130831 Surfing and Airport

Honolulu 130811-130902
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© NF Photos 130831 Saturday

130831 Saturday and last day

Time for the last activities in Honolulu. I woke up at six so I have already taken a walk at the beach and parks and are waiting for breakfast. Then I will finish packing so we can go when my family pick me up at eleven. Hopefully for a surfing activity at Waikiki.

At 7 a´clock this woman is already heading for the waves.

My family arrived at appointed time and we were allowed to park the car at the Hostel. We put my stuff in the car and left for Waikiki beach. We waited a while for a friend to my granddaughter as they thought they needed instructions and he knew how to surf. To bad I´m already set for departure so I did not try the surfboards. Did not want to be in the plane with salt on me. But, I finally got to see them surfing. Well, at least trying to.The waves was much lower now then it was in the morning. A pirate ship was also in the area.

After surfing we went to an ice cream store to cool off a little. And then we headed for the market to try to find the dress I liked the first day. And we did so I bought one. 

Then we picked up the car and went to the house. And as usual everyone is busy but me.

Before it was time for the airport we grabbed a pizza at Pizza hut. Had to eat something as food was not served on the plane. And the plane was going straight to Chicago. They drove me to the Airport and with passport and "ticket" in hand we said good-bye for now. And I went into the building.

At midday the sun are right up and don´t cast that much shadows. Only the lifted board cast a shadow. 

And this is the end of Honolulu trip report.

Thanks everyone that have enjoyed the trip with me.

Travel Photo Mondays 30   Our World Tuesday 
Travel Photo Thursday   Shadow Shot Sunday

And, as usual, now the trouble begins.

The first thing that happened was that the luggage had to be scanned for plants and animals. That turned out ok and my luggage got a yellow tag on it.

Then I went to the line for check in. I was assigned a station and headed for it. But when I was closing in the person staying there was leaving. Eh.... and did not come back. What the f....  Looking around the station I located a computer. Seemed like I was about to have to do it on my own. I did not like that. I was going two planes and having the luggage. I did not want to take any chances of getting it wrong.  Or be without a seat. So, I stayed put until somebody came and did it for me. And....she could not appoint any seats for me due to software problems. :(  So, I had to go in to the gate without having seats in any of the planes.

In the gate I finished the pizza I had brought with me and then I lined up at the empty desk to see if I could get the seats. Somebody came after a while and started to work at a computer but did not care about us people waiting. Then another one came and we could start talking to him. It turned out the first one was fixing the in-checking for all of us that was not finished. So at the time we were to board the plane I got my tickets and the note for my luggage. Turned out they gave me a seat in the middle of both planes so I could not move around as I usually do. First plane was  night time flight so it was dark most of the time. Landed in Chicago at 8.30 and spent 8 boring hours there. Next flight was also mostly dark and we landed in Arlanda at 8 o'clock Monday morning September the 2:nd.

Then I had to find bus and train to get home. With an open suitcase as it turned out they opened and destroyed it in Honolulu. Leaving notes they had checked it for security reasons, again!,  but did not take responsibility for it. What can I say, bastards! My lock would have been easy for them to destroy. But they had to destroy the suitcase. Bad ending of a great trip. The same thing happened to me when I was on Big Island 10 years ago. Hawaii don´t seem to think I shall leave!

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130828 Lanikai Beach and Starry Night

Honolulu 130811-130902
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© NF Photos 130828 Wednesday

Went to the beach before breakfast as usual. There was a fisherman on the pier and quite a lot of fish. Today I was not about to meet with family until after lunch. Took a walk long the shore and in the parks. And then I had a cup of coffee and something to eat before family picked me up.

 We had some plans for surfing but as they were late we skipped that.




    
                                                       
We headed north on the windward side looking for Halona Blowhole. (on wiki). We found it but as not lucky enough to see much.  It needed high tide and a windy day to really "show off". And this day wasn´t any of that. We only saw a little spray. The little beach to the right is Halona Beach Cove famous for a lovescene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the movie, From Here to Eternity (1953).  Se image below.






Halona Beach Cove

 Realizing it would not be more excitement on the location we continued to Lanikai Beach. One of the most beautiful beaches in the world it is said. Or was as I read somewhere. And beautiful it is even if I´ve seen beter ones, and hot!  The sand was nice but you had to run quickly to the water not to get burned. There was a little corals here and there but not too much. It was rather easy to swim. As it was too hot for tanning I walked along the beach trying to capture nice waves. That´s quite fun. The sand was wonderful and looked great on my daughters feet.

