Have you ever wanted to enjoy a day so much that you live it twice? We leave Fiji and fly over the International Date Line and we have the same day ALL OVER AGAIN!
Now we are in Hawaii and have an opportunity to experience the joy of being here on a single parent travel adventures all over again. Though we have flown all night, I have not been able to sleep on the plane. So when we get to the airport, I tell myself that I will not get into the driver’s seat. I am too tired and I feel it is not safe driving in this state. I have once heard luxury travel experts mention that there is a way you can always condition your body to adapt to the current time in the country you visit while on such a family travel but it needs to be done strategically. As a result, instead of getting some nap, I decide to go for some action.
After all, crossing the International Date Line means we have two Sundays so let’s go live a little!
We are staying out of Honolulu, and I was wrongly told you can drive around the whole island in just two hours! If this is the case, then it can only be in a private vehicle since it takes too long for a public transport vehicle to get to the bus station. As I come to learn, the buses only come hourly. It is so hard to understand why buses marked with the same numbers operate both ways.
I also discover that it is so rare to find a taxi in the suburbs. In fact, the suburban shopping centers near us do not have any cab ranks. Since our cell phones are still not yet set up with local SIM cards, we feel stuck here as we wait for the next bus. To make matters worse, there is no shade. It is a very long wait.
Finally, a bus arrives. So we head for downtown Honolulu, where we will change buses to Waikiki Beach.
With crossing the International Date Line we are going to explore on this our second Sunday.
We find the Duke Kahanamoku Beach and Lagoon. Here you can hire a paddle boat for $50 US or a stand-up surf paddle – which is the current rage in Hawaii. So we decide to save our money and head off to explore.
Under the trees, we find musicians jamming – the park is packed with people flame grilling chicken and enjoying a drink and a jam session. There is music everywhere.
We decide to take a bus – but the driver gives us the wrong information. For anyone heading to Hawaii – do NOT take the 55 bus and think it is a tour around the coast. It took us 4 hours (along with many other misguided tourists) to get to the Dole Plantation – a famous pineapple tourist destination.
We had two driver changes on our bus as it takes so long. The first driver (after one hour and a lot of begging) stopped the bus for us to quickly use the Porto-loo (portable washroom) at a park.
The next driver took himself off to a public bathroom and never said anything, but we all sat. This was about 2.5 hours into the ride. A lady from South Dakota was nearly purple in the face at the moment. So we dashed off too. He told the lady’s husband he was not going to wait for us! But he obviously persuaded him to wait.
We finally arrive at the Dole Plantation with 1 hour to go, so hungry we down a huge pineapple whip – yum.
We head out and find the maze already closed. We didn’t know it was a public holiday! The buses are not running after 5 because of the public holiday. Again, no one has told us, and we are in the middle of Oahu. We start to panic and ask a lot of cars leaving the Dole Plantation if they can give us a ride. They look like we are murderers and jump in their cars and lock their doors. We have just left Fiji where everyone stops to give you a ride and this is hard to deal with. We sit at the bus stop and decide to pray. God, please help us! In about 2 minutes a taxi driver turns up. He says he was going down another road and something prompted him to turn and come to this road instead. He is our answer to prayer and then he tells us he wants us to pray for him and his daughter.
We find out if we head to the bus interchange there is an hour wait to get to town. Then another hour wait until we get a bus to our area – but the buses can’t be seen from 6.30pm.
So we sit at the meter ticks over – the taxi ride was nearly $100! He gives us some discount – down to $83! It is early days – Hawaii is burning a hole in my pocket money-wise already and I have to do more research on things.
Lesson learned – stay central – the $$ you save staying out of town can prove to be no saving in time wasted on buses and on waiting for buses.
The taxi drops us at the local shopping center so we can buy supplies for dinner. We race home through the dark lane – this is not Fiji and it is not safe at night and people do not give rides. Subtle culture changes we have a hard time getting used to.
There are two people yelling at each other in the car park – I have not heard an angry person in the streets of Fiji in 2 months – it is a sign of weakness to lose your temper there – it feels strange.
So back to our snug accommodation for spaghetti and crusty bread. I am still pleased because after all – we have been driven around the whole island and managed to race in the biggest maze in the world (2008). The maze is great – anyone coming to Hawaii should try it (It is not expensive).
Hoping to explore more of Hawaii in the coming days. However, for tomorrow, I think we will stay indoors as I do some home-schooling, washing, and resting. After all, International Date Line means I’ve had Sunday twice, and I’m exhausted!
Questions and Comments
Have you crosed the International Date line before
