7 more sleeps ...

One week to go and we'll be leaving on a jet plane! ... look out Hawaii, here we come!

Though the winter this year has so far, for the most part, been quite kind to us in Thunder Bay we have had some pretty chilly days ... a week ago, there was a 52 degree difference between the temperature in Honolulu and Thunder Bay!

Given that, we are looking forward to spending some time relaxing on the beach.

We are spending a few days in Waikiki to get settled in (it is going to be a very long travel day to Hawaii), and then spending a week on the north-west coast of Oahu.  We are staying at a small cottage near the surfing beaches of Waimea and Pupukea, arriving here on John's Birthday.  Winter brings some tremendous waves to this coast of Oahu ... we have no plans on tackling these waves, but they should be loads of fun to watch!

Pupukea Cottage, Oahu

Waves at Waimea

Following our stay in Oahu, we are spending a week on the north-east coast of Kauai.  There are apparently some good winter swimming beaches and bays for snorkelling in this area.  There is hiking in Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of Hawaii) where it is hot and arid, and then 20 miles away you can hike more in the rainforest at Mount Wai'ale'ale, the "wettest spot on earth" where they receive more than 460 inches of rain a year.

Birdsong Cottage, Kauai

click any image to see a larger version!

We'll post a few bits about our travels along the way to let you know we're doing fine!

Aloha!