Day 20 & 21 Travel days

Day 20

Today we had a lovely breakfast and then headed to the airport. Whilst in the air, British Airways cancelled our flights from LA to Heathrow and Heathrow to Jersey! However, they did reroute us on an American Airlines flight leaving later than our original itinerary and with seats 10 rows apart from each other. If that wasn’t disappointing, our airport hotel room was a twin room, not a double, and was so bright due to light pollution it was almost impossible to sleep. Grrr, what a rubbish end to the holiday.

Day 21

Today we had a long sleep and then made our way to the airport to start the long journey home. I can’t believe we’ve been away for 21 days (22 days by the time we get back to Jersey). It’s been so much fun and we’ve seen so much but I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends again (and the kittens, of course).

- Hippie x -

Day 18 & 19 Maui

Day 18 - Road to Hana

Today we got up early and drove straight to Avis to exchange the terrible car for one which has brakes and doesn’t sound like a UFO is on our tail. That done, we left in our much more modern, red Buick Enclave (with CarPlay - whoop) and headed to Paia Town to collect supplies. We’d selected to do another Shaka Guide Tour and we were directed to a cute little place that makes up picnics for the journey. So, we grabbed one of those and a vanilla latte for Phil. Apparently, it was the best vanilla latte Phil had ever had (I saw how many pumps of vanilla syrup she used so I am not surprised he loved it).

We didn’t want to do the whole tour which could take between 8-10 hours. We cross referenced the Shaka Guide with what Audley had mentioned were the must-see spots and planned to do 4-5 hours (52 miles). The road to Hana is beautiful. A very windy single carriageway which traces the coastline between Paia and Hana, canopied by rich green rainforest, with waterfalls and one lane bridges every few minutes. There are over 160 twisty turns on the route, so it’s not really for people who suffer from carsickness.

We stopped at Twin Falls and did a little circular walk there. We also stopped ate Garden of Eden Arboretum which is a private botanical garden with a view of a rock which featured in Jurassic Park (I couldn’t resist another JP site) and a beautiful waterfall. It also has a 100 year old mango tree which we apparently walked by without noticing…but I think we were distracted by the ravenous mosquitos!

We popped in to take pictures at Kaumahina State Park, the Keanae Lookout, Ho’okipa Beach (where we watched kitesurfers and windsurfers), Waikato Falls and a hidden lava tube. The lava tube was one of our favourite stops, you have to crawl through a tiny entrance but it opens up into a large cave which seems to go on for ever. It was fun but with only our iPhones as torches (yes, I forgot to tell Phil he needed to bring his real torch) we had a few bumps and scrapes against the narrow tunnels.

We stopped at Nahiku to purchase some souvenirs at a a local gallery and craft shop and then headed to Hana for our picnic by the sea. Hana is one of the oldest settlements in Hawaii and has a rich history. It’s not very large and it’s very isolated. The road to Hana is not really about the destination at the end. It’s about all the little stops and sites on route. Nevertheless, we had our picnic at the end point and watched the kids pier jumping before heading back to the hotel.

There was just enough time for a piña colada by the pool before the pool bar closed.

In the evening we had a lovely three course dinner at the main Hotel Wailea restaurant. The food was excellent and the view over the gardens was lovely.

Day 19 - A final day of relaxation

Today was a pool day. We managed to get a cabana by the poolside and ordered ourselves a bottle of champagne (Möet) to sip regally throughout the afternoon. It was a very chilled. I got to play with all the blow-up animals… llama, flamingo, swans. I had fun and relaxed.

Day 16 & 17 Maui

Day 16 - Mountain bike adventure

Today we got up pretty early to meet Rob, our guide (from Mountain Bike Maui), in the forest. The problem was it was raining pretty badly in the forest we’d planned to ride in so we had to change venues to the volcano instead. The forest would have been very, very muddy and Rob said we’d have more fun on the volcano. The drive up was crazy enough and once we’d reached the top car park we quickly got the bikes set up and started the climb.

What a climb it was, we started at 1,950m and 1h later we’d climbed to 2,284m (580m total assent). When we stopped for a breather, Rob explained there was still about 45 minutes climbing required to get to the ridge line followed by a 10 minute hike-a-bike… needless to say we opted for a short nearby forest trail rather than committing to another hour+ of climbing.

