Hawaii Trip Planning Lessons Learned 夏威夷行程计划经验教训

Planning a trip is a long process. It takes time, effort, open mind and team work. Here is our (two people) preparation lessons learned and steps for Hawaii two weeks trip.

1. Use Google document, Google Map sharing feature for the planning. It is very convenient when two people are on very different schedules. Since it is in a central location, both can see the latest information and what needs to be done next (Microsoft Excel Status: Green-Done, Yellow-Need to reserve, Red-don't have plan, Blue - the maybes).

2. TripAdvisor website, any useful online resources will give you a list of "Must-sees" and "Best-of". Do prioritize and select what are the most import to YOU! For example, here is what's important for us:

• Staying in Kauai the longest because we are doing 3 day Napali Coast hiking. Lots of offshore snorkeling and scuba diving. 
• Going to Mauna Kea Summit of Big Island  (13,796 feet or 4,205 meters) to see the sunset then stargazing is a must. So we do this right away when we arrive Hawaii.
• Hiking Stairway to Heaven and Diamond Head is high priority in Oahu.

3. Once you know what you want to do and their locations. Plot on Google Map and divide the activities for each day.

4. Depending on the activities, you need to consider the restrictions. For example, if you want do scuba diving, then should not plan any high elevation hike or flights 18hrs after diving due to risk of DCS (Decompression Sickness. Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decompression_sickness)

5. Online resources are great. But guide books are always useful. We use the books to fine-tune our plan (currently in progress) We borrowed guide books from the local library and bring them with us for the trip. In case we don't have everything print out or no WiFi, we can always have the guide books.

Not all trips need such intensive planning.  The above trip planning methods are only for a place full of different activities and sightseeing spots like Hawaii. It takes a long time for two people. At the end it will be worth while! No matter what, the trip will end up great and create lots of memories!

Do you have trip planning tips to share?

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（中文）
计划行程是一个漫长的过程。需要时间，精力，体谅心态和团队精神。以下是我们（两个人）夏威夷2周之旅准备的经验教训和步骤。

1.  使用谷歌文档，谷歌地图分享功能规划。这非常方便因为当两个人都很忙，聚在一起计划的时间少。文档和地图都存在共享的一个地方，任何人都可以看到最新信息，和还有下一步哪些需要做的。（Microsoft Excel Status: 绿=完成，黄=需要预约，红色=还没有计划，蓝色=也许做的活动）。

2.  TripAdvisor网站，任何有用的在线资源，会给你的“必须看”和“最佳”的名单。优先选择哪些是最合适你的！各花入各眼。例如：

• 对于我们来说，我们在Kauai岛最长。因为我们喜欢3天Napali Coast海岸徒步露营。岛上还有很多海边浮潜和水肺潜水活动。
• 对我们来说，去大岛Big Island的Mauna Kea 峰（13796英尺/4205米）看日落，然后观星是我们做想做的。所以这是我们到夏威夷立即安排的活动。 
• 对我们来说，远足天国阶梯（Stairway to Heaven）和钻石头（Diamond Head）在Oahu岛也是一定要体验的。

3.  当你知道你想要做的和它们的位置，在Google地图和分配每一天活动。

4.  你需要考虑某些活动对别的活动的限制。例如，如果你想要做水肺潜水，就不应计划潜水18小时后做任何高海拔徒步旅行或飞行，这是为了减少患DCS减压病的危险（减压病信息：http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decompression_sickness）

5.  网上的资源超级多。但导游书总是有用的。我们目前正在用导游书微微调整计划。我们的导游书是从图书馆借的。 旅行时也会带。如果旅行中没有我们打印一些资料或没有WiFi，我们手里还有导游书。

不是每次旅行计划都要这样周密的计划。以上行程规划方法仅适用于如夏威夷，一个活动多多和观光景点多多的地方。计划需要很长的时间。但最后值得的！不管是什么，旅途最终会很美好，留下很多的回忆！

你有旅行计划的小窍门吗？

背包客的私人岛体验 - 美国佛罗里达海龟国家公园

想走就走！2012年圣诞节，我们决定要租车开车24 +小时到佛罗里达！
我们的主要目的地是海龟国家公园 (Dry Tortugas National Park)。 （详细：http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm）这是我第二次来佛罗里达。我上次是玩Keys 和 Key West， 错过了海龟国家公园。海龟国家公园是Key West以西70海里的小岛。它以前是一所监狱然后成为了炮台。用渡轮和小飞机可以来到这里。

我们在这岛3天2晚露营12/24号，12/25号，12/26下午离开。 （整个行程两个人就用了400美金多一点！）

我们是坐小轮船到海龟岛的。（详细：http://www.drytortugas.com/key-west-camping）
必须5：30前在渡轮码头报到。地址：Ferry Terminal 100 Grinnell St, Key West, FL. 坐船大约2小时。
停车：City Parking Garage on Grinnell Street 城市停车库。 $ 13 /天。
渡船+营地费用（12/2012的时候）：每人174美元。

费用还包括约一小时的导游。国家公园的导游带游堡垒，并解释了有关该岛的历史。您将了解岛如何得这个名，还有为了救病人但由于病人是林肯杀手而被囚禁Dr. Mudd医生在这里的监狱故事。午餐时间是自由时间，你可以浮潜（包括在费用里），散散步，然后当天下午回去。