Done with the beach we got to Kailua,  a nearby town, and had some shaved ice and then dinner while the world was darkening.

There was one more thing to do on our list and we needed a dark clear sky for that. Stargazing! Away from any municipality there should be great opportunities to see the stars. But there was clouds coming and going so it was not that good.

Back at the hostel around 9 PM there was some newcomers but I have my routine now. Shower, uploading images and drinking coffee and a little whisky and writing and sleeping. And talking, if somebody is talkative.

Travel Photo Thursday     Skywatch Friday

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130825 Hanauma Bay

Honolulu 130811-130902
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© NF Photos 130825  Sunday

130825 Hanauma Bay

Woke up early, the newly wed couple (Danish/Portuguese) and others still sleeping so I left on tiptoe. Went to the beach and to my surprise a lot of actions going on. The last of Dukes festival I assume. Back at the Hostel one guy is cooking, and cooking a whole lot of food. For breakfast? On that poor piece of machinery called a stove? Amazing! He too has a girlfriend staying here. Her heritage seem to be some of the natives of America.

Waikiki Beach

Today we are going to Hanauma Bay Nature Reserve. Acc to my granddaughter I have to join the group on bus 22. Same as yesterday it turned out but not that much people. I found them straight away. This is the remains of a crater and there was lots of coral reeves in there. A bit difficult to take a swim as you were not allowed to touch the corals. We had to attend a lecture before we were allowed to go down to the beach. It was interesting. And it was hot. So swimming was necessary. Tried to take some pics but it did not work really. I was a bit disappointed of the beach. The corals was not the colorful ones and not much fish. The place was very nice from the rim though. But I´m glad they take care of it. As a photographer I was most pleased of a woman taking a shower. 

I was given a towel for the beach. Very beautiful and to my surprise the sand don´t get caught in it. 

At five we took the bus back to Waikiki where we had dinner in a restaurant and then watched the setting sun before the gang headed back to the house. I stayed for a while listening to the music. 

Hanauma Bay to teh left.

Waikiki to the right

Our World Tuesday    Travel Photo Mondays 

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130821 Duke festival

Honolulu 130811-130902
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© NF Photos 130821 Wednesday

Woke up at 7 and switched bed as the Scottish guy left this morning. And then I spotted two of the bloodsucking bedbugs in the opposite bed. I crushed them and took them to the desk. So, the bug man got more work to do. But I was out of the room. I had a discussion with the man so after his advice I had everything locked up and in. Making it harder for bugs to get into my suitcase. I was promised as well to get all my stuff cleaned up and washed before leaving the hostel.

After breakfast I headed for the parks to watch birds and people for a while. Lots of doves in the area. But this one to the right has not read the sign. NO DIVING!

And this is obviously a bus stop for doves.

My daughter and grandson was late and by that time they arrived I knew where on the Waikiki beach the Duke Festival were held so we went straight to the place. It was a very hot day and my grandson developed a headache.   

Quote: "Duke's OceanFest is held each summer in Waikiki in honor of Hawaiian Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, who is remembered as the greatest waterman who ever lived, and Hawaii's ambassador of Aloha. Among his many accomplishments, Duke Kahanamoku was an Olympic gold medal swimmer; a surfer; an esteemed canoe steersman; a Hollywood actor; and the Sheriff of Honolulu."

Seems like a great man and there was several statues of him as well.

We watched some of the games on land and on surfboards.

A pair of nice boots in a window.

 After that we went to check out computer shops instead. My grandson needs a new computer. And I amused myself watching photo filters on a Mac computer. :)  This is me, above, with the filter Light tunnel. Nice, don´t you think?

Then my company took the bus back to the house and I went to another part of the beach. At the beach I got the company of a talkative woman with Norway- Swedish heritage. She just moved in and felt a bit lonely. Arriving back at the Hostel I saw the 5 person bike looking for riders. Really crazy!

To finish the day I had a discussion with Anton who is to study communication in Honolulu. Told him what I think of GOOGLE among other things.

Travel Photo Thursday   Travel Photo Mondays   NF Winged 114  

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