Month: July 2017

Saturday 29th July 
Good morning San Diego, although by the time we wake up the biggest part of morning is gone, so much so that we have missed breakfast altogether. Undeterred we order room service and enjoy a leisurely brunch in our room. The US Grant hotel is situated in downtown San Diego, a Westfield mall sits directly opposite in Horton Plaza, a little taste of home. 

Jim, Susan & Gaby have contacted us with an invite to dinner at Salvatore’s Italian restaurant just a ten minute walk away tonight. But for now we relax, sleep some more and generally try to put our body clocks back in order.

Time for dinner arrives and we walk out into the cool overcast evening that is San Diego tonight. The air temperature around 23c/76f is pleasantly refreshing after the high humidity of Honolulu. In less than ten minutes we are at the restaurant, there are very few people around for a Saturday night, but the night is young. We enter and I am immediately impressed by the warm friendly welcome, not stiff or formal but genuine, like we are old family returning after a long absence. We are seated and await the arrival of Jim, Susan & Gaby. They arrive in just a few minutes and it’s hugs all round. The menu is extensive, we decide on sharing plates family style, this type of dining is becoming more and more popular. The Chinese and Indians have done it for decades, but Italian? We first came across this eating style at an Italian restaurant on a cruise a few years ago and now more and more we see the style, and why not, you can sample so many dishes, at one sitting.

Our feast includes Italian favourites, thick slices of heirloom tomatoes topped with buffalo mozzarella, pumpkin ravioli, sea Bass, veal scallopini and Ossobucco. Accompanied by some great wine from Jim’s own personal stock and from the restaurants cellar. Then finishing off with my personal favourite creme brûlée and Tiramisu. 

Altogether a wonderful evening. Together we stroll back to our hotel through the still quiet night, the glow of the city lights illuminating our way. Jim, Susan and Gaby taking their leave after seeing us safely to the hotel. The city below our fifth floor room coming to life as the younger after 10pm generation of revellers attend their late night haunts. We are lulled to sleep by the sounds of the city wafting upwards, perhaps the lack of double glazing being our only criticism of the hotel.

Friday 28th July
Time on our Hawaiian clock is running down, the minutes silently ticking away. One more beachside breakfast, drinking in the view, a stage set for a never ending stream of players, that will arrive to take their turn in our place once we depart.

As we enjoy the last of our island breakfasts, in the warm Waikiki air, two young Japanese girls, fresh off the plane dressed in matching long creamy white lacy outfits sit within our view.They have just had their breakfast served, one the full eggs Benedict and the other a stack of pancakes. The meals look great, but they never want to forget this moment, first out come the phones, they proceed to take pictures of their own, then each other’s breakfast. Next outcomes the camera and more photos are taken, with special care taken to tilt the meals outwards so that with them posing behind them and the camera turned inwards towards them at arms length they capture the perfect pic. A server comes along and he is roped into the action, taking more photos of the two and their meals from every angle. Just when I thought they where done outcomes the selfie stick and the process starts again, with the girls posing and pouting at the camera. By this time the meals must be lukewarm at best, but eventually they put their devices away and hoe into their breakfasts. Behind them the white foamy surf continues to roll in on the milky blue sea, a little bigger today.
Back in our room good news comes through on the family intranet just as we are making our last room check, Tania has finally given birth to a baby boy, Kingston Ehukai (Hawaiian for the mist that comes off the surf) Woessner is a bouncing 7lbs, 19.5 ” mother and child doing well! And as far as we know so is father Kaua, but who cares about men at this time. Grandma Sandi is over the moon. First pictures come through and he is all pink and gorgeous, dark hair and very healthy looking. We send off some congratulatory emails, welcoming a new generation into the family.

Back to the task at hand we make our last preparations for leaving, suitcases packed, hand luggage packed, travel clothes on, goodbye shorts, goodbye flip flops, hope to see you again in San Diego, time to fly! 
Express checkout is a breeze no more waiting in a queue, just send a text to reception advising you have checked out, call the bell hop, who drops our just underweight luggage under the Porte-Cochere and await Jimmy the Vietnamese cabbie for our ride to the airport. 

Jimmy is not far away, we are soon loaded and on our way, Jimmy a likeable guy, chats away in his stilted English, telling us about his family back in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam, they are bakers making 20000 loaves a day he proudly informs us. We certainly enjoyed our Vietnam visit we tell him, he thinks we have probably seen more of his homeland than he has. The clouds cry as we leave, dropping their sad departure tears along the way. Somewhere on the road in, the sun is welcoming newcomers to the islands.
Time again slips through our hands like sand in an hourglass, arriving at the air Alaska terminal in double quick time. Whether coming or going Honolulu airport is always efficient making entry to the US a pleasure. Consequently we are soon checked in and walking to our gate.

The aeroplane, a 737-800 is a few minutes delayed but not enough to disrupt our schedule. As we take to the skies Diamond Head and Waikiki are clearly visible below us, before we finally rise to cruising altitude where the only islands below us are puffy white clouds.

The Alaska airline flight is a smooth one, we settle in, eat an ordinary meal (or is it just that we have recently experienced a much higher standard), watch a movie, thought I might have time for a nap, but before we know it we are approaching San Diego. Our arrival time is 11.30pm, the airport is quiet, our car is there to whisk us to the Hotel US Grant in downtown San Diego, where we are staying for the next two nights. All being good with the world our weary heads are soon on our pillows, another night another city.

Thursday 27th July
Today is effectively our last day in Hawaii, sad but true. Time once again marches on and we must keep to our schedule of moving ever further east to circumnavigate the world in ninety days. Another quiet morning on the beach at breakfast time this morning, no amusing sights to occupy our attention. The catamarans are coming in from their harbour across the bay to beach on the sand ready for their next load of adventurers. The sea is still a milky pale blue with those small white foamy waves that give those “P” plate surfers an easy ride. Clouds do gather quickly and dissipate quickly too! While we gaze out at the ocean its colour changes to a greeny grey, a shower of rain comes thundering down, sending early beach goers scrambling for cover, but just as quickly the sea colour magically returns, turning once again to that pale milky blue, cloudless skies triumphantly return and the scene returns to the normal picture perfect we have come to expect. Undercover we watch on at the colourful scene laid out before us as we enjoy another beachside breakfast.
We return to our room to complete the packing of our suitcases and determine if we need to ship any items back home or on to the mainland. Maintaining our luggage weight on this trip is essential. Our personal weight we are sure has increased dramatically, just as well the airlines don’t weigh you at each jump off point or we would be up for excess baggage for sure.
Kate returns for another visit, And we once again stroll out into the Waikiki strip on some last minute errands that include shipping a couple of parcels home and one on to Troy & Heather on the mainland. We locate the post office in a quiet corner of a shopping mall on the second floor of a Waikiki strip building. Just a whole in the wall really, but fully stocked with parcel boxes and staffed by a very friendly and helpful employee who helps us complete customs forms etc. for parcels heading home.

