Not surprisingly, I’m up early today. 5:00 am to be exact. It’s still dark outside so I don’t get up right away. I do some channel-surfing and find that most of the familiar basic cable channels are there. Hawaii, despite being 3 hours behind, seems to be on Cali time as far as national programming (I can tell from the TNT shows). There’s a tourist channel and channel that mirrors it only in Japanese (that was strange at first but I’d find out later that it’s just standard practice in HI). The same Asian hostess is on both channels talking about local restaurants, a big swap-meet on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays and a bunch of other local activities. I showered and dressed, knowing instinctively what my first stop would be. Need you ask?
As I leave the hotel, I take a closer look at the lobby. It is, like most buildings in HI, half open-air. The main desk is right beside the entrance which is just a big open space (there is no door). There’s a restaurant, a couple of tourist info booths in addition to the concierge’s desk, and a gift shop. I look but sail right past these things on the way out the door. Taking a left, I pass an ABC Store. They sell the basic convenience store stuff along with souvenirs. Later. Water’s calling. I cross Kalakaua with other early risers and right in front of me … the lovely Pacific Ocean. How I’ve missed it.
There are statues and fountains along the sidewalk with benches scattered here and there. Nearly parallel with Paokalani is a pedestrian pier that extends into the water. There are a couple of fishers (there are plenty of colorful fish in the water below), more tourists, and even a woman on the beach doing yoga. Sunbathers are few at this hour but there are some people in the water. I can also see stands of surf-boards and a bunch of other hotels that are right on the beach, including the W Hotel which really stands out because it’s painted pink.
Before I allow the lure of the water to suck me in, I decide to get the lay of the land. Waikiki is a big walking city. It’s pretty much designed to make everything easily accessible to the hotels so that tourists don’t have to look far for anything.
This is the only way I can explain how every other store is yet another ABC Store. You can literally be walking out of one and see the next one right down the street. I was to learn later that there are 37 in the Waikiki area and each one is a little different in design and the products they carry. Talk about market saturation!Most of the stores are closed this time of the day but while walking down Kalakaua, which is the main drag, I suddenly feel a strange sense of déjà vu. Now I get it. Champs Elysees from two years ago. The street is lined with high-end fashion and jewelry stores; Fendi, Coach, Tiffany, Bulgari, you name it and it’s here. Waikiki, it turns out, is just Paris with palm trees. But, since I find myself with no more money now than I had then, these stores might as well stay closed all day. They’re not getting any of my grip.
Some of the restaurants along the street also have familiar names: Cheesecake Factory, Burger King, McDonalds. Planet Hollywood (one of the few left standing) has a really cool dolphin fountain in front of it. Some of the buildings are free standing while others are parts of bigger buildings or add-ons to hotels.
Since the higher end hotels are located directly on the beach, there are more than a few limos everywhere. You can even hire them on the street in front of the hotel like taxis. For the rest of us peons there are buses that will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go. The major transit system is simply called The Bus and travels all over the island. The tourist TV channel said that most attractions will arrange transport from any hotel in Waikiki. Very convenient considering that some of the sights are pretty far away and parking at any hotel will cost you (valet at my hotel was $15 a day in advance).
I was sort of looking for Duke’s, a highly recommended restaurant for breakfast. But since I can’t find it, this place called Keo’s will do.
They have a $4.99 breakfast special that sounds right up my alley. I sit on the patio watching the tourists go by while planning my next move. It’s interesting to note that the practice of catering to the Japanese applies to restaurants as well. I’d already noticed that, unlike here where every sign is in English and Spanish, in Hawaii the signs are all in English and Japanese. Keo’s serves an Asian breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish and steamed vegetables. A popular Hawaiian breakfast is a beef patty on top of rice smothered in gravy with an egg on top. Sounds interesting but I’m sticking to the very American eggs, bacon, and pancakes for this trip. Kona coffee is a Hawaiian staple. Every restaurant serves some blend of it.
Heading back towards the hotel on the other side of the street, I stop by the International Market Place. This is an open-air gathering of booths selling souvenirs, clothing and jewelry surrounded by larger stationary shops. Pearls are very big here, hence very cheap, and there’s a stand where you can shuck your own oyster and pick out the pearl. Can’t get any fresher than that now can you? I noted the post office on the second level, bought this pretty floor length red dress with a Hawaiian print on it, and was back on my merry way.
Now that I’d been fortified, it was way past time to take a walk along the beach. I’d purchased one of the bamboo rolls that ABC sells -- it’s easier to get sand off of them than off of a beach towel. Since I didn’t have my suit, I figured it’d just lay out for a while. I took off my shoes, dug my toes in the warm sand and exhaled. Ahhhhh … out with the stale Atlanta air and in with only briny tropical breezes. It’s a beautiful 80 degrees and the sun feels too good on my exposed skin. Yeah. That’s the stuff.
