Spending Time with Ang

Thank you all so much for your posts! I love them! Please keep them coming, as the only form of communication I get from home is through the internet.
So, after 2 weeks of Island hopping around Hawaii, we made it to Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu on July 2nd, in time for the July 4 fireworks on the night of July 3rd. They were amazing - very patriotic (it's the States). We went hiking, snorkeling, and up to the top ofc the world's TALLEST mountain (dormant volcano, Mauna Kea) in Hilo (on the big Island), snorkeling in Molokini, shopping and swimming in Lahaina, Maui, more hiking, swimming, and surfing on the Island of Kauai (my favourite), and now we are in Honolulu, where we have been for over a week, and won't be leaving until this Friday, July 13th, to begin Leg 2 - on our way down to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, and Tahiti.
I have loved sailing around the Hawaiian Islands, but after being in Honolulu for so long, I feel ready to leave and head out onto the open water again (for about another 2 weeks before we hit land). Gillian and I have been very busy shopping and restocking the boat for food and provisions for this next Leg of our Offshore journey. We have really been enjoying our time in port, and just getting to shop and hang out, spending thousands of dollars (not our money) on food. We are having a great time looking for shopping places, walking around, and learning how much to get of each item. Looking forward to going down South and over East where stores will be harder to find the things we need.
The Leg 1 trainees left yesterday, and Leg 2 trainees arrive on the 12th (Thursday) to leave the next day. All of us crew get 2 days off, and these two days in between Legs (the 10th and 11th) are holiday time for me, Gillian, and Jose (one of the first mates). I am spending these two days with Ang Haugo, who is living in the Big City here with her boyfriend, Domi. She has been great, coming by the ship to say Hello and pick me up, bring me back to her place to take a bath, check Email, go shopping, and show me the sights of Honolulu. She also did my laundry, booked me an appointment at the spa, and gave me a few bath "goodies" that I can use on the boat! She is so amazing, and sweet, and has been so incredibly generous and hospitable for me! I am really looking forward to these 2 days off and get time off the boat and a chance to look around the Island.
Karen had her two days off on the weekend, so Sunday (one of my days off of cooking duties), we went to Pearl Harbor and got the whole tour and went out on the boat to see the sunken U.S.S. Arizona, then took the bus to Waikiki, went out for sushi, shopped, laid on the beach, went swimming, tanned, wrote some postcards, went out for dinner, and then to see the new movie, "Transformers". Karen had already seen it, but she said she didn't mind seeing it again because it was so good. I was pleasantly surprised - a very good action movie. Cheasy in some parts, but it had the comedic, romantic breaks that were needed. I highly recommend it!
Other than that, everything else is going well! The weather is very hot here, so it should come at no surprise that I am really looking forward to sailing again and getting some sort of breeze, however warm it may be. Skipper is reminding us of how hot the tropics will be, and that as we travel further south, it will just get more humid and more difficult to stay cool - oh great! As if the galley isn't hot enough already! We are process of looking for fans for our cabin and for the Galley, so Gillian and I can stay a little bit cooled. I am doing very well, healthy and mentally stable, and I am enjoying every new experience there is.
Ang and I are off to the spa, so I have to take a shower quick before we leave. Thank you again for all your comments and prayers. They are much appreciated! I miss you all, and hope to post pictures soon...! Love to you all!