Call me Captain Ahab. I’m in search of an up close and personal encounter with a whale today! Unlike the S.S. Minnow though, my tour is only going to last two hours, not three! (and hopefully we’ll make it back to the dock safely!)
Our ride for the day – The Honu Lani. Located in slip F28 of the Kewalo Basin Harbor. About a 30 minute walk from my apartment.8am departure;with Diamond Head ever present. (tour cost: $97)The Waikiki waterfront. The waters are dead calm; a perfect day for spotting whales!I spy a pink hotel!! This one’s for you J&J Fitz!A less common view of Diamond HeadMoving a little further offshore, in hopes that our luck will improve…
You’ve probably noticed there’s something missing from these photos…that would be a WHALE!! (did see a ton of flying fish though, so there’s that)
I’m now oh-for-two on my whale watching excursion attempts. I struck out in Iceland as well a few years ago (remember J.K.?). Maybe I should just take the hint?
I gotta say however that it wasn’t a terrible outing. It was a beautiful morning; with calm seas and wonderful views of Waikiki.
There is a good news postscript though: The tour company offers a “Whale Guarantee”. Bonus! If a whale is not sighted, the customer can go on any one subsequent tour that they offer with a full credit. I’m going to take them up on that, obviously. However, I’ve decided to pass on the whale watching, and am going to go on a snorkel and lunch outing instead (at an additional cost of $42). Watch this space for the details on that upcoming excursion…
My day concluded on a very enjoyable note. My friend Ed’s sister and brother-in-law (who I had not previously met) arrived in Waikiki this afternoon. They were traveling here from Maui, so the plan was to get acquainted and share some Oahu and Maui tips. We met at Sam’s Kitchen for dinner (where I had previously tried their delicious seared Ahi). Our timing was fortuitous, as Sam himself arrived while we were there with the day’s fresh catch!
Our time together flew by – we spent three hours talking. A fun night!
Sidenote: When I told Debbie and Ron about my failed whale mission today, they provided me with some encouraging news: they had just had spectacular whale watching success in Maui! Hopefully that will still be the case when I get there in a couple weeks!
Friday, February 11 – Honolulu
I’m venturing to the windward (east shore) side of Oahu today, to an area called Kailua (thanks for the suggestion Ray & Kathy!). The ride by bus, with one transfer, took about an hour. It was an inland route, so not very scenic.
My itinerary includes two beaches, a park, and a fun hike. Let’s hit it!
This is the entrance to Lanikai Beach. It’s in a residential neighborhood, with only sporadic public access from the road. The full beach is open to the public though. I’m glad I didn’t have a car, because parking in this area would be a nightmare!A pretty setting!It’s not a very big beach however, so I didn’t spend a lot of time hereThis is my next stop. Another pillbox hike! It’s hard to see, but there are hikers on the two peaks to the left.Excellent markings for the hike trailhead!It was a little steep at timesFortunately there were many spots to stop and take in the views (and rest!)Getting there…A view north to Kailua Beach and Kapoho Point (take note of how long the beach is, we’ll be revisiting that!)Fairly rocky in many spots, so sure footing was keyPast the 1st pillboxThe islands are Moku Nui and Moku IkiThe view north from the 2nd pillbox……and southeast. I was talking to a local woman who was doing the hike with her son, and she pointed out that three islands are in view today. Apparently it is rare to have the visibility this good. They’re rather hard to see in the photo, but left to right are Molokai, Maui and Lanai.In the center of the picture is Makapuu Point, the location of the lighthouse hike I did several days agoA short walk from the pillbox hike is my next stopA huge park, and not very crowdedNot nearly as crowded as Lanikai……and sooo long. A perfect walking beach. I’m on it!Looking back to the walk’s starting pointAlmost at the end……and made it. Cool spot for a house BTW!And the view back along the beach
I’ve done a lot of walking today! But thankfully there was a public access point to the street not too far from here, and from there the bus stop was close as well. Whew!
A very enjoyable day!
Steps Update: Today is the halfway point of my abbreviated trip itinerary. A perfect time to see how my steps are progressing: I’m still averaging 17k steps per day, with a day max of 30k, and a min of 10k. I’m guessing though that my average is going to go down as I transit to the other islands, due to the fact I’ll have a rental car.
Saturday, February 12 – Honolulu
Today I booked a guided tour of Hawaii’s Plantation Village. This is an outdoor museum that includes restored buildings and replicas of plantation structures. It is on the site of a previous working sugar plantation, to the west of Honolulu. Via an express bus, it took about an hour to get there.
The guided tour lasted about an hour and forty-five minutes, at a cost of $12 (with the senior discount; should I be happy about that?). A bargain! It was very interesting, and there were only four of us on the tour.
Sadly, I have to admit that I dropped the ball on taking photos. I was really engrossed in the tour and assumed I could work my way back afterwards to get more shots. What I didn’t realize though was that access to the outdoor portions of the museum was via a guide accompaniment only. Doh! Sorry about that!
