Tuesday, I&#39;ve been so blessed, since my high school days, to have friends from Hawaii...and have <br />been there at least 20 times over the years, not cruising.  In fact, I got to discover San Francisco, during a five hour layover, en route to Hawaii during my first and second year of nursing school at<br />Charity in New Orleans.  I knew from that cab ride around SF that I would live there some day.<br /><br />Last year, on my birthday cruise from Ensenada to Hawaii, a forensic nurse colleague in Hilo, picked us up at the pier, laden with leis and goodies from the Big Island Cookie Company, then we went to see her SART program first, then had lunch at the Hilo Country Club and had a personalized tour.  In Oahu, I stayed a couple of days at the end and my friend, Wareen Fukushima, took me to all my favorite places on Oahu.  I LOVE visiting the Byodo-In Buddhist Temple in Kaneohe which is a replica <br />of the Byodo-In temple near Kyoto, built in 1052 which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  It is a beautiful place of peace and tranquility, and is so lovely, especially if fog is rolling over the cliffs<br />behind.  It also holds the a Lotus Buddha, the largest buddha carved in over 900 years.<br /><br /><a href="http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2916113550011358559VRaGct" target="_blank"><img src="http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/27685/2916113550011358559S425x425Q85.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>  <br /><br />I rarely purchase ships tours, except in places like Vietnam, mainly because I like to linger at special<br />places but, of course, the ship will NOT wait for you if you are late.  I just hate being herded onto and off of buses, with very little time to explore and enjoy what I am seeing.  I usually see cruising as an opportunity for a taste of something to return to for further adventure.