Aloha
2!/05/2010 Anniversary day, One year of our odyssey, It started at 7 am in Fiji with a breakfast Mama had prepared of 2 extra slices of toast, a special treat as we were leaving, The lovely Mama let us keep our room at no extra price as our plane didn't leave until 9 pm. The plane left on time and we travelled back in time crossing the international date line, and landing in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii at 7am on the 21st May again, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners, Hard work being a Time lord.(especially in America " how do you want your eggs, blah, blah, blah, Toast, Brown, White, with seeds, without, wheat, gluten free on so on ? the list is endless, no wonder they expect a tip)
We encamped ourselves in Waikiki, All the hotels are enormous concrete high rises, It all seemed a little strange and built up at first, after palm trees and thatch bures of Fiji. Oonagh was happy though, Hot water, In room TV in time to watch the last episode of Lost ,fittingly filmed here on Oahu, The shopping is meant to be second only to Rodeo drive and very expensive, (We will let you know next update, oh lucky me!!).Anyway after no shops for weeks Oonaghs well happy just to look in the windows.
The Japanese are here in force as the islands biggest tourist contingent, All armed with their digital cameras, Posing and posturing, even stopping in the middle of the road for a photo shot, Peace and love V posing, the new no worries hand sign, and then checking to make sure its taken just right. All very entertaining Amazing what they can find interesting enough to take a photo of. We have been told they are the new big spenders in the designer shops.
24/05/2010 We took the local bus to Pearl harbour (Buses with air con and windows) a full day visiting the USS Bowfin submarine nicknamed the pearl avenger, the USS Missouri battleship where the Japanese W11 surrender was taken ( I did look good in the captains chair) and the USS Arizona sunken war grave sitting just below the surface and clearly visible.( now that we are fully fledged navy seals ? We wished that it was possible to dive)
After couple of beach days watching Surf competitions (even the under 5s are better than we are ever likely to be) and the Hawaii 5 0 outriggers crashing through the waves (you can't help humming the tune) we did our first wreck and deepest dive so far on an artificially sunk Navy landing craft at 28m, followed by a reef dive, Huge turtles and reef sharks, we even saw our first octopus and lots of colourful fish. Mermaid girl lost her sea legs and became sickly girl (seasick)
29/05/2010 We did the island tour, Film sets of Jurassic park, Lost, Beach from Here to Eternity love scene, Many vantage points for dramatic photos (You have to keep the Japanese happy). North shore beaches where the top surfers ride 30ft waves, Some even break across the road and through the fire station in rough weather, The whole Obama thing (born, school, sister house etc) and the dole pineapple plantations.
Most of our time we have spent on Waikiki beach doing what we do best.(the tans are looking mighty fine)
Would we come back ?, If we wanted a commercialized beach holiday then yes. But to be honest probably no. Now we have crossed the international date line and now starting the return leg, Our plans keep changing daily and hopefully with many more adventures in front of us, Let the homeward journey begin.
　

Ahui hou the Chaffer's