After spending a week on the Pacific Ocean, we finally made it Hawaii, where I was reunited with my beloved cellphone service and social media sites (including this one). I had a packed day ahead of me, but the excitement and adrenaline in my body were pushing my limits to new heights, so when I woke up at 5:50 AM, I was ready to go, even though I wouldn’t be getting off the ship until 10:00. Nonetheless, I called my family and friends and updated my social media, and ate far too much french toast and then prepared myself to hike Diamond Head Crater National Monument, and then later go to Waikiki.
Honestly, I didn’t think the hike would be that bad, and plus I had thought climbing 5 flights of stairs multiple times a day would have prepared me enough for this hike. Unfortunately I did not take into consideration the heat, nor the fact that I would have sea legs for the first half of my day on land. These underestimations nearly did me in, but I prevailed. After taking far too long to make it up the switchbacks and innumerable stairs, I made it to the summit of the crater, and my god is it worth it. At this point I was also having the realization that I am actually in Hawaii (I have proceeded to have this realization multiple times throughout my voyage so far) and that I also have to get back down to the bus because we were supposed to be leaving soon too. So right before we had to head back down, my friend and I had a little photoshoot on this really aesthetically pleasing ledge, and then went back to the bus. (I stopped at the gift shop too, naturally)
While still at the top of Diamond Head, a very nice Japanese woman asked my friend and I if she could have a picture with us, and here is the photographic evidence my roommate got for me. (It’s great, I know, I will cherish this moment forever)
In the city of Waikiki, our bus dropped us off and we were free to do whatever we wanted. So, naturally after a strenuous hike we went and got food at a restaurant, but little did we know that the restaurant we chose would charge us $9 for a liter of “Italian Spring Water” (but that’s not the point). When we finished our meal, we headed toward the beach, any beach really (travel tip: all beaches in Hawaii are public beaches so it doesn’t matter if there is a giant hotel in front of it or not, you can to to it), and went in the water for like 15 minutes before realizing the time and making our way through the streets of Waikiki. We did stop, however so that I could get some souvenirs to commemorate my 12ish hours in Hawaii.
Getting back on the ship and organizing myself a little bit, I got ready for Round 2: Walmart Edition. I had gotten a pass to get to Walmart and so we were bused to the “2nd most profitable Walmart in America” and were given like 45 minutes to get whatever we thought we needed before going to sea again for 11 days. I obviously had a list of snacks that I had been procuring from the first day we set sail, and I went to town looking for all the things I needed to get. And then after running around Walmart for 30 minutes and getting everything I thought I needed, I stopped at the in-walmart fast food place, and ate my last meal in America, French fries, which were insanely good. And that brings me to the end of both my last day in America (for quite some time) and my last day on land until now. Next Stop: Japan!!
Talk to you later,
-Karin xx
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