Made it to Honolulu

I have made it to paradise - safe and sound.

Unfortunately, my checked luggage didn't......

Which means that Emilie and I are without our paddles and I am currently without clothing (my carry on backpack was reserved for electronics). Thankfully I have understanding travel companions and will be doing some shopping later today before going out for our first OC paddle in the big water. Note to self : travel credit card and included insurance has already paid off.

Enough about that.

Hawaii, or rather, Honolulu, is spectacular. While we were approaching by air I caught a glimpse of one of the islands and thought to myself "what did I get myself into". From the air, the island looked MASSIVE - and I'm supposed to paddle around this? HA! No worries though - it should prove interesting :)

When I got off the plane I expected to be hit with a wall of humidity like China or Tampa - none of that though! It's humid but significantly less so than Ottawa - which is nice for a change!

One of the remarkable things about this place is the smell - everywhere you go it smells fantastic. There is none of that fishy, ocean smell - rather its a light floral fragrance that is not obnoxious or overwhelming. It's almost a blend of gardenia, hisbiscus, orchid and some other magical flower. This scent is definitely going to be imprinted in my scent memory - and will remind me of this trip for years to come.

Last night we went to this beach side restaurant that features a grill that allows you to cook your own food. It was literally open to the beach and you could walk down to the surf if you wanted - it felt so indulgent, and yet, so "right". That dinner, paired with the infamous "Tropical Itch" drink (complete with 6 shots of alcohol per serving and a back scratcher) made my introduction to Hawaii complete.

The rest of our crew is scheduled to arrive today so I have a feeling we will be revisiting that experience tonoight ;)

Till next time - Aloha!