to feel secure and cozy. In the case of turbulence they won't be bounced around as much (remember no seatbelts for dogs). Tasha is the taller dog, and her ears touched the roof while standing, but we had no choice and it worked out being fine. Besides, these crates are a complete bear to lug around, especially two.
I think I already mentioned this, but if your pet hasn't been in a crate before, get one now and start getting them used to it. We even tried to associate them with happy times by loading them in the crates to go on adventurous hikes. We also held "treat time" inside the crates. This way, when it's time to fly, they will hopefully want to go in the crate.

For the question regarding the health certificate, there is an instruction sheet you can take to your vet to have the health certificate prepared. It is located at
http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/AQS-39.pdf
I will go over more details in my future post about final preparations. If you go to http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/aqs-checklist-5.pdf - under step 5, "Documents," it is the third check box requirement.
Whew, pau for today. Mahalo again for your questions and reading along.

Booking your flight(s)

If you've microchipped your pet and had the blood tested and are at the 120 day waiting period stage, it's time to look at flights. One of our anxieties was the long journey because we were not coming from a major hub airport. There was going to be a stopover no matter what. With the layover, your pet could be confined to their crate for 10 hours or more, and airline personnel aren't allowed to open their crates or walk them. You are allowed to write feeding/watering instructions on the crate, but we weren't comfortable with the idea of having them drink water during the trip but not be allowed out to go to the bathroom. A possible alternative is to drive with your pet(s) to an airport with nonstop flights to Hawaii. For example, drive to San Francisco or LAX so they can fly nonstop to Hawaii in only 5-6 hours. Another option is to separate the trip into two parts, stay overnight in the hub city so you can claim your pet from baggage claim, spend time comforting them and assuring them that you will be at the other end of the next plane ride, and ensure an early nonstop flight the next day that arrives relatively early.

Side Note: Make sure you book your flight so it arrives in Hawaii while the quarantine office is open! Otherwise your pet will have to stay overnight at the airport quarantine station.

We decided we wanted to do the whole trip in one day. In my research, every airline told me we would not be able to see our pets during the layover. I believed that only way we could see them was if we booked separate flights on separate airlines, claimed them at baggage claim, then rechecked our bags and dogs for the next flight. This is the way we were going to go. So then I went about researching which airport would be the best place to have a layover with dogs. I checked the temperatures of each airport, because during certain months of the year the airlines have temperature restrictions.

Side Note: Check the average temperatures for the airports around the date you will be traveling at the times you will be there. Check the airline's restrictions for pet travel. With some airlines, if it is too warm or too cold (either at the departure airport or where you will be arriving) they will not allow your pet to be checked in or to board. The crates might spend a long time sitting on the tarmac on a baggage cart outside, especially if there is any kind of delay.

I found that Portland International has a "pet relief area" near baggage claim. We'd never flown through Portland before, but it seemed to have the best chances for acceptable travel temperature (could be too cold in Denver, too hot at LAX) so we went with Portland. I will post some pictures from the layover in Portland.

I should mention the "secret loophole" that I discovered at the end of the flight booking process that saved us a lot of money and enabled us to spend the layover walking our dogs. In my various interrogations of airline personnel during the flight booking process, they were always adamant that we could not see our pets before they were transferred from one plane to the other, no matter how long the layover might be. I researched the different airlines and their track record with transporting pets. They have reports available for fatality rates and incident reports (I know, I went a little overboard). We also had some drinks with a Northwest pilot on our previous trip here at Kaneohe Yacht Club and he explained their entire pet program. They have climate controlled areas for pets and a special "Priority Pet" program. The flights on Northwest would be expensive, over $1000 each, and we couldn't see the dogs between flights. But after we zeroed in on Portland as the layover city, I looked into Alaska Airlines as the first leg of the flight. It turned out that Alaska was just starting to fly to Hawaii. Alaska flies into Portland on their own plane, then continues to Honolulu on an Alaska flight "operated by Northwest." By booking through Alaska, we got the exact same flight from PDX-HNL (which is the most important flight) for over $800 less.

