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Hawai’i 2020
  • Betty Foidart

Hawai’i 2020

Un’avventura di 71 giorni di Betty Leggi altro
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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Lake Taupo
    My hotel for 2 nightsReception areaI was the only guest sipping free port!The big door key was problematic as I am used to electronic hotel doors!

    Napier

    4 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Today’s journey would take me 220 km SE to Napier, at a very reasonable fare of $28. The landscape changed from sheep and cattle farms to more forested areas. Again it was hilly with very narrow, winding roads. It rained on and off during the 4 hour trip but was dry when we made our 45 minute stop at Taupo. That was just enough time for a bathroom stop and the short walk to the largest lake in NZ. It is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano and is 46 km x 33 km, small compared to Lake Winnipeg at 416 km x 100 km! Another interesting fact....Taupo is 186 m deep while our lake is only 36 m. It is popular with boating and fishing enthusiasts.

    It was dry when we arrived at Napier on the shores of Hawke’s Bay. In 1931 an earthquake almost razed the entire city. It was rebuilt in the popular Art Deco style of architecture which draws many tourists to the city with a population of 63,000. Arts and culture are predominant as well. It is a small city but there are parks and gardens everywhere. The beach is black basalt and the water a chalky light green colour. Napier is such a pretty, clean city and I enjoyed walking throughout the town enjoying the gardens and architecture which was more extensive than South Beach in Miami. I wasn’t aware that the Art Gallery closed at 4 and was disappointed that I didn’t get to see it. The shops close between 4 and 5 so the town is pretty quiet after 5. It was a chilly 14 degrees in the evening and was the first time I had to dig out warm clothing.

    Being a major tourist town I found it very difficult to find a reasonably priced hotel. I ended up staying at the County Hotel, an heritage hotel which has received awards for its authentic restoration. There were also little touches like a plate of mini carrot muffins in my room and free port in the library in the evenings. It was a unique experience and I didn’t encounter any spooks!    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    I liked the glassworks on this storefront.

    Napier - the Art Deco city

    4 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    There were so many Art Deco buildings which can be attributed to a powerful conservationist society in the city as some of the buildings had begun to be demolished. There were also several murals in these narrow walkways between buildings.Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    1In every city I have been able to find a garden for a lunch break :)

    Napier - the garden city

    5 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Napier is the warmest and driest city in New Zealand. This is likely why the gardens were in full bloom while gardens in other cities had started to fade.

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    So many sheep scattered in the hills everywhere.Public toilets would be appreciated by JS :PThey even had a Fiona-sized sink and toilet!

    Wellington

    6 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today I would travel from Napier to Wellington on the most southern tip of the North Island. It was going to be almost a 6 hour drive to do the 325 km trip so I splurged on what Intercity calls their Gold class. For $55 I got a leather seat at the front of the bus. The bus departed at 7:45 am so the alarm went off way too early for me but at least there were no hills, just a brisk 10 minute walk to the bus stop. There were some stops along the route with a 30 minute break at Palmerston North where they had the nicest Art Deco public toilets. Both AU and NZ have readily available public toilets in the downtown areas of the cities. They are free, clean and used by everyone, not a hangout for the homeless which is often the case in some cities.

    Intercity is very punctual so we arrived in Wellington on schedule at 2 pm. Last night I had added the directions for my hotel on a maps app that doesn’t require wifi. I had forgotten how slow this app is to find my location so I impatiently headed off in the direction that I thought was correct. Wrong.....ten minutes later I discovered that I was going in the opposite direction! The app was now functional and I eventually found my way to the hotel, arriving hot and flustered. What was supposed to take 10 minutes took me 40! I chose the hotel based on close proximity to the bus terminal but what the hotel website doesn’t tell you is that it is ALL uphill! After checking in I was exhausted from lugging my luggage up that hill and had very little sleep the night before. A nap seemed warranted, something I rarely do, but I slept soundly for 2 hours!! That pretty much ruined my plans to explore the city. The hotel was a real bargain compared to the rates of those right downtown. It was like a modern Motel 6, which was fine, but there was absolutely nothing in the immediate area and very few people. Even the one pizza restaurant down the street was closed in the evening! It was a 30 minute walk downtown so although I saved money it wasn’t worth the inconvenience.    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    The experience at Gallipoli could be generalized to all who fought in the wars.Huge and life-like with very fine details.I spent a lot of time at the Galipoli exhibit. Most compelling..

    Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of NZ

    7 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    There were 3 things I wanted to do in Wellington and this was one of them. It didn’t disappoint. The 6 level building was enormous and although I spent 4 hours there I just scraped the surface. I spent most of my time at the key exhibits: Gallipoli (the WWI campaign as told by 8 ordinary New Zealanders); Nature (where I experienced an earthquake and what to do in the event of one); a photography exhibit of Samoan tattooing; and Maori culture and history. All this for free! It was interactive and very impressive overall.

    I had hoped to do the half-hour climb to the top of Mount Wellington for a view of the harbour but ran out of time and energy. I also planned to go to a wildlife sanctuary called Zealandia for an evening tour but the tickets were sold out. I could have used more time in Wellington and less in Auckland...oh well!

    I ended the last day of my AU/NZ trip by splurging on a fish & chips dinner with a glass of NZ wine. The waterfront had a multitude of restaurants to chose from and this one seemed popular. The standard price seemed to be $25 for fish & chips or for a burger platter, for example. The menu price includes taxes and there is no tipping in NZ so the price you see on the menu is what you pay, a practice which I like. I enjoy travelling solo but I don’t particularly like dining alone 🙁    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Popular with kids as there were lots of interactive displays.
    1A 5 minute experience in the Earthquake House.View from the top floor patioCould have spent the whole day hereA lively waterfront with restaurants and barsNotice the mushy peas! British influence for sure.

    More Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of NZ

    7 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    1My sentiments exactly! Found this on an apron in a gift shop in Hobart.

    Some thoughts

    8 marzo 2020, Nuova Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I can describe this whirlwind trip as spontaneous, plan-as-you-go, slightly stressful at times, but overwhelmingly a wonderful experience. I packed a lot into the daylight hours as I wasn’t comfortable exploring the night life. I flip-flopped from taking a cruise to then a land-based trip but wasn’t prepared for the high cost of organized tours. In Tasmania the state-wide tours are geared towards the 18-35 year olds and they sure don’t want their mother along! I was surprised that both AU and NZ cater to backpackers, unchanged from 39 years ago. There are backpacker hostels in every major town and city for about $25/night, as well as other businesses that cater to backpackers. I preferred the apartment hotels which are centrally located, had cooking facilities and laundry. I met a woman my age from Toronto whose agent had booked her into YHA hostels for less than $100/night so that might have been an option with advance planning. In the last two weeks I met 3 women my age travelling solo...this one from Toronto, another from the UK, and a third from the US. I was surprised how common this was and that I didn’t encounter any older male solo travellers.

    Some things I noted that were different than at home.....very poor selection of TV channels and programs so most subscribe to Netflix or similar; game show contestants are so much more reserved than those on US game shows of the same name; credit card fees are charged to the customer if you chose to pay by credit (I exchanged $50 USD for AUD but in NZ I had no cash and used Visa only); and in NZ the weather forecast includes “# of layers” and “degree of wind proof” so that you can dress appropriately. I never tired of the Aussie and Kiwi accents, especially with the cute children.

    In all of the places I stayed there was a wide variety of restaurants to chose from. I made all my breakfasts and lunches but occasionally had take-away from ethnic restaurants.....Malaysian, Turkish, Indian, and Tunisian....and all were excellent. Restaurant delivery is available but not common as most picked up their food for take-away as I did, sometimes at a reduced price.

    A big thank you to my Aunt Evelyn, Johnny’s Mom, for funding this adventure. She was a world traveller so I think she would have approved my use of the money she bequeathed to me.    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Ready for take-off on Air New Zealand
    Lake TaupoDifficult to take a selfie with a 10" iPad!Arrived in Auckland....still smiling!Sea Village in Kona. Ocean front resort but no view for me.My AU/NZ made goodies for me to enjoy. Only drank 2 bottles of wine.

    A very long travel day

    8 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    I was out the door by 0845 to catch the bus to the Wellington Airport as I started my long journey back to Hawaii. I flew Air New Zealand from Wellington to Auckland, where I had an 11 hour layover. This was the cheapest flight so I was prepared to just suck it up and make the best of it. I thought I might be able to take the bus into town but the luggage storage facility at the airport was at capacity so I abandoned that idea. When I first landed in Auckland I had purchased a return airport bus pass and now had no use for the one trip remaining on the pass. I lingered around the Skybus ticket booth and eventually picked a woman who I thought would appreciate a free ticket. She was speechless as it saved her $17.

    My next flight was to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines departing at midnight. The flight was smooth and it was a nice change to have two free meals served with wine. I watched a strange Academy Awards nominated movie, Jo Jo Rabbit, and then slept on and off for the remainder of the 8 hour flight. I am usually unable to sleep during these red-eye flights but I felt somewhat refreshed when we landed in Honolulu.

