Oahu, Hawaii USA - April 2008
Not exactly the greatest start on this trip. One hour delays on both of my flights in getting to Honolulu from Seattle. Then once here I didn't get the full oceanview room I had reserved and had to settle for one with a partial ocean view.
It was a pretty nice view anyway. But when I was originally choosing a hotel for my Hawaii trip there were certain things I wanted, an ocean view, close to the beach, a lanai, etc.
I think many of these hotels undersell themselves in their online information. Undoubtedly too many lawyers with liability paranoia. Yet now that I have actually been here, probably most of the Waikiki hotels would have been a good match and if I had it to do over again, I suspect that I would have chosen a different hotel than ResortQuest Waikiki Beach.
Yet in spite of the rough start things turned around pretty quick once I got here and settled in. After a little sun bathing on the beach and exploring the shops along Kalakaua Avenue I set out on my first tour. A journey with Oahu Nature Tours to see the North Shore.
Our first stop was in the Valley of the Temples at Byodo Temple which is tucked in behind a cemetary at the base of some 2000 foot cliffs. Very picturesque! From there we continued on to see Chinaman's Hat, Mokoli'i Island, Sunset Beach, and the protected green sea turtles on the sand at Turtle Beach.
Of course, on the way back to Waikiki from the windward side of Oahu we also stopped to visit the Dole Plantation. It is home to the worlds largest garden maze, and a few other activities. But I think I would have to describe it as a mecca for all things pineapple.
Next morning, on day two or three depending on how you are counting, I got off to an early start with Polynesian Adventure Tours. It was a big patriotic looking bus on which we set off to see the USS Arizona Memorial, the battleship USS Missouri, and Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific
The Arizona Memorial visitor’s center was really crowded when we got there, with a line waiting to get in that was longer than the sidewalk outside. But it moved pretty fast, as everyone waiting was given a start time for their tour.
They take about 100 people per group and new tours start about every 15 minutes. After watching a short film presentation on World War II a Navy launch then ferries the group out to the actual memorial near Ford Island.
My group had an hour wait for our tour to start so there was plenty of time to go outside and get some pictures of the Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri across the water, plus the USS Blowfin WWII submarine next door. But with other tour groups arriving after ours there were always a lot of people in the small visitor’s center which made it all but impossible to get any really good pictures inside the little museum there.
After our round trip out to the actual memorial site for the Arizona, we took a short drive over the bridge by shuttle to tour the USS Missouri which is docked at Ford Island on the spot where the batteship Oklahoma was during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On Ford Island by the visitors entrance to the Missouri there is also a small memorial for the USS Oklahoma which had the second highest casualties on December 7th, 1941.
Continuing on from the Missouri our final stop on this day long tour was the Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific. Located above the city of Honolulu in the Pu'owaina Crater, to ancient hawaiians this site was known as the "Hill of Sacrifice". I think it is perhaps the most scenic and befitting location possible for a military cemetary, and below the statue of Lady Columbia the sentiment is captured perfectly:
"The solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the alter of freedom."
The next part of my vacation here wasn’t in my original plans. However I wanted to treat myself to something a little different after settling for the less than perfect hotel room, so I decided to go on one of the island tours with Makani Kai Helicopters. I had never been on a helicopter tour before mostly because they cost a lot more than most standard tours, but it seemed like a great way to see a lot more of Oahu then I might have time for otherwise. Besides, this is my tropical adventure so I should do it because I can, right?
I've never been fond of little planes so I was a bit nervous going into this. But sharing the experience with a small group of other adventurers, the pilot talking us through it all and pointing out the sights, it wasn't bad at all. If anything, it seemed like it was over all too fast even though my watch says our trip actually went a bit longer than advertised.
Our flight went past fisherman's wharf from whence Gilligan's three hour tour started, then east along Waikiki beach and around the island past Diamond Head. From the air we saw the Kahala Resort where you can swim with dolphins (If only I had one more day here) and interestingly enough was also the site where the scenes from the King Kamehameha Club in the original Magnum PI TV series were filmed.
Onward from there we passed by Hawaii Kai (East Honolulu), Coco Head Crater, Coconut Island (which is known locally as Gilligan's Island because the original opening scenes of that TV show were filmed in the lagoon there), Kane'ohe Bay (where seaplane from the TV Show Fantasy Island docked), Sandy Beach, Makapuu Point, Sacred Falls, "Jurassic Park" valley, and finally an aerial view of Pearl Harbor.
Over Pearl Harbor, easily visible from the air, but which I had not seen from the ground tour are the remains of the USS Utah which lies on it's side near the place where it sank on the far side of Ford Island from the Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri.
After the short helicopter tour I took a trolly into downtown Honolulu to see Iolani Palace. This is the only royal palace on american soil. Nearby there is also a golden statue of King Kamehameha. And finally I finished out the day by catching the afternoon rays on my hotel room lanai while sipping Pina Coladas and watching the surfers off Waikiki.
For my last night in Hawaii, obviously I had to have a lu'au, so I chose the Paradise Cove Ali'i Orchid Lu'au. Unlike the ones held at the Polynesian Cultural Center which are a full day tour activity, Paradise Cove is an late afternoon and evening event which of course gave me time to catch up on the shopping I had been neglecting to do while busy seeing the sights. However the other reason for my choice is that at Paradise Cove they served alcohol which the Polynesian Cultural Center does not since it is run by the Mormon Church. I'm sorry, but a virgin Mai Tai is just not the same!