ALOHA AND MAHALO HAWAII

Its a funny thing, time. The closer you get to the end of a holiday the faster it accelerates….. and so, here we are on Erin’s last day, looking at each other and thinking, really is that all?  Has it gone already? She flies out this evening, and we fly out tomorrow morning meaning there may be a few tears in the lobby in a few hours time.

Yesterday was a quieter day…..trolley car bus thing down to the huge shopping centre (The Plaza on steroids) where the girls browsed and I beat a hasty retreat after lunch in the food court to wander along the foreshore and through the marina looking for some photo opportunities. Nothing really in the way of shots, but my goodness, the Hawaii Hilton is a monstrous set up. I must have accidentally found my way into the many, many acres of manicured lawns, condos and silver service restaurants as I made my way back up to Waikiki along the beach. Not too shabby!

Somehow we found ourselves back at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner last night. A number of the party had “unfinished business” with the cheesecakes it is renowned for, and were keen for another go. At our last visit we were informed that they’d just run out of the actual variety they craved and, would they care for the plain one? Not Happy Jan!

Apparently the “s’mores” cheesecake is To Die For….and that is exactly what would happen if you made a habit of dining there and chowing down on those huge slices of that delicacy. Everything is bigger in America!

So here we are, coming to grips with the end of our holiday …..packing bags, checking-in, checking-out completing our confusing and clunky DPD app (Australian Border Force requirement to re-enter Australia) and generally mooching around in anticipation of the eventual separation. It’ll be difficult….. but its been nice…..a week together in a tropical paradise.

Before we have to go however, we decided to take some “keepsake” shots of us together in various parts of our hotel. 

The girls on the pool deck. We didn’t really spend time here. It’s nice enough, but we preferred swimming in the ocean. It was very popular with the “young, partying” crowd though!

There were cabanas that could be hired for the day with ample food and beverages supplied from the bar located in the pool deck area. A few sunburns as well I reckon.

Deck chairs around the “infinity” pool. There could be some “distractions” to the view occasionally 😂

The girls in the foyer. 

Unexpectedly, we had timed it just when the divers were cleaning the tank windows. They did wave when they saw us taking photos and spent a few extra minutes so they would be “in shot”.

A farewell selfie…..until we can be together again.

HOLIDAY HIKING

 It was Erin’s idea, she’s done it before

To scale Diamond Head of Hawaiin lore,

As our time on the island is slipping past.

Three out of Five were up for the task

But the others thought…..no, no, it’s too big an “ask”

So we rode to the park in the tropical air, 

But what we didn’t see coming ….were all those stairs!!

Another beautiful day in paradise, and on Erin’s suggestion from previous visits, we headed up to Diamond Head, that famous dominant feature of the landscape from Waikiki Beach. Michael, Erin and me….off on a tropical climbing adventure.

Selfie on the Summit!

It’s only two or three miles away from Waikiki but we figured…..warm weather, uphill walk, time….why bust ourselves….so we caught a taxi to the entrance to the park to begin our trek. 

This was not a novel idea. Oh no, there were people, many people everywhere. Some going up, and lots coming down… some doing it easily and some, questioning their own sanity about such an undertaking….and some….well there is a helicopter landing pad and I bet it has been used for medivacs more than once!

The track wound through the ancient dry base of the caldera switchbacking up the quite steep sides until it had to be stairs…no other way….stairs and a tunnel cut through the tuff……..and not really a generously proportioned tunnel. In the end the stairs weren’t so bad…a hundred or so maybe and the bottlenecks gave us a chance for a breather now and then.

But the view, well on such a gorgeous day it was really worth the climb. With viewing platforms located on top of the old military bunkers, we were treated to 360 degrees of scenery, of Waikiki, of the south shore of Oahu right out to Maui in the far distance. It was really quite speccy, and hence the popularity.

Almost at the top and the last stairs. Michael was waiting for us there.

Erin with cousin Becky…..in spirit. 

The caldera from the air. The climb is from the buildings in the caldera to the rim at the far left of the shot. (Not my shot….google!)

The view. Quite magnificent!

 

MIXING HOLIDAYING AND HISTORY

After a birthday brunch at Eggs ‘n Things (and, after much anticipation, it turned out to be just OK) and after her massage at the Park Hyatt, the birthday girl was treated to dinner at PF Changs, which was really very, very good. Right from entering, and winding up the gloomy, arty stairs, the decor set the ambience. The service was professional with just the right amount of attention, the drinks first class (the Old Fashioned with smoked whisky was first class)…..and the food…..just BELLISSIMO!!  Yum Yum😘😋 

I think the accepted term is that we “pigged out” and if it is not, then that is just what we did! Finished off with a “Great Wall” slab ….yes slab of chocolate cake, like, the size of a small handbag…..as well as a plate of banana fritters. (That “like” I put in there was for Maurits). I’m not really a cake person but it was also very, very good. And then we collected our goods & chattels and “waddled” back home😂. 

