"Is this Honolulu Mum?" the little boy next to me asked as we stood on the Jetstar airbridge, looking outside at the shimmering wet tarmac and drizzle running down the window pane. It didn't feel like it when we first touched down this morning, but several hours later as I wound my way around the suburban backroads, high up in the mountains behind Diamond Head I could see, feel and even taste Hawaii.
The pink and purple bougainvillaea's smashed colour together like a bad hawaiian shirt, and through the elongated waxy leaves of the frangipani you could see the Pacific Ocean being whipped up by the regular trade winds. It was hot and humid. The morning rain had cleared, but the air was still soggy. My hair flung around in the wind like a bad session at the hairdresser. I was sticky and looking forward to getting back to the air conditioned confines of the car.
But I couldn't, it was just SO EXCITING to be back! Camera in hand I almost skipped my way along the footpath towards the end of the street that offered glimpses of Waikiki far below in the distance.
I'm in Hawaii again. 3rd trip in 3 years... YAY! Soon to be joined by my fellow PD Chicks. We're racing in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai OC6 race across the challenging Kaiwi Channel between the islands of Molokai and Oahu next weekend! The race is the top event for female outriggers, and more than 70 crews competed last year. You can see a map of the race in my
earlier blog posting So what exactly is this “Molokai” race you’re doing?
Cath Gale, Kath Burrows, Amanda Wyllie, Nicola Frowen, Linda Ng, Kerry Davenport, Di Morgan, Rachel Mosen, Sarah Jordan and I have been training hard over the past 3+ months (with years of time on the water before that).
We've had some great training sessions in Sydney - intense intervals where I felt my lungs would burst and arms would fall off, a 70km weekend trip from Clontaff to Dolls Point and back, we've seen dolphins and seals and have been helped by many a fellow PD.
Now it's time to go to Hawaii! I'm here...now hurry up everyone else!
Here is the first of a number of video updates from the girls this trip - I'm the first one here, so it's just me today! Keep an eye out for future postings!
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| The essence of Hawaii |
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| Diamond Head - a handy landmark from the ocean |
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| Hawaii Kai canoes |
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| Gazing out towards Molokai |
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| Coconut |
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| View from the apartment |
Sydney – Honolulu Airport – Dollar Car Hire
– H1 East to Diamond Head – Erin at mountain top apartment – Coffee Talk –
Hawaii Kai – Molokai Lookout – Makapu’u Lighthouse and Beach Park – Waimanalo
fresh coconut – Pali Hwy and tunnel – Native Bookshop second hand books (Ward
Warehouse) – St Louis plate lunch
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