    It has been extremely difficult to find accommodation in Hawaii. Apparently the covid-19 virus isn’t affecting Hawaii travel as the flights are full as well. Just yesterday I was able to book a 5 night stay at a timeshare in Kona on the Big Island. US Customs requires you to declare where you will be staying so I was glad that this timeshare came available at the 11th hour! During my long layover in Auckland I was able to book a flight from Honolulu to Kona for $59. There were only 2 seats left and they had dropped the price. This last-minute travel planning isn’t my usual style so it is somewhat stressful!

    Honolulu Airport was congested and disorganized so I was glad that I allowed 2 hours to get through Customs. I was one of the last to get off the flight, stopped for a bathroom break, and then found myself in a sea of Japanese passengers all wearing face masks. A large flight from Japan had arrived at the same time as our flight so I was stuck amongst them. I was glad that I was not staying in Waikiki.

    I arrived in Kona at 1 pm, picked up a rental car, stopped at Costco, and checked in to my 2 bedroom condo by 4 pm! I was assigned a unit on the 3rd floor with no elevators. All those times I lugged my luggage uphill prepared me physically for the challenge of 3 flights of stairs! The good thing about my very long travel day is that, thanks to the International Date Line, it was a bonus day.....I left Wellington the morning of March 8th and arrived in Honolulu on the morning of March 8th!    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore

    Pololu Valley Lookout

    10 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I took a day off to just sleep in and relax after my long travel day. But today was a new day. The sun was shining and it was 28 degrees so I made use of my car rental and drove about an hour north to Pololu. Although Kauai is my favourite island, and Maui my least favourite, I had forgotten how beautiful the Big Island can be. The contrast of the black volcanic rock against the blue water is quite striking. Once I arrived at Polulu I decided to take the trail down to the ocean but I only made it half-way because it was a steep incline coming back and it was so hot and humid. This spot is one of my favourites on the islands.Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    A yellow billed cardinal
    Volunteers feed the feral cat community.Cloudy and a bit cooler today at Anaeho'omalu Beach. 'A green turtle....how can this be comfortable?3 green turtles!The walk to town is not the safest!

    Waikoloa Village

    12 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Yesterday I walked 2 km into Kailua town. It’s got a beachy vibe with touristy shops, Mai-tai bars and restaurants. The Pride of America cruise ship was in port but the streets were definitely not crowded so I am assuming that COVID-19 has frightened off the cruisers. Actually, the Hawaiian government is considering banning any ships from docking at their ports. To date there are only 2 cases on the islands. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are sold out....believe me, I’ve looked everywhere!

    Today I did another short road trip north about 45 minutes to Waikoloa Village. It is a very upscale community with huge oceanfront resorts, high-end shopping malls and pricey restaurants. I stayed at the Hilton Resort one year with Diane and Linda but those were the days when I was able to get fantastic RCI deals (a thing of the past unfortunately). I spent some time walking the beach and through the village and was lucky to see some local critters.    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Coming in for a landing
    My back yard, complete with nene and roosters!Great deal at $495 for the week.Tired but happy to be here for a few days.

    Full circle to Kauai

    13 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Killed a cockroach on the kitchen counter this morning.....time to move! It was actually time to complete the circle and head back to Kauai where JS and I started our winter break 66 days ago. I was able to book a free flight using the HawaiianMiles I had earned going to AU/NZ. I was out of bed at 0615 in order to catch the only non-stop flight from Kona to Kauai as I wanted to avoid the crowds at Honolulu Airport.

    I had an issue with the credit card that I had used to book my car rental, my mistake, resulting in no insurance coverage. I had to take the car rental shuttle bus back to the airport so that I could make some frantic phone calls. I knew the airport had a pay phone and free wifi. About two hours later I had MPI rental car insurance and I was finally on my way. I made a stop at the grocery store and at Costco. Costco was pretty crazy as people are stocking up for the pandemic. There was a line-up of about 40 people waiting for toilet paper as a Costco employee handed out one package per customer.

    Poor timing as I got stuck in rush hour traffic, which is particularly bad through Kapaa. I finally arrived at my timeshare condo, the Cliffs at Princeville, at around 5 pm. I have been here twice before but the units have been updated since then and are very nice. Unfortunately, a cold front is heading toward the islands with heavy rain and flooding expected for the next few days.    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Black Pot Beach Park
    Garrett & Alyssa had their 1st surfing lesson here...much different than snowboarding!No stress here :)Red crested cardinal songbird....flocks of them on the beach.Wai'oli Hui'ai United Church built in 1834.Whale watching and sunset...perfect end to my day.

