Aloha!

---

We only have two days in Hawaii, and didn't really intend to write another blog, but this place is so lovely we changed our minds. We both agree that Hawaii has to be at the top of the list of places we would love to return one day.

When James (our son) was about ten years old he bought a board game called "Hotels". The setting of the game was Waikiki on Oahu, Hawaii. Players would circle the board and buy and develop hotels in a manner remeniscent of the gameplay of "Monopoly". Despite its simpicity, the game was surprisingly immersive and enjoyable and it conjured mental images of the Honululu beachfront - something that up until today we had never experienced. This morning, as we walked along Kalakaua Ave, the main street of Waikiki, I (Richard) could not help thinking that I was a miniature person on the "Hotels" game board. There are large hotels everywhere and the atmosphere of my mental images seems to have been faithfully translated into reality.

The beauty of this city on the beachfront is that the highrise are well spaced. There is plenty of greenery and parkland in between buildings and you can look down the side streets and see misty, jungle-covered mountains just beyond the city limits. The climate is hot enough to make you want to swim during the day, but cool enough to be comfortable in the evening. The water feels like a tepid bath. It's also surpisingly clear with a variety of interesting fishes schooling between the swimmers. There is a sheltered artificial bay so you don't have to deal with the surf and the sand is soft. The locals clearly spend a lot of money keeping the place looking good - there are council workers everywhere, cleaning and beautifying an already spectacularly beautiful place.

There are loads of shops and 'action' around town to keep everyone busy, but the atmosphere still seems relaxed and low-key. There are constant aeroplanes quietly jetting off over the horizon and cruise ships waiting out on the edge of the bay. But all that is a long way off; the bay is quite shallow and provides a natural watery barrier protecting the beachgoers from the intrusions of the jet-set. I pity the tour operators who are trying to sell numerous day excursions (all of which sound delightful in theory) but when the town itself is this good, who wants to jump on a bus anywhere else?

Anyway, just in case anyone is planning a trip, we thought we'd let you know that Hawaii is a bloody unreal holiday destination. Pity we can't stay longer - next time, we'll make sure we've got a minimum of two weeks here so that we can get out and have a bit of a look around.

---

Photos

The Misty Mountains
can be seen just at the end of the streets

Strangler Fig
In the market place just below the internet cafe I am writing from

The Beach
Do we have to go home?

Flowering Trees
Everywhere there are blooms