Why Me, Waimea

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It was a bit of a drive to get back from the PCC the night before, and it was all that we could do but to fall into bed. Morning came quickly, and I think we both slept much better than the first night. I again had oatmeal for breakfast and Sharon had her cereal. I started to work on the blog for our first full day in Hawaii; when, I remembered a couple of things to add to the previous day’s ordeal of getting here. Somehow I managed to replace the previous day’s exploits with those of the PCC. Sharon took some perverse delight in pointing out to me, that now I was the unhappy camper; or, as she call’s me “Grumpy Boy”. What a quick change in fortunes as the day had started out so well. I think this is the second time now that I’ve lost a day of blogging in this manner; and, I’m still not sure how it happened. I was lamenting my misfortune, thinking “Why Me?”

I put my shorts on over my bathing suit anticipating doing some body surfing in Waimea Bay. Sharon brought her shorts with her, and we took two of the beach towels provided by the timeshare unit. Waimea is also on the North Shore, but on the west side of the island. Sharon wanted to get something to eat so we stopped at a McD’s. It wasn’t 10:30 yet so all that they were serving was breakfast; but, that was okay with us. We got out the Waimea Beach Park and there was plenty of parking. Sharon changed in the changing/restroom and we headed for the beach. I went over to check the prominently posted warning signs… I didn’t remember those when I was here before. The warned of strong undercurrents, steep drop-offs and large shore-breaking waves. The only people in the water were a few surfers not that far off. I wasn’t comfortable going in the water with no other body surfers in the water, and I didn’t really know what to make of the warning signs. I got my feet wet, and the water was actually not bad. It was a bit of an effort to get back up to where Sharon was waiting by our beach towels. I changed in the changing/bathroom and we headed up to Waimea Falls. It was $22 per person (Seniors since we’re both 62 or over) to enter the park and to get a round-trip tram ride to and from the falls. The round-trip ride was $10, and some people choose to walk, and others choose to ride up for $6 and to walk back. Before we got on the tram for the ride up, Sharon wanted to get a Shaved Ice. She got Blue Raspberry; so, I decided to get a coconut Shaved Ice. It was $9 for the two, and they were quite good; but, the ice is pureed up in a mixer-like machine, rather than being shaved from an actual block of ice by some road-side entrepreneur (which is how I remembered Shave Ice).

It's a brief walk over a bridge, and then over to the falls themselves. People could go for a dip in the pool that that falls formed; but, only after listening to the lifeguard’s rules, donning a life vest and agreeing to follow all lifeguard commands. Sharon said that she didn’t remember them allowing swimming in the pool when she was last here in 1984; but, then she remembered that they were having a drought when she was here and there wasn’t any water. Plenty of water now. In fact, last week the park had been closed for 4 days due to torrential rains that deposited three to four inches an hour. It’s hard to imagine. I told the tram driver that told us this that that one hour’s worth of rain was more than Nevada averages in one year. We snapped some pictures and then headed back.

Sharon wanted chicken for dinner, so I suggested Popeye’s (not expecting a Popeye’s in Hawaii). The first one Sharon found was at Schofield Barracks, which we’d already passed on our way back from Waimea Bay. I thought Sharon said the next one was 6 miles away, so I told her to select that. The GPS guided us on a circuitous route back from where we’d come, not quite to Schofield Barracks; but, almost that far. We got our chicken, and mashed potatoes with spicy gravy for me, and we enjoyed our meal. We then got some gas for the car which I must return with ¾ of a tank (that should not be a problem). And finally, we got some snacks at a pharmacy.



Back in the timeshare, Sharon got a text from her brother that they’d just arrived at our house and that they’d gotten in okay. They’re staying there a few nights. Unfortunately, we missed them but hope they have a good time. I checked on my phone app to see if the pool chemistry is remaining good and noticed that the spa heater was on. I told Sharon they must be using the spa, and she said that Karen can probably use that after their drive. That’s when we got a ring notification on the phone for our doorbell, so I checked, and it was our neighbor Cathy (who took us to the airport). I said “Hey Cathy, or should I say Aloha!” We chatted a bit and I told her that they were probably using the spa. Who would have thought you’d be answering the doorbell when on vacation.

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