Aloha see you soon

After one last day at the beach and yet another mega breakfast (pancake stack) we have checked out. 

We are lying by the pool waiting until we head for the airport at about 6pm. 

More beach

Yesterday was almost entirely spent at the beach, except for Tyler who stayed in the room with what we suspect was sunstroke. 

By nightfall we distributed our grid of coins on the beach for the treasure hunters. We thought we'd need to be up early to watch, but no, barely 15 minutes later the evening shift of miners turned up! So, we took a seat. 

For a while I thought Marie's laughing would reveal our position and responsibility (or lack of) but it didn't. 

The treasure hunter clearly never mows lawns because he had no idea what a grid is. We are certain that he doesn't make much money!

Sunday up here (your Monday) is our last full day then we pack up to leave on Mobday afternoon. We get home on the morning of NZ Wednesday. 

The holiday has been a good mix. 

Around the island

Today we hired a Mustang convertible and spent most of the day driving around the island. The weather continues to be perfect even though we are told it is one of Hawaii's coldest winters!

We met some Aussies who come here because their summer is too hot. 

At one point we were stopped by the Police, along with other traffic, and asked to wait 10 minutes while a scene from Hawaii 5-0 was filmed (blue Ferrari California cruising the coast road).

We stopped to show the boys Hanauma bay (sub standard snorkelling) and to watch surfing at the Pipeline (Northshore) and had lunch  Haleiwa before heading back to Honolulu a trip of about 200km.

We didn't, but perhaps should have, stopped at the macadamia farm and pineapple plantation.

We now have a couple of days to relax and probably just swim, eat and drift around before flying home on US Monday.  

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Beach

Today we didn't travel far - 20m return from the coffee spot (good coffee in a sea of Starbucks and its mimics). 

Then 20 metres to the beach, 10m to lunch, 10m back to the beach and ultimately 20m back to the room!

As it happens we paddled further. We hired a paddle board today which was fun and funny. In water between waste and chest deep it made re-boarding easy, which happens a lot! Sorry but no photos of this today the cameras were upstairs but we may do it again on the weekend and will try to get photos then. 

Tyler has gone out for the evening with some people he met in Spain. He discovered online that they were also in Waikiki. 

Tomorrow we have hired a convertible, hopefully a Mustang, and will go for a drive around the island of Oahu.

Pearl Harbour

To be a tourist targeting popular venues is to understand how sheep feel, however if you get up early enough (6am!) you can dodge some of the herding and achieve a little freedom of movememt.

Today we went to Pearl Harbour. Marie and I had done it previously but it has been improved by additional exhibits and tours of the USS Missouri (where they signed the Japanese surrender - note photo of Toby standard by the plaque where Gen McArthur & friends signed) which was a highlight relative to our previous visit. 

We have now done a full Marine tour; submarine and aircraft carrier in San Francisco and a battleship in Hawaii.

The tour included the Punchbowl cemetery (sadly you can no longer alight from the bus due to too much misbehaviour by the public at the cemetery) and Honolulu on the way home which was interesting but not something to seek out specially.

Then it was back to the beach to swim, tan and repeat. 

Tomorrow we shall sleep in and perhaps lay out a few coins on the beach :)

Good Value

Today we earned $25 per hour, each, for 90 minutes work. 

Without family group permission I agreed to attend a time share sales pitch for a free breakfast and a $150 discount on Pearl Harbour tour tickets. For the record these sales efforts are as bad as you would expect and no, I wouldn't do it again!

After an impressive display of tolerance ( I banned the family from teasing the OTT salesman) we said 'No', completed a survey and moved on to Ala Moana shopping centre. There is some shopping variety, relative to NZ and Aus, but not a lot so we bought very little. 

I wouldn't want to be in the clothing retail business because it is looking harder and harder in my view. 

Given that we banned teasing the salesman Marie sought other outlets for fun today. 

Coffee shops record a name with orders. They consistently record Mike as Mark and Marie as Mary. So, now we use the name ELMO for fun, but even then they think our name is Mo! I wonder what they will convert Kermit into?

Marie now plans to mess with the treasure collectors on the beach who use those metal detectors, shamelessly walking amongst people lying on beach towels. 

Early in the morning Marie wants us to go down and drop a coin in the sand every yard in a grid about 30 x 30 yards so we can watch their 'rich' discoveries tomorrow night. By using all our 1 cent and 5 cent coins it should have a total cost of about $10 - cheap fun by any measure. :)

So far we have managed at least one swim per day. 

Up Early

We are discovering that being up early is a good decision in Hawaii too with very small crowds between sun-up at 7am through to about 10am

We also found a good coffee spot just next door. So, coffee and dawn stroll is very pleasant. 

Then back to the beach for the swim/dry/tan and repeat combo, plus a little swim suit research. 

Aloha

It isn't hard to play spot the difference between NY and Hawaii (Waikiki) - now 25 degC, people moving around slowly, wearing a lot less clothing. 

The baggage handling Union must have taken a dislike to United Airlines because they took an hour to deliver our bags. 

Day 1 was a hard slog, from level 14 to the beach (lift then approx 20 yards), then a full 100 yards to find lunch, another 100 yards back again to the beach. 

Yes, one of the photos is a 'selfish one' because Toby was swimming and Tyler was asleep!

Establishing a bigger challenge for dinner; Marie has booked a Pizza/Pasta place about 200 yards away. 

Thereafter I think we shall sleep. 

Jobs

If you sometimes wonder where the less skilled jobs go - here are your waiting staff at this outlet. 

Newark at 0600

Checking in a minimum of three hours ahead makes a 9am 'breakfast' flight feel like a midnight departure, only worse by virtue of believing you might get some sleep first. 

We had a nice taxi driver though; a young (42 😊) man from Tibet (18 years in NY). His parents escaped to India when China exerted more control. He has four jobs to get ahead, help his wife through nursing school and provide for his kids - I was impressed but Tyler and Toby thought he was mad. 

The driver's great story seems to have escaped T & T while they sit at the airport eating and jetting off to Hawaii!

Casual Day

Today we just drifted around revisiting a few favourite spots, generally associated with good coffee (not Starbucks!) and good food. 

One of the photos is a redirected steam vent during a repair of the steam system operating under Manhattan. (You see leaks coming through street grates on TV shows).

Another photo shows a few taxis which are now commonly small to medium sized and hybrid, unlike the big cars of the past. 

We haven't missed much in NY; perhaps an ice hockey game or basketball would have been good but we couldn't easily make it work. 'Next time' 😊

We are all ready to move on to the beach. 

Central Park

Today was one of our 'rest' days, theoretically, but when a bright blue day presented itself we headed for Central Park on foot and walked from end to end and back again. (About 10km return)

Along the way we stopped for a little ice skating on the biggest rink we have seen so far where you could move with freedom. Later, at another rink we watched the Zamboni refresh the ice surface and then drop the scrapings in a 'snow' pile. Toby took advantage of the 'snow' to finally throw a snowball at Mike!

Central Park is an excellent a facility for NY, especially those who live in apartments nearby. It looks a little nude in winter but must look great in spring, summer and autumn. 

We stopped at some swings but Tyler must have been too cool to swing so he just sat on stock instead.

On our way South we stopped into the Guggenheim museum. It is a cool building where you walk up and internal spiral viewing art (including several famous names, or they were famous for us. I guess the others were probably famous too for those who understand art) all the way to the top. The spiral would make a fun skateboard ramp all the way down!

Tonight we head out for a steak to meet friends from Wellington who are also in NY (the ones we met by chance the other day).