Hawaii
Tuesday:
It’s an 8 and a half hour flight to Honolulu, but along the way we cross the international date line and land 14 hours before we took off. We get to have Tuesday over again. Amazingly enough for the USA we’re out of the airport within 15 minutes of landing, having cleared both customs and immigration and picking up our luggage. We get a shuttle bus to our hotel. It’s too early to check-in, but we dump off our suitcases and head out for a couple of hours.
We’re not sure what to expect of Waikiki but first impressions are good. It’s big and it’s busy, but everything is clean and well-maintained and every shop you could possibly want is here. Oh, and gloriously sunny too, but we’ve almost started to take that for granted. We’re a bit too tired to take it all in and we don’t even make it down to the beach. After a short stroll and some lunch we head back to the hotel for an afternoon nap.
Feeling only somewhat refreshed we eventually brave the somewhat carnival atmosphere on the streets to grab some cheeseburgers across from the beach before deciding we definitely need more sleep.
Wednesday:
We set out to explore properly today. First stop: the beach.
Yes, it’s a little busy, but it’s also long, palm-lined and lapped by turquoise waters. Oh, and there’s surfers everywhere. There are skyscrapers, but there are also lots of grassy green parks and plenty of open space.
We have a swim and try to look glamorous, then pay homage to Duke Kahanamoku (pretty much the father of modern surfing).
We find a sandwich shop and enjoy a picnic in the shade of swaying palm fronds, then keep walking until we’ve just about run out of beach and are hot enough for another swim. Once we’ve tired ourselves out with the walk back we do a little bar-hop along the beach watching the sunset. I can’t resist the ridiculous cocktails or anywhere with cheesy live Hawaiian music.
As night falls we find a pub/restaurant for pints of just about any beer you can think of and ridiculously large portions of food.
Janet adds: forgot how much I love American food (apart from the super-sizedness): sweet potato fries and pickles with practically everything.
Thursday:
We decide to be a bit more energetic today and walk over to Diamond Head for the climb up the volcanic crater. It’s almost 3 miles to the base of the crater and then a short, steep climb to the top. We’re rewarded with panoramic views over Honolulu, making it well worth the slog.
We also get our first glimpse of some native Hawaiian birds. They tend to look like they’ve had accidents with paint pots: solid bright reds, yellows or greens.
We break up the long walk back with a stop at the beach for a swim. I’m lured into Yoghurtland. It’s brilliant: a help yourself frozen yoghurt shop with about 10 different flavours, countless toppings and you pay by weight. The round trip is over 7 miles, so by the time we get back to our hotel we’re ready for a bit of a relax.
In the evening I drag Nick out for some more sunsets and cheesy music. We’re hoping to catch the legendary Auntie Genoa Keawe – a 90 something falsetto singer - but she died about 3 years ago (that's what happens when you use an out of date guide book).
Janet adds: I’d like to be tackling Ohau a bit more head on, but my body is objecting (probably at being slam-dunked into a kayak once too often) and demanding a slower pace. Oh, the joys of being over 30… (on the plus side, we get id-ed every time we order a drink, I might become an alcoholic just for the ego rush).
Friday:
It’s our last day on Ohau and we probably should be ambitiously exploring. Instead we decide to just enjoy being in Waikiki. We spend the day shopping, eating in the restaurants and watching crap American TV. Tomorrow we’re heading to the Big Island where we’ll have a whole week of exploring.
Janet adds: I got respect for my tan today. In a surf shop. In Honolulu. Oh yeah.
Saturday:
We asked the front desk to order us a taxi to the airport this morning. We’re mortified when a massive, white stretch limo turns up. Nevertheless, there’s nothing to do but pull our caps down over our eyes and slink in. This is how Waikiki rolls.
It’s only a 30 minute flight over to Kona on Hawaii (otherwise known as the Big Island) – the kind that goes straight up and then straight back down again. The Kona airport is in the middle of a lava field. It’s a pretty bleak and eerie landscape. It’s also my first open-air, outdoor airport. That’s got to say something about the weather.
We pick up a car and start driving north. We’re headed for Hilo, on the other side of the island. We could’ve flown straight there, but thought it would be more interesting seeing the scenery on the way round. At first there’s not much to see – it’s pretty much semi-desert, with the odd irrigated oasis signalling where the big resorts are. Soon we turn inland and start crossing over to the ‘wet’ side of the island. The dry landscape turns to pasture land and we stop in a cowboy town to get some lunch at the supermarket.
