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Published: February 22nd 2007
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So after our epic crossing of the Pacific, we began the 16th of February 2007 once again!
We left Fiji at 22.50 on the 16th of February, flew for over 8 hours due to our unexpected stop off in Western Samoa and landed at 9.15a.m on the 16th of February in Honolulu.
We were in a time machine baby!
Knackered we headed into Honolulu city and dropped our bags off at the YHA near the University. After our second breakfast of the day (technically speaking) we headed into Waikiki. Waikiki is the surfers paradise destination in Hawaii, albeit the commercial and glamorous side.
After a day hunting around the city for accommodation, tours, cars, inter island flights etc etc to plan our few days here we were well and truly shattered! Unfortunately we seem to have landed in Hawaii during one of the busiest periods of the year - Chinese New Year, Valentines week, Surf Tournament, Running Race, Presidents Day Weekend and the week after the Honolulu NFL Pro Bowl. As a result the place was heaving and we had an awful day trying to get everything sorted!
After a well deserved sleep we set out
on the 17th to pick up our hire car to explore the Island of Oahu. After fluttering our eyelashes at the nice Hertz rent a car lady and begging backpacker poverty, we were rewarded with a stonking great upgrade from the economy car we had paid for! We got a 7 seater Ford Explorer 4x4 for the day! It was wicked, and the best way to tank around the whole island. As all the other boys had big trucks I was pleased I had one to play with as well.
We drove through the Dole Plantations where all the famous Pineapples are grown on the way up to the North Shore of Oahu. This is where the real surfers go - it is a hardcore surfing area - and the site of the Annual World Championships. Notable breaks included the Banzai Pipeline - the holy grail for most surfers with it’s almost consistent 25 - 30ft waves. The pipes and white water rolling in along the stretch of coastline we drove along were awesome. We also took in the obligatory Hawaii Shave Ice - a kinda large Ice Pole come giant Slush Puppy. The only place to be seen
at for the cool kids is Matsemoto’s!
We continued our drive round the North Shore and the East Coast of Oahu, stopping at various things including a Macadamia Nut Farm - where we ate all manner of the famous nut including Wasabi coated which were red hot!
We explored Waikiki again that night, with it’s night markets, shopping centres and bars. We then got up early on the 18th to head over to the Hawaiian Island of Hawaii (Big Island). It does exactly what it says on the tin.
The flight was only about 25 mins but still warranted a 737! Our first day on Big Island we had more fun and games getting our itinerary sorted in the local car hire companies and dive shops, before setting off round the island in our latest set of wheels. Again we got equipped with a Jeep 4x4 which was pretty cool, and we toured through the centre of the Island, past the Volcano’s of Mauna Kea and Mauna Lea. Interesting fact for you here - Mauna Lea is actually the highest mountain in the world at over 30,000ft - albeit when measured from the Ocean Floor!
The
drive took us from Sea level up to nearly 10,000ft, through the lava fields of the volcano’s and past the Onizuka Space Station and Space Telescopes atop Mauna Kea. It was a strange landscape - it was used by the Apollo Astronauts as training for their Moon landings.
We stopped off in Hilo on the far East coast, which is the rainiest place in the USA, and it didn’t disappoint! After continuing our tour round the North of the island with visits to some incredible waterfalls and valleys we got back to our base for the next 3 days Kailua Kona.
We spent the 19th chilling out in KK - we needed to catch up on our sleep! Kailua Kona is the start and finish point of the Ironman Traithlon, so there is plenty to see in the town, albeit it is very touristy.
The 20th of February will be remembered for many years by us both! Firstly and most importantly it my Mum's birthday - so happy birthday Mum, and secondly we did something we’ve wanted to do since we started the trip. We basically did the most amazing Night Dive ever - with the Manta
Rays of Kona. We did 2 dives from the Big Island Divers boat out near the lava flows on the Kona Coast - the first of which was down to the Garden Eel Cove and Coral reef at 18m, the second of which was past sunset, at about 8pm. We enjoyed the most incredible sight of 4 or 5 massive Manta Rays coming to feed on the masses of plankton attracted to all of the Diver spotlights. This dive is rated very high in the top 10 of global best dives by Dive magazine, and it truly lived up to its reputation. We spent about 30 mins sat on the ocean floor at 11m as these incredible creatures flew around us. I even got bumped on the head a couple of times! They are huge animals - one (Big Bertha) has a wingspan of nearly 15ft and weighs over 1500 pounds. We were fortunate that a National Geographic Camera man was with us, and so we've got footage of us with the Manta's on the way!
Some footage of past dives is in the Manta section of the following website -
http://www.bigislanddivers.com/
After the Dive we spent the
21st just relaxing in Kailua Kona, so that we could eat up the 24hrs surface time we had to serve before our short flight back to Oahu.
Hawaii definately isn't the sort of place backpackers can normally go to, it isn't cheap, but we so desperately wanted to do the night dive with the Manta's it has been worth it in the end!
Today (22nd) we head to San Francisco!
Dan
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Cels & Marie
non-member comment
Hawaii
Hi Dan an Clare It just gets better and better. Go on admit it you really screamed as you made the big dives! Well I would! Fantastic adventures and pictures, but I'm passed being envious so just continue having an absolute brilliant time.Clare saw mum an dad (and nan) a week ago, they were all well. Lots of Love Cels, Marie, Ashley and Adam