The forest trail had just been cleared of downed trees so it was pretty bumpy with lots of volcanic rocks/pebbles, bits of branch and big twigs. Essentially, technical off-piste single track. I got branches logged in my wheel and dropped my chain at least 5 times (I even got it back on myself once because Phil and Rob had gone on ahead at a quicker pace).

When we got to the mid-way point there was a a second trail which required a 3 miles technical climb. So we cracked on. About 20 minutes in, I ran out of skill and energy. It was super steep, covered in loam but very rutted in some places, loose and slippery in others. I had to push up quite a few sections because I just couldn’t get started again on the steep incline. I wasn’t upset though. I found myself a little tree to sit on and just chilled whilst Phil and Rob carried on up for another 15 minutes.

They met up with me on their way down and we continued together. The downs were fun. When we got back to the turn off to the original forest trail, it was raining pretty hard. We were soaked by the time we got to back to the cars.

I really enjoyed the adventure and I’m super proud of myself for doing as much climbing as I did and for ‘riding blind’ on some pretty tricky terrain. It would have been amazing to get up to that ridge line but we’ll just have to save that for another day.

On the way back to the hotel we discovered our hire car not only has a dodgy wheel bearing issue, it also has rubbish brakes! [I didn’t tell Carol-Ann at the time but they faded right out coming up to one junction - pedal straight to the floor….] We are definitely getting it swapped out before we attempt any more driving at altitude.

In the afternoon, we chilled by the pool having a well deserved rest. In the evening, we went to the Birdcage restaurant for cocktails and Sushi (mmm).

Day 17 - Snorkel tour

Today was a very early start to get to the boat for 7;30am (that meant a 6am start). What this meant was that Phil didn’t take his seasickness medication two hours before departure and this was (perhaps) the first mistake.

The crew of the Trilogy welcomed us aboard with a fresh breakfast of hot cinnamon buns, fruit, juices and coffee. This was (perhaps) the second mistake. We headed out to Molokini, a crescent shaped reef crater which is a marine reserve below the water and a bird reserve above the water. It was about an hour’s sail to Molokini. Phil popped down to use the restroom in the belly of the boat, at a point when we were going against the swell, and came up looking rather pale! This was definitely ‘the’ mistake. Within minutes, Phil’s queasiness turn to seasickness.

When we reached Molokini Phil just wanted to stay very still in the shade so I left him with the crew and dived straight in. The visibility was amazing, like swimming in a tropical fish tank. Almost as good as the house-reef at Como Maalifushi (but lacking in reef sharks).

I stayed in for 20 minutes and then went to check on Phil. He was starting to feel better.

The next stop was Turtle cove, probably about 20 minutes away from Molokini. The visibility isn’t as crystal clear here but it’s still amazing. Phil was feeling well enough to give snorkelling a try so we headed out together, slowly following the volcanic underwater ridge line and spotting fish as we went. Getting in the water and being in the sea seemed to be good for Phil… the problem was that the act of getting back onto the boat and up the steps set off his sea sickness again. Grrr, nightmare.

On the way back, I was served a lovely lunch of sticky honey-soy chicken, sticky rice and Caesar salad. Followed by ice cream, cookies and chocolate sauce. Downed with Mai Tais. Phil avoided all food and Mai Tais.

After lunch we caught the wind and the sails went up. The wind really helped Phil’s nausea and I think I even managed to get a picture of him looking relaxed.

Happy to be back on dry land we headed home for another afternoon hanging out by the pool. And today I discovered the inflatable flamingo!!

- Hippie -

Day 14 & 15 Hawai'i/Maui

Day 14

Today we headed straight to the Volcanoes National Park so we could do a deeper dive on this area of Hawai’i. We arrived at the park around 12pm so we stopped for an early lunch of Pizza at the Volcano House hotel (near the visitors centre) before setting off on our Shaka Guide self drive tour of Chain of Craters Road.

We did three hikes:

• The Devastation Trail: A very short easy 1 mile hike along the route of the 1959 eruption. On this hike we saw the barren lava and Pu’u Pu’ahi cinder cone on one side of the trail and (in contrast) where the forrest is making a come back on the other side of the trail.

