Arrived after two fairly long flights (6 hrs 30 minues JFK to LA) then 6 hrs 45 minutes LA to Honolulu. Slept for 16 hours when I eventually made it to Waikiki!
I know as soon as I got to the gate at LAX that Hawaii was my destination. Row after row of patiently waiting 66 year old retired couples wearing short shorts, socks and sandals, and the obligatory bright orange Hawaiian shirt. Gate 47 B resembled an explosion in Dulux's manufacturing plant. But this was only a taste of what was to greet me at Honolulu International though. Straight off the plane I was approached and given one of those Hawaiian neck things, you know what I mean, them bright necklace things...then in baggage reclaim a band I can only describe as slimy played romantic beats as I waited to see the bag I left in New York. Thankfully it got onto my Hawaii flight OK. After a 5 minute dash back into the terminal (I had left my lonely planet guide in the trolley, Andrew trademark) I made it onto BUS 19, convinced the driver my bag (depth 40cm) could fit into the under seat luggage storage bin (depth 30cm), and tried to keep myself awake enough to follow the route using another of Lonely Planet's superlative maps. One of the more interesting moments on the bus was a stop where three old women got on, clearly far too intoxicated for women whose ages added together probably equate to the distance between Earth and Uranus. One of them, I'll call her Doris, said, and I quote, "oh son, give me your hand" as she stumbled up the bus. Without she would certainly have fallen. To be honest, the bus company wants to show less interest in the size of travellers bags and introduce a maximum ass width for American women. The women opposite sat down and instantly covered two extra wide disabled seats. It's just wrong. I was also sat opposite this Chinese man that fascinated me. He had the most awesome looking sandals I'd ever seen, little spines in them that look like they massage your feet, but then I looked at his toes, and he had two little toes. No kidding, literally two little toes, but one on top of the other, like double the height. I was fascinated. A little after 8 o clock I found the hostel, then bed. The first proper sleep for 36 hours!! In with an interesting bunch of Spaniards.
Waikiki!
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Lonely Planet calls this paradise, and it is in lots of ways, but still reckon it gets better than this. Here for another night, then on to the north shore to catch the big 30 footers and try my hand at surfing. Back down to Waikiki Sunday for the Val Nolasco half marathon. Monday it's off to the Big Island, a short 45 minute flight. Then a hire car (wahayy!), Volcanoes National Park & up the two biggest peaks (13000 footers), Mauna Kea and Mauna Lao. Now that will be cool, literally, there's year round snow up there!
Took a great run a few hours ago, 8 miles or so along the beach front, 4 miles out into Honolulu to Mauna Boulevard State Park. Stopped for a swim, the beach there is a mile or so long, but about 400m out into the sea the depth is only waste height so it's heaving with outdoor swimmers (below). Took a swim out there before running back. Would be great for triathlon training, apparently it's about 500m between life guard points so thinking I may give that a snazzle in the morning.
Perfect beach for outdoor swimming. Stretches over 1000m in length and has about 400m of waist height water in width.
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