Leaving the floor, movement catches my eye, behind the clear glass office doors of ANA, a Japanese airline, stands a robot greeter, waiving its arms about furiously. The closer I move towards it the more it recognises my movements gesturing me in with both arms. Kate and Amanda join me as we bow to it and it bows back, nodding its head. A visual display on its chest shows messages in several languages. Remarkable but apparently common place in Tokyo.

On our return we stop at the Royal Hawaiian bakery for some refreshments, cashing in our bonus free bakery item voucher for some delicious looking banana-macadamia nut muffins and banana bread. We stop to enjoy them in the grandeur of one of the cool cloistered spaces that the hotel offers. 

We part ways as I wander around the hotel with my camera, trying to capture the essence of the place. While the sisters cruise the hotel arcades shops just because they are there. 

We all meet back at our room, the sisters having had a fun hour or so browsing the hotels stores, predictably picking up the odd trinket or fashion accessory. Jim is on his way in from his office in downtown Honolulu to have a special celebratory dinner with us. This evening we are celebrating the approach of his 80th year, we are starting the celebrations early, encouraging him to continue them right up to his actual birthday in October. 
Tonight we dine at the Royal Hawaiian’s restaurant the Azure, magically converted from the breakfast space it was this morning into an elegant outside dining area.
By the time we arrive for dinner the sun is low in the sky it’s intense heat dissipated for the day. The Royal Hawaiian sits in the centre of the bay that is Waikiki and so the view from our outside table hides the Sun but takes in the ocean and Diamond Head Crater that is set against darkening clouds. The rays of the sun catch a rain shower as we take in the view forming a rainbow that appears to be shooting upwards from the point into the sky! Beautiful!

Fish is on the menu of course, locally caught and purchased fresh each day from Hawaii’s famous Pier 38 market. Amanda and I seem to be finely tuning our fishy tastes and on the eve of our departure we have a grip on the scaly creatures names. Tonight the Onaga (Red tail snapper) oven roasted with a crispy skin tempts us, this we order with sides of mashed citrus, white sweet potato and the chefs version of spicy Kim Chi Brussels sprouts. Needless to say beautifully presented and delicious. For a different taste tonight we try a glass of a Sonoma valley Rose. Rose tends to be a little drier style here, but this one is spot on not too dry not too sweet. Pale rose coloured in the glass a blend of Pinot noir and Grenache, delightful.

The sun goes down briefly painting the wispy clouds pink, lights from the hotels and restaurants around the bay blink on, providing the dinner cruise guests out on the water with a panoramic light show view of Waikiki. We just have a partial view but it adds to the elegance of the location with twinkling light bouncing off every reflective surface. We have a wonderful last night with Kate & Jim, topped off when Jim is presented with a chocolate birthday dessert by the restaurant waitress, he immediately cuts into four, for us all to share. Really hard to believe we are at the end of a four week stay. We say our sad heartfelt goodbyes, then make our way to our room for our last nights rest before hitting the skies again tomorrow, destination San Diego.

Wednesday 26th July
If you could live in paradise what would it be like, warm sun filled days, cool dark nights filled with starlight. Soft breezes at dusk after spectacular sunsets. Scented air from tropical blossoms produced by giant shady trees that cool you in the heat of the day. Green, red and purple variegated tropical foliage, ferns and palms to sooth the mind. Seafood, seafood and more seafood freshly caught everyday. Tropical fruits and juices on tap. Oceans of turquoise blue as warm as the air you breath. This is Hawaii and the reason we keep coming back.

A very quiet day today breakfast by the milky blue ocean, calm seas, the occasional foamy wave, clear blue skies. Even the beach is quieter, a Japanese couple receive surfing instructions on the beach, laying on the huge boards, they seem diminutive fully clothed flailing about with their arms as they mock paddle in the sand. Then they are kneeling, then standing swaying about imitating the oceans movement. The instructor all the time quietly encouraging them. The instructor disappears and the two connect the boards to themselves with the ankle straps. Pickup the boards by the pointy end and drag them towards the ocean, where we loose sight of them hopefully where they put into practice all they have learned.
One could sit here and people watch all day, sitting on the beach in the hot sun all day is certainly not our cup of tea but thousands flock here each day to do just that. While the ocean looks inviting and the temperature is warm the sand is hot and gritty, mix with sweat and suntan lotion for a sticky abrasive cocktail. Fun when we were kids at our northern hemisphere summer coasts with our buckets and spades, building sand castles with moats and burying ourselves to our necks in that grittiest of mediums. Now, under a stinging sun, covered in a greasy 50 plus lotion, to prevent skin cancer, might be bearable for a few minutes but certainly not all day.
Breakfast over we return to our room to spend some time on the domestic pursuits that travelling away from home at times necessitates. Kate is coming into Waikiki today to take a look at the new international market area that was opened earlier this year after several years of controversial construction. Originally a huge area just off Kalakaua Avenue, situated in the middle of the Waikiki shopping strip it surrounded a huge Banyon tree, and was filled with a rag tag collection of market stalls and kiosks selling all manner of touristy goods. Amanda back in the late 8O’s purchased her first Hawaiian bracelet here, silver with black enamel letters that are now worn and chipped. Here was the place for Hawaiian print clothing, carved wooden sea creatures and tikis as well as cheap ukulele’s.

As Waikiki became slicker, more up market, tourists with bigger dollars to spend arrived, big brand names moved in. The old international market didn’t suit the city fathers vision of a super modern, slick urban shopping space it had to go.
When Kate arrives we go out onto the strip to discover exactly how this area looks and feels now that the work is complete. We walk into the area through an arcade style entrance, shops lining the walkways that continue in the style of the strip, creamy, natural earthy colours of sandstone, laid in a crazy paving style.

My immediate reaction is yes very slick and modern in the style of the Ala Moana

Shopping mall, multi level open air shopping with restaurants on the upper levels.

