Experience trip to Hawaii in the New Year's week, Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

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Experience trip to Hawaii in the New Year's week

Hawaii in December ... and, more specifically the island of Oahu (Oahu) on New Year's eve Christmas week. The idea to go to Hawaii did not arise suddenly. "Suddenly," we go together. Gray November day suddenly remembered that at work as usual will walk week, and, as always, will be a pity to sit these days in rainy, or better yet, a snowy Vancouver. It would seem, to the south, but there was even colder. In general, recalling the successful experience of camping holidays on the island Kuwana, decided to repeat.

The first thing that became clear right away - tickets last week of December there are several times more expensive. I had to make compromises, but still pay double the price. Nothing, I think, in house to save money, and book tickets.
Then they all turned out to be even more interesting. Surprises fell in abundance. Car for a week was worth at least $ 900. Or it turned out that on the island of Oahu only two Camp near the sea (there are two somewhere in the mountains), and that both are closed for cleaning two days a week. And right in the middle of the week. Generally, waved his hand at it and decided to try it on their own experience what he loves to do a colleague from work. He has traveled five times on Oahu, and every time he lived in a hotel near the famous Waikiki Beach (Waikiki). I usually mocked him, but he thought. Certainly better to lie in the sun on Waikiki than in the pool with chlorine in Vancouver!
In general, I zabukal hotel 10 minutes' walk from the beach. Beech car did not - in the city, in addition to $ 900, even for parking $ 20 per day to pay it!
The plan was this: fly, take a taxi and go to the hotel. In the morning, go to the beach, relax in the afternoon, then back to the sea. So seven days. Follow the plan we stopped on the second day. Crossed the border without incident, and four hours later were in Seattle. Left the car and were soon at the airport. Pleased that finally began to equip the chair sockets, and no longer have to look for places where cleaners include their vacuum cleaners.

Flew agonizingly long time - seven and a half hours. For some reason, there was a strong headwind, and he blew from the west. Fortunately, a week later, he has not stopped blowing, and we flew back to just 4 hours.

However, arrived and settled in a room on the 17th floor, which was visible from the balcony edge of the sea. At the bottom of the town was buzzing. In the other direction, too, was kind, but according to the mountains. And then, and more dimly guessed in the darkness.

Morning confirmed our guesses were available and the mountains and the sea. The hotel proudly called Ambassador Waikiki and provided weary travelers sun roof over your head, hot shower, refrigerator, free internet service and lift. All other benefits of civilization we are not particularly interested in, and.

The first day was overcast. Getting up at 7 am, we are careful to choose the hotel in search of breakfast. We caught Deny's, where we ate in a hurry. And then went to the beach under gloomy sky. Sea! It is good in any form, anywhere, even in Honolulu. The water was very personal, and the air smelled distinctly tropics. No, it's not the famous Waikiki Beach. He further, hidden behind the building. But, as we expected, there was much less people.

Was completely calm. Looking ahead, it was all week, and occasional gentle waves softly rustling rolled out on the warm sand. Looking at this picture, I had two thoughts in his head. First - I was not able to stay on this board and invariably fell with a crash into the water. Second - Japanese Waikiki feels was more than in Japan. They were everywhere, lined up in long queues at all edalni, filled with shops and stuck in the windows of a passing bus. In some menus, even sometimes give pony in Japanese, and even catering focused on the Japanese, for example, those which fed Ramen soup was more than American fast food.

Nakupavshis, wandered through the streets of Honolulu. It was funny to see people in bathing suits and hats santaklausovyh, dressed Christmas tree among the trees and garlands in the form of snowflakes on poles.

The next day we decided to be lazy and go to the beach walking away from this tourist ghetto called Waikiki. Ala Moana Beach we liked and remembered from the last time. Then the circle was great excitement, and only here we found a quiet backwater for small Xenia and then repeatedly came here from Kailua.
However, by the way, I noticed obvious signs avtorentovochnoy Dollar office and decided to try his luck again. On the eve of discouragement I was convinced that zarentovat machine interface via the Internet in the city for less than $ 230 a day, it is not possible. And then suddenly I offer the key of the Ford Fusion "only" for $ 130! Of course, I immediately grabbed them! And life has changed dramatically. Instead of going to a half-hour at the Ala Moana, we arrived in 5 minutes. Then he left all these stupid bags with cameras in the car and finally swam three!

