Hawaii

2017

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Day 1 – Friday 28 July 2017

Good flight. Left virtually on the scheduled time this

Friday afternoon (Melbourne time). Had a poor sleep.

No particular reason – just couldn’t get comfortable

enough and perhaps too much still on my mind from

work wind down and last-minute trip preparations.

Watched Guardians of the Galaxy II and United Kingdom

on the inflight entertainment, which was a bonus

because we had assumed we’d have to pay to view

movies on Jetstar. Arrived some 10 hours later but

thanks to time zones, it was now only early Friday

morning in Hawaii.

Our pre-booked Charley’s Taxi collected us and took us

into Waikiki for the set $29. The journey from airport

offers nothing particularly exciting to view – just

dilapidated and assorted industrial buildings. A ridge

covered in dead or at least sparsely-leafed vegetation

backlit by the morning sun caught my eye, reminding

me of a balding head with a soft covering of wispy hair.

I’d later learn this was the ‘Punchbowl’ and on the other

side of that ridge is the National Memorial Cemetery of

the Pacific.

Got dropped off at our hotel, the Surfjack at 412 Lewers

St, about two blocks from the beach and 40 to 50 years

back in time (in a very cool, retro way). A suite was

available so we upgraded to secure it, which gave us our

own lounge area, separate to the bedroom. What’s a

Surfjack? It’s an invented name, dreamt up by a clever

group of talented branding folk to evoke “the Waikiki of

old, reborn” in a brand that’s “playful and instantly

familiar, a word to define anyone, anywhere who finds

inspiration in the ocean…the guy who works downtown

and skips out early to go surfing, or the woman in

Wisconsin who’s going through pictures of the beach

wishing she was in Hawaii, or the artist who just loves

being around the ocean because it’s a source of

inspiration.” Yep that’s us!

As I happened to also be reading Jack London’s The

House of Pride: And Other Tales of Hawaii on this trip

(on my i-pad; not the hardback), it

was neat to learn that the hotel’s

name was largely inspired by that

very same author who is “sort of

like the patron saint of the

building.” In The House of Pride

story London refers to “algaroba”

trees and I wondered whether

these were the type I saw covering

Punchbowl. Later, on trip to Pearl

Harbor, I’d learn the colloquial name is ‘Monkey Pods’

but was never quite sure whether they’re the same

genus.

After settling in to our Surfjack digs and a short power

nap, we headed out to explore Waikiki and had a couple

of swims, first at Queen's Surf Beach on south-east side

of the Waikiki Pier (aka Kapahulu Groin). Queen’s Surf

Beach was deceptively shallow with too many

rocks/coral underfoot to swim/body surf comfortably or

with much confidence, so we then tried out the large

sheltered tidal pool that forms Kuhio Beach on the

north-west side of the pier. Later, we’d discover a

better spot out front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and

Duke’s bar, which would become our go-to place to

beach ourselves in Waikiki.

Listening to Belinda Carlisle belting out ‘Heaven Is A

Place On Earth’ as we had a drink at the Yard House

(226 Lewers Street) bar while waiting for a dinner table

added an appropriate note to the day’s end. After an

enjoyable and filling dinner, we went back to Surfjack to

hit the sack, sleeping 12 hours straight.

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Day 2 – Saturday 29 July 2017

After our long sleep, we lathered up with lots of

sunscreen and set off to hike the Diamond Head crater

to the south east. On the way, we stopped at Bailey's

Antiques and Aloha Shirts (517 Kapahulu Ave), where I

bought a couple of the Magnum PI shirts (made by

Paradise Found Shirts), and an Obama bottle opener.

Nearby is the Rainbow Drive-In (3308 Kanaina Ave),

which we didn’t get to eat at on this trip, but one to try

next time based on the number of recommendations

we’d get for it.

Walked up past many houses with louvered windows,

which always evokes the hot, dry summers of my

childhood when the louvered windows to my childhood

home’s laundry were opened on hot summer days. And

it was hot as we trudged up the back of the crater,

through a tunnel that takes you into the centre of the

crater, then up steep, switch-backed paths, another

cool tunnel, up a flight of about 100 steep stairs and

finally up a spiral metal staircase to an old pillbox

lookout. Then crawled through the lookout window to

the summit to take in great views all around.