Gone are the down to earth traders with colourful but shabby stalls and chaotic displays of merchandise in typical market style, replaced with big brand name chains with slick store fronts and minimalistic displays. Also up and coming brands 45r, Anthropologie, Greenroom, Aesop, and many more we have never heard of. The Banyon tree still takes centre place, with the second level providing a walkway right into a tree house, in reverence to an original structure.

Walking further into the centre there is a quiet reflective park with artificial grass, and rounded boulders for seating. Children splash through a shallow circle of water filled from bubbling stars that replicate the night sky that the Hawaiians used to navigate by. The space is named Queens Park after Queen Emma, the wife of Kamehameha IV and mother of the last of the Kamehameha line, Prince Albert who died at age four. The land that the international market sits on is owned by the Queen Emma land company, the profits of which support the Queen Emma Medical centre the largest privately owned not for profit medical facility in Hawaii. Elevated Bronze statues of King Kamehameha IV, the young Prince Albert and Queen Emma also sit in this space, surrounded by tropical plantings and water features.

Another central space to the design is situated inside, with a spiralling series of planters that lead the eye up to a domed segmented glass circular skylight high above. A water shower consisting of single streams of water spaced evenly apart cascades down into a stream nearby.

The overall feel is in complete antithesis to its origins, peace and tranquillity the theme, replacing the noise and chaos of previous years. There are plenty of places with comfortable designer seating, where venerable older patrons sit snoozing away dreaming of the centres colourful past. One second floor balcony space on the second floor is lined with solid timber rocking chairs filled with shoppers just rocking away. Not a coin operated padded faux leather massage chair insight.
Back out into the Waikiki strip a steady stream of colourful people make their way this way and that in the early afternoon sunshine. Some with floppy hats, beach chairs strapped to their backs, or towels over a shoulder, or an inflatable water toy or ring firmly gripped in one hand. While we turn the corner to stroll back to the cool sanctuary of the Royal Hawaiian.
It is date night tonight, Amanda and I will have dinner alone at our favourite restaurant The Hua Tree. This is arguably the best point to watch the sun go down, situated as it is at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki looking back almost directly west across the bay. Part of the beach that the restaurant overlooks was commandeered just a few days ago by a rare endangered female Monk seal, where she then set about giving birth to a single pup, it will be interesting to see how she is doing when we are there.
Our cabby Jimmy arrives early and whisks us to the restaurant, we are a little too early and decide to unwind with a cocktail in the bar before dinner.

It’s not long before the hostess calls us to dinner and we are shown to a table situated along the familiar white balustraded wall separating the diners from the beach. The Hua Trees that over the years had grown to provide an extensive canopy over the dining area, have recently undergone significant pruning opening up the dinning area once again to the sunlight. Sun shades block the portion of the sky at exactly the right angle, to dilute the glaring sinking sun, without blocking the beach and ocean view. To our left a small crowd of people and animal protectionists stand watch over a makeshift fence that prevents unwitting beach goers from stumbling on mother and calf. All we can see from our vantage point is a long sandy looking lump that is a little darker than the surrounding sand. Mother is fast asleep, baby somewhere tucked in close to her body unseen.

We order our meals, again in sync, starting with slices of tomato topped with buffalo mozzarella on a lettuce leaf layered with fresh basil and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Then moving on to a seafood mixed grill of prawns, lobster tail and Mahi Mahi. Again the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, goes great with this.

Meanwhile the shades protecting our eyes from the extreme glare are removed, the suns heat has dissipated and is now just an impotent fiery orange ball slowly sinking into the western tip of Oahu.

The corpulent Monk seal occasionally flaps a flipper but little else as baby stirs and fusses around its mother no doubt trying to find a way in to suckle. The seals small dark head appears over the mother silhouetted against the lighter sky and then ducks down again to continue the search.

All the time we continue enjoying our meals and wine as the sun once again shows off its fiery light.

The tide is coming in, mother moves cumbersomely further up the beach in lumbering caterpillar like movements then all is still again as darkness falls. The animal protectionists pack up their beach umbrellas and beach chairs for another day and head for their homes, no doubt to be back at daybreak tomorrow. We understand this routine will go on for four to six weeks or until mother and pup take to the sea to rejoin their group.

We stay awhile declining dessert, finishing our wine and enjoying the cool night air as the gas torches flicker along the beach wall. Eventually though it’s time to summon Jimmy the cabbie and return home to the Royal Hawaiian, to recharge for our final day on the islands tomorrow.

Tuesday July 25th
We are arising a little earlier each day as our bodies slowly adjust to the time difference, or is it simply the fact that we are now post party, returning to normal habits of early nights. The hurricane Fenanda has moved away from the islands leaving a clear day with blue skies and only a little cloud on the horizon. Apart from Diamond Head to our east, whose elevation is not high enough to attract cloud cover at its peak we are unable to see the usually cloud covered green mountains behind us. The hotel strip of Waikiki blocks out that northern view completely leaving only sun, sand and sea for our eyes to gaze upon.
The milky blue ocean is calm this morning, but creamy white breakers still foam up out of the calm to give the surfers and adventuresome paddle boarders a ride. In little crescents the waves appear and disappear no doubt great for the beginner surfer. Just a thin line of deeper blue separates the ocean from the sky. I am tempted by the eggs Benedict this morning my favourite breakfast. While Amanda goes for her normal lighter toast and jam option. Fresh Guava juice coffee and tea stokes our morning fires ready for another busy day.
After another leisurely breakfast, it’s time to attend to the mornings business of holiday making. Amanda is going to spend some time with her sister Kate today for a little sister to sister time. While I have opted to take my main camera, no my only camera, apart from my phone, to the zoo. Honolulu has a small compact zoo right in Waikiki, set in tropical gardens, should be interesting.

 

We both take off together Amanda calling Jimmy our little Vietnamese cabbie for a ride to Ala Moana and me taking my flip flops for a stroll down Waikiki’s main street, Kalakaua avenue. We say or goodbyes under the huge Portico entrance to the Royal Hawaiian and I am on my way. Kalakaua Avenue has undergone significant renovations over the years since we have visited, now I believe more or less complete. The latest revamp of the famous International market place we will visit tomorrow with Kate, but was completed only this year. The Avenue is lined with palms, beautifully paved and home to the most exclusive of brands on the planet. They sit beside historic hotel gems like the ornate plantation style timber clad Moana Surfrider that upon its 1901 debut, boasted innovations including Hawaii’s first electric-powered elevator.