The further across we go, the more lush and overgrown everything gets. First stop is the lookout at Waipi’o Valley – this is a typical Hawaiian steep-sided valley.
We don’t have time for much more than a quick look and then we’re off down the coast. Next stop are the magnificent Akaka falls.
We arrive in Hilo in the late afternoon and get checked into our motel. I love it. It has a ‘jungle’ garden and we’re encouraged to pick any fruit we see (there are avos, mangoes, papayas, bananas and grapefruit). In reception there is always a big basket of papaya and bananas waiting to be eaten. Even pineapples are growing in the front.
The only downside is the ferocious mosquitoes – a quick 5 minute amble through the garden costs me 13 bites. We pick up some supplies to see us through the Easter weekend and get settled.
Janet adds: In the supermarket today I got asked if I was Indian. Perhaps I’ve taken the tan too far?
Sunday:
There are no chocolate eggies for either of us today, so we have to make do with scrambled eggs for breakfast. We’ve decided to go lava hunting at Volcanoes National Park. Except that the volcano that has been spewing out lave for the last 18 odd years has decided to take a pause in its lava production just in time for our arrival. Still, there’s plenty of other volcanic action to take in.
The Halema’uma’u Crater is spewing out gases and ash, closing half the crater rim drive. We can’t hike anywhere near it, so we hike the Kilauea Iki Crater instead. The crater is steep sided and surrounded by rainforest. It’s quite a contrast to the crater floor, which is a mad jumble of cracked lava.
There are even steaming vents in the ground, releasing blasts of heat around our ankles. At the end of the trail we get to walk through a giant lava tube.
All this before lunch. Next we drive the chain of craters road which, true to it’s name, follows a serious of craters and lava flows down to the point on the wild and rough south coast where lava has covered the road, cutting it short.
It’s fantastically post-apocalyptic. On the way back up we stop for another walk that picks it’s way over the lava flow and climbs a cinder cone for some good views that reveal just how many craters are around. Our final stop is to get a better look at the eruption of the Halema’uma’u crater and then it’s back to our motel.
Monday:
Today we’re exploring the sights of Hilo and the southern beaches. It’s a bit cloudy and rainy when we get up (we are after all in America’s wettest city) so we decide to put off the beaches until later. We head first for rainbow falls. There’s not enough sun for a rainbow, but the falls are beautiful, especially with the surrounding banyan trees.
The day starts to brighten up so we set off along the coast. The lady at our motel pointed out some beach parks that she said were turtle hangouts. We took that to mean that if we’re really lucky and our timing is right we might just see a turtle. The beach we stop at has a lovely sheltered natural tidal pool. It’s not very deep and the water is clear and calm.
We picnic on the banks and I get a brief glimpse of a spinner porpoise doing its thing out in the bay. I convince myself I’ve seen a head pop out of the pool, so we head in for a swim and snorkel. Sure enough, just a couple of feet in front of me is one of the biggest turtles I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t seem bothered by us at all, so we get to swim alongside it for a while.
Next we drive right down to the southern coast to some more natural tide pools formed by lava rock. These make for pretty weird snorkelling. The pools are so perfectly formed and the water so clear that it’s like swimming in an aquarium. There’s nothing too spectacular to see, but it keeps us entertained.
Our final stop of the day is a little black sand beach. It’s a pretty little crescent of sand, well hidden at the foot of a cliff and backed by palm trees. It is also completely ruined by a couple of nudists (why are nudists never young and attractive?) and a misguided hippie twirling some ropes.
Back at our motel there’s just enough time for a short run before dinner. It’s my first in at least a month and boy does it hurt…
Tuesday:
We’re driving back to the Kona side of the island today, taking the southern route to complete our circumnavigation of the island. Our first stop is at another black sand beach: Punalu’u. Luckily this time everyone is fully clothed! The beach is beautiful and there are turtles everywhere you look: lazing in the sheltered rock pools, swimming in the surf and sleeping on the beach.
