Hawaii 2018 - Day 3

Day 3: Fun day today doing exactly what I said we wouldn’t do - shopping! But it was actually a super fun drive & the coast itself was, well, kinda empty otherwise. It’s so hard to find a town or a cafe or a place to eat lunch on the beaches. That’s so foreign to me as an Aussie where every square inch of the coast is coveted by beach houses, pubs or cafes. We had a half decent coffee (served wayyy over temperature here generally weak, burnt milk & hot as hell!) But a yummy pineapple muffin & a fun shop at actually super cheap prices! Then up to Waianae for lunch. A few plain coloured but big houses in west Oahu then basic living with rusty cars followed by poverty with some homelessness as we travelled further north. It may be an aloha choice to live simply but a lack of jobs seems more likely.. So excited for my first pokè bowl lunch tho yum yum. We are currently driving the Leeward coast & arrived in Waianae pretty late for lunch but this place is perfection! This is raw fish with a sesame chilli dressing is called ahi pokè. Served with bubble “tea” Which I thought sounded healthy but it was topped with whipped cream & doesn’t resemble tea at all 😂! Delicious purple taro flavour though & so weird when the “bubbles” of tapioca travel up the straw into your mouth! 

Back home for a Crossfit seshat Crossfit Waialua. A hero wod today Holleyman. 30 rounds of:

5 wall balls

3 Handstand push ups 

1 Power clean. Was a goodie & everyone very friendly! 

Then home for a toastie & a movie before we head Back to Waikiki for a catamaran snorkell tomorrow!

Word/expression of the day: 

Aloha au ia ‘oe

I love you

Hawaii 2018 - Day 4

Up early was today & down to Waikiki for a Catamaran Turtle Snorkel & sailing tour. We meet at Hilton Hawaii Village bus stop which we know from Day 1 at 10:10am & there were a couple of dental assistants there too in town for a convention. Our hosts Kia & trainee Katherine drove by 2 other hotels to pick up passengers then to the port to board our vessel! After a quick 20 min cruise I realised this must be an inland reef rather than a shore dive. Other boats were there so we circled around & waited for them to leave then we kitted up & jumped in. Mum didn’t snorkel she has a very dicky knee & I could tell she was terrified so I hopped in for a look. The flow was fast on a bland & nondescript reef & visibility was poor. After 10 minutes I saw 3 turtles & climbed back aboard to check on mum as I knew that was it. Rather disappointing as I’ve swum 2-3 metres from turtles before in crystal clear shallow waters before so it was “ok”. Lunch & mai tai’s followed plus a very short nap & sailing in the ocean. It was great! It was a budget lunch of rolls with meat & salad plus chips etc but it was $170pp for a 3 hour tour! (Eek no Gillian!) so no complaints on our first “tourist” adventure. We departed the cruise about 2pm & headed to the shops for a few gifts before we depart the island tomorrow for Maui & Lanai. The drive home was busier than usual with heavy traffic however we were warned it was a long weekend due to Memorial Day Monday. Then another cheese & fruit platter followed with our last beer, gin & tonic. It’s a magical spot we stayed in & well worth the drive away from the hustle & bustle of Waikiki! I still haven’t taken mum out for a proper dinner so after we tour Maui a bit tomorrow & mum had her first Lomi Lomi massage, I’d like to take her to a proper luau to learn more about the culture & experience hula. Now for the shitty job of packing all the shopping in while my suitcase is the same size & was full on arrival 😂😂😂

Word/expression of the day: Aloha au ia óe - I love you