Then of course came the Royal Hawaiian with a new era of glamorous accomodation, the 1927 unveiling of this pink, Spanish-Moorish architectural gem brought a major innovation in trend setting style to Waikiki. It places one foot firmly in the past through cultural activities and vintage decor. Moving on, flip flop down the street the Oceanside opens up to the beach park of Waikiki itself. All beaches in Hawaii are public owned, no one person or entity can own those sandy strips of land that seperate the ocean from the land proper. Indeed all the developers have had to allow for public access to the beach and ocean as well, as a result narrow alleyways lined with surfboards cut through in places from Kalakaua Avenue to the beach. 

Here the smell of sun tan lotion mingles with the salty sea air. Standing proudly in this beach park is a bronze statue of the Duke, an Olympic athlete who is considered the father of Hawaiian surfing if not the worlds. The Duke, real name Paoa Kahanamoku, won gold in the 100m freestyle swimming event in the Olympics of 1912. Also a great oars man in canoe and outriggers, but best known for his wooden longboard surfing. From this park you can walk straight onto the beach, colourful beach umbrellas line the shoreline, around the curve of the bay to the west sits the Royal Hawaiian to the east Diamond Head. 

I continue my walk eastwards passed the enormous Banyan trees that shelter a resident pigeon population and are also a feature of the landscape here until I spot the sign directing me across the road and to the zoos entrance. 

The zoo as previously mentioned is set in landscaped gardens with Diamond Head rising up behind. Originally a park donated to the people by King Kalakaua in honour of his wife Queen Kapiʻolani, the King continued to keep his own collection of exotic birds there. The Parks administrator was a keen animal lover and soon procured a sun bear, a monkey and some lion cubs. When an African elephant was purchased from a ships captain in 1916 the city officially had a zoo. Unfortunately in 1933 the elephant named Daisy had to be put down by city police after it trampled its keeper. The zoo is laid out somewhat like the San Diego zoo that we visited two years ago but on a smaller scale. I wander around for a couple of hours taking photos of those animals that are not hiding in a burrow avoiding the heat of the day. More than occasionally taking advantage of the shade provided by the amazing trees here, huge Banyans, Monkeypod and Kukui nut trees provide a cool environment away from the heat of the Waikiki commercial strip. 

While in the African savannah section, an unusual bird catches my eye, from the back a crown of yellow spikes forms the head, like a giant golden dandelion seed head. One of a pair looks as if it’s sitting on a nest next to the water, the other a little way off is stretched to full height as if listening for some far away sound. These are African Cranes, with strikingly colourful markings, standing at a meter tall with a wingspan of two meters they are very impressive. In the same grassy compound, Giraffe, Zebra and striped Bongo (a type of antelope) graze. Nearby a couple of small Asian elephants shuffle around in their barren dusty enclosure the sand coloured powdery material hanging in the heavy air as they kick it up. 

A I make my way full circle back to the entrance, I spot some pink flamingos, sleeping by the waterside, in typical pose, one leg bent under their bodies, their heads tucked neatly into the rose coloured feathers of their backs. As one moves the neck uncurls not in a smooth curve as I would have imagined but revealing a segmented curve, like a line drawn in a digital drawing. 
The humidity has built up during the morning, making the walk back to the hotel a muggy one. I stop off at the Tesla show room, letting the air-conditioned coolness envelope me for awhile, while I view the two vehicles on display. I chat to a bleached blonde woman, native of India who is attending the display but she has only a rudimentary knowledge of Tesla’s vehicles and other operations.

Having cooled enough to make the rest of my way back to the hotel I again venture out onto the strip, I look for a higher vantage point opposite the beach park, ostensibly to take a downwards facing picture of the beach scene. I manage to gain some elevation but conscious of the time move on back to street level across Kalakaua Avenue and make my way towards the Royal Hawaiian.

I grab a cappuccino from a street vendor on my way through the wide back alleys where tourists queue for the Waikiki trolley bus and then the final few meters home.
As I walk into the Royal Hawaiian grounds I am immediately impacted by the cooling grace of the surroundings, the shady trees and swaying palms that cast shadows on the pink building welcome you back to enduring serenity.

Back in the room I set up, to watch the Adelaide Crows play the Geelong Cats, a top of the table clash between top Adelaide and second Geelong. The Crows were sorely beaten by Geelong at their home ground earlier on in the season and now I am hoping they can turn the tables at our home ground. The match is a fierce contest with Crows emerging the victors this time, a significant win for the team, that keeps them firmly on top of the ladder.
Amanda arrives back from her somewhat successful shopping expedition with sister Kate late in the afternoon and we relax awhile until our dinner date with Kate and Jim is looming closer.
Tonight we are dining Mexican, Buho Cocina y Cantina is a nearby rooftop restaurant right on the Waikiki strip. Just a short walk away, we leave as we receive a text from a Jim to say they are on their way. The high humidity of the day is still evident as we stroll to our destination, a lone loud electric guitarist is playing a fuzzy seemingly random group of chords and riffs as we arrive at the elevator entrance to the restaurant. We wait a few moments for Kate and Jim, then decide to ascend to the rooftop, as we leave the elevator car the cool night air greets us, we seemed to have left the ground level residual heat from the street and buildings behind us. To our surprise Jim and Kate are already seated at a corner table awaiting our arrival. The sounds of Waikiki are way below us, the lights of adjacent buildings come flickering on as the cloudy blue sky darkens to grey.

Today is taco Tuesday, diners can build their own tacos from a cart at a special offer price, we decide to choose from the extensive menu. After a hot and sticky day beers are in order, Amanda opting for a Pacifico (Mexican brewed) and me for a more familiar Corona light. We share a small serve of guacamole, served with warm corn chips and then both of us in sync tonight order the fish tacos. The fish being Ono or Wahoo common in local waters is served on a brace of small soft tortillas with a mixture of red onion, jalapeño and diced mango, absolutely delicious. We spend a fun evening with Kate & Jim as dusk turns to night before strolling back to the Royal Hawaiian in the now cool evening breezes that have descended at last to street level.

