Sunset from our lanai

 Larry in the pool

 Waiting for the bus

Snorkling

Wednesday November 23, 2011

Sunday the 20^th Larry learned that the bike repair shop opened at 9:30, he decided to walk down Kaahumanu Hwy, to the shop. It was closer going that way, up Aloha Kona Dr to the Hwy instead of down Aloha Kona to Kuakini Hwy then back up to Kaahumanu Hwy. I had decided to walk to Walmart. I went down the hill to Kuakini, then 3 blocks to Henry, back up the hill were I crossed Kaahumanu, one more block and I was at Walmart. Larry was crossing Henry as I was crossing Kaahumanu. He told me later that he had stopped at least three times along the way. I had made no stops so it would have be shorter and faster to go the way Larry did.

I did my shopping and decided to walk back the way Larry had walked. It was a lot easier to go that way as there were no big hills to walk up.

I was back to the apt before Larry was and had started to worry about him when he showed up. The bike shop didn’t open until after 10:30. He had to buy a new chain for his bike, $15.00 but he is mobile again.

Monday the 21^st a day of rest, we had some rain in the afternoon.

Tuesday the 22^nd we decided to go to the beach. We are still having a time understanding the bus schedule. We wanted to go to Kahaluu Beach Park, down Alii drive. The first bus driver said he didn’t go there (We think he did) so we waited another 30 or so minutes for another bus.  

Larry went out snorkeling first then it was my turn. There was a lady standing in the water telling people were they could walk so not to disturb the coral and not to step on the slippery rocks.  The water was not cold but cool. I did get in faster than I thought I would. Larry said I was taking so long he thought I might not go in.

The fish are so colorful, and so many of them. I even swam along with a turtle for a little while. I will try to get an underwater camera for pictures.

Larry went in again while I was drying off. When he came back and we were looking at the bus schedule I saw the bus going north which is the way we needed to go. We thought it would be an hour and half before the next one came.

I stopped to talk with one of the volunteers to ask what one of the fish I had seen was called. They had a lot of books to help identify the many different fish. His name was Dan and he was very helpful with more information than just about the fish. While he didn’t know the bus schedule, he did tell us of some good places to go to eat.

When we told him we were planning on staying for several months he asked if we were looking for a car. One of his neighbors had one for sale. 

We were waiting for the bus when Dan and his wife Colleen (the lady that had been standing in the water) stopped and asked us if we wanted a ride back to Kona town.

We stopped and looked at the car that was for sale. In fact we took it for a drive and made an offer for it.      

Today we rode the bus to Walmart. We waited for 45 minutes for the bus to Walmart. It took about 45 minutes to get to Walmart. We had a half hour to shop before the bus was to be back, we could have taken our time as it was at least an hour. The ride back to Ali Drive took almost two hours.

I was about five 4 1/2 blocks from our place when a lady took pity on me and stopped to give me a ride the rest of the way up the hill.

Saturday November 19, 2011

Last Saturday I decided to walk to white sands beach. Larry wanted to ride his bike around to learn more of how to get to different places and to look for a fish market.

I did not realize that the beach I wanted to go to was 4 miles away. Half way back I caught the trolley for $2.00. The bus is $1.00 but I had not seen one for a long time and was willing to pay the extra dollar for the ride. I still had the hill to climb to get to our place as no bus goes up that street. Just as I came to the end of the sidewalk a man stopped his car and asked if I needed a ride. While I had only 3 blocks to go I took the ride. He said I really looked like I needed it.

Monday the 14^th I walked to a shopping mall that was not too far away. I got some condiments that we needed for making sandwiches. I also bought some things for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Tuesday the 15 we again set out to go to a beach. As Larry rode across a busy street the chain fell off his bike. I had seen a place where they rent bicycles and thought they might have a repair shop there. They didn’t but told us where there was one. Just down this street to the 4 way stop signs take a right to the stop lights then another right and 3 driveways to the shop. Yea right, she didn’t tell us how many blocks between the stop signs and stop lights, another forced march. Oh I could have stopped and waited anyplace along the way but I wanted to see how to get to different places.

Wednesday the 16^th we meant one of our neighbors. Her name is Nina and she lives across the hall. She has a car and was telling us of some places we may be interested in going to.

Thursday the 17^th Nina took us to the free public swimming pool. Then to Walmart so we could get some things we needed that were too big to carry home on the bike or in our daypacks.

Friday the 18^th Nina took us to a beach that we could snorkel at. I will need to find a bus that goes out that way if we don’t have Nina or a car.

Saturday the 19^th I walked down to the farmers market, Larry rode his bike. He locked it up and we caught the bus headed south. The bus driver was upset that we stopped him were we did but I told him we didn’t know where the bus stop was.  Then when we said we were seniors he said what-ever, we didn’t have to pay the dollar for passage. We found a beach that we can go to on the bus and where we can catch it without the driver getting upset with us.

On our way back home I left before Larry did and got home before he did. I was really surprised that he didn’t catch up with me. But when I saw him walking his bike up the hill I knew his chain had broken again.

One of the Geiko's that lives on our lania.

Saturday November 12 2011

We arrived on Maui on the 8^th. We tried to fly standby to Hawaii but the airlines wanted $50 more for the change. So we spent the night in the terminal. Not the main one but the one for our airline which was very small but a lot quieter than the main one would have been.

The plane from Maui had nine passenger seats. We were the first to check in so we had the front row seats. The plane also flew lower than the big airlines so we got to see more.

We arrived on Hawaii got our rental car and set off to find a place to stay. What a time, both of us were very tired. Not knowing the area that well added to our nerves. We looked at one place, a two bedroom unfurnished for $1200, plus taxes and utilities. Was nice but not what we were looking for and over budget.

We found a hotel with a room for $35 a night, shared bathroom. Not the best room we have ever had.

After a nap and studying the maps we set out again to find a place. The second place we called was easy to find. It is a studio on the second floor with a lanai. It sounded like it was also over budget but taxes and utilities are included in the rent, which is $1000.00.

We had to go to Walmart to get a few things we would need, $150 worth of things we needed.

When we went into the store it was sunny, when we left the store it was pouring rain. I was soaked in the time it took to put the things in the car.

Larry bought a bicycle for $120.00 as we won’t have a car for a while or not at all. I think the street is too steep for me to ride up so for now I will walk the half mile to the beach.

We walked down to the farmers market to get some fruit and veggies. I got two strawberry papayas; they are sweeter than the others, an avocado, one onion and some yams for $6.75.   

Larry also got some papayas, the kind he likes, 3 for $1.00. Bananas were 4 for $1.00.