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Walked back down to Waikiki where we went our

separate ways for a while. I walked through the

charming historic Moana Hotel foyer (now operating as

part of the Westin’s Moana Surfrider Resort). This was

Waikiki’s first hotel, opening in

1901 and host to a group of

Shriners who were among its first

guests, paying $1.50 per night for

their rooms. When I learnt that, it

made me think of my friend Roberto who once owned a

painting by the artist Shag called The Defiant Shriner.

I found a spot on the beach a little further along in front

of that other majestic and historic hotel, the Royal

Hawaiian Hotel (aka ‘Pink Palace of the Pacific), which

was built in 1927 and is perhaps the icon of Waikiki’s

glamorous golden days. The swimming and surf here

was much better than yesterday’s at Queen’s Beach. It

would become our go-to area at the beach, though

we’d gravitate more towards Duke’s, which is roughly

mid point between the two grand old hotels.

Then we met back at the Surfjack to find a pool party in

full swing. DJ beats, hot bods and drinks a flowin. Went

down and joined the festivities, but the party wrapped

up around 4 o’clock.

Dinner at Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar. Was a great

meal and nice setting overlooking gardens but the most

expensive we had. Waiter was also very good - a guy

who alternatively reminded me of Ted Danson and

Roger Sterling/John Slattery! I think his name was Chris

and he operated a surf board hire/lesson business as a

day job.

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Day 3 – Sunday 30 July 2017

Spent morning by the Surfjack ‘Wish you were here’ pool, reading about the production of the Mad Max movie in

Luke Buckmaster’s Miller and Max, punctuated by several swims in the pool.

Went for a bike ride, collecting money from Western Union over near Ala Moana. Shopped at Waikele Premium

Outlets (94-790 Lumiaina St, Waipahu, near Pearl Harbor) in the afternoon where we got a couple of good bargains,

especially on jeans and runners.

Cheaper dinner tonight at the California Pizza Kitchen (284 Kalakauna Ave) above the street in a building that might

have once been the site of an old cinema. Waitress was a girl called Ollie!

Day 4 – Monday 31 July 2017

Up early at 6.20am for our bus shuttle ride to Pearl

Harbor. On the way out, our driver Dennis gave us a

reasonable but pro-US account of the geopolitical

tensions that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the

two attack waves on that Sunday morning of 7

December 1941; one over the mountains from the

north, the second from the east over Diamond Head.

Spent the time waiting for our 8.30am timeslot to go

out to the USS Arizona Memorial exploring the

museum, and reflecting that it was about this time of

the day that the attack took place. At 8.30am, we were

ushered into a theatre to view a video about the events

of that “day of infamy”, then on to a launch boat out to

the solemn but bright memorial. I had read somewhere

that Elvis Presley single-handedly funded the memorial.

In fact, Elvis was a contributor but didn’t pay for it all.

Out on the memorial, the smell of oil still lingers after

all these years as it continues seeping from the sunken

ship that is a tomb to 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and

Marines killed on USS Arizona (BB-39). The submerged

bow now faces the bow of the USS Missouri (BB-63),

which we’d get to go on a little later and symbolically

guards the memorial with its 6 forward-facing, breech-

loading 16 inch (406 mm)/50-caliber Mark 7 naval guns.

Back to explore the open air exhibits and saw part of a

‘Mustang’ commissioning ceremony, where non-

commissioned officers get promoted to officer ranks by

virtue of their hard work, initiative etc. Didn’t go on the

USS Bowfin sub that’s one of the exhibits there but did

get to look through a periscope, which was one of the

open air exhibits. Back on the bus and through a couple

of check points on to Ford Island, where we explored

the USS Missouri, first on a short guided tour that

ended on the starboard side soon after the ‘Surrender

Deck’ where the WWII officially ended with the signing

of the ‘Japanese Instrument of Surrender’ in Tokyo Bay

on September 2, 1945. Further aft on that starboard

deck, at the ‘Kamikaze attack site’ we saw an

operational nuclear sub heading out to who knows

where. We then went and explored below decks on

our own.

