Aloha Hawaii! (Sunday 24 April)

Aloha! Charmian and I have arrived in Oahu! It’s great to have finally made it here after the build-up over the last few weeks and increasing anticipation on our all-too-long flight (which included an in-house clip on the Na Wahine O Ke Kai!).

Shopping in Waikiki

Waikiki is a bit like I expected – a mix of laid back island style, high-rise apartments and touristy shops selling Hawaiian shirts and trinkets. It does have a holiday feel, and if we didn’t have such a big goal looming on the horizon, then I’m sure we could easily kick back with a Mai Tai on the beach and soak up the sun and surf. It is also a paddlers delight! Everywhere you look there is a reminder that outrigging is very much part of the culture here – from the paddles hanging up in Starbucks to the OC6’s lying on the beach and the canoe surfers taking tourists out for some wave action.

But today we had things to plan! After a couple of voice messages we arranged to meet Brian, our support boat driver, at a closed gas station near the airport. Like fresh contestants on Amazing Race we leapt into our hire car and promptly completed two loops of the airport, but managed to remain on the right side of the road, and eventually made it to our rendezvous.

With an envelope of money in hand, we felt like covert operators meeting to make a deal. Instead of swapping the cash for a bag, we handed over our deposit, a paddling bag filled with enough spare parts to construct a full canoe, and a home-made PD’s flag for him to fly on his boat. We seemed to have passed Brian’s test for paddlers too, and he and his mates began giving us a few pointers for the race start. Our catch-up was quickly over, with smiles and promises to keep in touch during the week. It was a strange moment, but the bizarre has started to feel normal.

Hence it was no surprise when, after dinner, we happened upon the local ukulele group practice. Charms felt quite at home, likening the characters to her Balmain uke group at home. It wasn’t long before we had joined in an impromptu hula lesson and were holding hands with the group singing the farewell aloha. 

So that brings us to the end our second Easter Sunday. The first spent surfing the break at Long Reef with friends, and the second dancing the hula in Waikiki. I don’t even know what to expect for tomorrow, but am looking forward to it already!