We go to other Hawaiian islands. In June were on the beautiful island of Oahu. Oahu is the island of Waikiki, Diamond Head, the North Shore, Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation, and Waianae.
My sister's other-half has been vacationing in Waianae for years. For his family, it's a stay-cation. They enjoy the beautiful beaches, green mountains, and consistently warm weather of the west side and are only 30 minutes from home. Despite it's beauty, it is not a popular tourist destination for locals. All of my coworkers stared at me blankly when I told them where I was staying. One told me, "Just stay safe, yeah?"
We woke at 4:00 am to catch the first flight. My sister had an issue at the ticket counter and almost missed the plane. I breathed a great sigh of relief when I saw her and the McNephew come aboard. After a fifty minute up and down over the islands, we arrived in Honolulu all together and on time.
I booked us the Thifty-Rent-a-Car "grab bag" edition. It was the cheapest option, and it was advertised as a compact car or similar. At checkout, the agent said, "You've reserved the electric vehicle," he said with a raised eyebrow.
"Do they have electric charging stations in Waianae?" I asked.
"I don't know," he said dismissively.
When we arrived at the garage level with our luggage and car seat, the Uncle at the checkout counter took one look at us and said, "I don't think you gonna fit the Chevy Bolt. All your luggage - that's why. Do you want to upgrade?"
"Yes, please," I said.
He made a written note on our receipt and pointed to the row of Ford Explorers. We had our choice of black, grey, and white. We loaded into the closest black and were merrily on our way.
Kamehameha Bakery was our first stop. Not Jersey and I found this gem on our last Oahu trip. Their donuts are so good. There are no good donuts on our island, so it's a special treat.
After a short traffic-jam-free drive (thanks to the state holiday King Kamehameha Day), we arrived at our timeshare. Our fifteenth floor apartment had a wrap-around porch with a stunning ocean view. We spent the week relaxing, enjoying the beach and pool, getting a (not-so-relaxing) massage, visiting the Children's Discovery Center, and driving into Waikiki to see Cats which was touring from Broadway.
I first learned about Waianae 13 years ago. When my sister first moved to Hawaii, I started watching Dog the Bounty Hunter, because it was filmed in Hawaii. Whenever Dog had a "jumper" in Waianae he always warned his crew to "be careful" because they were going to a dangerous area.
I don't find Waianae particularly dangerous, but it is not a tourist spot. It is beautiful, but it is really far from all the Oahu activities. We ended up spending multiple hours per day in the car. Not Jersey prefers the bus. Therefore, Not Jersey and I agreed this will be our last vacation to Waianae.
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