Arrived in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii...Photos...

The city of Honolulu has grown into quite the metropolis.

Its been 26 years since I’ve been to Hawaii. In my old life, BT (before Tom), I’d visited the islands on many occasions, each time enthralled by its beauty, reveling how each island offers its own unique environment and charm.

Skyscrapers, office complexes, restaurants, hotels and shopping line every major boulevard in Honolulu.

The Honolulu/Waikiki Beach area is a mass of people, vehicles, noise and exorbitant prices, considerably more than I recall from many years ago. Nothing about this overcrowded area bespeaks the magic of Hawaii. The pace serves to remind us of why we prefer more remote locations.

The sky view are constantly changing when each of the islands have unique weather systems.

On October 5th, after visiting other islands by way of this cruise ship, as shown on this list below, we’ll return to Honolulu where we’ll disembark the cruise to stay for 11 nights: (See the list below for the dates we’ll stay in the islands)

Mon Sep 29 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 1:00pm

Tue Sep 30 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 8:00pm

Wed Oct 1 Kilauea Volcano, HI (Cruising)

Wed Oct 1 Hilo, Hawaii, HI 11:00am 8:00pm

Thu Oct 2 Kona, Hawaii, HI 11:00am 8:00pm

Fri Oct 3 Lahaina, Maui, HI 8:00am

Sat Oct 4 Lahaina, Maui, HI 6:00pm

Sun Oct 5 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 7:00am

Blue sky, blue sea and vegetation depict Hawaii even in the densely populated areas.

Here are our scheduled dates to remain in the Hawaiian Islands over the next several months:

October 5 to October 16 - Waikiki Beach, Oahu
October 16 to December 1 - Maui
December 1 to January 15 – Big Island
January 15 to May 15 – Kauai
May 15 to May 24 – Honolulu, Oahu

Not unlike any other major city by the sea.

These extended dates on US soil will provide us with the opportunity to be with our family at Christmas on the Big Island, get medical checkups, have our teeth cleaned, do our taxes for 2014, renew our second passports and any other necessary “paperwork” awaiting us.

By the time we leave in May, we’ll be ready for the next exciting leg of our journey where we’ll spend over a year in Australia and the South Pacific.

They say driving and finding a parking spot in Honolulu is a nightmare. We'll take taxis and buses while in Honolulu/Waikiki for twenty days, eleven on the front end and nine on the back end of our almost eight months stay in the islands.

In all, we'll be spending 20 days in the Honolulu/Waikiki area in the next almost eight month resulting in a decision to avoid any tours during the ship's short stays in the various ports of call. This island is the only one of four islands where we won't have a rental car.

Several tourist boats were at the pier where the ship docked.

Surely, we'll enjoy time on Oahu, seeing the sites and leisurely visiting points of interest with our condo in Waikiki as a base. Once we're settled next week, we'll be able to assess our location and means of public transportation which is readily available in the area.

Yesterday afternoon after the passengers disembarked for their tours, we found ourselves comfortably situated in chaise lounges by the pool . For once, it was easy finding a good spot for some fun in the sun.

Back at you tomorrow with more!
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Photo from one year ago today, September 30, 2013:

Flowers at the restaurant on this date one year ago. For details, please click here.