Well our travels for 2012 are coming to an end. The flight from JFY was long and frustrating, thanks to a crying child. The more you travel the more the sight of young children at the departure lounge gives you the willies. Hence we arrived in Hawaii a bit tired suffering from post NY withdrawal.
Anyway our serviced apartment is large and well appointed, the car which was part of the package a bit of a buzz. Well positioned a block back from Waikiki beach it was an easy walk to most things. However just be aware the public transport is basic in Hawaii and a car is really needed if you want to get around.
The shopping at the Waikele outlet centre near Pearl City is really cheap, not rubbish, actual brand name cloths and shoes. Check with Pam for more details. We drove up to the north shore spending a day on that side of the island. The drive over is very picturesque and the beaches clear and clean. After an hour swimming and sunning on sunset beach we lunched at Hal’eiwa at a little restaurant adjoining the marina.
We spent a morning at Pearl Harbor going through the various exhibitions, before travelling out by Navy tender to the Arizona Memorial off Ford Island. It really is an informative and moving presentation we could recommend.
If you think Oahu is a hot and humid place, try walking to the top of the Diamond head after lunch. The walk is steep, made even more difficult by the 500 Japanese tourist you pass on the way up and again on the way down. They don’t make Japanese like they used too. I could not see any of them making the Kokoda trail. It is a little ironic to think 70 years ago the Japanese attacked the place, and today they invade every day in large air conditioned coaches. Anyway the view of the old volcano and the coastline makes it all worthwhile.
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