Barbara B.'s Adventures: Hawai'i: Honolulu Parks and the West Shore

Wednesday, September 28

Today was a lazy spent around the resort. In the afternoon we took a drive through Manoa and went fot a walk at the Lyon Arboretum.

Lyon Arboretum

Not bad for a hiking trail

Beehive ginger

(???)

Some hairy flower (???)

Thursday, September 29:

With the vacation nearing its end, I knew that if I wanted to hike, I better get started today. I had originally thought that I'd be able to join one of the local clubs, but after feeling the heat and humidity for the past few days, I knew that I wouldn't have a 10-hour hike in me on this island. Hiking here is very different from back home: you wear microspikes to ascend steep, wet slopes; you make your way through swim holes (and try to avoid that l...something bacteria), and you go through a litre of water every hour. So, for the morning I opted for a short hike through a rainforest to Manoa Falls. In the afternoon it was off to touristy Diamond Head, where I ended up running down the trail to get help for a person in medical distress. Too many people seemed to be getting heat stroke. Also from Diamond Head I saw a sailboat burn and eventually sink. The evening news showed that all those on board managed to jump and there were no injuries. In the evening we also took another drive around the SE corner of the island, stopping at Koko Crater, that blowhole, and other roadside stops. We just wanted to stay outside as we knew that tomorrow we'll have to head home.

Better park in the pay lots due to high theft

Manoa Falls Trailhead - pig hunting occurs every Wednesday and Sunday

Manoa Falls Trail

Manoa Falls

Diamond Head

Diamond Head - first 74 steps

Diamond Head - next 99 steps

Diamond Head - last 56 steps

Lighthouse from Diamond Head

Burning sailboat

And one more set of stairs

Honolulu

Koko Crater

East shore

Friday, September 30

It's our last day in Honolulu, so we took a stroll along the beach in the morning (to feel that sand between one's toes!), and then took a drive up the west coast. This is the lesser seen Hawaii. Here, people live in tent cities by the thousands. Cost of living is high, so this is their home. When I first researched this trip I had thought about hiking to Kaena Point at the tip of the island. After having been here, I am not so sure. Sure, the landscape is nice, but perhaps not the best idea when hiking solo. Kaneana Cave is as far as I ventured from the car. We had dinner in Ewa and drove past Pearl Harbour before we had to catch our 10pm flight back.