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Eventually we made our way back up to the main deck

and the Combat Engagement Centre (CEC).

Unfortunately the bridge and other above deck sites

were closed due to renovations to be completed later in

the year.

Ford Island is also home to the Pacific Aviation

Museum, but will save that for another trip as it

would’ve been too much to do in one day.

Headed back to Waikiki via the National Memorial

Cemetery of the Pacific (‘Punchbowl’) and a few sites in

downtown Honolulu such as the old Iolani Palace, venue

of Elvis Presley’s Aloha from Hawaii satellite broadcast

concert on January 14, 1973 etc.

Back to the Surfjack for some R&R, then hauled

ourselves down to the beach, which perked us up a little

as we were feeling quite tired/jetlagged. In hindsight,

that was the stirrings of the cold/flu that would linger

with me for the next 4-5 days.

Dinner tonight was at House Without a Key, located in

the Halekulani Hotel on Kalia Rd, next to Sheraton Hotel

(where the Brady Bunch stayed). It was a nice meal,

with live (not tacky) Hawaiian music and an elegant hula

dancer. More entertaining perhaps was the woman

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outside the hotel grounds, beside the beach, swaying to

her own hula dance as the band played. She was every

bit as good as the professional one.

As staff were packing up an area beside us, an arrogant

older man in pink trousers strolled in and indicated he

wanted one of the tables they were in the process of

packing up. When he was politely told this area was

being packed up, he replied with something like

“nothing that can’t be fixed with a little cash” and

proceeded to count out bills until he got what he

wanted. Capitalism in action. We dubbed him the ‘Pink

Panther’. Was actually quite off-putting. Surprised he

didn’t light up a cigar as soon as he sat down!

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Day 5 – Tuesday 1 August 2017

After a long walk to the lighthouse at the foot of

Diamond Head, we took it real easy today, spending

most of the day at Waikiki beach. I was not feeling

great. Not bad, but just not 100%. Felt all hot and

muscle sore and assumed it might have been sunstroke.

Dinner at Hard Rock Café tonight after which we walked

home encountering two guys facing off for a street

fight. Walked over the other side of the road but they

had fled by the time we got back over at a safe distance.

Packed for Kauai in the morning. Feeling less than

perfect, I wasn’t as excited as I should’ve been about

the prospect of going to Kauai. The thought that we

should have just stayed on Oahu crossed my mind, but I

couldn’t have been more wrong!

Day 6 – Wednesday 2 August 2017

Travelling to Kauai, which was a bit of a drag with the

self-checking luggage, going through security and

whatnot. It’s only a 20-minute flight from Honolulu to

Lihue airports but takes over half a day when you count

queuing, checking in etc. In and out of AC seemed to

accentuate the symptoms of what I now recognised as a

cold/flu, which I prayed would not get any worse.

Picked up car after a rather long wait at Avis. Upgraded

to a Jeep. Drove out past an A4 Skyhawk jet outside the

Veterans Center, which must be a US version of an RSL

in the opposite direction to our destination to get

money from a nearby shopping mall (Kukui Grove) to

get money at the Western Union branch at the Times

supermarket. We’d later discover the island is brimming

with WU outlets!

Had some lunch there, then drove up the east coast,

navigating some heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic,

which dispersed north of Kapaa town. Passed the

‘Paramount Peak’ used in the opening shot dissolve of

Raiders of the Lost Ark at Anahola, and through a

beautiful valley of majestic trees somewhere north of

Anahola as we drove to Princeville with its magnificent

mountain backdrop. Found our Air BnB condo at the

Sandpiper Village and accessed the keys with no

problems to find a nice, tidy room with ‘lanai’ and

everything we could need. It was a short walk (maybe

1km?) into Princeville, where we had dinner at a great

tiki bar called Tiki Iniki, well looked after by Lori and our

waitress Joelle. In the nearby car park, four

Pomeranians stood guard at each corner of the roof of

their master’s car, yapping furiously whenever anyone

came close.