Monday 24th July 
We wake up in the Royal Hawaiian hotel, just a quick pinch of the arm to make sure I am awake and not dreaming. Then down to breakfast at the aptly named Surf Lanai restaurant, where we are seated almost on the beach itself. An early morning shower has left the pathways wet, but hasn’t deterred beach goers, the beach is already a busy place. The blue sky rapidly banishing the clouds back to whence they came. The ocean today still a pale milky blue that stretches to the horizon. Diamond head crater in the distance with its skirt of green palm trees overlooks the scene. A catamaran with a hoisted blue and white striped sail sits beached but ready to sail at a moments notice. An outrigger canoe also beached sits waiting for the first daring passengers of the day.

No need to hurry today just relax, drink in the view, soak in the atmosphere live the moment. No matter how much I concentrate though, my super powers don’t extend to freezing time altogether. Then the moment evaporates, we have missed a call from Troy now at his home in Philadelphia, I call him back, disaster has struck, a burst water pipe has left them with some major problems, just when life seemed so good, reality smacks you in the face. As I am talking someone grabs me from behind its Kylie with mother Julie & husband Peter. After an early morning swim, sand still between their toes, they are out looking for a dinner spot for their last night tonight and have stumbled upon us. After a brief catch up and some dining suggestions from us they continue their search. Breakfast now over we return to our room and in a blink of an eye the time has accelerated forwards to midday before we make it out into the hurricane Fernanda influenced muggy humidity of mid summer Waikiki. Our task, where to eat tonight, there are three thousand restaurants in Waikiki and only one will tell its story to us tonight. Problem is where to start. Wandering around the beachside hotels in the local vicinity finds us in vaguely familiar territory, memories of past visits flash through our minds and we rediscover the “Ocean House” our combined memories are of good times here, wish I’d kept a diary back then. The restaurant is closed but we obtain their number from a sister restaurant next door and make a phone reservation for an early 5.30pm sunset dinner. While doing this my trusty little Canon S101 Powershot camera slips from my wrist, by the time I realise the camera is gone too much time has elapsed for there to be a reasonable chance of recovery. We retrace our steps and enquire at various points if anyone has handed it in, but sadly to no avail. Thankfully I download all my shots each night, leaving only a few taken early while leaving the Royal Hawaiian on the SD card. Ever the optimist I look on the bright side, the camera needed updating and I can now buy a new one. 

It is mid afternoon before we arrive back at the Royal Hawaiian where we relax for awhile before heading out again for our dinner date. 
The Ocean House restaurant is just a short walk away, located in the Outrigger Reef hotel, through the lobby area and an arcade of shops selling Hawaiian artists works, souvenirs and Hawaiian style beach clothing. The custom here is to be on time for dinner reservations as although there are many restaurants they are nearly always packed with diners, especially those with ocean front views. Any tables left vacant outside a small margin of error risk being given away quickly if the restaurant is not notified beforehand. 

We are seated at a quiet corner table over looking a waist high wall that separates the diners from the beach. The sun is going down to our west while we face south east with Diamond Head just visible to our east through a few palm trees. There is a rocky surf break to our right, with the ocean tide now dropping away from the beach that rises up to the wall in front of us. The milky blue of the ocean is now a greeny grey dappled with golden sunlight. Bathers stand on a ledge splashing in the cooling water that runs along the surf break as the tide takes the ocean out the ledge is revealed as man made. Sunset dinner cruises ply along the coastline back and forth, no doubt giving their diners a spectacular view of Waikiki from the ocean.

We consider our upcoming meals from the menu and specials annunciated by a server dressed in a blue Hawaiian print shirt with an obvious Polynesian background. Decisions made we order, coconut encrusted lobster skewers to share as an appetiser (entree), I order the Monchong fish with ginger and cilantro (coriander) over a bed of mixed grain rice. While Amanda orders the local version of red snapper that is served with a crispy skin in a sea of tasty green purée that has a distinctly lemon tang, also caramelised broccoli. To go with this we enjoy a bottle of Kendall Jackson reserve Chardonnay, all buttery and luscious in the mouth and refreshingly chilled.

The sun slowly descends behind a rack of surf skis, lighting up the sky as it sets. 

Accumulating clouds above the ocean begin to darken as the fading pink light vanishes and the restaurants beach torches are lit. A much needed gentle cooling breeze flows off the ocean to refresh us and the other diners as we order our shared dessert of vanilla bean & macadamia nut ice cream. 

Darkness descends in earnest, the sea views now just a sea of shadows, our meal over we take our leave and stroll back to the Royal Hawaiian and to our beds.

Sunday 23rd July
White caps on the blue ocean this morning a little breezy out on the water, but never the less another beautiful day. Too bad we have to leave, but more adventures are calling us onwards. After our usual in room breakfast we print our boarding passes in the lobby (a neat service) call the bell hop to take our bags to the Porte-Cochere and descend to the parking garage to collect our bags. We are soon loaded and on our way to the Kahului airport. We top up with gas (petrol) in Lahaina with no problems except our debit card is rejected for the first time. Problem soon solved, we move on, not a lot of traffic on the road this morning, the locals all enjoying a lazy Sunday morning no doubt. The weekend beach campers are still camped under the scrubby trees along the coastline by the golden sands, foamy white waves rippling in from a turquoise ocean that deepens to sapphire blue as your eye is drawn further out. Youngsters frolic in the surf as we whizz by on our ribbon of black top road towards our destination. The drive is an easy one, we arrive at the airport in plenty of time, turn in the trusty little red Hyundai Elantra and shuttle back to the airport terminal. Security as usual is packed with travellers and their associated paraphernalia, one couple with a young child have about a mile of stuff to feed though the security scanners. Amanda has a panic attack as we approach security, she can’t find her boarding pass, it has fluttered out of her hand at some point, a fellow traveler thinks they saw the pass on the floor Amanda goes searching while I step aside. Another traveller tells her they have passed the pass in to security. We re join the line. When we reach security the officer has the pass in her hand, she asks if she is Amanda Palmer, with a broad smile she says yes and we pass through relieved. The flight is on time, we board for our up and down flight to Oahu. My window seat allows me a good view of the islands of a Lanai and Molokai as we leave Maui. This allows me to take a couple of video clips to use on my trip movie. No Sooner than we are up we are down again landing in Honolulu. It was sad to leave Maui but we have such great memories of the Wedding and the incredibly enjoyable times we ave spent with Amanda’s family.