There was a small indoor portion of the museum. This is a ca. 1840s sugar mill.This pair of Jangseungs was a gift to the museum from the Korean city of Incheon. They are considered village guardians.This is the Waipahu Memorial Stone. It is dedicated to the migrant workers of the Oahu Sugar Company who had no families to tend to their graves.The sugar plantation labor force consisted of immigrants from many different nations. This represents a home and meal preparation building for Koreans.More laborer accommodationsThe grounds were lovely
Sugar Trivia: I learned that the C&H brand of sugar stands for California and Hawaii – because the sugar cane was sourced in Hawaii and refined in California. There you go!
I came across some more disturbing news today (following the Subway travesty). A sign on the bus indicated that, as of March 1st, fares using the HOLO card would be dropping from $2.75 to $2.00. What?!? I can’t believe I’ll be missing out on this!
I’m going to venture out today to a park in Honolulu that’s kind of off the beaten path (just the way I like it!). Kakaako Waterfront Park covers an area of about 35 acres and is the site of a former landfill, so it has a rolling topography. It took me about 50 minutes to walk there from my apartment.
And there were some nice photo ops along the way…
A view from Kewalo Basin Park back towards Ala Moana Beach and Magic IslandI like this! Cool statute in the background too!Amazing clear water along the waterfront!This location is called Point Panic, in reference to a popular bodysurfing site that’s located offshore at this end of the park (although I didn’t see any surfers when I was there)A cool little park. Definitely worth the walk!
One of my neighbors told me about a Honolulu institution called Leonard’s Bakery. Founded in 1952, they are know for their Malasadas – a Portuguese doughnut without a hole. I need to check this place out! It’s about a 50 minute walk heading inland, so let’s do this!
Orders are placed inside. The Malasadas are then prepared and delivered to the customers outside via a pass-through window.I went with a 1/2 dozen of the Malasadas Puffs – one of each flavor (the flavor of the month is strawberry!). What?? I’m going to walk for an hour and only get one!?!Whoa! I’m going to need to walk a LOT to work these off!On my way back to the apartment I walked by Kaimuki High School, and was attracted to these interesting murals on some of their buildings!Okay, one more diversion on my way home! These baseball diamonds are close to my apartment, and I noticed a high school game going on as I walked by, so had to stop and check it out for a few innings.
I’m sorry this day was a little boring, but I had fun!
Wednesday, February 9 – Honolulu
I booked a guided tour of Iolani Palace today ($30). Due to Covid, advance timed reservations are required for the visit, and group sizes are limited. So, a rare pandemic benefit!
The Palace dates to 1882, and was the home of Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs. It served as the official royal residence and the residence of the Kingdom’s political and social life until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893. Iolani Palace has the distinction of being the only official royal residence in the United States.
On my previous Honolulu downtown walkabout I included several pictures of the Palace exterior, so today’s entry will just include a few pictures from the interior.
The tour lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was very enjoyable. If you have further interest in this topic, I suggest looking into the history of the Hawaiian Royal Family and the forces that led to their demise.
I had a good day, but probably a rather mundane entry for the readers. Apologies for that. I’m hoping tomorrow will bring a little more adventure! Interest peaked?
I had a little bit of a journal backlog to catch up on this morning, and after that I decided to spend the afternoon meandering around parts of Waikiki that I hadn’t visited yet. I started off by returning to the beach volleyball courts, but the action wasn’t as intense as yesterday, so I moved on…
It’s Don Ho! I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this statue commemorating the Hawaiian legend!
And who else remembers his iconic hit Tiny Bubbles??
I’ve collected a few HRC pins from my travels; let’s head inside to check out what they’ve got!This is an awesome display! We’re looking up a stairwell at the brick wall, with the guitars then looping onto the ceiling. Cool!Another pin for the bulletin board ($3.99, on sale!). The image is a cutaway of the Hawaiian state flag.I noticed this tree on my walk due to the droppings at its base.Beautiful flowers hidden underneath. There were berries as well that the birds loved!The droppings are needles. I did a little research (emphasis on little!) to try and figure out the name of the tree, but no luck.This is Fort DeRussy Beach Park, named after a Civil War General (in Hawaii? seems kind of odd to me!)This is the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. The rainbow mural dates from 1968, and was created using over 8,000 ceramic tiles!Ala Wai Boat Harbor with Magic Island in the background
Monday, February 7 – Honolulu
Well, I’ve finally figured out the remainder of my travel schedule. I determined a couple days ago that I would be departing Kona on March 15. Instead of returning straight to Madison though, I was thinking of stopping off in Las Vegas. It’s been at least 30 years since I’ve been there, so the thought was appealing. And the first weekend of March Madness also happens to take place during this week. Bonus! Well, maybe not. As I did a little research, I discovered that this is a BAD time to be in LV! Attempting to watch the games in a sports book requires an expensive reservation or a long wait to gain entry. Pass!
I’ll therefore be arriving back in Madison on March 16 (overnight flight) – after spending a little over 9 weeks in Hawaii instead of the planned 3 months. Not terrible, I guess. I rebooked my Southwest Airlines return (again!). The change resulted in a fare increase of $150, but I had the $30 credit from my previous change, so the net increase was around $120.