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Day 7 – Thursday 2 August 2017

Drove back down to Anahola to make a pilgrimage to

‘Paramount Peak’, which is actually Kalalea Mountain.

Here’s much more on the Indy connection. We asked a

local if there was a hiking trail to the peak, but were

told there was no official trail. So you’d need to do it

Indy style but we just couldn’t find any access point

without potentially trespassing so we went to Anahola

Beach instead, which is magnificent. Walked the length

of the beach, then had a swim. Returned to Princeville

for lunch then spent the afternoon on a beach at

Hanalei Bay, where scenes from South Pacific were

filmed. Here’s a list of 13 famous films shot on location

on the island. I had to stop myself and admire the view

of the magnificent mountains all around. It is

breathtaking, but with all the amazing views around I

was worried I was starting to become a bit blasé, so

forced myself to stop and really appreciate it.

Dinner tonight was at Piazza, an Italian pizza/pasta

place in the same shopping centre on Kuhio Hwy as Tiki

Iniki. It was okay, but not as enjoyable as Tiki Iniki.

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Day 8 – Friday 3 August 2017

Napali coast cruise today with Captain Aaron and first

mate Claudia of Holo Holo charters out of Hanalei Bay.

Captain Aaron’s voice was exactly like Bob Odenkirk’s. It

was like having Slippin’ Jimmy of Better Call Saul fame

as our guide! Napali translates to “many cliffs” and was

home to some 3,000 natives in Captain Cook’s time.

This is real ‘lost world’ terrain with mighty mountain

peaks, sea caves etc. Didn’t see any pterodactyls but

you could imagine them in place of the helicopters that

ply their sightseeing trade in these parts. Went right

into a couple of sea caves, one with its own waterfall.

Cruised right across to where the ‘pali’ end and sand

dunes take over, where we saw many ‘spinner’

dolphins, some breaching and spinning in our wake. Our

first potential snorkelling spot had blue bottle jellyfish

(apparently not as dangerous as ours but will still leave

you with a nasty sting). So we moved on to another

spot where we snorkelled at the foot of the great cliffs.

Sea life and coral was relatively sparse but we saw a

couple of turtles, or perhaps just the same one making a

couple of rounds. That was a real highlight. The return

journey is rougher as you’re fighting the waves rather

than surfing them. We ducked through a cliff-face

tunnel into another cave, this one with the roof off (i.e.

open air). Not sure if Captain Aaron was joking but

apparently people come in here to marry.

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After the tour, I had my first and only ‘shave ice’, at Jo

Jo’s in Hanalei Bay. Initially it was quite nice – like a

Sunnyboy or Glug that never drained of flavour. But

there’s just too much of it and the lump of ice cream at

the bottom was certainly overkill.

Then we drove along to some of the beaches west of

Hanalei Bay and settled for a rest and swim at Lumahai.

It was too rough to swim in the ocean, but there’s a

great inlet to swim in there. Here Andrea got her thongs

stolen and perhaps even lost her sunglasses case, which

was the only downer.

Back to Sandpiper for a swim in the pool and feeling

much better with the cold/flu symptoms, which

thankfully have not stopped me doing anything. Later in

the day, we walked to nearby Queens Bath, a natural

tidal pool of basalt and coral. To get there, you have to

traverse a short, jungle-like track with many tree roots

popping out of it like veins on a hand. Unfortunately,

the calm tidal pool I was expecting was in fact a wave

pounded, dangerous looking pool that threatened to

suck anything in it out into the ocean.

Tried the Westin Hotel for dinner. Perhaps our second

most expensive meal but very nice and in beautiful

surroundings.

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Day 9 – Saturday 4 August 2017

Left Princeville this morning, driving down the east

coast. Paramount peak has another nickname – ‘King

Kong mountain’. This is because its north face

resembles the profile of Kong’s head, and I really

noticed this as we were driving south this day. Also, the

1976 remake of Kong was filmed on Kauai.