Before leaving we called Jimmy the taxi driver, a reliable and jovial little Vietnamese fellow that goes the extra mile for his customers, we call him whenever we need a cab in Honolulu and true to form he is just pulling into the pickup point as we wheel our cases into the area. Jimmy drives us into Waikiki to our destination the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, a grand old hotel on the beach front that conjures up the feeling of old Hawaii, like Raffles did for Singapore before they overdeveloped it. The Royal Hawaiian although developed, with new modern towers still retains the old buildings and the historical feel with tropical gardens and lawns. Wide cloisters and arcades that run around the outside of the ground floor contain elegant shops and at points act as breeze ways to allow the ocean air to flow through the building to cool it. Outside the beach bar offers all day snacks and cocktails, once we check in and are shown to our room we head off in that direction, both feeling hungry. This part of Waikiki is wall to wall people, the beach is loaded with bikini clad girls and bronzed males vying for that perfect patch of sand. Pink beach umbrellas line the fence line that marks the hotels limits, and beyond the palest of milky blue oceans plays host to surfers, canoes and catamarans in a whirl of motion. The largest black surf ski I have ever seen sits out in the ocean, a lone rider, maybe a patrolling surf lifesaver looking out for anyone that runs into trouble. While Diamond head crater watches over all the activities from above the bay as it curves eastward. I order a Pina Colada and Amanda a house Chardonnay, we sip away on these under a cloudless blue sky, no signs of the hurricane here today. Our lobster brioche rolls arrive, a fitting luxurious lunch for such a setting. Eat up no dinner tonight our over indulgence is catching up with us. 

We return to our room and unpack before taking the rest of the evening off for an early night to recharge our batteries in full for tomorrow.

Saturday 22nd July
The hurricane out in the pacific to the north east of us is still affecting the weather here pushing more cloud cover our way. The warmth still continues unabated, the resort pools filled with laughter as holiday makers splash about relentlessly cooling off. Rainbows decorate the hills behind us with their multicoloured ribbons as light planes land at the small hilltop airport just visible from our room. The resort does seem quieter than our last visit in May 2016, talking with employees and taxi drivers seems to confirm that this season is a little down on last.
We are about to have breakfast when we receive a call from Amanda’s brother Jimmy. They have checked out of their hotel in Lahaina to go to the airport only to be informed by the taxi driver that a four car collision has occurred on the main road out of Lahaina. The collision occurred on a narrow part of the road that sits between rocky cliffs covered in wire netting that is supposed to contain any shards of rock that shear off the cliff face and the hillside that runs down to the ocean. An unfortunate passenger or driver is apparently trapped in one of the vehicles, the result is that the road is blocked and will be for several hours, cutting off access to the airport. 

Jimmy, Susan and Gaby are stuck in paradise, they have booked a hotel in Kahului for the night and rescheduled their flights to tomorrow. We invite them over to have breakfast and spend the day at our hotel, hanging out. 

It is our last day here, we want to ship some items home and visit Lahaina one last time to investigate the historical sites and museums there. After Jimmy and co arrive and settle in they decide to go to Whalers Village a seaside shopping complex. We take off to complete our tasks dropping them off on the way. 

The museum consists of the original Chinese meeting House on Front street called the Wo Hing Centre, where the Chinese community set up a support group for the men that came out from china as indentured workers on contracts of five years or more. Many married in China before they left, not to bring their wives as they were unable to, but to tie them to their homelands. They would then send back money to their extended family at home, who often lived in squalid conditions. China was continually plagued by conflict at this time, warring factions roaming the countryside seeking conscripts, giving young men the added impetus to seek a better existence or die as a forced soldier in one army or another.

Along side this building is the cookhouse, remarkably in original condition, complete with wood fired stoves that housed giant woks to feed the workers. The cookhouse was also used as a theatre as it is today currently showing original motion picture films of Hawaii shot by Thomas Edison in the late 19th and very early 20th century, fascinating viewing indeed. The Front street facade looked very different in the early days, sitting on a Harbour as it does there where many fish markets run by the Japanese or Chinese ex plantation workers that stayed on and started businesses. 

Next we visit the site of the first mission house built from lava boulders and then plastered over. Prior to this the missionaries lived in primitive conditions similar to the natives, dirt floors, woven roofs thatched out of available dried plant and grass materials. Walls would be only a few feet high to allow the breezes to flow through the house. 

Originally built in 1834 for Ephraim Spaulding the New England style cottage house was mostly occupied by the missionary Doctor, Dwight Baldwin and wife Charlotte who succeeded Spaulding after he became ill and had to return to Massachusetts. The newly arrived couple had just married when they left New England and eventually had eight children, two not surviving past age three due to dysentery. A second story was added to the building in 1849 to to accommodate the growing family. The house was restored in the 1960’s but is still incomplete due to lack of funds, amazing since it is such a big part of Lahaina history and so many wealth people live here. The native Hawaiians always friendly, welcomed the missionaries and superficially accepted the new white mans God thinking it must be a powerful entity. They attended prayer services but the missionaries failed to completely convert the Hawaiians to Christianity, many still inwardly continued to believe in the power of their native gods. We chat with a native Hawaiian women at the house she tells us the meaning of the towns name, “Lahaina” it means “Relentless Sun”

We are certainly feeling it today not a breeze comes off the ocean or down from the mountains. We stick to the shade as much as possible, making our way towards an ice cream parlour for a refreshing ice cream before driving back to Ka’anapali and our guests.
Our guests are resting up on our return, having had there fill of shopping, sand and sun. We spend the remains of the afternoon chatting about our holiday experiences and current events in our respective countries while teenager Gaby snoozes on, on the couch.
Rainbows continue to appear and disappear behind us as the sun moves ever closer to the ocean through increasing cloud cover. Jim and Susan rouse Gaby, it’s time for them to drive to their hotel in Kahului, eliminating any possibility of a repeat of yesterday’s delay. Once we see them off, we return to the room and Amanda completes our packing for departure tomorrow. We make ourselves a meal using up the last of our supplies, cheese tortellini in a spicy tomato based pasta sauce. Open up the last of our wine, an Australian Shiraz labelled Layercake produced by Orlando probably for export for the US market, the wine certainly has a lighter feel to it, like many Californian reds. Apart from a few specialty wine shops good Australian wine is hard to find, plenty of cheaper export labels available. This I think has given Americans the wrong impression of Australian wine.

We spend our last night on the balcony in the warm night air overlooking the flickering torchlight of the resort and the myriad of path lights that light up the various pathways around the now dark tropical gardens. An occasional light from a passing boat breaks the darkness like star to far from heaven the ocean now one with the sky.

