Diary 28 - 31st January 2001
& Images from my time in Hawaii

Sunday 28^th January
It was around midday when I got out of bed. I ate some breakfast then went down to the Starbuck bar to pick up the coach that was to take me to the harbour. Whilst waiting I struck up a conversation with an English man from Liverpool. It turned out his name was Russ Green and he publishes magazines in Hong Kong.

It was a very interesting afternoon and we got on well together. The sun shone down as we cruised around the bay. However the whales when they eventually appeared were too distant to be very impressive and I had to use my telephoto lens to get anything worthwhile on the camera.

We boarded the boat and left the harbour.	On the board where annexed cloud of people from many countries and of different ages.	In the distance a whale spouts.
This shot is taking with my telephoto lens as the whales never came near to the boat.	One wonders if a small sailing boat can be capsized by a whale.	Another whale comes up to to breathe and the small sailing boat is quite safe
the skyscrapers make an imposing new along the beach line at Waikiki.	Beyond the breakers close to the shore the swearing is much more comfortable and we encountered this group of people.	We head back to the harbour and I like many of the others were disappointed with the whales.

I told Russ what had happened and explained that I would not be able to return on the coach with him. He suggested we meet later that evening and go for a beer. I gave him the detail of my hotel and phone number and we agreed to meet at eight o'clock

First all the passengers were put on their respective coaches. Then I was taken to the McDonald's. I selected a double quarter pounder cheese-burger meal, asked for a salad and was told they only do chicken salads. My benefactor explained that I didn't need chicken as I wanted salad to eat with my burger. He explained a salad on the side. The girl was unable to deal with this and went to find a more senior person.

The ignorance of the McDonald's staff never fails to impress itself upon me wherever I have the misfortune to be in the position of having to use such a last resort to feed myself. Whether in the UK for another country McDonald's low standards appear uniformly bad. When the other women arrived we again explained our needs that had to actually instruct her to remove the chicken from the salad and it would be very acceptable. I eventually got my order but as the driver of the bus was on his break my benefactor asked me if I minded taking it with me rather than sitting down there to eat it. Since the salad was layered, lettuce on the bottom then a few slices of tomato with some grated cheese on top, in a cylindrical clear plastic container there was no way to mix. I decided that I needed to go back to my hotel and put the a lot on a plate.

Russ arrived at 2010 and we went to a few bars. It was a very enjoyable evening and he told me that I would be able to stay with him and his wife if I were to visit Hong Kong later in the year. He suggested November or December would be a good time to be there. We exchanged e-mail addresses and I got back to my hotel at 0100. Unfortunately I have discovered that his e-mail bounces and and I did not have the foresight to take a conventional mailing address from him.

I went into Angles the gay bar along the street and spent some time chatting to some fellows there but there was nothing going to happen as the person that I fancied and who fancied me had to leave to meet his boyfriend who was finishing work shortly otherwise he would have been happy to come back to my hotel. Bad luck. We went to the rest-room for a snog and to play around. The time we spent in the restroom was so exciting that we ended up being the last to leave the bar when it closed at 2 o'clock.

Monday 29^th January
When I woke this morning it was 0919 I immediately remembered that I was due to go on the Polynesian Cultural Centre tour. I went to the table and looked at my ticket to find I was supposed to be meeting the bus in the hotel lobby at 0900. I immediately telephoned to find out if the bus had been and was told that the driver was indeed standing right by the desk and looking for me. I informed them that I would be down, asked them to apologise to the driver and hung up the phone. I jumped out of bed, put on my shorts, sandals and a T-shirt, picked up my wallet and the ticket and was downstairs by 0925. I went into the coach and apologised to the driver. He was so laid-back and easy going about it that I immediately felt like giving him a huge hug.

Some 35 minutes later I realised that I had, in my haste left my camera behind but noticed that the driver, who told us his name was Rick, had some disposable cameras on his console. I purchased one for $5 and settled back to enjoy the journey round the island to the Polynesian Cultural Centre in the north.

When we arrived at the PCC Rick took us to the restaurant where we were able to have a buffet lunch. As I had no breakfast I was quite hungry when we sat down at 1155. After lunch Rick took us on a tour around the PCC and he knew almost everything there was to know about this also. I was greatly impressed. During the course of the day I made friends with Gary, a 19 year old university student from Melbourne, who was travelling with his small brother Josh and his parents. They were an Indian family who had gone to Australia when Gary was six years of age.

I enjoyed the exhibits and managed to take a few interesting pictures though I was vexed with myself for not having brought my camera as the throwaway, fixed focus and fixed lens, had no ability to allow me to compose pictures in the way that I wanted. The canal pageant was particularly colourful and splendid. The boys and girls on the canoes were young, lithe and supple as they danced to the music. Some of the guys were extremely desirable and I was not able to get any close-ups which was most disappointing.

However here are the images from this throwaway and with a little help from Adobe Photoshop there are acceptable.