Stopped at Kapaa town where Andrea bought a new

pair of thongs and some other items. I got a free T-shirt

as part of the deal, which was a bonus. Then we went a

bit further south to check some views of the Wailu River

and the Opaekaa waterfall. Back past Lihue airport and

the A4 Skyhawk to Kukui Grove to collect some more

cash. We then did a detour via Nawiliwili harbour,

which looped us back past Kukui Grove, from where we

headed on to our next destination at Poipu. Stopped for

lunch in a nice little town of Koloa, enjoying food truck

fish tacos and a burrito for Andrea.

Got to Poipu a little early to check in to our BnB, so

went to the beach where we were lucky enough to see

a monk seal swim right up to

the shore checking out the

beachgoers as if they were

the exhibits in some zoo. Had

a swim and then a drink at

Brennecke's Beach Broiler

back across the street. The

first quarter of Saints vs West Coast was playing live on

a TV, as it was Sunday afternoon back home.

First impressions of Poipu beach was it was no Hanalei

Bay, but this part of the island would reveal just as

stunning coastline and arguably better sea life to

snorkel with.

Checked into our BnB, the Poipu Bed and Breakfast Inn

on Hoonani Rd, which was very nice. Dinner at the

Bangkok Happy Bowl Thai Bistro and Bar in the Poipu

Shopping Village where another stall sells a local

delicacy that Lori from Tiki Iniki told us about – the Puka

Dog, a Hawaiian-style hot dog. Unfortunately, didn’t get

to try one.

Nice walk back to the BnB by light of the silvery moon.

More movie facts: John Ford shot Donovan’s Reef near

where we are staying, and scenes from Magnum PI shot

around there too.

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Day 10 – Sunday 5 August 2017

We had planned to visit the Waimea Canyon but

realised that this would push us for time to get to Kipu

Ranch for the adventure we’d booked online back at

Princeville. We also wanted to get a good walk in, so

settled on exploring nearby Shipwreck Beach. Parked

out front of the palatial Grand Hyatt resort and walked

through it down to Shipwreck Beach. We walked about

a kilometre on the Poipu side, then back and up along

the cliffs on the other side of the beach. At one point I

looked down and the deep, crystal clear water didn’t

seem too far to have a jump! Later, while having a swim

at Shipwreck Beach I saw people jumping off the cliff

into the water! I didn’t try it though.

After lunch, we drove out to Kipu Ranch Adventures.

There was some initial disappointment as the lady in

the registration office where we signed waivers and

provided proof we could drive by showing our drivers’

licences informed us we hadn’t signed on a tour that

“includes swimming”, which I took to mean there was

not going to be any Indiana Jones rope swinging! Oh

well, hopefully we’d at least get to see the location. Our

young guides Kyle and Marlon were excellent, stressing

the importance of safety and following instructions over

hooning around and potentially putting ourselves and

others at risk. Following a short drive test in the

‘mounting yard’ we set off up the tall-tree lined

driveway into the ranch. Kipu Ranch Adventures is not

actually part of the ranch, they just lease the right to

take tours through certain parts of it. Hence the need to

follow instructions so that a ranch cowboy doesn’t kick

us out, which they have the right and power to do if

people misbehave.

First stop was the paddock that stood for the fictional

Isla Nublar off the Costa Rica coast in Jurassic Park. The

next paddock along was Uganda in the 1998 Mighty Joe

Young remake. Then we had a final driving test to see if

we could negotiate a steep, heavily-rutted bit of track.

Passing that we went on a bumpy, dusty, wild ride to a

place with views down to Nawiliwili harbour, where

Spielberg’s crew were based at the hotel (now a

Marriott) during the onslaught of Hurricane Iniki, some

of which actually made it into the film itself.

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Then on down to the river and the principal drawcard –

the Indy Jones rope swing. The guides didn’t mention it

but the rope, I’d later discover here, is actually not the

one Harrison Ford swung off back in 1980. That

doesn’tactually exist anymore but is apparently about

10 feet to the left of the current rope swing (or “10 feet

to the right from where the original rope was tied.”).

