2008 marks the 20th consecutive year that 10/11 news has teamed up with Holiday Vacations out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Lance Schwartz went on the 77th 10/11 trip.

Aloha! It's almost 4,000 miles from Nebraska to Hawaii, but it is well worth the long plane ride. What made our journey that much more satisfying for my brother Reed and me was that we got to meet 25 new friends, or cousins as the natives might say.

It's easy to see why 10/11 viewers have been heading to the islands for two decades now. They don't call it paradise for nothing.

There's a lot of good examples of why tourism is the number one source of revenue for Hawaiians. They know how to throw a party, or luau if you will. There was music and dancing around ever corner and our talented bus drivers were proud of their aloha spirit.

The motto in which they live by is short and to the point -- just hang loose.

The first stop on the island of Oahu was an important one. The U.S.'s Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor is a must-see for 1.6 million visitors a year.

Since 1941, oil from the sunken battleship has been bubbling to the surface of Pearl Harbor. The black tears, as they call them, have served as a constant reminder of that day that will live in infamy.

Another must-see for tourists is the Polynesian Cultural Center. The PCC is a living museum of Polynesian Island history and is Hawaii's number one paid attraction.

Our first dip into the warm Pacific Ocean waters came on Waikiki Beach near Diamond Head.

After a couple of days in Honolulu, we flew to the big island, probably best known for Volcanoes National Park. White clouds of volcanic activity were everywhere, and the best way to check out the big island is on a helicopter tour.

From an actual lava tube, we traveled along the island's southern coast where we saw a sea turtle sunning itself on the black sand beach.

Our final stop was on the island of Maui. Incredible sunsets are an everyday occurrence and warm tropical breezes are the norm.

Some absolutely amazing scenery to say the least, but what made this trip so memorable was the people in our group my lasting impression is how two dozen strangers came together and in just a week and a half and managed to form many lasting friendships.

On behalf of my brother, we'd like to say mahalo, or thank you, to all of our new friends for letting us experience such a great time with you in paradise.