Tomorrow we fly to Honolulu 

Friday 21st July

We awake to another day, the clouds have again stretched down from their mountain homes almost to the sea. Hurricane Fernando has burnt itself out in the pacific creating a remnant low pressure system that is moving towards the islands affecting our weather some what. Worse days are ahead in Honolulu but should be brief. Troy, Heather and family leave today for home, Kylie, Peter & family leave for a few days in Honolulu before they too leave for home. Jim & Kate also leave to go back to their island home on Oahu. The party is breaking up, but what a party! so great to catch-up with all of Amanda’s family and have our own here to experience this wonderful event and location. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful far flung family that when together it’s as if we have never been apart. Matthew has already arrived back in Sydney before heading home to Adelaide. Sandi has also driven back to her home in Hana, while Kaua and Tania await the birth of their child Kingston due around the end of July at Kahului hospital. Gary and Tracey too have returned to their Big Island Hawaiian home. 
After breakfast we relax for awhile, Amanda forever the laundry mistress keeps those machines buzzing around. It’s not until around midday that we hear from Jim, Susan & Gaby, they are on their way to enjoy the beach and pool facilities here at Honua Kai for the last time as they leave for home tomorrow. Troy, Heather and family having checked out of their hotel are also heading our way so that the kids can enjoy a last swim in our hotels pool, that has a swim through cave and a large waterslide.

Jimmy, Susan & Gaby arrive first, Jimmy & Susan head for the beach leaving Gaby with us. The clouds to our north are threatening rain with rainbows appearing fleetingly. Gaby and Calista have hit it off, now firm friends they want to spend their remaining time together. Troy & Heather arrive next and head off to the pool with all but Calista. Calista and Gaby take up positions on the couch to watch on their phones the musical Hamilton, singing along in harmony to each song as they play out on their tiny screens. Great fun to listen to them enjoying themselves, if a little noisy but they are teenagers! In truth they both have great singing voices.
We have a lunch of wraps from the lobby market up in our room before Troy and Heather ready themselves for their trip to the airport. They are a little sad to be leaving Cadence loves Hawaii and doesn’t want to leave, while ten year old Aubrey expresses her feelings perfectly “she is sad to leave but excited to be going home to see her friends again” the older kids can use their phones to communicate with their friends but Aubrey is just a little too young at this point in time.
Amanda and I will drive to the airport separately, with the families excess luggage, although their vehicle is big, the available luggage space is limited. 

We load up the luggage, Calista and Gaby with us the rest of the children with Troy and Heather. Their is a funny moment when Justin is asked to decide which vehicle he wants to travel in, he looks at the fully loaded rental car with the young ones, Abbey, Aubrey & Cadence, you can almost see is decision making process, “oh no this could be the ride from hell” then he looks at our car, much smaller with two teenage girls, singing away in the back seat. What a decision, he looks this way and that, thinking “do I really have to do this” mum hurries him up, make a decision Justin. Justin hurriedly decides on our car and settles in but is not going to sit between these two but next to Calista where he then mentally blocks out the scratchy harmonics and looses himself in the solace of his phones offerings.
We head off to the airport, the girls singing non stop all the way, but it’s a quick easy drive and we are there in 35 minutes. Unload and walk to the terminal where we meet Troy, Heather and the younger girls. We say our goodbyes for now, I remind them of more fun to come when grandma and grandpa come to stay. Not sure if that impresses the kids or depresses them. They all then proceed through security and their awaiting flight to Philadelphia via Dallas.
Although we enjoyed light traffic out of Lahaina we did notice that the traffic in the incoming direction was heavy. We had hoped that it would clear but now readying ourselves to leave the airport by bringing up our directions home from the phones navigation system the information provided tells us we have a ninety minute journey ahead of us. The road is clear until the Lahaina turnoff and we are back on the Honoapiilani highway, then the traffic crawls to a halt. Slowly, very slowly we inch towards our destination. Gaby in the back, now silent as she is plugged into her device with no singing partner, it’s a quiet but long journey home.
Finally we arrive at our destination in time to shower and ready ourselves for dinner. Tonight we are meeting Jim and Susan at Pacific’O on Front street. 

Pacific’O Restaurant is another of Lahaina’s beachfront dining experiences, their mantra being a new standard for Farm-to-Table cuisine on Maui. Boasting a 24 year history Pacific’O on the Beach offers recipes inspired by local ingredients and the “best-view-in-town” for your lunch or dinner.

“We support local farmers and own O’o Farm which supplies us daily with fresh organic produce. Fresh fish delivered daily” their website proudly announces.
We take a taxi into Lahaina arriving a little ahead of time, the restaurant is situated in a small outdoor shopping complex with an Art Gallery, Jewellers 

and restaurants. The restaurants are right on the ocean front with beautiful sea views, catamarans and other small craft bob up and down in the grey green water.

Sitting in the Harbour is an unusual vessel, not passenger, not cargo we will see if we can find out all about it. Jim and Susan are waiting for us as we arrive at Pacific’O. The restaurant is all blond wood and white linen tablecloths, windows are open to take in the Harbour views. We take our seats and order a cocktail each a Mai Tai for her and a Piña Colada for me. Then settle in and revue the menu finally deciding to share a House salad of Blue cheese, smoked bacon, heirloom carrots, in a soy citrus vinaigrette and for main course I have Ti leaf Fish, wrapped in a Ti leaf is a completely unpronounceable fish that I am assured is excellent covered in a spicy lemongrass Thai marinade and served with an orange beurre blanc sauce with sautéed O’o farm green beans, beech mushrooms, cherry tomato, and hapa rice. Amanda has The vegetarian dish, of crispy rice gnocchi, heirloom tomatoes, O’o Farm fresh pesto, percorino cheese and kukui nuts. For something different than our usual chardonnay or Pinot Gris we chose a 2014 Truchard, Roussanne from Carneros Napa Valley, California to accompany the meal.

While we are waiting for our meals we ask after the mysterious ship in the Harbour, Amanda has guessed right it is a research vessel, we didn’t know that it is owned by Berkely University, California, apparently the bear on the ships funnel says it all. Must be a pretty cashed up university to run a ship like this one I suggest, I am assured by my Californian friends at the table that it is.
The meal is excellent definitely in the top two of our visit. After dinner we walk south along Front street in the balmy nighttime air, to the main tourist area to buy a gelato at Ono’s Gelato bar, the flavours are many and varied, many too rich for me. I decide on Kona coffee macadamia nut and Amanda the chocolate macadamia, all delicious. Jim Susan and Gaby head off back to their hotel while we stop for a while in the street to devour our purchases then we walk to Fleetwood’s and call our cabby to take us back to Honua Kai and our beds.

