Oahu, the island of flowers

Friday, June 29, Las Vegas, Hawaii Oahu

We go to the airport for the long flight that will take us to Hawaii, specifically to Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The Ata flight (€ 370 round trip) is two hours late, and already this pisses me off (I'll arrive in Honolulu at midnight and I also have to pick up the car, the fear is that the office will close), plus they tell me that our two suitcases exceed the allowed weight and I have to pay the $50 surcharge. It doesn't matter if I try to make them understand that we are 3 passengers with only two suitcases, they tell me that if I want I can buy another suitcase and not pay the surcharge (how so? with two suitcases I take up less space and for a few more pounds I have to pay). There's nothing left but to resign ourselves to this crazy rule that now applies throughout the States, pay and wait for the flight.

After exactly 6 hours we land in Paradise, the anger has subsided and the Avis office is still open. Having picked up the car we set the gps to take us to Kailua, where we reach our little house that we have rented for 7 days (€ 650, Auntie Barbara's) and as agreed we find the door open, the light on and a sign reading "Aloha Alberto" (would that be possible where we're from??).

It's now one in the morning, and given the time difference it would already be 4 in the morning in California! The cottage exceeds our expectations, which were already high: mega living room with 5 sofas, huge bedroom in Hawaiian style, little room for the kid, super-equipped American kitchen with washing machine and dryer, dvd, stereo, two tvs, two air conditioners, very private patio with table for outdoor dining and around the corner, a beautifully kept garden with heated pool, covered patio with little sitting room, sun loungers, umbrellas, gas barbecue.

This area would be for sharing exclusively with the very private owners who are never seen: practically all this abundance is OURS alone!!!!! Plus available are beach loungers and umbrellas, surfboards, games, etc., just 5 minutes' walk from Kailua Beach, a splendid white beach 3 km long considered among the most beautiful in the world. Dream or reality?

Saturday, June 30, Hawaii - Lanikai

Reality! Because the Hawaiian sun and the time difference wake us up already at 6 in the morning, and the house, practically with enormous windows and transparent curtains, lets the sun's rays filter through. As indicated we find the fridge full of stuff, from enormous packs of milk and juices, to eggs, toast, etc. to prepare breakfast. We meet the owners who explain a couple of things to us, we lock the door (just out of habit because all the houses in Kailua are made with enormous windows that can easily be opened from the outside, evidently here they don't know what delinquency is…) We immediately set off to discover the splendid beaches of the island and go to nearby Lanikai, practically separated by a small promontory from "our" Kailua.

The beach is fantastic, very few people despite it being Saturday, water with Caribbean colours, very white and impalpable sand, very tall palms that create a dreamlike landscape. After a day under a super sun, we return home after doing a bit of shopping and relax in our very private pool with pleasantly warm water…then barbecue with mega ribs that cost very little here….and off to bed early since here you wake up at 6!

Sunday, July 1, Hawaii - Waimanalo

We go to discover another beach, Waimanalo, very long, deserted, water with surreal colours. Practically it's just us 3 and the baywatch behind us…Here the sea is rougher than at Lanikai, the signs indicate the danger of the infamous Portuguese Man-or-war, fortunately we won't find any during the whole holiday. The only mishap we can note are some very tiny almost invisible jellyfish that are usually carried when a strong wind blows. If you come into contact with the filament you feel a slight pain for a couple of minutes, like an insect sting, nothing dramatic. Letizia experiences it, comfortably sitting on the surfboard at the water's edge, while I and Davide, perpetually in the water, remain always "unharmed".

Nicely cooked by the sun, after a nice picnic in the beach park we take a tour of the south of the island, passing by the Makapuu Point lookout, by Sandy Beach where we see the surfers challenging the dangerous waves, we pass by the Kahala Hotel to see the dolphins that populate the lagoon (nothing compared to what we will see in a couple of days) and we return via Pali Lookout with an incredible Highway that passes under the Koolau Mountains, a very unusual mountain range with imposing peaks with vertical and lush walls.

