SHOPPING IN HONOLULU

Sunday, 7^th April 

STUNNING BOUGAINVILLEA EVERYWHERE OFTEN TRIMMED INTO HEDGES

Yesterday, after getting settled into our hotel and going for a walk, we ate at the Steak House adjacent to the hotel. It is part of the hotel complex but seems to be run independently. I felt daring and decided to have a dessert. Now there was the normal dessert menu and then there was the decadent menu. At least that's how I read it. I chose something from the decadent menu which turned out to be some kind of deliciously creamy cocktail. Of course we were sharing so not too much damage done.

ANTICIPATION

It doesn’t feel like Sunday here. The days are all running into each other.

We were out in the hotel lobby by 7.20 am waiting for the shuttle to our breakfast restaurant at the Mirimar Hotel. For a free breakfast it was OK with nicely scrambled eggs, sausage links, pancakes and coffee. I did eat one pancake because they looked delicious and I was hungry. We spent most of the morning listening to a man advertising the tours available and then we had to confirm our Pearl Harbour trip. What a lot of wasted time for a free breakfast and photos with leis that were promptly removed from us and put on the next person. I guess one has to be a tourist to do things like this. 

Once this part of the show was over we were taken by shuttle to the Maui Divers Factory where we got a potted and rushed through version of their history and bustled into the shop. It was easy to just look as the prices were way out of our league but the jewellery was Oh so beautiful! I had a not so secret longing for a black pearl ring and John was rushing me by. The way out was through the ‘Factory,” where we were encouraged to choose an oyster and the pearl would be ours.  Of course this pearl needed a setting and I caved in and John gave up. I  am now the owner/wearer of a beautiful pearl ring with not one black pearl but a second pink tinged pearl. We ended  up with three pearls so of course I needed a pendant and chain too. I'm not proud of myself but they are lovely. I won but the bank balance looks a little sick. 

LOTS OF TOUR PARTIES AROUND SO STRANGERS GET INTO MY PHOTOS

Following this extravagance we waited for the shuttle which took us to Hilo Hattie’s flagship shop in Hawaii. The layout is the same as the one in Hilo, Big Island, just more of it, and we were treated to free chilled juice and coffee while we admired the largest shirt in the world. You wouldn’t want to fit this 400xl shirt but it made a great wall covering. Inside we found a café and our food choices were poor. John chose a hot dog plate so he could discard the bun while I had a bowl of chilli which was mostly rice, which I left, but the coffee was good. We shopped around a little and I bought myself a pretty dress and cardigan.

Our next stop was the Ala Moana Mall with it’s 290 odd shops. I was really drooping. We are not always getting enough protein to eat so our first stop was the Makai Market Food Court, which was overwhelming at first glance, with a huge variety of places to choose from. I found a place serving BBQ beef. A plate of meat and vegetables was just what I needed.

ATRIUM IN ALA MOANA MALL ONE OF SEVERAL WATERFEATURES

We were on a mission. I wanted/needed some new jeans or capris since all the ones I have are too big and baggy. I saw a maybe in Sears and nothing in Macy’s. 

CHANEL, DIOR, BALCIENGA, GUCCI, JIMMY CHOO... THEY WERE ALL HERE

I am not a person who really likes shopping. I know what I want, usually, but I do have favourite shops and when that doesn’t work I’m in trouble. In spite of air-conditioning my brain was frazzled. We did allow ourselves a fun chat with another street/mall hawker. This one was very smart and gave us vouchers for another free breakfast, this time definitely more up-market than today’s, in return we will listen to a time share presentation. 

SHAKA SIGN - MEANS HANG LOOSE OR FRIENDSHIP

Before leaving the Mall we had an icy fruit drink something between a smoothie and a slushy. It was dark when we caught our shuttle back to our hotel and that last short walk seemed extra long. 

It deserved a cold drink. John had a beer and the nice barman made me an alcohol free cocktail. I could go for this life full time.

We were glad to end our day and go to bed early but not before another shopping spree to an ABC store, they are everywhere, nearly every corner it seems, for water and something to mash our avacados in. We picked a couple of avocados off the ground and some oranges before leaving the coffee plantation. Our hotel room has a fridge and coffee maker, no plates and only paper mugs.

THIS PHOTO TAKEN AT HOME
I'M PREPARING DINNER FOR JANE TONIGHT
(MONDAY 15TH NZ TIME)