• Mauna Ulu Fisure Trail: More of a stroll than a hike around the site of the 1969 eruption that destroyed a forrest area. You could see the petrified Ohia trees as you walked along following the trail by looking out for the rock piles that guide the way. The petrified trees look like hollow obelisks. When you get up close you can see the melted, twisted vegetation.

• Pu’u Loa Petrograph Trail: A pretty mellow 40 minute hike (20 minutes each way) over a lava field. At the end of the trail is a boardwalk where you can view some of the 23,000 petroglyphs in the area. Most of them are little holes or circles but some are recognisable as pictures of people or families.

We also visited lots of craters, lava fields and outlooks, including a pit crater and sea arch.

It was a long tour, 5.5 hours including the hikes (add to that 2 hours of driving each way, to and from the park) but well worth it. I really think we saw most of the key sites over the last two days.

[This post is being interrupted…]

I feel I need to interject here, the drive from the hotel to Kilauea was along a volcano saddle road, it went from around sea level to a peak altitude of 2,100m and then back down to around 200m before getting to Kilauea. Beautiful, pristine fresh tarmac, wide enough for 3-4 lanes and a speed limit of 55 most of the way, which everyone ignores. We had a fun drive back on the first day following a Dodge Challenger averaging around 85-90 most of the way.. Amazing. so when Carol-Ann said she wanted to go again the next day I had no objections. I really like the Ford Expedition. 7 seats with luggage space, 3.5 litre V6 with around 450HP, 10 speed auto, it broke the laws of physics how quickly it could accelerate. Great car. I want one. I’ll cover the car in a future post.. Its worth it.

Day 15

Today we left Hawai’i behind and travelled to Maui.

The hire car in Maui is a bag of nails, it’s a Nissan Pathfinder from c.2012 (although Phil actually thinks its worse than my Suzuki!!!). There is definitely a suspicious noise (possibly wheel bearing or diff. issue) coming from the back. It doesn’t have satnav (of any kind) or CarPlay. We had to borrow a seperate Garmin satnav unit from Avis which isn’t up to date! Oh and the brakes are just a little bit “dodgy” for mountainous country. (They fully faded on the trip back down the volcano from our Mountain Bike trip - more on that tomorrow -Phil)

I feel this is a fall from grace after the 2023, brand new, Ford Expedition, full size-SUV.

Luckily, the Hotel Wailea more than makes up for the rubbish hire car. It’s absolutely stunning here and I know we are going to be very happy.

- Hippie x -

Day 12 & 13 Hawai'i

Day 12 - Stars

This morning we had breakfast at the beach shack and then went snorkelling. It was Phil’s first time snorkelling since the Maldives, so we took it slow and just went around the rock in the middle of the bay a couple of times and checked out the fish. It was pretty abundant for a shallow sandy bottomed, beach cove.

At lunchtime we drove to the meet point to meet our guide Jeff from Hawaii Forest and Trail. The meet point is at a shopping centre so we grabbed a quick chicken Caesar wrap and some car snacks. The tour to the summit of Mauna Kea (including dinner and star gazing) takes about 7 1/2 hours. We started off driving up the mountain through pasture land occupied by wild goats and sheep (both invasive species introduced by Captain Cook). On the way Jeff gave us lots of information about the landscape around us, the creation of the cinder cones and the lava fields. It took about two hours to get up to the visitors centre where we stopped for a very early dinner of chicken stew and to acclimatise to the elevation). Then we travelled up an unsealed road for a further 45 minutes to reach the summit at 4,200m (13,796 feet), visiting the Very Long Baseline Array on route (it’s was so cool and it MOVED whilst we were there).

At the summit we saw all the observatories. The location is ideal because there is no light pollution, low humidity (it’s zero degrees up there) and it’s above the clouds so there is no water vapour in the atmosphere. We watched the sunset and walked around the observatories and the sub-millimetre array taking pictures. I got very excited when the United Kingdom’s Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) opened up. The Japanese one, called the Subaru telescope, is also pretty neat because it’s not dome shaped like the others. It was so fun up there. I could have stayed and admired the telescopes for hours.

