Honolulu, HI

On Wednesday we arrived in Honolulu fairly early and because we cleared customs in Hilo we did not have to in Honolulu so we were able to leave the ship whenever we wanted to. As it goes with many people in Student Life, it took us some time to mobilize and actually get off the ship. When we finally did we headed towards Lanikai Beach which is supposed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It was however it was quite chilly by the time we got there because the sun had moved beyond the mountain so we got to dip our feet and then it was time to move on.

Lanakai Beach:

So, some of us were on a mission to find a beach while avoiding the crowds of Waikiki. Next stop Ala Moana Beach Park. We got there…still chilly, Cindy ran into the water and then we moved on. So we thought let’s go to Diamond Head, well as luck would have it by the time we got there it was closed.
The view from near Diamond Head:

Frustrated and hungry we decided to park by Waikiki and walk around. The day was saved by the beautiful sunset that we were able to experience. We stopped, took in the sunset and it made up for the otherwise uneventful day in Honolulu.

We met up some more folks for dinner at Duke’s Canoe Club for dinner where I had pulled pork sliders done Hawaiian style, sipped some cool beer and ended the evening on a very positive note.

I was determined to be on the beach on Thursday. I realized that I was not necessarily experiencing the culture of Honolulu or seeing any of the sites and felt slightly guilty but I also realized that I have some pretty intense experiences coming up and if I needed to take a day of relaxation on the beach then I would. So around 10:30 Laura (one of my co-workers) and took the bus from the Aloha Tower (where we were ported) to Waikiki. Waikiki is where 5th Ave meets the beach, lots of fancy shops and hotels on one side looking at the beach on the other. We grabbed a muffin and some coffee, met up with Cindy and headed to a warm spot in the sand. I was able to make some phone calls, write some postcards and take a dip in the cool blue Pacific Ocean. When we had enough we walked around the International market which was essentially a flea market where all the booths sold the same cheap necklaces and other sorts of trinkets.

When it was time to head back to the ship we took the bus again though this time it took us significantly longer to get back to the ship because of afternoon traffic. We made it when we were supposed to be back, again to help with the embarkation process. Much to everyone’s happiness everyone was back on the ship in time (though we had a few that cut it pretty close).

Now I am in the middle of a ten day journey to Japan, we are planning a dance, the Sea Olympics, a Talent Show as well as another coffee house since the first one was such a hit. Busy, busy busy but loving it!!! Unfortunately I am slightly under the weather; I have an awful cold that is going around the ship. I hope to feel better by the time we get to Japan and will post again before we get there with more about Life on the Ship.