Day 7 - 8 Hawaii

Weather
Partly cloudy, 80 degrees

Location
Ouhu, HI

What we did
As we have visited Oahu a few times, instead of picking an excursion we rented a car so we could do some exploring on our own. We drove quite a bit and thankfully the car we rented was a hybrid and so we only used about four gallons of gas. After a few errands that needed to be completed in Honolulu we headed north. First stop was at the Dole plantation for a quick look around and a Dole Whip for the road. We then proceeded to the North Shore and lunch at The Fixx Haleiwa. Tom had the Spicy chicken sandwich and Amy had the Bahn Mi sandwich. Both were very good and the staff was excellent. Our drive continued to the east and a stop to take in the waves and natural beauty of the area. A quick stop for some fresh pineapple and for Tom to try a (Hawaiian) Shave Ice. If you are in Hawaii you need to try one!

We continued our scenic drive around Diamond Head and "the blow hole" eventually ending up having dinner at Uncle Bo's Pupu bar and grill. Amy has a knack for finding just the right spot for a meal while we are driving around. The reviews were excellent with "The outside looks like a dive, but the reviews say the inside has a vibrant atmosphere!" The reviews also indicated that this a restaurant frequented more by the locals than tourists. This did not disappoint.

For our second day we booked a whale watch tour through Viator (Three Tiki Sailing). An hour and 40 minutes into the two hour tour provided a few small glimpses of whales in the distance but nothing too exciting. Almost back to the pier Captain Jack noticed a baby humpback surface. We stopped the boat to observe and watched as it surfaced a few more times along with the mother. Then suddenly about 60 feet off the port side, with two flicks of its tail, a humpback breached. Oh, what a site! We were on cloud 9 the rest of the day as it is an experience we will never forget.

The Viking Star sailed away from Honolulu at 2:15pm.

Cultural Highlights/Local Flavors

Travel Tips
While looking for a CVS in Honolulu we discovered that CVS is actually "Longs Drugs." The good thing is that your extra care card and coupons from CVS will work there!