我们是露营，所以留下来两晚。因为圣诞假期，我们基本上是和其他5个家庭分享整个岛。很宁静，很有乐趣！一日游的旅客离开了就成为我们的私人岛！我们带了自己的呼吸管和潜水衣（十二月有点冷），所以我们可以任何时间浮潜。

说到露营，岛上没有淡水，所以你需要自己带水，食物，木炭，卫生纸，没有淋浴（还有其它的）。本来我们是可以带新鲜食品类，但贪方便决定带冻干食物。洗碗很简单，海水洗就行。 

你可以在岛上做了很多好玩的！ 

你可以四处走走，赏鸟，拍拍照。

你可以浮潜。 

你甚至可以去钓鱼和划船（其他旅客的照片，你需要自己带设备）。要有钓鱼证和捕后释放。这里可以钓到鲨鱼和巨人石斑鱼 :) 

尽管你是穷游背包客， 还是可以在这里享受一流的私人岛经验！ 

海龟国家公园的夕阳实在是太美了！

Backpacker's Private Island Experience - Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

If you wanna go, go! So for Christmas 2012, we just decided to get a rental car and drive 24+ hours to Florida!

Our main target to visit was Dry Tortugas National Park this time. (Info: http://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm) This was my second time visit the keys. The last time I stopped by all the keys and Key West, and missed out on Dry Tortugas. Dry Tortugas National Park is 70 miles west of Key West. It previous was a prison but became Fort Jefferson. One can get there with ferry or a small plane.

We spent 2 night 3 days in Dry Tortugas camping on 12/24, 12/25, leaving 12/26. (The whole trip was a little over $400 for two people!)

We arrived on Dry Tortugas by Ferry (Info: http://www.drytortugas.com/key-west-camping). 

• Must be at the ferry dock by 5:30 AM. Address: Ferry Terminal 100 Grinnell St, Key West, FL. Ferry ride is about 2 hours.
• Parking: City Parking Garage on Grinnell Street. $13/day.
• Cost of Ferry + Camping (12/2012): $174 per person.

The tour was wonderful, there was a guide from the National Park to show us around the fort, and explained about the history of the island. You will learn about how the island got its name and the story of Dr. Mudd who was prisoned here because he saved the injured assassin of President Lincoln. The lunch time is free time and you can snorkel and walk about the fort and leave on the same day.

Because of the holiday, we basically share the entire island with 5 other camping families. It was peaceful and fun! We loved the idea of camping for a few days because we had the whole island all to ourselves after everyone departed. We did bought our own snorkels and wet suits (it was a little chilly in December) so we can do that any time.

Speaking of camping, there is no fresh water on the island, so you need to bring gallon jars of water and your own food, charcoal, toilet paper, no showers (you get the drill). We could make a nice meals with a cooler full of fresh food but we decided to bring freeze dried food food instead due to convenience. Washing dishes was easy, just wash with the sea water.

You can do a lot on the island!!

You can walk around, bird watching, and take pictures.

You can snorkel. 

You can even go fishing and kayaking (pictures of other travelers. You need to bring your own equipment).

Release after catching. Note: You can see shark & Goliath grouper :)

Anyone can be a budget traveler and enjoy "first class" private island experience here!

The sunset of Dry Tortugas is AMAZING!

Change is Tough 改变是痛苦的

Change is Tough.

After two years and eight months, 288 times of working out at the gym (no including outdoor workout), I finally canceled my gym membership today. (My commute is 50+ minutes, so it is very difficult for me to beat traffic and get to gym without feeling overwhelmed with time management. So I have been workout at the gym at work for the last three weeks. Then I realized that it is time to say goodbye to my current gym.)

I want to write about my feeling today because the moment that the receptionist said "you are all set", I felt sad...

This gym brought out the best of me, I used to make myself go for the gym classes. I became healthier and more confident, then I ran my first half Marathon. My travelling become more and more active and adventurous. Fitness made my life and travel better.

I felt that the gym define who I am today but I am making a change. and the future is uncertain. But I should be Okay. After all this time, working out has been a habit and I learned ways to teach myself be motivated.

One said it only takes 21 days to build a habit, so whatever you are pursuing is possible with a little effort at a time and you will become reach your goal sooner and sooner.

（中文）
改变是痛苦的。

经过两年零八个月，在健身室锻炼的288次（不包括户外锻炼），我今天终于取消健身室会籍。（我上下班是50+分钟一程，所以每次下班后要堵车然后运动，时间管理很难。过去的三个星期我一直在公司的健身室午饭时间锻炼好省时间，然后我意识到，是时候跟我现在的健身室说再见了。）

我今天想写写我的感觉。 因为前台小姐说“一切搞定”那一刻，我感到失落。。。

在健身室练出最好的我，我以前是逼自己去的健身。现在我变得更健康，更自信，今年跑了人生的第一个半程马拉松。运动让我旅行变得越来越活跃和冒险。健身让我的生活和旅行更美好。

健身室定义了今天的我，但现在我要做出改变。而未来是未知。我应该是没问题的。毕竟这些日子，运动已经习惯，我也学会了如何让自己继续努力坚持。

有专家说只需要21天打造一个习惯，所以追求的目标是能够在一点点时间一点点努力地达到。加油吧！