I wanted to go to the Honolulu Zoo to see the live Hawaiian music, but we were told that the rain was island-wide. So, we decided to keep it local and took a leisurely drive around the area - stopping wherever took our fancy. Our first stop: a swim in the saltwater pool of a local condo where Maria has the keys to a place she looks after for a friend. We've been swimming there almost everyday now. Maria does a whopping 60 laps and I potter about with my makeshi...

Maria had a seminar in Honolulu so she dropped me off at Waikiki. I went for a morning swim at a small beach near the War Memorial called San Souci. It's known as the "gay" beach and it's off the main stretch of Waikiki - closest to Diamondhead. The water was calm and the beach was nice and quiet (in comparison to the craziness of the main drag further down the main beach of Waikiki). I bumped into Jennifer, a friend of Maria that I'd met on my previous trip to ...

Ate a packed picnic lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon with Maria chilling and swimming at Kualoa Beach Park which is situated across the bay from the Chinaman's Hat. There's a quieter section out back and we were the only people there except for a couple of fishermen and the local stand-up paddle-boarders. The water was turquoise and calm and we lay on the beach right at the water's edge. Aaahhh, this is the life...

First full day in Hawaii and I feel right at home with my wonderful friend Maria. We met 15 years ago at a bedsit in Earl's Court - 'fresh off the boat', so to speak. We have remained friends since then and have travelled to many countries together. Yesterday she picked us up at the airport with some fragrant leis and a huge smile - what a gal! Today we went on, what would turn out to be, one of several shopping trips to Ross. I love Ross - it's a shop that I al...