Once the sun set the rangers come to get the tourists off the mountain, so we descended 1,000ft to a small carpark where Jeff set up the two telescopes and we all had hot chocolate and cookies. Jeff then guided us around the night sky telling us the Hawaiian names for all the constellations. Scorpio is known as Maui’s fish hook. Pegasus is known as the Manta Ray. We viewed Saturn, the moon, a cluster constellation, spiral galaxy, and other stuff I can’t even remember. It was fun but cold. Phil was happy as the cold is good for his itch (and Jeff gave him a second cup of hot chocolate).

This was a truly amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone interested in astronomy. I absolutely loved it. I still can’t believe I was up there with the observatories! And we didn’t get altitude sickness (probably thanks to the medication we’ve been taking for the last few days)… and yes, other people on the tour did get dizzy and short of breath.

Day 13 - Driving and lava viewing

This morning I woke up in a flap at 10am! Panicking that half the day had already escaped us, I forced Phil to get up and get going asap (poor Phil - it was his first “itch free” night’s sleep in three days and he just wanted to take it chill).

First we drove to Waipi’o Valley lookout, about an hours drive from the hotel towards the North of the Island. It’s a sacred Hawaiian valley where the king of Hawaii was hidden as a baby. You are not allowed to hike to the valley floor unless you are a native Hawaiian but there is a viewing point (with informative signage) for the tourists.

Next we visited Akaka Falls state park, about an hours drive from the lookout, where we took short self guided nature walk through lush tropical vegetation to Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls. Akaka plunges 442ft into a gorge. The trail has some nice vistas and was very pretty.

Finally we headed for the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, which is (if you haven’t guessed) about an hour from Akaka. We went straight to the visitors centre to get the low-down from the Rangers. As we only had two hours until dinner we chose the short route:

• The first stop was the Nahuku lava tube, a short walk around a pretty circular trail with a section that goes through the lava tube itself. It was fascinating.

• The second stop was the Kilauea Iki Crater lookout where we looked down from the crater rim to see a pool of solidified lava. The Iki crater last erupted in 1959.

• Stop three was Uekahahuna (the end of the East road) where we stood on the rim of the Kilauea Caldera trying to identify the lava from the most recent eruption (which technically ended on 17 September 2023 - The day we arrived in Hawai’i). There are lots of lava flows across the Caldera from eruptions in 1924, 1971, 1974, 1982, 2018 and last week. It was hard to know what was the most recent lava because it’s not glowing and there steam vents all over the area (it’s not obvious).

• Stop four was the Kilauea Overlook for another view of the Kilauea Caldera from slightly further down the road. There used to be a museum at this stop but it’s fenced off now because following the 2018 eruption the whole cliff edge collapsed and the ledge which the museum sits on is now unstable. They have side by side photos of what the area looked like before and after the eruption and it’s completely unrecognisable.

• Stop five was the Kukamahuakea Steam Vents. At least they were warm! We were getting very chilly by this point because I remembered the rain coats but not our hoodies! Standing in a volcanic steam sauna gave a temporary relief from the chill.

I had a tip on the summit tour that there was a restaurant on the crater rim called “The Rim” so I booked us a very early dinner (5:15pm so we could watch the sun setting over the lava field and hopefully see some glowing lava). We were in luck! As the darkness descended there was a bright orange spot in the centre of caldera. We were so lucky as the eruption technically shopped two days ago. After dinner we rushed back to Uekahahuna to take pictures of the little glow in the pouring rain.

The drive home was a solid two hours but Phil is loving driving his super sized SUV and we put some tunes on to keep us entertained.

- Hippie -

Day 10 & 11 Kauai/Hawai'i (The Big Island)

Day 10

Today was mostly about keeping cool and hiding from the sun. Phil’s dermatitis was so bad and it couldn’t have happened on a worse day. We had to check out at 11am and our flight to Hawai’i wasn’t until 5:15pm. So we started by checking out and driving to the nearest pharmacy to get supplies of antihistamines, hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, oat-based cleanser… the works. Phil couldn’t even stay inside the chemist, because the itch became unbearable when he moved around, he had to go and sit in the car.