For the rest of the day I ran a few errands, and then took a walk over to Magic Island. Boring, I know!
More travel planning taking place this morning! I’m making progress, thankfully. I’ve now added a week in Maui following the week in Kauai. Only finalizing the big island (Hawaii) itinerary remains.
While visiting the Koko Crater Botanical Garden, I met a couple from Oregon who told me about another botanical garden located in the heart of downtown Honolulu. Really? So that’s this afternoon’s destination.
The Foster Botanical Garden was about an hour walk (to the west) from my apartment. It’s not a huge garden – 14 acres – but it contains an interesting mix of tropical plants ($5 entry fee).
I’m actually able to identify some of the plant life here! Amazing, I know. (with a big assist from the information signs throughout the garden!) This is a Kapok Tree that was planted in the 1850s! These are pieces of artwork, not living trees. Their installation was just completed this afternoon (good timing!), hence the pylons surrounding the bases.Bolted together!Another cool piece of artwork!A Baobab Tree – native to Tropical Africa. This one was planted in the 1940s.This is the Great Buddha of Kamakura. The statue was installed here in 1968 to commemorate the centennial celebration of Japanese immigration to Hawaii.Sidenote: Coincidentally, I’ve been to Kamakura in Japan. Here is their statue of the Great Buddha. It’s 44 feet tall, weighs 100 tons, and dates from around 1252!The Outdoor Butterfly Garden. There were a few flying around – impossible to photograph (at least for me!)A Cannonball Tree. It is native to South America. This one was planted in 1931, and is the largest example in the United States.Blossoming stems grow directly from the trunk, resembling a vine.The round fruits weigh several pounds!A Quipo Tree. Native to Central America. This one was planted in 1930.
Friday, February 4 – Honolulu
Okay, I’m designating this my “stupid, but lucky” day. I decided to make a return visit to the north shore – to check out some other beaches to the east of my previous trip. It’s an area called the Banzai Pipeline, and I was hoping to see some of the big winter waves the area is famous for (and were nowhere to be seen on my last visit!). Well, I did not go away disappointed! In fact, there just happened to be a major surfing competition being held here this weekend. Today was a practice day, which was perfect for me (low-key, less crowded, free!).
Sidenote: Of course, I could have easily known in advance that this tournament was taking place; just a little advance research would have provided that information. But no!
I took a bunch of pictures, but with my low skill level and lack of high quality equipment, it was difficult to get many good action shots. Hopefully the ones I posted below will give you a feel for the power of these waves! They were great fun to witness! The surfers too!
The event is taking place on Ehukai BeachA fair amount of spectators. I settled in along this fenceline.The little spots are surfers!A couple surfers on the right side of the wave…
Based on the fact that the waves on my previous visit to the North Shore were much less powerful, I was curious how these tournaments are able to be scheduled in a reasonable manner. As I was talking to one of the other spectators, she passed along that the timing is based on a selected 10-12 day window. Interesting…
Sidenote: I’m writing this on Sunday morning, so the results of the men’s competition from Saturday are in. It turns out the winner was an aging surfing legend!
Across the street from Ehukai Beach was a hike I wanted to check out – the Ehukai Pillbox Trail. It’s around 3 miles long, which is a combination of a loop and and out-and-back trail. There was a fairly steep gradient at times, so it was a little more strenuous than I expected!
The ropes were a big help, especially on the way down!Made it to the top!And the view. I think this is one of those hikes that’s more about the journey than the destination!
A short walk to the east from Ehukai Beach is Sunset Beach. This will be my last stop for the day.
Nice size waves here as well!
With the name Sunset Beach, you’d think it would be obvious that I should stick around to witness that event. Nice idea, but I’ve got a 2 hour bus ride ahead of me, so I think I’m going to make my way back to Honolulu!
Saturday, February 5 – Honolulu
More travel planning this morning! I’m sooo close to being done! Today I booked my final Hawaiian leg – 9 nights on the Big Island (Hawaii), mainly based in Hilo. Since I’ve decided to cut my visit to Hawaii short, I’m thinking of doing a short stopover somewhere in the southern U.S. before I return to Madison. Hopefully I’ll get that figured out soon!
Similar to Magic Island becoming my favorite spot in Honolulu/Waikiki, the Diamond Head loop has become my favorite walk. That’s this afternoon’s adventure! And unlike last time, when I was lazy and didn’t take any pictures, this time I came across some new sights I think (hope?) you’ll be interested in. So, here we go!