And, being sufficiently “lubricated”, and, with our inhibitions lowered, we took selfies and chatted to locals along the way about their scooter riding, surfboard riding very clever little Jack Russell. A successful celebratory evening we all agreed!

Eggs Benny Brunch overlooking Waikiki Beach. Ooh, we really should have shared!

Birthday dinner with all the trimmings - sooooo delicious!

After yet another leisurely start (is it still breakfast at 10.00am?) we headed off  for our visit to Pearl Harbour which we have seen before but Mike and Wendy haven’t…..which was my excuse for going again. Sometimes going back to places can produce disappointment but this place, like Cape Canaveral and the Canberra War Memorial I could never tire of. Maybe its just me.

Serendipitously, as we were waiting in the lobby for members of the party to make use of the “powder room”, the daily feeding of the fish in the huge aquarium happened to occur. Beautiful, graceful and quite unexpected in the lobby of a hotel.

Feeding the fish in the huge aquarium tank. Lovely to watch.

Not everyone is interested in WW2 history but if nothing else, a visit to Pearl Harbour highlights some of the clear strengths of America. They don’t forget - they do museums and parades really well - and, they are still the world’s biggest Superpower. The extent of the military in Hawaii is staggering and their air and naval presence on this fortress of an island…….intimidating.

There were crowds, but not outrageous…except to go on the tender boat out to the Arizona Memorial. We have been there before and it is moving, but I just couldn’t get tickets. I tried from Australia, I tried from Hawaii but just no luck so when we saw that the “standby” line was about a hundred metres long we decided that the model in the museum would have to do. Besides, it was raining lightly and would not have been the best conditions to be there.You can see it though, from the bridge over to Ford Island on the way to see the battleship Missouri, which is what we did, sans Erin and Wendy B who elected to stay in the museum area.

It is a mighty impressive “piece of kit” that Missouri and we spent a good couple of hours exploring its many features. 1940’s engineering still relevant in the gulf war and serving in Korea, Vietnam and WW2. The navigation Deck was quite amazing with the huge turrets fore and aft and the wheelhouse enclosed in a bunker of steel, feet thick. No place for anyone not comfortable in small, tight spaces. 

She was a major player in the history of WW2 and it was on her deck where the Japanese surrender was signed in 1945. But the most fascinating aspects are how the 2000 strong crew lived and worked when she served. Without putting too fine a point on it, the officers had pretty OK digs….the enlisted sailors…not so much. Their bunks, called “coffin lockers”, were just like that, banks of units like filing cabinets stashed in every nook and cranny of the ship.

They are very proud of their history, the Americans, and it shows in the way they revere that terrible blow to their military and country in 1942 through such a museum as Pearl Harbour.

 

A large navy warship leaving port. It was quite evident that Pearl Harbour seemed empty. The guides on the ship confirmed that most of the fleet was out…on manoeuvres…..submarines as well.

The view from the Navigation Deck. This ship was designed for one purpose - to project the power of  America.

The Battleship Missouri from the foredeck….just massive!

THEY SAY ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY! With apologies to Lennon/McCartney

It’s Saturday over here and tomorrow is Wendy’s birthday. There is also a festival in town which makes booking restaurants problematic, but we have managed to book a nice one, P F Chang’s, for her special day. The girls should be relaxed after their “mother daughter” massage (a gift from Nick and Erin) at the Park Hyatt, around the corner from us.

After our “intense” double Wednesday, we had a chill out Thursday (shopping, swimming, relaxing) and were all set for our Waikele outlet shops/golf visit. It hadn’t occurred to me before, but Mike was musing (after we dropped the girls at the shops and drove 100 metres around the corner to the beautiful, manicured, tropical course) …..was it excellent, inspired planning ….or just dumb luck? I mean a golf course next to shopping outlets….genius!

Waikele golf course is magnificent! We played nine holes and weren’t disgraced by any means. Long manicured fairways, no rough and generous, true greens. Heaven! Could have easily played 18 but time was a factor.

Waikiki is renowned for sand, sun, surf and fun but also its food. Anyone who has visited the US knows that servings are, well….generous. It is a tourist town and the selections of eateries is vast but there is the problem of crowds, so lining up is a “thing” much of the time. Wendy A and I both vote to go back to Lulus during our stay, as much for the food and atmosphere, as for the view. And what a scene it is as the tropical sun slowly sinks behind the palms into the Pacific. Speccy!!! 

