First thing to do today is thank Sarah for prompting me to change the spelling to the correct one of Oahu and not the Ohau I used in yesterday's dispatch! It's the tiredness you know and talking of that very topic, we haven't slowed down at all as we come to the end of our stay on this particular island.
We have had a ball and have been very lucky with the weather because apparently at this time of year, they can experience some pretty heavy spells of rain. The heaviest spell that we endured took two sweeps of the wipers to clear it! Oh and the warmth is just heavenly as it wraps itself around you at all times of day and night. It can be a problem sleeping but when you go to bed at 1800 and get up at 0200, it tends to negate that one!
This morning was yet another early start as we headed off to visit Diamond Head State Monument which is known locally as Le'ahi. It opens at 0600 and all the guide books advise on arriving early to avoid the crowds and more importantly the heat because this visit encompasses a 2 mile round trip and a climb of 560 feet! It doesn't sound much but when you park and glance up to your destination, it actually looks more like Mount Everest that you are about to climb!
As for avoiding crowds, that is such a joke because as we rounded the corner to enter the Park, we were met by hordes of tourists, mainly Japanese somewhat surprisingly, who had reacted to the same advice in their travel guides. Many had already summitted and I did feel a tad concerned when Linda glanced up and the colour drained from her face! But she's made of stern Yorkshire grit and so we set off with cameras and supplies in hand and before we knew it we were right there at the top staring down at Waikiki in one direction and the extinct volcanic crater in the other. I think the term is, "views to die for" and looking at some of the people making the trip, I hope they were able to take in the sights before meeting their maker! It genuinely is a tough hike with the last bit of the climb taking in 99 steps and then a final knife to your heart in the form of a spiral staircase! But truly worth the pain.
We then set off to cover the rest of the island in the south and I have to say, it provides some stunning vistas around every corner. The colour of the sea as well as its power is incredible and to see it crashing into rocky coves and the surf breaking is mesmerising. You could sit and watch it all day.
There really is much to reflect on as we pack up to leave on an early flight in the morning. I would like to mention the food that we enjoyed eating outside the iconic Ted's Bakery yesterday. Yum, yum and a must do thing in Oahu. I am a touch sad to report that my enduring memory will be of the vast numbers of people that inhabit this island (including so many tourists) making the roads a real bottleneck. I think Oahu would prove difficult for anybody to find a quiet and peaceful place for a moment of meditation but having said that, we are so glad to have seen it.
Tomorrow, The Big Island calls.
We have had a ball and have been very lucky with the weather because apparently at this time of year, they can experience some pretty heavy spells of rain. The heaviest spell that we endured took two sweeps of the wipers to clear it! Oh and the warmth is just heavenly as it wraps itself around you at all times of day and night. It can be a problem sleeping but when you go to bed at 1800 and get up at 0200, it tends to negate that one!
This morning was yet another early start as we headed off to visit Diamond Head State Monument which is known locally as Le'ahi. It opens at 0600 and all the guide books advise on arriving early to avoid the crowds and more importantly the heat because this visit encompasses a 2 mile round trip and a climb of 560 feet! It doesn't sound much but when you park and glance up to your destination, it actually looks more like Mount Everest that you are about to climb!
As for avoiding crowds, that is such a joke because as we rounded the corner to enter the Park, we were met by hordes of tourists, mainly Japanese somewhat surprisingly, who had reacted to the same advice in their travel guides. Many had already summitted and I did feel a tad concerned when Linda glanced up and the colour drained from her face! But she's made of stern Yorkshire grit and so we set off with cameras and supplies in hand and before we knew it we were right there at the top staring down at Waikiki in one direction and the extinct volcanic crater in the other. I think the term is, "views to die for" and looking at some of the people making the trip, I hope they were able to take in the sights before meeting their maker! It genuinely is a tough hike with the last bit of the climb taking in 99 steps and then a final knife to your heart in the form of a spiral staircase! But truly worth the pain.
We then set off to cover the rest of the island in the south and I have to say, it provides some stunning vistas around every corner. The colour of the sea as well as its power is incredible and to see it crashing into rocky coves and the surf breaking is mesmerising. You could sit and watch it all day.
There really is much to reflect on as we pack up to leave on an early flight in the morning. I would like to mention the food that we enjoyed eating outside the iconic Ted's Bakery yesterday. Yum, yum and a must do thing in Oahu. I am a touch sad to report that my enduring memory will be of the vast numbers of people that inhabit this island (including so many tourists) making the roads a real bottleneck. I think Oahu would prove difficult for anybody to find a quiet and peaceful place for a moment of meditation but having said that, we are so glad to have seen it.
Tomorrow, The Big Island calls.
Doles Plantation - Great Pineapples
Hawaiin BBQ Chicken At Ted's Bakery
Ted's Peach & Pear Pie Dessert
Diamond Head Summit From The Car Park
The 99 Steps!
A Breather Before The Steps!
Notice The Extinct Volcanic Crater?
Waikiki & Honolulu
High Rise At Waikiki!
Beautiful Coastal Vistas
Look At The Sea Colour!
Another Boring View!
Happy Couple At The Summit Of Diamond Head
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ReplyDeleteHate spelling mistakes.... ha ha Alistair, so have rewritten. I commend you both but certainly wouldn’t describe this as a holiday. Who decided on the gruelling itinerary?
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