I’ve noticed a lot of electric vehicles in Honolulu. I’m sure the high cost of fuel here is the main driver of this. But I would also think that the fact that we’re on a small island, and thus the range/recharging aspect is not a great concern, would also be a factor.These were some serious beach vball players! I ended up staying here awhile to watch.A pretty promenade along the Waikiki waterfrontA cute little bungalow……with historic designation.I liked this one too! It has an historic plaque as well, but it was right by the front door (which was open), so I didn’t venture up to check it out! This is Makalei Beach Park, a nice little spot along the walk. What I especially like about it is its access (to the left) to an oceanfront walkway……seen here!And this is Leahi Beach Park, where the walkway terminates to the rightPretty scene along the road (nice looking house too!)Another house I like! (with Diamond Head in the background)I was getting a little hungry, and this smelled too good to pass up! (DH in the background)I went with two Street Tacos (pork). $4 each. They were excellent! (I would have gone with the Fish Tacos, but they were sold out. Damn it!)My dining location was under the tree on the left (DH in the background)
I did some housekeeping stuff this morning, including a journal update and a trip to the grocery store. Exciting, I know!
Sidenote: I’ve checked out four different grocery stores near my apartment, and it turns out Walmart generally has the lowest prices. And it’s a nicely laid out store as well! The one negative is their limited produce section.
By early afternoon I was ready to get out and enjoy some more of the beautiful weather. I decided I was going to go back to the Diamond Head Grill for some takeaway dinner, so I meandered that way via the waterfront. The beaches were pretty crowded. As I mentioned before, I’m pretty sure that’s due to an influx of the locals on the weekends. (No pictures of note to post here – it’s all similar to what I’ve uploaded previously. Sorry!)
The Grill’s daily special was a grilled chicken gyros with a salad. Mmmm…might have try that out!
It was pretty good. But at $16, I’m thinking I probably didn’t get the best bang for the buck!
So, my apartment is on the very western edge of Waikiki, and the Diamond Head Grill is on the eastern edge. I point that out because the walk back took me about 45 minutes. Not terrible. But I probably won’t be going back there a lot! (For reference, my previous hotel is pretty much right in the middle between my apartment and the Grill)
Monday, January 31 – Honolulu
I worked on some travel planning this morning. I ended booking the next leg of my trip – 7 nights in Kauai. (That’s the longest I was willing to go – it’s expensive! And, of course, I’m cheap!) I’ll reveal the Kauai costs when I get to that part of the trip. I head there on the 20th of this month.
Travel Note: I’m going to need a rental car in Kauai (and the other islands), so I checked with my credit card companies to see if either of the two offer Collision Damage coverage when using their card. Well, it’s good news – bad news time. The good news is one of my cards does offer the coverage. Alright! The bad news? My account (and thousands of others) with that card have been transferred to a different provider. So my existing card will be voided on February 21st. Ugh! That’s double bad news! Not only will I not receive the CD coverage, but I’ll be down to one credit card for the rest of my trip after February 21st. I’m confident (hopeful?) it won’t be a problem though. There is some follow-up good news however. I ended up booking the rental car via Expedia, and they offer CD coverage through AIG for $10/day, which isn’t terrible. One more note: I’m sure the new credit card provider has mailed me their card which will become active on the 21st, and may even include CD coverage; but, of course, I’m not home to receive it! Doh!
By afternoon I was ready to get out and clear my head. So I decided to take the walk around (not into) Diamond Head Crater. This is the walk that goes along the waterfront in Waikiki and then wraps around the crater to return back into town. It’s a pretty walk, and fairly grueling with some elevation changes. (Once again, I haven’t bothered with pictures; you’ve seen it already) Dinner was chicken noodle soup out of a can. Yum!
Sidenote: I’ve been here three weeks now, and I hate to say it, but I’ve recently been hoping for a rainy day; just so I could take a day of just loafing around and not feel guilty about it. But it’s been nice every day! Pretty lame thing to be complaining about, right? (BTW, still averaging 17k steps per day)
Tuesday, February 1 – Honolulu
I have a little day of exploring planned. I’m heading back to the southeast corner of the island – to the area around Koko Crater (there’s a lot see there!).
The first stop is Koko Crater Botanical Garden. The garden path is about 2 miles long, with some minor elevation changes. An easy hike. And the best part: it’s free! I should say that the name is a little misleading. To me it seemed more like a nature preserve. I’ll let you be the judge after looking at the pictures! (and like at the arboretum, I’ll offer the caveat that I’ve made no attempt to identify the various plant life! Sorry!)
Sign Mania!!
Okay, time to head to the beach! To get there from the Botanical Garden was about a 30 minute walk to the south.
Saw this on my walk. I liked the clever camouflage on the cell tower!This is Sandy Beach Dunes, looking east towards Makapuu Point, which I hiked a few days ago.Now looking west. That’s Koko Crater in the background.I’m going to be walking west along the coast, in the direction back to Waikiki (towards Koko Crater)Awesome spot to do some fishing! (You won’t see me going out there though!)I’m now approaching Sandy Beach and Wawamalu Beach ParkSandy Beach (clever name, right?)I’ll be continuing my walk along the coast into the rocky section aheadLooking back at Sandy BeachWhile I was here, no one else was venturing into this rocky part of the coastline. I kind of liked that! And yes, that is a sunbather on the rocks to the left. I kind of startled her as I walked past! I did come across a women here looking for shells. I think she was a local because she confirmed that I would be able to continue walking around the point up ahead.Looking back at Sandy BeachI’m now looking up at a lookout point adjacent to the highway. I’m sure they’re thrilled that I’m ruining their photo ops! (I wasn’t there very long!)Coming around to Halona Beach CoveAnd I’m at the end of the line for my coastline walk. This is the path back up to the highway.View of Halona Beach Cove from the top of the path at the entrance from the highway
And for those of you of a certain age, Halona Beach Cove is where the beach scene in the movie From Here To Eternity was filmed.
