Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Day Three

I wake up at sunrise fully adapted to the time change. The massage helped.

Another over priced breakfast. There have been two types of couples I meet on the trip, both were in abundance at breakfast – retirees and newlyweds. As I travel alone (to answer your question Mr. Anonymous post) the conversations they share seem a bit redundant to me. Mostly the individual conversations are about what they are going to next, eating or not eating, taking pills or applying sunscreen, or about how they feel at the moment (bowel movements, aches, or being frisky.) When these two couples get together, the older couple explains “how to” or “how it was.”

After breakfast I pack and leave the west resort in the middle of nowhere which has been quite and kind of dullish.

The H1 takes me in to the city, then turn north to 61. News reports called for high winds this morning so I am heading to the Nuanu Pali Lookout. Even on non-blustery days it is considered one of the windiest places on earth. It was here that King Kamehameha vanquished invaders at the tip of twelve foot spears pushing them to their deaths over these cliffs. Today you can lean over the edge and not fall. Well, I can’t, but these tiny Asian people could be blown away with the winds.

After more fresh pineapple I head through the tunnel and down the mountain to the coast of Keneohe Bay. It is here that I slowly make my way down the two lane asphalt road only feet from the ocean. This is the most beautiful place in Oahu for my money. It is where they film movies and television shows – even the island at the opening of Gilligan’s Island is in this bay.

There is a small store I know of from last year that I stop at again for Christmas presents for a certain young sibling unit.

I stop at Chinaman’s Hat and take a photo for a young couple, and they take one for me. It might just be the only proof I am here.

Late in the afternoon I head to Waikiki where all the action is at. I enjoy the busy atmosphere much more than the quite solitude. It is easier to get lost in the crowd and there is a heck of a lot more to do.

Checking in I tell the desk clerk about how I am using my points for one night and paying for the other. Maybe it’s my years of staying with this hotel chain, maybe it’s my charm, she might just be very professional – who knows. But after a few minutes she is able to take my not so great point room and my reasonable paid room, put them together (so I don’t have to check out and back in the next day) and gives me an extremely nice ocean view/ Diamond head view room. I think it’s my charm.

I spend the rest of the daylight by the pool or on the beach. There are early reservations for the morning so it is early to bed tonight.

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