Moreover, we did not stop there, and even went first to Costco, which bought all sorts of things to eat breakfast in the room and dinner on the beach - all sorts of muesli, fruit, decalitres Pogue (Hawaiian juice of Passion, Orange and Guava, for short - POG), and other useful food. And then went to the north of the island in search of big waves at Waimea Park (Waimea Park). The beach does not disappoint us, the waves were there such that begin to rock!

Of course, with the children in these waves, we have not climbed, and went back to where they were smaller. It was so nice that we did not notice that went all day.

The next day we decided that we would learn to use local public transport, which, by the way, turned out to be very convenient and inexpensive. We went to the Ala Moana and then Submitting to one of the few restaurants that offer a real Hawaiian food. Not Hawaiian pizza, not the land, namely Hawaiian. Why are so few of them, I have no explanation. Let the food looked unattractive, but it was very tasty! For example, the chicken in the leaves of Ti. Or Sing - a little ragtag paste Taro root.

Dense dinner for three cost us $ 40. Waikiki for the money you could only eat in fast food. At the same time, the house looks presentable as possible, but the main thing that was tasty, although that is tasty, I have already mentioned. It is noteworthy that on the walls all kinds of jewels - the best restaurant of 2012, 11th, 10th, and so on. And celebrity photos with autographs. It is interesting that from the time when we were here in 2008, nothing has changed, only awards and autographs increased.

When we left, the door had already formed a small place, and this despite the fact that here from Waikiki far enough.

Snorklit, ie, swim and snorkel, admiring the colorful tropical fish, of course we went to Hanuma Bay (Hanauma Bay) and, of course, on the bus.

This picture, by the way, is clickable, if someone suddenly want to click and see the details:

Buses, but again we wanted to wave and ride Vaima bus takes about two hours, if not longer. And in Cahill wanted to call. Therefore, one early morning, I went to the familiar rolling office. I was first in line at the opening of the coveted window, where I was pleased that the normal car, but there is only the Ford Mustang and Jeep Wrangler, and even for $ 160! It is hard to imagine a worse car than the Mustang for Hawaii. Highways there, but on the fastest of them limit of 80km / h, and so basically - in the area of 60km / h. Sliding roof? Gift is not necessary, in the afternoon sun bakes and hats incident flow of tears. Closed roof and turned as if in a tank with narrow observation slits. About suv Jeep on paved roads generally keep quiet. Why, I say, keep so many idiotic machines, it would be better instead bought more compact. Well, he knows ordinary employee hire, he did not buy the car. In short, took a red Mustang and drove it in Cahill, where they lived in his arrival in 2008, the year.

Zaoodno visited in the mountains. Beautiful there. Far seen.

But in the second half of the day - again in VIAM. Swam up until all is not as it should twisted wave, then it just calmed down.

We had dinner in another place a noble - Maui Mike's Roasted Chicken. Simple place, but very tasty cooking. Every gourmet should definitely try their wonderful Melts.

Still, we have taken a small haiku on Mount Diamond head. That's exactly it is seen in all the photos of Waikiki beach behind.

In fact it is a volcano, and the trail begins its crater. In the crater leads tunnel. Rich Pinocchio ridin through the crater and parked inside (as we did last time), and rogue like us, who arrived by bus, still have to go before a kilometer of the tunnel. That, in my opinion, is interesting in itself.

Vooon at the top of the climb and we are now.

In fact, it is not very far away. Only about one kilometer in strontium with a couple of hundred meters ascent. Once the top was an American rocket launcher artillery unit, and in addition to the trails, have to climb a narrow concrete stairs and go through the dark Thunell.