Looking east (at Sandy Beach) from the highway lookout point (to the left is the rocky section that I walked)This is the view looking west
A fun day!
Wednesday, February 2 – Honolulu
More travel planning this morning folks! I’m looking at going to Maui following Kauai, but nothing is booked yet. Spoiler alert! I’m probably going to return to Madison earlier than expected. The costs on the other three islands are much higher than here on Oahu (mainly due to the need for a rental car), so my budget is looking to be busted ahead of schedule (although, my original plan was not to stay in Hawaii for the full three months). I’m still sorting through the scenarios though. Watch this space…
Following the planning stuff and some journal work, I ventured out to what is probably my favorite spot in Honolulu. That’s right. Magic Island! Basically just planted myself on a bench, contemplated life, did a little reading, and listened to one of Matt’s podcasts.
Before finding my bench of choice though, I came across this cool ceremony…
What an awesome setting for a wedding! (that’s a drone in the upper right)Today’s view from the bench
Sadly, I have some terrible news to report people! Brace yourselves!
On my way back to the apartment I stopped at the nearby Subway to pick up a $3.99 special. Well, they’re no longer offering that promotion. What!?! The horror! Now, there are many other Subway shops in the area, but as far as I could tell this was the only one offering the special. And now it’s no more. Brutal!
So I went to Plan B for dinner. I stopped at the grocery store (not Walmart) to pick up a premade salad. On the way out of the store I noticed this popular booth.
Andagi are sweet deep fried buns of dough similar to doughnuts, native to Southern China then spread to the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. And now popular in Hawaii!Three for a dollar. Tasty!
I’m a little tired this morning, so I decided to hang around the apartment and work on a journal update, do some reading and watch TV. Boring, I know! (remind myself – marathon, not sprint!)
I did get out for a walk this afternoon though and ended up at my favorite bench on Magic Island. I did have a pleasant surprise on my walk back to the apartment however. I took a new route and came across the companion statue to the one I highlighted previously that’s adjacent to the Hawaii Convention Center. Bonus!
“Storyteller”The statue represents the keepers of Hawaiian culture. The storytellers preserve the identity of the Hawaiian people and land by reciting poems, songs, chants and genealogies.
Saturday, January 29 – Honolulu
I ventured into Chinatown today. The Chinese New Year is this coming Tuesday, so I was hoping some special activities might be taking place. Unfortunately, due to Covid, there were no public celebrations scheduled. There was still plenty of traffic and long lines though at Chinese bakeries and flower shops.
It was about a 45 minute walk to the west from my apartment.
Chinese Prayer Alter, where incense are burned while communicating with the GodsThere are many food markets in ChinatownA little outdoor dining area adjacent to one of the marketsA long line at this bakery!2022 is the Year of the TigerI took a leisurely walk along the waterfront on my way back to the apartment (and of course made a stop on Magic Island!). I’ve noticed that the beaches and other popular outdoor locations are much more crowded on the weekends versus during the week. Another sign, I guess, of the Covid impact on tourism.
For dinner? The $3.99 Subway special! Weird that I didn’t get something to eat while I was in Chinatown, right? I know! I just wasn’t hungry at the time. I’ll definitely go back though to try out some of the food stalls!
I can confirm, my quads are sore this morning! It’s a good feeling though. Although it does remind me that I’m not in that great of shape. And old!
Today I visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. It is located in Punchbowl Crater, which is in the northern part of Honolulu. It covers a 112 acre area and is the final resting place for over 50,000 U.S. war veterans and family members (including 13,000 from World War II). The crater was formed 75,000 – 100,000 years ago and historians believe the site once served as an altar where ancient Hawaiians offered sacrifices to their gods.
It took me about an hour to walk there from my apartment.
A view of Punchbowl Crater from my walk. That’s Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in the foreground. Great location for a school!Beautiful plantings near the entrance to the Cemetery.The military personnel on the steps are rehearsing for an upcoming intermentLooking back towards the entranceThe small chapelThe rehearsal is ongoing…A notable interment – Sgt Hansen was one of the original Flag-raisers on Iwo Jima (there is a grid system in place that makes it easy to find the markers – Sgt Hansen is located in Section O, Plot 397)The ever-present Diamond HeadThe Cemetery’s Overlook offered great views of Honolulu…… including downtown Honolulu, Waikiki, and Diamond Head (never gets old!)
You probably noticed the lack of other visitors at the cemetery. Besides in the Waikiki Beach area, I’m finding that to be the case here. A Covid benefit, I guess. And I’m liking it!