The best part, was when the reservation agent said, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to claim your pets at baggage claim during the layover and re-check them with Northwest." WOO HOO!!!! This is because they are two separate airlines and they didn't want to transfer the dogs directly between planes. So we were going to get the benefits of the Northwest Priority Pet Program while paying for Alaska Airlines discounted airfare, plus we could spend the layover with the dogs. The downside was we had to pay airline pet travel fees to the separate airlines, so their tickets cost more than ours, but not by much.

Side Note: Check the size of the plane you are taking into the hub airport (i.e., not the one that flies over the ocean to Hawaii, but the potentially smaller other plane). Many of the planes flying into Portland have a cargo door too narrow to fit a large crate or only enough cargo space for one or two crates. For example, the plane we took only had room for one extra large crate or two large crates. Make sure you call and reserve the space for your crates when you book the flight!

We had our tickets purchased, and space for the pets reserved on the flights. Time to prepare for the trip!

Step 2 - Microchip and Step 3 OIE-FAVN Rabies Blood Test and Step 4 Waiting. . . .

Aloha, time for some more assistance and advice to anyone trying to move their pets here! Let's continue...

STEP 2 - MICROCHIP

Step 2 is quite simple. Have a microchip implanted in your pet, write down the number, put it in your wallet, in your cell phone, on the crate, scan and rescan it to make sure it works, and have the number handy for your travels and for the paperwork.

STEP 3 - RABIES BLOOD TEST

Don't wait to have this done. This is where things can get complicated if things aren't totally smooth. One of my dogs failed the test and it was a hassle to have him re-vaccinated. We had to make sure the second vaccination was over 90 days from the first one. Luckily he hadn't just been vaccinated at the time of the blood test, but if you are vaccinating for purposes of the test make sure you start early just in case you have to wait another 90 days.

Make sure you look over the vet's shoulder to check all their work. When they send the test to Kansas State (0r DOD), make sure they write "Hawaii" as the destination. This way a copy gets sent to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and your pet's microchip number gets into the system, and you can check their waiting status online.

STEP 4 WAITING PERIOD

The day after the testing laboratory receives the sample is the day the waiting period starts. Your pet can't arrive earlier than 120 days from this date. Also make sure you don't wait more than three years from this date to bring your pet over or you will have to do the test over.

Get a copy of the test and keep it with you. Make sure the microchip number is included and correct. Hawaii should already have a copy by the time you get here, but keep one with you just in case.

You can count the days and figure out the date yourself, but the best source is the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture website. My vet had the wrong date, I had a different (later) date, go figure. So I used the DOA's date and scheduled the flight a few days later just to be safe. For instructions on how to search for your pet's microchip and eligibility date, see http://hawaii.gov/hdoa/ai/aqs/microchip

Aloha for now!

Makapuu Trail and Honolulu Symphony Ball

It's been really windy lately, but we hiked Makapuu anyway since it's whale season. They closed the trail to dogs for a short while, then after much protest from all the dog lovers of Oahu, they reopened it for dogs, as long as we use leashes and pick up (we always do anyway). Here's some pics.

Last night was the Honolulu Symphony Ball. The theme was Ports of Call, and dress was either black tie or ethnic formal costumes. There was a silent and live auction. The man in the striped tux is Jimmy Borges, an extremely talented singer whose work includes tributes to Frank Sinatra (he's the only one ever granted full access to Sinatra's collection), and Tony Bennett once said Jimmy is one of the best singers he's ever heard. He is a legendary jazz artist and his early film career included regular appearances on Hawaii Five-O and Magnum PI. He got up and sang a song for us at the ball. Fun was had by all.

Weekend on Maui

Needed a getaway, so went to Maui for a weekend of snorkeling, whale watching, relaxing. Stayed at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. This photo is the view from the lanai - Ocean Front suite, just about front and center of the hotel, woo hoo! Service is impeccable at the Fairmont Kea Lani, the suites are huge, the beach out front has incredible snorkeling, the swim up bar is a delight, and the whales were going off! Enjoy the photos, I hardly took any because I was underwater most of the time :)

Huge bathroom! This is only half of it, the other half included a giant shower, so big it didn't need a door or curtain.

The adults only pool, peace, quiet, and cabana boys walking around handing out pineapple spears :)

Sunset view from Grand Wailea.