After the pharmacy, with supplies in hand, we figured we’d go back to the hotel and see if there was a room we could use for the day. The Hotel staff were very accommodating, we were given an hour’s access to a hospitality room (for free) so Phil could have a cold shower to cool down his skin and we could relax in the air conditioning. After that, we sent the rest of our time in the hotel lobby and Red Salt restaurant reading books, exhausting the internet and eating lunch.

At the airport, we dropped of the HELL car (Kia) and took the “courtesy” bus over to the terminal. I am so glad to be finished with Kauai Avis - it is the absolute worst. Our travel agent can sort out all the extra (unauthorised) charges for us. I never want deal with them again.

There was hardly any air-conditioned space at the Airport terminal so I went to Starbucks and got Phil a cup of ice to cool down his skin. It did the trick and made the itch bearable so he was able to cope with the 50 minute flight.

It was a pretty rubbish day for Phil (and I do feel bad about chronicling his plight). We were dreading the hire car pick-up from Avis Hawai’i. Turns out there was nothing to fear. The attendant understood our package and we scored a free upgrade to a full size SUV, Ford Expedition! (aka a Tank). Touch wood, I think our hire care woes are at an end. And Phil was very, very happy - This is the first time he has smiled in 48 hours (and I even tried placating him with pictures of kittens and puppies doing silly things).

Our hotel in Hawai’i is huge and our room has a partial sea view. The air conditioning works and there is an ice maker on our floor - Win! The in-room dining was good too. We watched Rogue One and a couple of episodes of NCIS (the Original this time, with Abbie).

Day 11

Today we hid in the air conditioned room for most of the day. I ventured out to explore the resort in the daylight but I wasn’t gone long. We have a private balcony with a partial sea view and day bed so it was a good spot to chill and read my book. We both did a lot of reading and napping.

In the evening we went on a manta ray night snorkel. Well, I went on the night snorkel and Phil came out for the boat trip but didn’t get in the water.

I’ve got to say the trip surpassed all my expectations. It was absolutely incredible. It all takes place at night and you have to hold onto to a long light bridge/float the whole time, with a pool noodle to hold your feet up (in a superman pose). The lights attract the animal plankton (tiny crustaceans, microscopic jellyfish, etc.) and the plankton attracts the manta rays. They are huge. And there was a lot of them.

Typically, people on the night snorkel can expect to see 3 to 5 rays. We saw between 15 and 20 rays. It was insane. Even the crew were amazed, they said the conditions were the best we could ever get. The rays brushed up against me and I could look directly into their shark-like eyes (I didn’t realise there were part of the shark family… but no teeth, or stingers, or barbs). They have been given cool names like “Amanda Ray”.

Meanwhile, Phil hung out with the crew on the boat and got to know the captain and her crew. He did see some manta rays from the boat. He certainly enjoyed chat and the hot chocolate.

I have some Insta360 footage of the rays. I can’t wait to share it with you!

- Hippie x -

Day 8 & 9 Kauai (part three)

Day 8

So, Phil is actually allergic to the car. He has come up in contact dermatitis on the backs of his legs and arms where his skin comes into contact with the seat of the Kia. I know he has passionately hated the Kia from the outset and we’ve tried in vain to change it but now even his body has rejected the car. It’s extreme.

Today we we went on another Shaka Tour to the Waimea and Koke’e state park. Before climbing the mountain, the tour took us to the Kauai coffee plantation and a Russian fort. The story behind the Russian fort was interesting. A Russian doctor, working for a trade company, came to Kauai to recover the cargo of a Russian ship that ran aground in Kauai. The doctor managed to convince the king of Kauai that he had power and influence in Russia. He promised the king that the Russians would support Kauai in an invasion. So, they built a fort. But the doctor had absolutely no influence and he was eventually fired for overstepping his authority (and not recovering the cargo).

The route up through the canyon has many look outs. We stopped at a few to take pictures. The visibility was better lower down the mountain. As we climbed it got cloudier and rainy until eventually we were in the clouds and couldn’t see anything other than a wall of grey. The red dirt waterfall was our favourite stop. We walked around admiring the red otherworldly landscape (and the possible bike lines). We went for a little walk around the Iliau nature loop. We were planning to do a hike on the Cliff View Trail but it was pouring with rain and I hadn’t packed the rainproof jackets so we didn’t. I wasn’t sad about missing out because the weather really was naff. We had lunch at Koke’e Lodge and museum before ascending to the final few view points in the clouds.