We stop again briefly at Ho’okena beach, before pushing on the Kealakekua Bay. This is meant to be a hangout of spinner porpoises, but there are none about this afternoon. We do get our first glimpse across the bay of the Captain Cook monument, which marks the spot where he died. We’re hoping to get a closer look at it, but that will have to wait for another day.
After a quick stop for some groceries we check into our hotel. We managed to get a good deal on a 1 bed self-catering apartment. I’m kind of expecting something small and pokey, but it’s huge. This is a fine bit of luxury for us and we waste no time in spreading out. The apartment is part of a timeshare type resort and there’s a gym on site with views out to sea. I’ll have to make good use of that while we’re here.
In the evening we enjoy the simple pleasure of sprawling on the sofas to watch telly. Not very exciting, but something we haven’t got to do for a while.
Janet adds: just slowing sinking in that Hawaii = turtles.
Wednesday:
After a slow, lazy morning we pack up some lunch and head north up the coast to Hapuna beach. This is a typical white sand, palm fringed beach and we spend a bit of time soaking up the sun and playing in the waves.
We have our picnic and then take a scenic drive through the Kohala region. The road climbs up into the mountains before dropping back down to the northern coast. On our way back we call in at Pu’ukohola Heiau, the site of an ancient Hawaiian temple.
Our evening is spent much the same as last night’s: gym, telly and home-cooked food.
Thursday:
It’s another day of relaxed exploring today. We drive along the waterfront near our hotel before heading back south to Ho’okena beach.
Watching the waves break they seem to be full of yellow leaves, but on closer inspection these turn out to be dozens of bright yellow fish. We brave the swell and head in for a snorkel. The coral in Hawaii is pretty weird looking as it’s usually growing on lava rock. There’s plenty to see, including another turtle that glides past.
After lunch we head back to Kealakekua Bay. We hire a kayak to make our pilgrimage over to the obelisk marking the spot of Captain Cook’s death – the alternative is a 4hr hike. Still, it’s a long way to the other side of the bay and we’re paddling into the wind, so it’s pretty hard going.
It’s with aching arms that we finally haul our kayak out of the water at the foot of the monument. We’re now back in England: the land on which the obelisk stands is officially part of England.
This is another prime snorkelling spot and we’re sharing the water with a tour boat. Interestingly, passengers on the boat are forbidden from setting foot on the beach, so I guess we’ve got one up on them. We don our masks and jump in. The reef is excellent and shallow, but within a few metres the sea drops away into the big blue nothing. It’s enough to inspire agoraphobia. Once again there are dozens of the bright yellow fish and plenty more too.
When we’ve had enough it’s back into the kayak for the trip back. This time we’ve got the wind on at our backs, which makes it a bit easier.
The USA (like most of the world) has gone a little royal wedding crazy. There’s coverage on just about every channel (being 11 hours behind, the wedding is happening at midnight Thursday night/Friday morning). Despite our best intentions we find ourselves getting sucked into it and stay up to see The Dress (yes, Nick too).
Janet adds: I hate to admit it, but we’re both getting a bit beached/snorkelled out. I didn’t think it was possible. There’s not much to do in Hawaii but go to the beach. Nevermind, I’m sure we can put up with one more day of it if we have to.
Friday:
The royal wedding means we’re a bit slow off the mark today, but we do eventually head out to yet another remote, idyllic beach, Kiholo Bay. This one involves driving down a mile long dirt road and then hiking for 20 minutes or so along the coast. It’s worth the effort: we arrive at a gorgeous, sheltered lagoon. Once again, there are turtles everywhere. We give up on counting them.
The calm, turquoise waters of the lagoon are surrounded by jagged slabs of lava – it’s quite a contrast, and quite a scramble to get into the water.
We have a bit of a swim and a snorkel – hanging with the turtles mostly, then dry off on the rocks while we have our lunch.
Once we’ve made it back to civilization we head to a shopping centre where we can grab a fruit smoothie and some free internet. Then it’s back to the hotel to soak up the sunset, make use of the gym and get ourselves ready for the next leg of our journey tomorrow.
Saturday:
We're flying this afternoon to San Jose, California. After checking out we head into town to kill a few hours and catch up on the internet.
Janet adds: Hawaii has been beautiful, but that's the end of tropical islands for a while. Not looking forward to digging out the jeans and long-sleeves again.
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