Funny thing about traveling west: six-hour flight from Boston to San Francisco? According to the clock it's only been three hours. Another five plus hour flight from San Francisco to Honolulu? Once again, the clock only reads a three-hour change. As a result, although the clock says that it was only six hours of flights, it actually turns into a 15-hour affair including the two flights and a layover which was extended by maintenance delays.
When I finally got to Waikiki, it was already dark. However, it was warm, people were out and about, and even occasional fireworks were going off (July 4! 'Muerica!), so I set out to wander around a bit. One of the first things I noticed: at least in this touristy area, there's at least one ABC Store per block [Later I found out the locals say that it stands for All Blocks Covered]. They sell everything from medicine to alcohol (which could be considered medicine by some), t-shirts, and food, but the convenience comes at prices inflated even by Hawaiian standards. For dinner, I grabbed a mango salad with peanut sauce and crab from a local food truck. Really delicious. And it had a nice kick to it in terms of spice. I'd ordered a medium, but it's a Thai food truck, with the spice levels Mild, Medium, Hot, and Thai Hot. And to polish it down, some fro-yo with adzuki beans. Slightly unusual flavor combo in the humble opinion of a New England Yank, but worth trying. The adzuki beans add a certain depth to the vanilla frozen yogurt without compromising the sweet refreshment.
Although organized bus tours aren't necessarily my favorite way to explore, they are great if you have no transportation and don't have much time, since they tend to hit the main points. Hawaii Turtle Tours has good reviews, and given the brevity of my visit to Oahu, I decided that their tour about the island would be a good choice. Pick up was at 7:50, before the time I like breakfast. However, since I wasn't sure when lunch would be, I decided to go for an unexpected choice to get ready- raw octopus, a Quest protein bar, and coffee. As I mentioned, bus tours are great for an overview. During this one, we stopped at Diamond Head Beach Park for photos and looking around.
Next, a local coffee farm, Greenworld Coffee and the (admittedly not local small business) Dole Plantation. Apparently barely any pineapples are actually exported from here now, most are from South America, Thailand, and other places with cheaper labor.
Snorkeling is a classic activity, so about an hour and a half were dedicated to this. The tour company's name implies spotting sea turtles, but they make the disclaimer that they can't control wildlife. Luckily, we saw plenty, including ice before we got into the water. I wondered why the Hawaiian Green Turtle was called so if they are brown, but the tour guide couldn't answer. The rains they had in the previous couple days made the water a little silty, but in a way that was even cooler, since turtles could unexpectedly appear.
It was time for lunch, but first came a brief stop at a local macadamia nut farm. Macadamias are a fairly important crop here. Lunch was at a small (primarily) prawn stand called Fumi's Kahuku Shrimp. They have been farming prawns long enough to be considered a historic site. The salt and pepper shrimp came with rice, corn, and pineapple. A little too oily for my liking, but that's probably just me since that happens to be something I'm really picky about. The taste was great though.
Finally, we stopped at Chinaman's Hat for some photos. Beautiful view.
Overall, I was satisfied with the tour. Cousin Mike, the guide, was easy going and really knowledgeable. He supplied constant tidbits of information regarding a lot of things that we saw. Getting to go around the island was also very valuable, since the scenery is gorgeous. The eight-hour tour was worth the trip.
Later in the evening, when the sun was lower to the horizon, I set out for what ended up being a four-hour walk. Leaving the built-up resort area brought me into the residential zone that lies beyond it. And frankly, I can see why people would want to live here. Insane prices for everything notwithstanding, things just seem more laid back. The houses are cozy, the people relaxed... Sidewalks and crosswalks... Truly great. Along the way, I picked up some dinner. Although I had been planning to grab a poke bowl, a small joint which was relatively busy grabbed my attention. As a result, Cajun grilled shrimp tacos with slaw took the poke's place. Nothing in the meal stood out as above and beyond, but every component was well executed and a joy to eat. And then, since I was feeling particularly tropical, I picked up a massive fruit salad. The greatest part about it? It answered the question of whether or not tomatoes, which are technically fruits, belong in the mix. Something tells me that the grape tomato wasn't supposed to be there, but it wasn't too out of place, and I found it funny.
Waikiki is very lively in the evening. Throngs of people traverse the streets, eating, drinking, chatting, and doing a slightly absurd amount of shopping. The resulting atmosphere is lively and generally happy, making it difficult to resist joining in. When we visited the Dole plantation, the line for food had been long, so I didn't try the famous Dole Whip there. Luckily, a few places in town serve it without the huge line (and a little bit cheaper). I've long heard of the legendary dessert and wasn't able to resist. The best description I can give- pineapple flavored soft-serve. It slightly maintains the tang present in the fruit, but in my opinion, it would be better if it was a little less sweet. In a good pineapple, the tang to sweetness ratio is well balanced, here the sweetness was the stronger force.
I woke up earlier than expected, but that was useful- still needed to sort out how I'd be getting home. With the flights sorted out, it was time to work on the stereotypical Hawaii checklist. First up: surfing. I attempted it before, in Costa Rica, so I confidently rented a board for a couple hours. Turns out, there's one major difference between surfing and snowboarding that I’d never considered before. With surfing, you need to pick up speed by paddling to catch the wave. At least with snowboarding the mountain can't run away.
The city bus brought me to the next item on the agenda: Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. It's a somber place, but historically incredible and a must see fit above visiting Oahu. Just remember to book the boat tickets to the memorial in advance- I tried as a standby but wasn't able to get a seat. Upon leaving, another bus brought me to downtown Honolulu. I didn't find it too noteworthy, but there is a royal palace (only one in the US if I remember correctly).
Leaving Hawaii without eating poke would be sacrilegious, so I picked up Ahi tuna poke and a side of kimchi. There was going to be a photo, but I was hungry, and the food smelled delicious. Oh well. It was fresh and the kimchi was crispy with a slight gochujang kick. Food in Honolulu proper is noticeably cheaper than in Waikiki. Finally, another bus brought me to the airport, beginning the lengthy trip home. Special shout out to the Honolulu buses- they are mostly very prompt, and a ride is only three dollars, or seven and a half for a day pass. Strongly reconnect using them instead of the overpriced Ubers.
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