On the way back the tour guided us to a random ditch (the Menehune Ditch), the Hanapee swinging bridge (with cute puppies that tried to chew my shoe laces!) and to Captain Cook’s memorial statue (which was a lot smaller than I was expecting).

In the evening we grabbed a 16 inch pizza from Volcano Pizzeria and sat by the fire pit at the hotel. It was such a lovely warm evening.

Day 9

Today was a beach/pool day. We rented a daybed (which comes with fresh fruit and Mai Tais) and sat by the pool all day. Phil swam in the actual sea too. It was a very relaxed day.

Unfortunately, around 5:30pm Phil’s dermatitis got the better of him and we retreated to our room to sit in the cool air conditioning. Phil is VERY allergic to the car.

We watched Rogue One and back-to-back episodes of NCIS New Orleans until late. I really feel for Phil he is in such a terrible state and the only thing that really helps is a cold shower.

- Hippie -

Day 6 & 7 Kauai (part two)

Day 6

Today (after trying to argue with Avis, yet again, to no avail) we decided to explore the North of the Island. We didn’t really know what there was to see up there, so we downloaded a driving tour App called Shaka Tours which you plug into your car-play and go. We thought it was going to be a bit naff but it turned out to be fun.

The tour took us to the beach where they filmed Gilligan’s Island (Moloa’a Beach) and South Pacific (from “I’m going to wash that man right out of my hair”) also Kahili Beach and Kahalahala Beach. We would have never found all these tiny little beaches on our own as some of them are down unsealed roads. We saw King Kong mountain, the Kilauea lighthouse, Hanalei (i.e. Puff the magic dragon’s hometown) and Taro fields. We went swimming at Anini Beach and finally arrived at the road’s end, Tunnels Beach and a big Cave at Ha’ena Beach. Of course Phil had bought a torch, so we explored the cave as far as we could. It was huge and the photos don’t really do it justice in terms of scale. Essentially, it’s a lava tube.

The tour guide gave us information about the history of Kauai and the sites we visited. It was actually quite interesting. Most of the stories end tragically.

The tour took most of the day but I think we achieved a lot in that time.

In the evening we had dinner at the pool bar - $60 burgers and chips!

Day 7

Today we got up at 5am (Yes, that’s right… I actually got up at 5am) to go on a sea tour with Kauai Sea Tours to the Na Pali Coast. The tour departed at 7am and we arrived back at 12:30pm. The weather was cloudy and the sea was dead calm so we couldn’t have asked for better conditions - other than the rain on the return journey. As we sailed up the cost on the 60ft sea cat called Lucky Lady, Captain Kauai spoke about Hawaiian culture and described the history of the original Hawaiian settlements on the north coast. He was very entertaining and he was a natural sailer. At one point he manoeuvred the ship into the mouth of one of the caves so we could get pictures, he was maybe 30-50cm from the edge of the cliff, it was impressive.

On the return, I got to have a snorkel. I saw a juvenile green sea turtle and lots of tropical fish. The reef wasn’t abundant like in the Maldives but it was still nice to get in the water. Phil wasn’t feeling it so he stayed on the boat and relaxed.

In the afternoon, we had some pool time. I dozed in the sun whilst Phil relaxed and tried to tan himself. I had a little sea swim at beach connected to our hotel (Kiahuna Beach) and Phil took videos of the hydrofoil surfers.

In the evening we had (a lot of) Sushi and an early night.

Day 4 & 5 Kauai (part one)

Day 4

OMG I am so over hire car companies in the US!

Today we had a leisurely breakfast and headed to the airport to catch a flight to Kauai. Kauai airport is pretty small, so it’s not hard to navigate. We took the courtesy bus to the Avis pick-up point and that was the last element of courtesy that was offered to us as paying customers. For a start, despite our Avis paperwork quite clearly saying that we had pre-paid for a tank of fuel so we can bring the car back empty, she told us we had to bring it back full because that’s not what her computer says. Second, we were given a two-wheel drive Kia Sportage which is not the four-wheel drive car we were expecting. Now, this is a big deal because all the hiking trails require a 4x4 to get to. Grrrr will this hire car hell never end.