For dinner tonight I tried my first Poke Bowl. I stopped at a spot near my apartment that has received good reviews and is classified as “Poke Asian Fusion”. Okay…
The two staff members were a big help in guiding me through the various poke bowl permutations and combinations!I went with Kimchi Ahi with Crab Salad, Cucumber Salad, Seaweed Salad, and Fried Onion Bits. $12. Very good!
Thursday, January 27 – Honolulu
Time for another hike! Today I’m going to check out the lighthouse on Makapuu Point. This is the easternmost point on Oahu, and is located in the southeast part of the island. It’s just a little bit east of Koko Crater that I trekked a couple days ago, and took me about an hour and 15 minutes to get there via two buses.
It’s a pretty easy hike on a paved path – 2 miles round trip with a 500 foot elevation change. It was a little bit of walk though from the bus stop to the trailhead, which offered some nice views as well.
This is a view of two bird sanctuary islands from Makapuu Beach Park, which is across the street from the bus stopStill in Makapuu Beach Park; now looking towards the upcoming hiking spot – Makapuu Point. You can see the lighthouse barely poking up on the left edge of the cliff. Now walking up the road from the bus stop towards the “official” start of the hike. Below is Makapuu Beach.The “official” start! You can see the trail winding up behind the sign.Not very crowded!This is a great shot! On the left are the Makapuu Tidepools, and then the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, followed by Koko Crater in the center and Diamond Head in the background to the right.Okay, so this is a whale breaching (trust me!). Unfortunately my camera’s zoom isn’t very powerful. Hopefully I’ll have other opportunities for a more up close and personal whale experience at some point on this trip!Approaching the lighthouse from above. Notice at the bottom of the picture there is a trail with a white fence barrier. Sadly, this part of the hike is no longer maintained and off limits to visitors.The lighthouse was established in 1909 and has been automated since 1974. It is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.View from the top of the hike of Makapuu Beach Park on the left and the two island bird sanctuaries.Heading back down the path…After finishing the Makapuu Trail,, I decided to check out the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail as wellNo paved luxury here!The Makapuu TidepoolsA view of Koko CraterAnd this is a close up shot of the Hawaii Kai Golf Course that I pointed out from the top of the Koko Crater hike a couple days ago (that’s Koko Crater in the background). This also happens to be where the stop is located for the bus that takes me back to Honolulu. Perfect!
Nothing special planned for today. I did pick up some things at the local grocery store, which is about a 10 minute walk from my apartment. There is a significant Japanese population in Honolulu, and you can see that influence with the type of foods offered at the store. I did have a surprising (pleasant?) discovery while roaming the aisles…
Price Check Update: Apologies Honolulu! This is more like it. Lesson learned! My previous yogurt price check was at a mini-mart in Waikiki located a couple blocks from the beach.
I went for a walk in the afternoon and had another pleasant surprise: there’s a Subway shop close to my apartment that offers a daily $3.99 six-inch sub special. Wow! That’s a bargain here! I can see being a regular there. (I’m so cheap!)
Took a break on my walk to do some reading on a bench in what’s becoming my favorite spot in Waikiki/Honolulu – Magic Island.
Oh, and for dinner I had a $3.99 sub! 😉
Steps Update: Yesterday marked two weeks into the trip, and I’m averaging 17k steps per day, with a maximum of 30k and a minimum of 10k.
Tuesday, January 25 – Honolulu
Today I hiked the Koko Crater Tramway. This is a 1,000+ step walking track consisting of abandoned railroad ties that run along the west side to the top of the crater. The military used it during World War II as part of an incline tram to transport supplies to a lookout post at the summit. Located to the east of Honolulu, it was about a 50 minute bus ride to get there.
Duly warned. Let’s do this!The tramway path up the craterHere we go!About halfway up the path there is a “bridge” portion without ground underneath – approximately 50 rail steps – there is a bypass trail option howeverMmmmm…Yeah, I took the bypass. You’re right, I’m a wimp!Are we there yet?!?So close!Made it! And the views from the top were worth it. That’s Diamond Head and Waikiki in the background.
The ascent took me about 50 minutes, with many stops along the way. It was fun though because there was a comradery amongst the hikers – a lot on conversations and encouragement along the way. While I was taking a break at the top I spoke to a recent college grad who played DII football. He did the climb in 17 minutes. Yikes!
View of Hanauma Bay. Note the baseball diamonds in the center right.View from the east side of the crater. That is Hawaii Kai Golf Course to the left.
I spent about 40 minutes at the top. There was a nice breeze on the east side of the crater, which felt great because I was sweating bullets!
I think the decent may be even harder than the ascent!I was in no hurry!Side stepping was a popular (and smart!) methodology!This guy (and his partner behind him) were adding to their workout by carrying these timbers!
The trip down took about 40 minutes. And yes, I bypassed the “bridge” again! The descent wasn’t as strenuous as the ascent, but taking the time to maintain proper footing was a must. A tough hike (especially for an old guy!), but definitely worth it! I’m sure I’ll feel it my quads tomorrow.