Monday, July 2, Hawaii - Hanauma Bay

Today a day at the most famous beach on the island is planned: Hanauma Bay. We leave early aware that, being very famous, it is a destination for all those staying on the island. We arrive before nine and….bitter surprise, the car park is already full and cars coming from Waikiki are diverted elsewhere. Fortunately, coming from the opposite side, we manage to get into the car park, where we notice the QUEUE to pay for entry. Yes because this is a protected marine park and to access it you pay $5. The flood of people is already making me lose the desire, used among other things to the deserted beaches of these days, but the view from above of the beach makes me immediately run to the queue: truly incredible, one of the most beautiful and strange bays ever seen: an ancient underwater crater is covered by a sea of magnificent colours, from which a coral reef teeming with fish emerges.

The queue doesn't last long, about 10 minutes, the problem is that then you have to wait for the indicated time to watch a film explaining the behaviour and dangers of the reef. Finally we reach the beach, fantastic but already rather full. The coral is not exceptional, but the fish life is truly surprising, you see many species of colourful fish. Talking with the baywatch, they tell me that to see the better coral you would need to go beyond the reef, the problem is that offshore, between waves and narrow passages, it is a bit dangerous, you would need to know the passages well to get back. Anyway, apart from too many people, an absolutely fantastic and inimitable beach.

Tuesday, July 3, , Hawaii - North Shore

Such a beautiful island absolutely deserves a complete visit, so today we will drive along the entire east coast up to the North Shore. First stop at the Valley of the Temples, where the Japanese-style Byodo temple stands out, located at the foot of the mountains. We continue to Kualoa Ranch, set in a valley that was the natural backdrop for the film Jurassic Park, then we arrive at the North Shore with its enormous beaches. Here in winter the waves reach 15 meters, while in summer the sea is absolutely flat. After seeing Sunset Beach, a surfer's paradise, we reach Waimea Beach Park: what an incredible beach, an endless sandy crescent bathed by transparent waters, an immense natural pool. After a few minutes we see dolphins jumping not far from the beach, first a couple then more and more.

I put on fins and mask and reach them after a few minutes and find myself swimming among about fifty dolphins. They are everywhere, beside me, below me, they play performing acrobatics and jumps, an unforgettable experience.

Wednesday, July 4, , Hawaii - Kailua

Today is a national holiday and for the Americans who live in Hawaii it is a big day. In Kailua, right on the street behind our house, the traditional Kailua Parade takes place, a parade in true American style with marching bands, dancers, military personnel, the governor and senators parading through the streets. At the end we finally spend a day at Kailua beach which, despite being very close, we haven't seen yet. It is truly immense, even though the sea is slightly rough, losing some of its transparency. In the late afternoon we decide to tackle the climb up Diamond Head, the now-extinct crater of the island. A rather tiring walk, but the view of Honolulu and Waikiki from the top is unique. In the evening, on Kailua beach, we watch a fireworks display comfortably seated in our deck chairs.

Thursday, July 5, Hawaii - Waimea

Waimea impressed us so much that we decided to go back, even though it takes almost an hour by car. We don't regret it: today there are no dolphins, but on the other hand we see gigantic sea turtles just a few meters from the shore, and, having put on fins and mask again, here we are swimming alongside these enormous creatures. Incredible!

Friday 6 July, Hawaii - Waikiki

Last day in Hawaii, a splendid week is coming to an end in one of the most beautiful places ever seen. We reluctantly leave our home and, since the flight is late in the evening, we take the opportunity to visit the last places. First a nice walk in the lush Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, in a charming position at the foot of the imposing mountains. Then we reach the chaotic Waikiki, destination of most of the tourists who visit the island, and I once again thank the day I opted for a small house in Kailua instead of an anonymous big hotel in Waikiki. The beach is nevertheless definitely characteristic, elegant avenues full of shopping centers and a long beach with the unmistakable silhouette of Diamond Head in the background. The crowds, however, are considerable, much better the west part surrounded by beautiful parks and palm groves and with an uncrowded beach.

To finish, a brief visit to the center of Honolulu, a modern metropolis with tall skyscrapers. The time has come to say goodbye to beautiful Oahu, return the car to the airport and face once again the 6-hour flight to return to the mainland, precisely to scorching Phoenix, where we will stop for a day to break up the journey, before returning to Italy. This time we prepared ourselves with the luggage: fins, masks and shoes we check in a bag, then we weigh the suitcases shifting the weights until we reach exactly the allowed pounds....what geniuses we are, in fact this time they don't even weigh our bags...............