Last day on Maui tomorrow lots to do before we depart.

Thursday 20th July
An early morning start for us this morning as we prepare to take Matt To Kahului airport for his return trip to Honolulu and home. Matt certainly has shopped well while here, his experience in retail and his frugal lifestyle make him the perfect bargain hunter. Now though the chickens come home to roost, those extra pounds & kilos need to be expertly packed into his suitcase, just as well mum is on hand!
All packed we are ready to hit the road by 8.00am a 40 minute drive and plenty of time for him to make his 10.00am flight to Honolulu. He as had a great time meeting again as an adult the US side of his family and exploring another side of his roots. And so it is that we drop him off at the airport say our somewhat sad goodbyes to drive back again to Ka’anapali. 
Our early start has paid off we are back in time to catchup on domestics and my blog that has fallen behind due to our very busy schedule over the last few days.

We manage a few hours to ourselves before our lunch guests arrive in the lobby. Peter, Kylie, Krystal, Ken, Tyson and Alissa are here to have lunch with us, they have had a wonderful time so far and we are anxious to hear their stories and bath in their excitement. Lunch is at Dukes, the hotels only beach bar and restaurant over looking the ocean. We have a wonderful light tropical lunch starting with a cocktail, listening to their stories, their excitement infectious, they will all no doubt all be visiting these magical islands again at sometime in their lives. We finish off sharing a slice of Hula Pie, a local ice cream cake shaped like a volcano with macadamia nuts and chocolate lava. Delicious if a little sweet!
We say our goodbyes to Peter and Kylie they leave for Honolulu and a Waikiki experience tomorrow. We are treating all of our grandkids, new and old to a sunset to night-time luau at the Westin hotel tonight, also in Kaanapali just a few minutes away from our hotel. We arrange for them to meet Jimmy, Susan, Gaby and Troy and Heathers crew in the lobby of The Outrigger where they are all staying and for them all to meet us at the Westin at 5.30pm for the show.
We have a few more hours to ourselves, I quickly finish up the longest blog I have written and deservedly so, for the wedding day was a wondrous day indeed. If you want to see more photos of that day https://www.facebook.com/groups/405391093136311/ one guest alone posted 143 photos to this site.
At the appointed time we descend to the lobby to meet our cab and we are off to the Westin for our luau experience. We arrive first followed by Abbey, Cadence, Aubrey, Calista, Gaby & Susan. Then soon after Krystal, Ken, Tyson, Alissa, Justin and Jimmy. We are soon shown to our tables outside in the Aloha Pavillon. Actually there is a large buffet food service and bar area inside that then spills out onto an outside space with another food service area that stretches into the eating area filled with large tables dressed for dinner service. We are shown to our premium tables, we wanted to make sure all the kids had the best possible view, not disappointed they are right in front of the stage.

The stage for the show is then set in front of a raised pond that sits at the base of a rocky cliff face with surrounding tropical plantings and coconut trees their curved trunks reaching skyward. The show is a multi nation Polynesian experience showing off the dress, music and dancing styles of Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand. 

Before dinner service we are invited to have our pictures taken by a professional photographer, young Hawaiian girls adorn us with leis as we slip into tourist mode to have these special memories documented as images we can revisit and share.

The area adjacent to the stage is set with tables selling various local artisan products, a wood carver chips away at a log with a mallet and chisel carving out another Hawaiian tiki. Krystal buys a locally pottered dish featuring a turtle design. The youngest three girls have faux tattoos applied to them of various designs and Amanda buys them locally woven bracelets.

The meal is buffet style: Pupu’s of Lomi Salmon, Pipikaula Poke, Cucumber Seaweed Salad, Kula Island Greens, Hawaiian Style Potato Macaroni Salad, Maui Gold Pineapple, Tahitian vanilla dip and Island Poi. 

Main courses of: Kalua Pua’a slow-roasted pork, Huli Huli Chicken, Steamed I’a Fish, Pa’ia Dry Mein Noodles, Moloka’i Sweet Potatoes and Steamed Sticky Rice

Desserts of: Hawaiian Sweet Bread Pudding, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Chocolate Chantilly Cake and Haupia hawaiian coconut pudding. The kids enjoy there own special menu of spaghetti bolognese, fish fingers, BBQ chicken, hotdogs pizza and a variety salads

After we have stacked our plates and ordered some wine we begin our meal as the show begins with the sun slowly sinking into the ocean in front of us, thankfully eliminating the suns glare.
First up is a very funny Fijian dressed in traditional grass skirt and top. With the help of a member of the audience in an hilarious manner he shows how to break off the husk of a coconut and crack the coconut in away that creates a bowl and lid. He then invites a child from the audience to drink the juice to the last drop that of course dribbles down the child’s chin and eventually all over the stage.

During this event he asks the audience where they are from, we announce that we are from Australia, he proceeds to ask me “what do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back” I answer a stick, probably spoiling his joke. He mumbles something about we know where the drinkers are then and moves on.

Darkness is descending fast, flaming torches are lit around the stage, we are next treated to a procession of dance and music from the various Polynesian islands. Starting with the gracious story telling hula of Hawaii and culminating in the familiar to us Aussies, “Hakka” performed by the Maoris from our near neighbour New Zealand.

There is a short break while we enjoy dessert, then a build up to the most exciting part and culmination of the show the fire twirling display. Double ended torches are lit, thrown between the dancers and twirled like drum majorettes batons a spectacular fiery display. The dancers move forward and back at times climbing on each other while all the time twirling the fiery double ended torches. They lick the flames with their tongues and balance the torches on the soles of their feet in fearless displays of disregard for the potential skin burning flames. 

All to soon the performance comes to an end, with a little more dancing and fanfares the show concludes. 

We have all enjoyed a wonderful night the kids are buzzing with the excitement of it all, so satisfying.

Before leaving the Westin hotel we all walk under the waterfall that greets guests after they pass through the lobby, the water from the falls drops into a pond where pink flamingoes stand single leggedly beaks tucked into their curved necks probably sleeping. We follow the path under the waterfall then around the pool area before returning to the lobby hailing cabs and returning to our respective hotels.