Ground level view of one of the baseball diamonds I mentioned earlier. I just thought it was a cool location, with Diamond Head in the background.Had some home cooking for dinner tonight. Well, about as close to home cooking as I can get!
Spent this morning getting caught up on my journal entries and then ventured out to explore a little bit of downtown Honolulu. It turned out that Sunday is a good day for this activity, because the area was pretty much deserted! (Although, on the down side, it was deserted because everything was closed!) I will definitely return though to take some tours of these buildings.
A little photo essay…
Kawaiahaʻo Church. Construction completed in 1842.The Lunalilo Mausoleum (also called Lunalilo’s Tomb) is the final resting place of Hawaii’s sixth monarch King Lunalilo and his father Charles Kanaʻina. It is located adjacent to the Kawaiahaʻo Church.Honolulu Hale (City Hall), c. 1928Hawaiian Mission Houses. In the foreground is the Chamberlain House (Ka Hale Kamalani), c. 1831The Royal Brewery (c. 1900) is the oldest remaining structure associated with brewing in the state of HawaiiBuilt in 1882 by King Kalakaua, Iolani Palace was the home of Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs and served as the official royal residence until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.Iolani Palace grounds. The Coronation Pavilion is on the right. Iolani Palace grounds. The Barracks. YWCA Building, c. 1927 (and it is still home to the YWCA!)Hawaii State Art Museum, c. 1928Aliʻiōlani Hale (c. 1874) is home to the Hawaii State Supreme Court. In the foreground is the gold-leaf statue of Kamehameha the Great.Aloha Tower (c. 1926) is a retired lighthouseImpressive yacht moored near Aloha Tower
Here’s a link to an interesting article I found about this yacht touring the waters of Alaska.
Finally, I realized that I had made references to my bus excursions, but provided no photos of the luxury cruisers (!). So, here you go!
I’m back! Apologies for not posting the past few days; I’ve been a little busy, but probably more likely – lazy!
Wednesday, January 19 – Waikiki
After loafing around the hotel for a while this morning, I decided to go on a little recon mission. Before booking an Airbnb you’re just given a general location of the property. Afterwards, an address is provided. So, with address in hand, I went to check out my new neighborhood. It was only about a 15 minute walk from my hotel; just on the other side of the canal (further away from the beach). I think it’s on the edge between the border of Honolulu and Waikiki. It’s a quiet area, which is nice. And within walking distance of grocery stores and dining options. All good. I met one of the other residents of the complex when I was walking by, who also happens to serve as the maintenance person. Nice guy. So hopefully this will be a good situation. Watch this space…
I spent the rest of the afternoon just kind of roaming around this eastern edge of Honolulu. I only have one photo to post though unfortunately. I came across this interesting statue outside the Hawaii Convention Center…
The statue, “The Water Giver“, was created by local artist Shige Yamada. It symbolically acknowledges the Hawaiian people for their generosity and expressions of goodwill to newcomers. Apparently it has a sister statue called “The Storyteller” located in Waikiki. I’ll have to check that out!
I finished the day by heading back to the Indian take away spot near my hotel. Went with Chickpea Masala this time. Very good!
Sidenote: I spoke with the woman at the take away counter for a few minutes. The discussion centered around the amount of tourists in Waikiki. I felt like it was rather crowded here, considering the Covid situation. She somewhat agreed with that, but also said that pre-Covid the streets and beaches of Waikiki were packed with people. Even though it is surely detrimental to her business, she likes it better now. Interesting…
Thursday, January 20 – Waikiki
I’m out early for an experiment today. I’m planning on spending the day exploring The North Shore of Oahu. It’s an area known for big waves, beaches, parks, and yes, a few tourist traps (quilty – I hit one!) It normally takes about an hour to get there by car from Waikiki, but here’s where the experiment comes into play – I’m going to take the bus. Not a tour bus. A regular city bus. Very cool that they offer a city bus service throughout the island! Why am I doing this? A few reasons (and I’m probably reiterating what I talked about regarding the Pearl Harbor bus ride): interaction with the locals; I can enjoy the scenery rather than worry about driving directions (no co-pilot); it’s not like I’m short on time (as Chuck reminded me!); and most importantly, I’m cheap!
Payment on the bus is either by cash (exact only – no change) or by a pre-paid HOLO card. The fare for each trip is $2.75. However, by using a HOLO card, the maximum a rider will be charged for a single day is $5.50 (in other words, no charge after two trips). There are two bus routes going back and forth from Waikiki/Honolulu to the north – one up the middle of the island, or a scenic drive along the east coast. The former takes about 2 hours, the latter around 2 1/2. Obviously, I went scenic!
Sidenote: There are roughly 160 stops on the scenic bus route from Honolulu to The North Shore! Of course, the bus doesn’t actually make a stop at every one. At least it didn’t on my trip!