Rick was one of the best and most knowledgeable narrators I have ever had the pleasure of travelling with. He kept up a running commentary that was interesting and informative for the whole journey.	The Polynesian Culture Centre has imported houses from many of the surrounding islands to display the different culture and styles.	Of this man is demonstrating how bread has been made for hundreds of years in all the islands.
Farther along this handsome fellow explained that the coconut tree, also known as the 'Tree of Life' has no wastage.Each part is put to a use, the leaves, fruit, water and husk are all used in everyday life.	Scattered around the centre we could see native costumes being worn by guides and employees and this gave the whole a greater sense of authenticity.	Having walked around most of this centre I was by this time ready to take a rest and watch the boat pageant as it went by.
		On leaving the water I watched this man demonstrating how to light a fire with two sticks.
Back into the bus and we later stopped at a particularly lovely bay where the breakers were rolling in. Rick told us it was one of the best places to surf on the island.	We continued eventually coming to an area that was practically all pineapple fields. I took a picture of the pineapples being harvested.	From there we went to the head office of the pineapple growers and it was here that I asked a tourist to take a picture of myself with Gary.

Back on the road again after leaving the pineapple growers which rolled south for some time and eventually passed Pearl Harbor before I was dropped off at my hotel just after 1800. Rick was an excellent tour guide and imparted endless information about the island as well as explaining the scenery and buildings that we were passing. It was largely through him and Gary that I really enjoyed my day so much.

Back at the hotel I cooked bacon and egg for myself in the kitchenette and decided to have a quite night in. My laptop started running quite slowly so I decided to defrag it at 2330 and go a long to Angles bar for a beer while it was running. There I met a lovely 44 year old transvestite called Chelsea who does commercial computer animation for a living. I spent a couple of hours with her chatting about this and that and left the bar when it closed at 2 o'clock. Came back to my room where I had toast and coffee before logging on to sort out my e-mail.

Tuesday 30^th January
I dropped the film in for processing and caught the bus to go Jetskiing at 1100. Due to inefficiency of the bus company it was 12 o'clock by the time we arrived at Fisherman's wharf. There was only three of us altogether a Japanese couple who spoke no English besides myself. I did not expect there to be so few participants but I did enjoy the Jetskiing.

I had some fun on the Jetski for about an hour	although it was circular laps within an area of bouys rather than go where one wanted.	After jetskiing I took one of the small diets and went to play with the Japanese man.
Then I met one of the crew called Jimmy. He turned his water-gun on me and turned out to be a really amusing guy.	He suggested that we form a team and play against the two Japanese at a game of water netball played on boats rather like water dodgems.	This was great fun and we actually beat them 11 – 9. The lunch was pretty dismal. A poor quality beef burger, a slice of processed cheese, some tasteless tomato and dismal drooping lettuce.
My playmates in the Kayak pond.	Jimmy and another member of the crew.	When the activities were finished at about 1445 we took the catamaran and sailed back into the harbour which took about 45 minutes.
When we got back to the harbour the tour bus was not available but was expected with the next half hour. The Japanese couple elected to go of into town on their own. I suggested to Jimmy that we go for a beer while waiting for bus to arrive.	He said "There's no bars in this area but we can go for beer if you're ok to wait till I finish my duties on board. I have to work for about ten minutes." Naturally I was delighted at this response and so I took this picture of the Catamaran whilst waiting for him to finish is chores.	I waited for about ten minutes and we then went into town in his car. We had a few drinks together while he told me that he wanted to join me USAF and since he is now 22 he needs to get a move on. I promised to send him the pictures that I had taken of him and also this one that a tourist had taken of us outside the bar

I was disappointed to see him go because I had really enjoyed his company very much during the afternoon. He drove off to the east after dropping me off near to my hotel and telling me he had to go to meet his girlfriend.

When I arrived back at the hotel at 1715 I made arrangements for the shuttle bus to take me to the airport in the morning. Then I went to collect my photographs that I'd already put in for processing. On the way back I stopped and took dinner in a restaurant before returning to my hotel room where I spent the evening packing and catching up on computer work. I intended to have an early night but as usual it did not turn out that way. I tried to book a hotel for tomorrow night in Los Angeles as I had an e-mail telling me that Jean Usher, with whom I'd hoped to stay, was not known at the telephone number I had for her. theI was unsuccessful in my search for accommodation and in the end it was 0100 when I actually shut everything down and put my head on the pillow.

Wnesday 31^st January
I woke at 0515 and was ready to leave at 0615. The Shuttle bus arrive just after 0630 and after a short ride I was at the Airport by 0700. As usual I slept for most of the flight after being seated between an old retired diabetic Dr and his wife with a knee prosthesis. They chatted across me and passed bits and pieces over me. She was a bossy Australian woman and he a timid American gentleman.

On my arrival I went to the Hotel information board and after making a couple of phone calls I booked an hotel located a short distance from Los Angeles airport. I waited for 55 minutes for the shuttle bus that had been promised in 15. The Quality Inn Hotel was ok but with minimal facility. I went out at 2030 to find something to eat at the local Denny's, came back and checked my e-mail then went to sleep as I was really very knackered.