11th April 25. To Honolulu.

My seal-turtle luck from this morning followed me to Honolulu. I took the shortest flight ever (19 minutes). Literally, you could pop over for lunch and a swim. 

Anyway, the traffic was terrible from the airport, so I took a bus. (Bus lanes = quicker transport). 

The Aussies in the broken down car I met in the supermarket carpark last week were pretty scathing about the area of Honolulu I am in. They said it was pretty touristy. They were right, it is, but it's also been brilliant. 

I arrived to check in. 

The loveliest lady at the reception desk of this huge hotel (25 floors) was so welcoming. She told me that there was a music/hula show from 6-8pm and then fireworks. I got really excited and told her so. She asked about my holiday and we chatted (as you do). She then told me that a room upgrade had become available and I was being put in a king size, with balcony, kitchen and ocean view! I got even more excited. So she popped in the back and said, 'there's one more thing I need to give you and she came back with this:

It's a lei. Made with fresh orchids, they are expensive and not generally handed out. Carolina (me new mate) absolutely made my day. 

So I told her so. 

Then I watched show, which was just brilliant. 

Then I saw the fireworks.

Then I went to John's hotdog stand and met a retired Colonel, a German girl (Louisa) who is working abroad and the Colonel's son, Trey. I had a really good hotdog and a really great chat about travelling and their politics. It was a privilege to have that discussion with them. 

All wearing my lei. 

To top it off the hotel has a washing machine. I might never come home. 

Things I learnt on Kauai.

Chickens!

Someone at the camp site told me that there was a huge hurricane in about 1992, which blew the chickens all over the place and they've been feral ever since. He says people still indulge in cockerel fighting. Teenagers catch them sometimes to sell to their adult, male relatives. 

Mongooses. Mongeese? Mongai?

Kauai does not have a breeding population of the mongoose. These are present on Maui, the Island of Hawaii and Oahu. 72 small Indian brown mongeye were introduced by mainlanders in 1883 on Maui. This was done to control the rat population in the sugar cane. As it goes with these things, it didn't work. This type of mongoose is nocturnal, while the rats were not. The two never met, instead targeting the native birds (and their eggs), lizards and small mammal populations. Rats and mongus thrived. There have been sightings on Kauai, but are not considered a substantial threat. 

Turtles.

Turtles are all around the coast. I was so surprised to see some today, sunbathing on a busy beach...which is apparently quite usual behaviour. 

Hawaiian Monk Seals. 

These are endangered and protected. Like the turtles, they have developed a tolerance of humans. When they appear on a beach they are fenced off and a seal warden watches them. 

Snakes. 

Like Ireland and New Zealand, Hawaii is snake free. 

Pigs. 

People hunt pigs. These were also introduced. Not wild boar, just feral porkers. I did see one, pottering around the fence at the local jail (!) but I was driving, so I couldn't take a photo. 

Deer. 

There aren't any on Kauai, but they are numerous on Molokai. 

Mosquitos. 

Turns out, when you have more trees and more rain you have more bloody mozzies. Also, it isn't as windy here as on Maui. 

Snails.

The snails here are quite big. Clearly fed up on tropical lushness and loving life. 

When I got up early today, they were scattered around and I noticed a few pairs which appeared to be conjoined. ??

So I googled ' How do snails mate?'

Funnily enough (and before any of you smart Alecs get in) the answer was not 'slowly'. 

But:

'This can look like a "kiss" as they secure themselves with their lower halves and touch with their upper halves.'

So, that's what I've learnt. 

Cows, horses and donkeys. 

They're all on Kauai! Loads of them. 

Didn't get any photos. 

Driving. 

Tropical.

Kauai is more northerly and more rainy. In fact, it doesn't rain. It just chucks it down, cats n dogs,  il pleut comme vache qui pisse. Someone said today, 'you should go to the beach today, the rain is falling straight'. There was no hint of irony. It knows how to blummin rain here. 

Wild. 

It feels a bit wild. The rain is wild. The sea is wild. The chickens are wild. It feels more rural than Maui. Definitely a different vibe. I love it just as much.