Also, disappointingly, I’d later learn from that same

intrepid adventurer that “the waterfalls from the

opening scenes…[although] not a part of the Ranch

proper…[are] just off the property and actually a public

park…[accessible via a] path just past a few trash cans."

One for next time!

Finally, we went right up to the top of the mountain

ridge to the border of the Rice family-owned Kipu Ranch

and the Waterhouse family-owned ‘Kipu Kai’ ranch

south of the ridge, and site of more movie locations

including other Jurassic Park instalments and The

Descendants starring George Clooney. The beach below

was also the site of an epic battle during King

Kamehameha I’s consolidation of the Hawaiian islands

into one kingdom. More about that here. Apparently

many bones were dug up there soon after John T

Waterhouse bought the land from the Rices in 1948. JT

never had any kids so Kipu Kai was passed on to his

nieces and nephews on the condition that when they

are gone, Kipu Kai will become the property of the State

of Hawaii.

The only access to Kipu Kai is through Kipu Ranch or the

sea. From up here, “you can see a quarter of the whole

island” of Kauai, according to our guide Kyle. We could

not stop on the Waterhouse’s driveway, but slowed

down to take a few quick snaps as we made our descent

and finished the tour.

Drove back to Poipu where I had a snorkel at Poipu

Beach. Deceptively good snorkelling spot with plenty of

tropical fishes, including one beautiful Angel fish. If it

were not for the turtles, I’d almost say this was better

snorkelling than at Napali – and right off the beach!

Dinner tonight was at the other shopping village, closer

to our BnB, the Kukui'ula Village Shopping Center.

Restaurant was The Dolphin. Lovely setting and food

was good but we got an appalling, Russian-accented

waitress who brought out my entrée of seafood

chowder with my main meal (although she called the

latter an entrée), and was generally rude and

condescending. Needless to say, she got the tip she

deserved. Back to room to pack for return to Oahu

tomorrow.

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Day 11 – Monday 6 August 2017

Yesterday and today our BnB deal included a lovely

home-cooked breakfast by caretaker Melissa. Today, as

we had our breakfast, a couple of amorous gecko lizards

kept us amused, and a little disgusted, as they did their

thing on the railing. A pushy little bird came along too

expecting a feed!

A quick drive around parts of Poipu we hadn’t got to,

then back to Lihue airport retracing a lot of the road to

Kipu Ranch to drop off the car.

Back to Oahu, where another Charley’s Taxi with

probably our nicest driver taking us to our new hotel for

this final leg of our stay – the Ohana East. This was no

Surfjack. A little dated and full of Aussies, but still good,

especially considering it was something like $100 a

night cheaper than Surfjack. We couldn’t check in right

away, so went to the beach and enjoyed another

afternoon of swimming and lying on beach, followed by

a drink at Duke’s around the time the sun falls behind

the Sheraton.

It’s too hard to catch waves bodysurfing here. You really

need a board. You can hire boards at the beach but

better deal to be found at the surf shop under the La

Cucaracha Mexican Bar & Grill at 2446 Koa Ave (a block

east of Ohana East).

Dinner tonight was the Maui Brewing Company. Was

great and staff very friendly and engaging. They

convinced us to come back for a breakfast, which we

did on Day 14.

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Day 12 – Tuesday 7 August 2017

Shopped at Ala Moana in the morning, walking there

and back. On way back, we passed the “tropic port”

featured in opening credits of Gilligan’s Island. At the

time, I didn’t think I had quite found quite the right

perspective, but I might have been close?

Me (above) somewhere near that structure the yacht is sailing

towards in the opening credits shot from Gilligan’s Island (below)?

Here’s more detailed analysis of locations.

Afternoon was back at the beach, drinks at Dukes and

dinner tonight at Giovanni Pastrami, a NY-syle deli on

Lewers St, which was okay but nothing special. Finished

with a couple of drinks at Cuckoo Coconuts, another tiki

bar; this one offering live music and encouraging

audience participation but not pushing it for those

vocally challenged like us! Must be popular with the

karaoke crowd.

