Happy Hawaii

The overnight flight up to Hawaii was ok, I think we managed to get some sleep as the 9 and a half hours seemed to go quickly.

On arrival in Honolulu we picked up our hire car for the week, a silver Toyota Yaris, and headed north through the middle of Oahu on the Kamehameha Highway (Route 99). First stop was Ka'ena Point, the western tip of Oahu. Here the Waianae Mountain Range drops to a rugged lava rock coastline. The water here was beautifully clear and many shades of blue and green. The coastline stretched to the North Shore in the hazy distance. There is a 2 mile hike to the western tip but we decided to save that for next time when we'd had more sleep the night before.

Continuing on we drove through the towns of Waialua and Hale'iwa (where Baywatch was filmed) before heading south to the Waikele Premium Outlets. Time for me (Brad again!) to buy those sandals I didn't get last year ($39.95 - bargain!) and checking out the many stores here.

Still in shopping mode we set course for shopping heaven, the Ala Moana Center. For once there was little traffic on the H1 and we made good time. After checking out our favorite stores here (Macy's, Abercrombie & Fitch, Diesel, Sam Goody's, Nieman Marcus) it was (finally!!) time to check into the hotel, the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.

Hoping for a room on the Waikiki side on an upper level, we weren't disappointed. It was the same room we stayed in last year so we were very happy. Time for a nap!

Waking refreshed we reacquainted ourselves with Waikiki before a yummy dinner and a stop at the Apple Store to pick up the new iPod Shuffle (well, one each). We enjoyed a nightcap on our lanai before retiring for the night.