    Hanalei Beach

    13 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    This could be my only day of sunshine so I packed the cooler and grabbed the beach chair that are provided in each condo. I headed North 7 km to the cute beach town of Hanalei. The two-lane road is narrow and winding, with two single lane bridges. The town is almost at the point where the road ends on the North shore of the island. The beach is nearly 5 km long and has fine, light sand. After a long beach walk I settled down with my picnic lunch and for the first time....my book! There was a distracting birthday party nearby as I had forgotten how loud squealing five year old girls can be! Despite that it was a very nice leisurely afternoon.

    When I returned to the condo I walked over to the cliff edge where there are Adirondack chairs overlooking the ocean. The humpback whale watch was interesting as they were close enough to shore that you could clearly see the black of their bodies on the surface of the water and lots of spouts but none of them breached. I stayed until sunset although it was the wrong side of the island to see the actual sun setting.    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Hanalei Bay from the Princeville Westin
    Surfers were out but waves weren'tThe walking trail is picturesqueResidential streets are nicely landscapedThis little guy snuck in when i opened the patio door! I only see him late at night on the ceiling.

    Peaceful despite COVID-19

    18 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    I’ve been to The Cliffs in Princeville three times and have come to realize that this is my happy place in Hawaii. Princeville has beautiful golf courses, cliffs, ocean vistas and lovely landscaped residential areas that provide a very pleasant experience when taking long walks. The condo is a spacious 950 sq ft with two patios and ocean view so it has been very comfortable. I have only killed one little worm the first day.

    The weather has been dismal the last two days with on and off rain, heavy at times with up to 2-3” per hour. The ground was already saturated so the flash flood warnings are ongoing. There has been a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warnings. This is occurring throughout all the islands and is due to a “Kona low”. I have still been able to get out for a walk during dry periods. It is supposed to start clearing tomorrow.

    Coronavirus has been on the news 24/7 disrupting regular programming which is usually reruns. The US and Hawaii in particular has been very slow to react. Cruise ships, the ones that are still sailing, continue to come to Hawaiian ports. Just yesterday Hawaii started closing public facilities and events. Hawaii is not suggesting closure of businesses, such as restaurants and bars. The resort is still holding social gatherings with 30 or more people in attendance in a small room. They have been panic buying, especially toilet paper. I have been trying to buy hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes since I arrived in Hawaii and they are sold out everywhere with new shipments disappearing “within an hour”. Other than grocery shopping and daily walks I have been self-isolating and am fine with that.

    My flight to Vancouver is scheduled to depart this evening at 10:40. All flights this week are sold out. I feel healthy and don’t anticipate being denied boarding. I found Lysol cleaner with the housekeepers supplies and have saturated some normal wipes with the solution. I will be thoroughly cleaning my space on the plane. I have eye drops and bought nasal lubricant that is supposed to help resist viruses so now I just have to remember not to touch my face!    Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    There were pink, fuschia, coral and yellow hibiscus too.Plumeria bloom on trees with no leaves.Can you find my feathered friend?The amazing eucalyptus tree!

    My last nature walk

    18 marzo 2020, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    I was all prepared for my long journey home so there was time for one last breath of fresh air. I walked to the village of Princeville in 35 minutes but on my return it started to rain. When I heard and saw thunder and lightning I pushed harder and made it back in 25!Leggi altro

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  • Betty FoidartHawai’i 2020Viaggiatore
    Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean
    Vancouver Island at dawn

    Home....Day one of self-isolation

    19 marzo 2020, Canada ⋅ ☀️ -10 °C

    All flights were on schedule and the journey went smoothly. At the start of the Hawaii flight there was a very strong smell of Lysol and Purell throughout the cabin as passengers were busy cleaning their space. I started to cough.....NO!! I reassured the passengers seated next to me wearing N95 masks that I was not sick. I was thankful I had filled my water bottle at the airport and bought Ricola cough drops as the combo saved the day and I wasn’t yanked off the plane for presumptive COVID-19.

    It has been one heck of a ride with so many good memories that will stay with me until I am deep into a state of dementia! Now it’s time to hunker down for the 14 day mandatory self-isolation. With only 17 confirmed Coronavirus cases in Manitoba but 242,000+ world-wide (and counting), it’s a scary time for all.    Leggi altro

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    Fine del viaggio
    18 marzo 2020