By Wanda A. Adams
Assistant Features Editor

HONOLULU — Back from the Merrie Monarch Festival's Planet Hula, it's like shaking off a dream, realizing that not everyone spent the last week immersed in a world of dance, craft fairs, plate lunches, lei and hair adornments, and coming back to the land of unanswered e-mails and stacks of bills.

I'm stubbornly wearing orchids in my hair to squeeze out the last moments of enjoyment and beauty.

I'm still laughing at the slogan my friend Bonnie kept quoting, "Walk in, hula out."

And I'm working on next year.

If you'd like to attend the festival in 2005, you need to be working on it now, too.

First of all, be aware that Merrie Monarch is very early next year: The three days of hula competition are March 31 to April 2. Easter's actually on March 27. If you want a hotel room, you need to call or write the hotel of your choice now and ask for a wait list reservation sheet. Fill that out and you'll hear from them in September, when they will generally ask for at least a portion of your fee in advance. Many hotels require that the entire bill be paid up front by a date sometime in March (or, if you aren't able to land tickets and decide not to go, they will refund your deposit and cancel your room by that March date).

If you want a car, reserve now. If the car company won't take a reservation this far in advance, make a note of the date on which they will. Or, easier still, contact a travel agent and ask them to handle the hotel and car arrangements for your. Some folks do Merrie Monarch without a car. They take a cab from the airport to their hotel, use the shuttle to get to the competition and walk or take the bus or a cab to craft fairs and meals. It's do-able but a bit more hassle.

Now, for those all-important hula competition tickets. Write to the Merrie Monarch Festival office now to request an application form for next year's festival. You will receive an instruction sheet, a price list and a diagram of the Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium so you can select your seats. (Hint: The best sight lines and most comfortable seats are Sections VR and VL and sections G and H, which look directly at the front of the stage and are above the floor so no one's in front of you. The best side views are Sections N and NR row 1 from about seat 15 to 45, which are on the floor but right at the stage, and Sections B, C, K and L, which are elevated and on the side.)

You must wait until the specified date to send in your ticket application, usually Dec. 26 or some date right after the holidays. Those postmarked before that date are not considered. Be aware that Merrie Monarch does not accept credit or phone charges; money orders are best. They allot tickets in the order received until all 2,700 or so available seats are gone and tickets are mailed to you, usually in January; unfilled ticket requests are returned. No tickets are required for the Wednesday night Ho'ike, which is free, and tickets for the Thursday Miss Aloha Hula performance are generally readily available at $5 per person, though the best seats are snapped up fast.

The three-night package is still a steal at about $25 per person, but you can only order two sets per envelope, so if you are going with a group, you'll need to copy the forms and plan accordingly. Merrie Monarch Festival Office, c/o Hawaii Naniloa Resort, 93 Banyan Drive, Suite 234, Hilo, HI 96720. Phone: (808) 935-9168. Fax: (808) 969-3058. No e-mail address. Check Merrie Moanarch's Web site for information www.merriemonarchfestival.org.

You should also plan your Merrie Monarch survival kit:

• Flat, soft cushion if you're in folding chairs; cushion with seat back if you're on the risers or in the stands.
• Umbrella and/or rain poncho.
• Rubber slippers (so you can splash through the puddles and mud in the parking area, then put on your nice shoes or slippers when you get to the stadium).
• Binoculars, if you're not sitting up close (and even if you are, so you can see what flower the lei is).
• Light sweater or jacket or shawl in case it's chilly. Some people bring a kapa (light fabric throw or quilt) to spread over their knees.
• Tote bag and/or pack for all your stuff. You're not supposed to bring food in, by the way, but there's plenty local-style food for sale there. (Actually, lots of people bring water, coffee or small snacks, but if you hauled in a cooler or a big bag of plate lunches from elsewhere, you'd get busted.)
• Camera. NO flash.
• Ear plugs if you're sensitive to noise (for kahiko night and general crowd buzz).
• Sunglasses (the lights really glare and some people get headaches).
• Money, lots of money. For craft fairs, food, lei and hair adornments, your Merrie Monarch T-shirt, poster and tote.

Now it's time to say Aloha Kakou, malama pono, a hui hou!