The full Waikiki

We decided to sleep in today to catch up on our sleep loss. After a breakfast of granola and toasted bagels we checked out the beach just two blocks from our accommondation. It is very quiet, a few sunbathers and dog walkers but otherwise private. Our plan was to return later in the day for a swim.

You can see Norm got a little wet with some of the waves. Right behind him is the place we will be touring next Wednesday. It is called Shangri La, not such an original name but when you're Doris Duke, heir to millions in tobacco profits, you can call your five-acre waterfront mansion whatever you like.

Then we headed off to Waikiki. Again the bus is pretty infrequent so we walked the half hour to the beach, stopping along the way to check out all things touristy! 

I hope you can see that Yellow Bunny is hiding in most of these photos (Benjamin and Rosie). Banyan trees are amazing! You gotta love a tree that has roots hanging from its branches. So it seemed only fitting that we have a drink under the famous Banyan tree at the Moana Surfrider Hotel. 

And of course Yellow Bunny was right into it! 

A lot of people come to Waikiki for the beach scene and although it is crowded it really is beautiful. You can see Diamond Head in the background. Our B&B is just beyond the low stretch of Diamond Head in the distance -- a nice walk to and from town. Plan is to hike up there early tomorrow morning. 

Here is the pink hotel otherwise known as Royal Hawaiian. We saw a lot of leathery people on the beach and knew it wasn't for us. However the famous shave ice -- with passion fruit and piña colada flavour syrups -- was a hit. They rent surfboard lockers by the month in this narrow passage in the heart of Waikiki so you don't have to haul your board back and forth in your car.

A little more walking about through the International Market of useless trinkets and too many Hawaiian shirts and we headed home to cool off. Again another good half hour hike around the bottom of Diamond head to home. The swim was wonderful. Love the waves and soft sand. 

Norm holds palm frond blown down in the big wind this week. That is the beach at the end of this road right behind him. 

Back home we relaxed for a bit before deciding we really needed more groceries. Off we walked to the Times supermarket, loaded up for dinner and headed home. Unfortunately although we took a direct route there, we decided to come back a different way. Yes we got lost in the dark but after asking someone who didn't really know where to direct us, a wonderful man on a motorcycle stopped and asked if we were lost....yes! He must have said at least three times that we were lucky we were in a good neighbourhood. Who knew? So two hours after heading out we arrived home with our tortellini, tomato sauce, lettuce and tomatoes for a fashionably late dinner and very hungry for the pasta, salad and wine. And fresh doughnuts for dessert, with Earl Grey tea from Victoria for dessert.