Day 13 – Wednesday 8 August 2017

Spent the morning snorkelling at Hanauma Bay Nature

Preserve. A very busy Chinese lady who had a habit to

referring to you as “my dear” ferried 8 of us out there in

an old van, handed out the snorkel gear, pointed us to

the gate and told us to be back at 10.55am. That gave

us about 3 hours but most of the first hour was spent in

a queue to buy tickets to enter, then waiting for an

8.30am video briefing on the bay, its fragile ecosystem

and general safety messages. Much of this must have

gone right over many of the non-English speakers who

could later be seen trudging over coral reefs and

heading out past inflatable buoys marked ‘Dangerous

Currents’.

The snorkelling, despite the crowds, was great with

plenty of fish to see and rock pools to explore. A

highlight was a school of Convict Tangs (?) that dropped

in over the reef and virtually surrounded me, making

me one of their own. I’m sure the video we watched

referred to this species as ‘Narwiliwili’ ?

‘My dear’ collected us around 11am and transferred us

to another nearby van that took us back to Waikiki. We

got off at the second stop the driver made (near

Surfjack) and we headed down Lewers St for ice

creams/gelato.

?

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Andrea went shopping at Victoria’s Secret. I went back

to the boat harbor to try to locate some of those angles

of “this tropic port” used in the opening credits of

Gilligans Island. Can’t be sure I found the exact spots

but must have been close.

Then checked out the Army Museum housed in the old

‘Randolph Battery’ that formed part of Fort Derussy. It’s

free and worth a look, full of artefacts from King

Kamehameha’s day, early defences of Hawaii, WWII,

Korea and Vietnam. The Vietnam section has a small tiki

bar exhibit bar playing Hawaii Five O on the tele,

representing R&R in Hawaii.

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After leaving the mock R&R bar, you walk down a

corridor that might be the inside of a transport plane

back to the ‘Nam’; then you turn right into a darkened

section where you hear a clunk and a light comes on

revealing you’ve just stepped on to punji stakes. Indy

Jones wouldn’t have fallen for that old trick! Big exhibits

on the roof include a Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter

and one of the disappearing guns that formed part of

the battery. Even if you’re not that into military

hardware, it’s a good place to stay cool for a while if

you’ve had too much sun.

Met up again for the rest of the afternoon at Waikiki

beach out front of, Duke’s etc.

Dinner was at the Yard House again, where Andrea got

to see the replay of the final quarter of last

Saturday/Sunday’s Saints vs Eagles clash in which the

Saints won by 8 points. Andrea mentioned to the

manager that this was our second visit and he gave us a

dessert on the house! Not that we needed more food as

we were very full but it was a tasty end to our meal and

a lovely gesture. Sure beats that waitress at The Dolphin

in Poipu.

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Day 14 – Thursday 9 August 2017

Last full day in Hawaii began with a long walk to the

park opposite Ala Moana shopping centre in the

morning and breakfast at the Maui Brewing Company,

but no beers for us at this hour! Great breakfast and

their French toast is something of a signature dish.

Andrea had that, while I had eggs benedict with salmon.

Yum.

Rest of the day was spent at our usual spot on Waikiki

beach but this day we hired lounge chairs and an

umbrella, which was worth every cent! The modus

operandi for the rest of the day was the same – Duke’s

for Mai Tai’s around 5 o’clock, shower back at hotel

then back out to dinner.

This night we went back to Duke’s for dinner. It was our

longest wait for a table but we didn’t mind. Got talking

to an engaging African-American guy called David who

hailed from Austin, Texas who was waiting bar side for

his wife to come back from shopping at the outlets.

Great meal, with a good salad bar ‘all you can eat’

option. We did enjoy Duke’s very much and will miss

this place.

Day 15 – Friday 10 August 2017

(to Saturday 11 Aug)

Early rise at 4.30am to get out to the airport. Everything

went smoothly and left on time (around 8.30ish?).

Some 11 flying hours later we arrived home, landing

around 2.40pm on Saturday afternoon Melbourne time.

Home by around 4 o’clock. Another great trip!