Yeah I know , a lot of people have been there and it isn’t off the beaten track but still I think you’ll find it’s a different place now . Covid has made sure of that . .
Just before we leave I brush my teeth . As I drop my head to rinse my mouth I feel an all too familiar pinch and then a slow deep aching jolt track down my neck and into my shoulder blade. I know immediately …. I’ve strained my neck 5 minutes before we get into an Uber to the airport . I quickly rub in some CBD lotion and pop 2 Voltaren in . I mention it in passing but I don’t want to be throwing any shade on the family excitement of getting out of LA . I pretend it isn’t there . One thing I didn’t realise was that the flight would take 5 hours 50 minutes . Add the covid conditions of entry ( a negative Covid test ) and then a 90 minute arrival regimen proving you’re covid free …. I was in trouble ….the pain killers would wear off . By the time we got in our Taxi I had a cracking head ache and a neck that was as stiff as a pine tree . Never mind , we are headed to Waikiki beach and that’ll keep the pain away …..sort of .
The drive in by taxi gives you an idea of what the lay of the land looks like . It’s green , roads similar to Australia , undulating and and nothing that I hadn’t envisaged I’d see . Honolulu and Waikiki are very similar to the Gold Coast , but slightly dated . I felt like I’d gone back to the Goldy or Bondi of the early 80s . Between the high rises there are plenty of old shacks , peeling paint and decrepit old dwellings hanging on . There’s a bit of grime on the edges of the shiny beachfront strip .
We are staying at the Laylow , a block off the beachfront . The Laylow is a chic hotel , modern , decorated with cool colours , big leafy pot plants and an adult feel . It’s still kid friendly but it feels like a young couples type of hotel . There’s a cool rooftop bar that opens at 5 pm but the first signs that things weren’t going to be easy was that it was booked out 5 days in advance . Due to Covid . numbers are limited in an effort to keep 6 feet of space between different groups . Geezus we just got here and we can’t even get down for a drink at the hotel bar , at all . We’ll be gone before a time slot is available It’s Spring break in the US , even with Covid the crowds have flocked to Hawaii .
Bookings and lines were the feature of most dining at Waikiki Beach . What was also noticeable was the businesses that had gone under or were closed . Many smaller shops , bars and restaurants were shut . Covid has killed them off . This of course directed the masses to your larger Hotel restaurants and chains ,exacerbating the already Covid restricted guidelines . The end result , book early or walk until you find something that’s 5th or 6th choice . By the 3 rd day in we are all starting to get tired of the place . We need to get out .
Before we did get out we still did some things that leave a smile on your face . Tex and I rented longboards and surfed the famous Waikiki waves , which was a nice box to tick . 3 hours of surf in small 1-2 foot trundlers with 500 other riders made it tough work catching a wave where you thought you wouldn’t run someone over . We got out unscathed .We braved the lines to eat some good Japanese / Asian influenced food . Emma and I went on a Catamaran sailing cruise .. It was a super fun experience , with cocktails , a crew that played up to our Aussie nationality , a few beautiful girls to get in the way of the deep blue water and classic Honolulu skyline , plus a catamaran that actually really started to fly with both sails up . It was a great last day before we head to the North shore .
Well , we’ve still got a second leg to do in the North shore and then back to Waikiki beach for the last couple of days . It’s a place that for us right now is probably a 3-4 day max location . A hire car would’ve been handy for a couple of those days but we didn’t book prior and once we realised we wanted to get out and explore earlier it was too late as everything was booked out . Also beachfront accomodation probably would’ve been better for the kids but we couldn’t find anything as it was almost totally booked out , or what was left was way out of our price range . For now kiddos , it’s time to hit the North Shore and maybe get ourselves wet in some iconic surf locations .
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