Speaking of which, cocktails and a cheese platter at Rumfire in the Sheraton down the road and overlooking Waikiki beach as the sunset glows is pretty fine also.

The sunset view from Lulu’s. It was a more traditional, open air establishment with great food, atmosphere…and that view!

“ Our traditional 5pm staff meeting” this time at the Rumfire. The view, the drinks and the service….outstanding!

We have planned to make our “activity” days in the middle of the trip so yesterday it was a drive to the North Shore around the top of the island to check out the more rural and scenic aspects of Hawaii.

The Dole pineapple plantation was a stop along the way, as was a small rustic coffee plantation…not quite as commercialised as the Dole, but still popular. We stopped a couple of times at beaches in the Waimea Bay area, and lunched at the touristy Kualoa Ranch (of Jurassic Park fame) which has also become much more commercialised since we last visited in 2010. The scenery however, has not. The local area, the little townships and the roads are much busier now, but the beautiful turquoise water, the crashing surf on the cliffs and reefs, and the towering, jagged lush green peaks of this northern part of the island are still  quintessentially Hawaii.

The craggy, volcanic peaks behind the Kualoa ranch. Impressive!

The North Shore is renowned for its huge waves of 6 metres and more in December and January when the “Big Wave” competitions are held. Waimea Bay and the Bonsai Pipeline are names that are big in the surfing culture vernacular and many Australian surfers have been successful here.

Spots like this are common and there were lots and lots of locals out picnicking and fishing on their weekend. 

OUR HULA HOLIDAY

Thanks to Covid-19 it’s been three years of dashed plans and ongoing disappointments but here we are, at last, in downtown Waikiki waking up from our first, very long and taxing day of travel….to the sights sounds and temperature of this beautiful tropical island. And it sure does seem strange.

After jumping all the hurdles and requirements to travel these days (ESTA applications, Vaccination certificates, PCR tests, Attestation documents and the rest) we finally boarded QF103 bound for Honolulu to begin the journey.

It was really an opportunity to catch up with Erin, but also to get back into that travel experience. We haven’t seen Erin since 2018 and the suggestion was that we meet in Hawaii (half way between Sydney and Vancouver) for a week of family and fun …..in the sun. And Mike and Wendy, who haven’t been to Hawaii before, were “up for it” as well. The firm back together.

All was quiet at the airport (unusually quiet after the Easter debacle) and we were also afforded the luxury of the Business Lounge as the two Wendys were travelling Business class as birthday gifts. And the boys were in cattle class….say no more!

It was only 9.5 hours but it was a reminder of the rigours of hurtling through space at 39000 feet and 900 kilometres per hour, with 250 or so other souls, cramped up in miserably tiny seats, wearing masks and suffering in silence. We’ll, not exactly silence! When the powdered eggs and chorizo sausage for breakfast came out there were a few exclamations….and not just from me! 

But we survived and arrived, safe but somewhat “second hand”. Cleared customs, found  a taxi and in no -time we were deposited in the foyer of our very nicely appointed and recently renovated hotel, the ‘Alohilani Resort. It overlooks Waikiki Beach…and even has bidets!?🤔

There she was to meet us, our “prodigal daughter”, with gifts and leis and lots of hugs and kisses. So nice to be back together in person. She hasn’t changed, but apparently we have “aged”….not surprising after that flight! Jet lag will do things to you, even travelling Business, but, having arrived before we left (yes, that International Date Line takes some serious thinking about) and feeling a little “less than fresh”, we proceeded to pack two Wednesdays into one.

We spent the rest of the day catching up, orienting ourselves and recovering as best we could. Lunch at the “Cheesecake Factory” and, after a swim at the beach and an arvo rest, an American sized dinner at a flash bakery in the old International Market Place. It has been demolished and re-vamped since 2012 when we were here last. Very noticeably “up market”. During the day I was disappointed that the man with the Macaw on his shoulder who loitered around the entrance cadging tips from tourists for photos with a macaw seemed to have disappeared, along with the demolition of the old Market Place. But, in the evening, I was relieved to see the birds back …… and even more of them. They also seem to have become more “up market”. 

It was also time to come to terms again with this tipping business, and that peculiar American “dance” that is…..paying the bill. But, when in Rome….

I wasn’t intending to Blog this time, but this morning, after a very good night’s rest and early investigation  of the area……and after a morning coffee and croissant whilst gazing out at the view of the beach from our room, it just seemed….well, appropriate.

Today is a “free” day. Late get up, brunch and do whatever you want,  but over the next few days there are some activities planned…..maybe involving outlets shopping….and golf….but more of that later….as time permits.

The view from our room.

The Lobby

Waikiki Beach at sunset…strolling to dinner.