3rd stop Hawai'i

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Found our hotel. It was brilliant once again. We’ve done really well with accommodation. This time a large apartment with sitting area and well equipped kitchen. We did NOT do any cooking apart from preparing our own breakfast. Here there was a pool, sauna & spa, all surrounded by palm trees etc. Everywhere is bursting with music & happy, laid back people. The first thing I did next morning was a scuba diving lesson in the deep part of the pool. Not sure if I’d pay to go out & dive somewhere really deep. Need more practice. The next thing was to take a swim in the warm, blue, very buoyant sea on Waikiki beach.
Next day was an Island bus trip with the most entertaining guide ever. We saw lots of Oahu Island including pineapple plantations. Scenery is spectacular. Next day, more swimming in Waikiki. Can’t get enough of it.
The sea at this time of year is tame, just as it was in California so the surfing is not very exciting to watch but lots of people are learning on the small breakers.
In Waikiki we ate in a place called “Da Big Kahuna” The Hamer children will know what that is. Went out for our last evening to a meal & show. Time flies by when you’re having a great time.
Checked out by 11o’clock next morning & had a submarine trip booked so with our luggage in hotel reception we went under the sea. Lovely views of fish, turtles & corals amongst wrecks of fishing boats & aircraft. After that we had many hours to kill. At one point we stopped to watch some people playing racquetball on a court by the beach & an American couple (at least as old as us) invited us to join their barbecue. They had burgers, hot dogs & beans. We had seen lots of bbq equipment along the seafront & here was an opportunity to enjoy. After sizing up the situation we realised that they were very genuine & Paul enjoyed a very large burger. They told us they came from California & bought a place just up the road, quite near to our hotel so now they go to Hawai’i at least twice a year. We had to promise to look them up again if we’re ever there! Every Friday & Sunday they do their bbq. in August & January & probably in November too. Well that passed some time very successfully. The sunset over Waikiki beach is always good to watch. Finally we watched a lovely firework display as if to see us off & we flew out of Hawai’i at 1am. We missed Saturday because by the time we arrived in Fiji, seven hours later, we’d crossed the date line & it was Sunday morning.

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Photos

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Our lovely hotel was surrounded by horrid high rise

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Our Hotel

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Our Hotel by the pool

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By the pool

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Our Hotel. Extras surrounded by trees

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View from outside hoyel

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I'll give this scuba diving a go

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Here goes

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Going down

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Still under

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Quite good fun at the deep end of the pool, maybe not down deep though. Not ready for that yet.

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Paul seems to like the shade sometimes

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Waikiki beach & Diamond Head in the background

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Waikiki beach

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That's Paul swimming out

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He just kept going

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Went to north of Island. A bit cloudy but tremendous views

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Not good surfing at this time of year but people were out learning on gentle waves

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Watched some beach volleyball...

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...and raquetball

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Found a restaurant called 'Da Big Kahuna' Our children will know what that is