I’m just watching the waves and feeling that total body relaxation come over me when I noticed a group of Japanese teenagers enter the water, a girl and two guys. The girl was in a little bitty bikini making me think she really needed to eat a sandwich (visible ribs are just not attractive; I don’t care what Parisian designers say). She’s cowering in the water while one of the guys splashes water on her and I’m trying to figure out what her problem is. It’s only when I get up to test that water that I find out that Hawaii water in mid-April is freezing cold. Bummer. I started to think twice about the jet-skiing and the swimming with dolphins/sharks that I’d planned to do. Jet-skiing was one of the main things bringing me to the island. I’d even marked down a place in advance in the guidebook. But I have a hard time getting past the thought of that cold spray flying in my face.
I got a taste of that while just lying on the beach. The sky started to cloud up a little bit and it started to spit rain. Well, that was a rude awakening, feeling that cold water on my sun-warmed skin! I hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella for the trip (didn’t think I’d need one). But I couldn’t really be mad. The rain didn’t last long and you know there has to be some moisture in April (how else would the island stay so lush?).
I walk back to the hotel to wash the sand off and get rid of my purchases. I was a little wary of buying that dress because it’s cut kind of small. And sure enough, when I try it on, I quickly discover that while I can get it over my hips, there is no way in hell that it will cover my ample bosoms. And this was a XXL. Thanks. Now I feel fat. Like seeing women in bikinis on the beach wasn’t bad enough. Since the store offered no refunds, only exchanges, someone would be getting a very nice souvenir from the islands.
I go out to sit on one of the two chairs set out on the small balcony and weigh my options for the rest of the day, such as hiking Diamond Head or going to Chinatown. But I’m not ready to get in the car and tussle with maps and road signs just yet. Actually, it’s really nice just to sit outside. The view is killer and being on the twelfth floor means that there are some cool breezes to be had. It is with great effort that I leave my chair and go looking for some lunch.
As recommended by the guidebook, I decide to try the Cheesecake Factory. Seated at a large table by myself and feeling highly conspicuous, I ordered some fish tacos and looked at one of the many free publications that are offered along the street. I noted, as I had at Keo’s earlier, that you have to watch where you step, even while inside. The patio doors are open and it’s very common for birds (mostly pigeons) to fly or walk into the building. No one pays them much attention as they walk around and peck at any stray food on the floor. Just don’t kick out at any strange movement you might see near your feet or the feathers will fly.
There are a couple of women at the table next to me and a single woman on the other side of them. I listen intently as the seasoned Hawaii visitor tells the two women that they must rent a car and head to the North Shore (already on my plan!). She tells them that the difference between there and Waikiki is like night and day. Oahu is the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands with most of the folks and the commercialism centered in Waikiki and Honolulu. The North Shore is just pure nature and raw surf. I can hardly wait!
The tacos were made from fresh albacore, the fish of the day. Very unusual and filling. The meal was interrupted, though, by the fire alarm going off. The waiter was at my table at the time and we both noticed that while everybody looked around, not one of them moved. It’s not like there was any smoke and we were only a few feet away from the patio. The waiter guessed that as long as none of the wait-staff were fleeing the building in terror, everything was still cool. Even a potential fire doesn’t phase the relaxed atmosphere of the islands.
They give you some really huge portions in that restaurant. With leftovers in hand, I figured I'd walk off some of those calories by going even further along Kalakaua. If you stay straight on the road, past all the chi-chi stores, you cross over a bridge with a pretty view of the water on either side. Just beyond that is the Hard Rock Café. And I thought I’d have to drive to get there. Cool. I collect the t-shirts so I stopped in and bought one then continued on my way.
Kalakaua intersects S Beretania which is just the route that I marked out to get to Chinatown. Hey, since I could walk to the Hard Rock, maybe I could walk all the way to Chinatown.
(Long story short – I couldn’t.)
On the way back to the hotel, I caved and stopped by the Fendi store. I’m met immediately by an Asian woman who points out that the purses I’m eyeing are cheaper than they are on the mainland. So, instead of paying $1000 for that F covered bag, I’d only pay $925. Boy. What a bargain for me! I love Fendi bags; I’ve even owned a couple. But I certainly didn’t pay that much for one. Hell, my whole trip to Hawaii was about the price of one fine Italian handbag.
I looked around for a few more minutes while the woman and I chatted. I told her where I was from and when she heard Atlanta she mentioned that her husband was stationed there. That is one hell of a long distance relationship. She agreed saying that the plane trip was the reason her husband hadn’t been back to the island in several months. We had a nice conversation. Sure, she was just tailing me to make sure I didn’t swipe anything (same thing happened in the Paris store), but at least she was friendly about it.
I think I probably logged about ten miles on my feet and now I’m completely wiped as I drag myself back to my room. Even though it’s only around 6, the time difference is making it feel a lot later. If you ever want to really mess with your body clock, do some traveling. Hawaii is six hours behind Atlanta’s EST and just like in Paris, which is five hours ahead, my body is confused as hell. Up by 5 means down by about 8 so I spent the rest of the evening trying to will myself to stay awake and go out for dinner. No such luck. I lay in my darkened room, watching TV in that weird half-awake half-asleep state until I finally gave up the ghost and turned in.
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