ISLAND HOPPING
Mokihana festival will celebrate culture and keiki
Tickets are on sale now for the Kaua‘i Mokihana Festival, a week-long celebration of Hawaiian culture from Sept 16-22.
The theme — Year of the Na Kamali‘i — focuses on the younger generation with a schedule of educational lectures, music and hula competition at locations around the island.
For a full schedule of events, visit www.maliefoundation.org. A Mokihana Pass is available for $60 and grants admission to multiple events. Tickets cost $10 for children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 at most events.
Tickets are available at Vicky’s Fabrics Kapaa (822-1746), Kaua‘i Beach Resort, Lihue (246-5515) and Kaua‘i Music and Sound, Kapaa (823-8000).
For more ticket information, please call 652-4497 and ask for Iwa Dawbarn.
Experts to lead tidepool walk under the stars
Marine educators will conduct a Moonlight Tidepool Exploration at a South Maui tidepool beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10.
This event is recommended for people ages 6 and over. Participants are asked to wear sturdy shoes and bring a flashlight. Refreshments will be provided.
The cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child. Advance reservations required.
The tidepool tour is sponsored the Pacific Whale Foundation and Mana Kai Maui Resort. For reservations, call 249-8811 ext 1.
GLOBE TROTTING
Safari, amusement park to combine
Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey is combining its animal safari with its amusement park, the company said Thursday.
The drive-thru safari in Jackson Township, about 50 miles southwest of New York City, is ending Sept. 30. Next year, guests will be driven through a revamped safari area on park-provided open-air vehicles.
The current Wild Safari attraction will undergo a massive renovation after it closes its gates for the 2012 season this fall. There will be a redesign of various simulated natural habitats and the creation of Camp Aventura, the main stop along the off-road excursion.
When the renovation is completed, Six Flags Great Adventure will cover 510 acres, said a spokeswoman for the park. The largest theme park in the world currently is Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one of four theme parks in Disney World, at 500 acres.
Many are wary of business travelers
When you travel for business, you may work hard and live a clean life, but most people suspect you are drinking, cheating on your spouse and stuffing your face with fatty foods.
That’s the conclusion of an online survey of more than 2,000 adults taken by Harris Interactive on behalf of On24 Inc., a San Francisco webcasting and virtual events company.
The survey found that 94 percent of those surveyed said "bad behaviors" take place among people who travel to business trade shows and conventions. The behavior, according to those who took the survey, included heavy drinking (77 percent), cheating on a spouse (66 percent), spending too much money (54 percent) and eating fatty foods (53 percent).
U.S., Russia will ease visa process
MOSCOW » A U.S.-Russian agreement on simplifying the countries’ visa program will go into effect Sept. 9.
The start date was announced Wednesday by the U.S. Embassy.
The agreement allows Russians and Americans to get three-year multi-entry visas under which they can stay for up to six consecutive months. It also eliminates Russia’s requirement that visitors get a letter of invitation, although tourists will still need to show advance accommodation bookings.