The day did get better. Our hotel is lovely and our room faces the ocean looking straight at the line-up so I can wake up and watch the surfers, wing foilers and boogie boarders. When we arrived we were draped in Leis and welcomed home.

We spent the afternoon chilling by the pool. In the evening they had live music, free Mai Tais and hula dancing at the pool bar. We had a lovely meal at Red Salt - the hotel’s restaurant (Phil even had Brussel sprouts with pancetta and parmesan as a starter, by choice!). I think we are going to like it here.

Day 5

Today was incredible because we went on a helicopter (with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours). This is probably one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Our captain Mark was an ex-Black Hawk helicopter pilot who had also served as medevac in the Korean war/police action (real life M*A*S*H).

The flight took in views of the lush green coastline, the Olokele Canyon, Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coastline and into an extinct volcano crater. We got to see loads of famous movie sites including the Jurassic park falls (where they land the helicopter in the original film). Yes, I cried. Mark played John Williams’ opening theme music and it ALWAYS gets me. We also saw where they filmed parts of Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean (On Stranger Tides), King Kong and Tropic Thunder. The scenery is just spectacular and no wonder it features in so many Hollywood movies.

I took loads of photos but we also purchased a USB with footage of our actual trip so we can watch it back. It was spectacularly beautiful and probably one of the coolest things I have ever done - up there with riding on the back of a Hercules with the hanger doors open or abseiling off La Collette tower.

You can check out our trip here

Best day ever!

- Hippie x -

Day 2 & 3 O'ahu

Day 2

Today we visited Pearl Harbour. On the drive over (which lasted two hours because of the multiple hotel pick ups and traffic!) our guide, Oli, kept us entertained with some local site seeing tips, facts about Hawaiian language and information about what happened on the day of the Peal Harbour attacks. We only had two hours at the museum which was a little disappointing. We visited the USS Arizona Memorial, visitor centre and the free museum but we didn’t get to go over to the USS Missouri, the Bowfin Submarine or the other pay-for museums on the site. If we’d have realised how much there was to see I think we would have gone there independently rather than through a tour. Not that the tour wasn’t good, Oli was very entertaining and it actually helped us to navigate around Waikiki.

After the tour we had a late lunch back at the hotel and then went for a short beach walk. Around 5:30pm, jet lag got the better of us (and the heat) so we popped back to the room for a nap which turned into a 12 hour sleep! We even missed the fireworks!

Day 3

We woke up at 6am (as you’d expect after all that sleep) and went for a much longer beach walk, all along the Waikiki strip and through downtown to the hire car place, stopping for breakfast on route. When we got to the hire centre we realised that we’d forgotten our passports! Agggh, we took an Uber back to the hotel and back again. By the time we finally queued, completed paperwork and got the car, it was nearly midday.

So, we shot off on our North Shore adventure to see the most famous surf breaks in the world (the big three: Waima Bay, Banzai Pipeline and Sunset beach). Driving in the states seems to me like madness (Phil loved it). There are 6 lanes and cars can move at whatever speed they like in any lane so people undertake you, overtake you, it’s mental. I don’t think I’d have the confidence to drive in a US city. Once you get out of Honolulu it’s back to “normal” driving though.

We passed Haleiwa and admired the famous North Shore signage but we didn't stop. We were getting hungry and were hoping to have some food at the beach and a swim. Unfortunately, there were no food places anywhere to be seen (not even a food truck!). I managed to grab my photos of Waima Bay whilst Phil circled the car park. We had better luck parking at Pipeline but still no food. At Sunset beach I had a lovely 10 minute swim but the food truck there was closed so we headed on to Turtle Bay Resort for lunch at Lei Lei’s cafe, sitting in full view of the Opana Radar site.

Feeling full, and pleased to have coincidently found the Opana Radar site, we headed along the scenic route back to Honolulu, passing pretty beach parks and awesome mountains covered in lush greenery.

It was a logistical nightmare to return the hire car out of hours. And we discovered that we’d been ripped off by the hire car agent who put a charge on my card for an “extra hour” even though he knew we would be returning the car on the same day! Grrrr.

We enjoyed the sunset walking back along Waikiki beach and had a beer at the pool bar before another early night.

- Hippie x -