I left the hotel around 7:30am, caught the first bus closeby, made a transfer in Honolulu, and arrived in the North around 10:15. The bus wasn’t even close to being crowded throughout the trip, which was nice. I sat on the right side to get the best views. And the scenery was beautiful!
It’s hard to get a decent picture from a moving bus (or train for that matter!), but here are a few… (this is a picture of Mokoliʻi, commonly known as Chinaman’s Hat)Right up against the coast!This is St. Joachim Mission Church. Cute!
I ended doing a lot of walking along the coast, but it’s pretty spread out, so I also used the bus to get to various spots too (and frankly, at some points the road along the coast is rather narrow and not the best for walking)
Waimea Bay BeachThese signs were posted all along the North Shore beachesKalua o Mana “Three Tables”Pupukea “Sharks Cove”Haleiwa BeachNo surfers. No swimmers.
I must confess I did make a stop in Haleiwa, a little North Shore tourist town.
This is Liliuokalani Protestant Church. The interesting part is this archway, built in 1910.This is Matsumoto Shave Ice. With a line out the door, I have to stop and try one!I went with a large (only 50 cents more than a small!) Matsumoto’s with Azuki BeansThe shave ice assembly line. I’m sure an even more impressive sight pre-covid, without the plastic between the staff and customersThe Matsumoto’s Combination: Lemon/Pineapple/CoconutThe Azuki Beans on the bottom. They are Japanese red beans coated in sugar. I’m not sure this was a good add-on choice because: a) it was hard to taste them amongst the syrup, and b) the beans plugged up the straw!More souvenirs – a pin and a sticker ($5.50)
I was going to take the central bus route back to Honolulu, but a coastal bus came by first, so I took that. Terrible! I ended up getting back to Honolulu around 6pm. A long, but very enjoyable day! And the transportation only cost me $5.50!
Sidenote: For those of you interested in Pearl Harbor history, Haleiwa was a rather important place, which I hadn’t realized. Here’s a link to the story.
Friday, January 21 – Waikiki
Moving day! Time to check out of the hotel and take up residence in my Airbnb home for the next month. I admit I have a little apprehension, because although I’ve viewed the exterior and I like the neighborhood, I’ve only seen pictures of the unit’s interior. But hey, worst case, it’s only for a month, right?
The walk from my hotel to the apartment took about 20 minutes (minimal luggage, too cheap for an Uber!).
And with the caveat that I had low expectations going in, I’m pleased with the unit. It’s clean, has strong internet (more on that tomorrow), hot water, good water pressure. What more could you ask?!?
Here are a few pictures (remember, low expectations!)…
The entrance to my unit in the back is through the accessway on the right. And I do have a reserved parking space. Which will be nice in the event I decide to rent a car.A little patio off the bedroom
I spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting the place sorted.
As many of you know, today was my birthday. And thank you to everyone who reached out to me throughout the day. It was wonderful to hear from all of you! But, I’m sad to say it turned out to be a rather boring day. I didn’t even get anything special to eat. Embarrassingly, my dinner was a tuna sandwich from a local convenience store! Oh well, as many of you told me, a boring birthday in Hawaii is still a pretty good day!
I remember a phone call I had with my Dad on my birthday during my first winter escape in 2019. He made the comment that I was rarely in Madison for my birthday. I really hadn’t thought about it, but he was right. So for my journal entry that day I put together a list of where I had been on my birthday over the past several years. Here’s that list, appended to present day…
2000: working in Houston
2001: working in Corpus Christi
2002: working offshore, Bay of Campeche
2003: working offshore, Bay of Campeche
2004: working in Kuwait
2005: working in Kuwait
2006: working in Houston
2007: working in London
2008: working in London
2009: on vacation in Malta
2010: on vacation in Paris
2011: working in Yokohama
2012: working in Perth, Australia
2013: working in Perth
2014: on a business trip in London
2015: working in Houston
2016: on a business trip in Yokohama
2017: in transit to Tokyo for a business trip
2018: working in Houston
2019: on vacation in Buenos Aires
2020: on vacation in London
2021: Madison (Covid lockdown)
2022: on vacation in Honolulu
Saturday, January 22 – Honolulu
I hate to say it, but I think today is going to be a rest day.
I did make a run to Target though (about a 15 minute walk), and here’s why. I made a mention in yesterday’s entry about the internet here at the apartment, and it is fine. The issue is my 10 year old laptop. It keeps losing the wireless signal. I had that problem at the hotel too, but not as severe. Very annoying. And I remember I had the same issue a couple years ago at a hotel in Argentina. Fortunately there they actually had ethernet wall outlets that I was able to utilize in place of the wireless (with a borrowed cable). Well, I should have remembered that and brought an ethernet cable with me on this trip. But no. So I bought one at Target ($15) and plugged it into the router here in the apartment. Problem solved! (until I get to the next place that doesn’t have an ethernet option!)
I spent the rest of the day reading, getting caught on my day-to-day life stuff, and oh, watching the Packer game (3:15pm start here). Wow, was that ugly!
I’m sorry these last couple days have been rather boring. I’m hopeful this coming week will be better!
