When Terry suggested that we spend two weeks in Honolulu, I was a little dubious. After all, it is a big city, and there is so much more to Hawaii.
Waikiki
Waikiki
But, to my surprise, I am loving every minute. There is so much to do here – or you can do nothing but relax. And after many months of chasing elusive pronghorn and mule deer, it’s fun to watch the hoards of people of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Sun-drenched palm trees and sparkling water beat a freezing fog on the high plains any day!
High Plains of Colorado in December, 2013
But I came to Honolulu with a purpose! And that purpose was to get up on a paddleboard on Waikiki. I did it for the first time late last May, and I’ve wanted to do it again every day since.
Standing Up the First Time, May 2013
Yesterday was SUP Day for me! I have been “surfing” my bosu ball all winter long to improve my balance and reaction time. At about 7:45 a.m. Terry and I headed for Waikiki just a few hundred yards from our hotel. The first thing we noticed was the palms whipping around overhead.
Waving Palms at Waikiki
Oh-oh! Wind means waves. The Ever-Patient tried to talk me into taking a lesson another day. I almost wimped out, but then I went for it! And I’m so glad I did! I did way better my second time than my first.
My Instructor Chooses a Paddleboard
(Our pink Royal Grove Hotel is in the middle background)
Heading Out For My Lesson
SUP in the Waves
UP!
Down!
These are small because my E-P Cameraman
was doing the Herky-Jerky as a videographer!
I’m going to do a whole lot better in the future, starting with more of a fashion statement!
A little less intensity and a lot more relaxation might help.
I’ve got to think less like a voyager paddling a canoe loaded with furs and more like a Hawaiian standing up and riding the waves.
I’d like to be able to drag my own board
out of the waves and up the sand, rather than being rescued by a helpful young
man. Hummm – maybe being rescued
should be my focus!
Until
next time ...
ALOHA!
This stand up paddleboarding looks like so much fun! I would enjoy this a lot, even if I fell into the water. :) I have never been to Hawaii, but I SO enjoy seeing photos of it. Thank you so much for sharing. Aloha!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! It was fun! The best fun! I'm going to go again in a day or two! I've been in love with Hawaii since I was a small girl. Terry took me there for the first time a few months after we were married. I told him after that first trip that I could die happy now. I still feel that way! Aloha!
Deletehaha well you only fell over here and there. Need to move to such a place and call it my lair. Has to be nice, beats the fog any day.
ReplyDeleteHey Pat! This place certainly grows on you! Ocean fog or plains fog ~ sun beats both for sure! Take care at your current lair!
DeleteBe very proud, Louise. In order to fall, you first had to be up on the board. To be up on the board you had to try! I'm extremely proud of you and happy that you did so well. We spent 10 days in Hawaii a couple of years ago. I don't swim, so no paddleboarding for me. But seeing your pics brings back lots of great memories. And I recall seeing your pink hotel. In fact, I may even have a pic of it! Aloha!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ken ~ You made my day! I felt pretty proud of myself ~ especially when we arrived on my 64th birthday. I'm going to keep going for it until I can't! Our pink hotel is an old family owned hotel complete with a live bird in the lobby that will bite you and old-fashioned pigeon-hole boxes for messages behind the desk. We have a kitchenette in our room, not that I've been cooking much! We been exploring little ethnic restaurants down back streets. I didn't know that you didn't swim! We all have different skills and talents. I'm glad that the photos brought back great memories! It's always good to hear from you! Aloha!
DeleteI think the name of your blog should do well for this post too “standing into danger” ! It would have been dangerous for me to stand on that piece of wood or whatever it is – I can stand on ice skates but don’t think I could coordinate being on that board – so all my congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vagabonde! I feel that way about skis! I'm scared of ripping down a mountain on two sticks of wood. Too dangerous! It was challenging, but oh so fun! Have a good one!
DeleteLooks like fun, we would love to try it out.
ReplyDeleteIt was great fun, GT! You son is such a good swimmer ~ I bet he would be a natural! Take care!
DeleteBelas fotografias...Espectacular....
ReplyDeleteCumprimentos
Obrigado, Fernando! Espero que esteja tudo bem com você!
DeleteA nice post that I enjoyed reading. It looks tricky to accomplish. I like water sports, and used to own a speed boat. I still have all of the skis and wetsuits! Enjoy your vacation. Looks nice a nice place.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.
Thanks Andrew! The balancing is the tricky part and having canoed is helpful for steering. Water sports are so much fun. Honolulu is awesome, even if it is a city! Take care!
DeleteAloha! (I love the meaning of that Word s!) Well done to you!!! Jolly brave and impressive! X
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kezzie! It was great fun ~ even when getting dunked in the ocean!
DeleteI'm trying VERY hard not to be jealous! Snow and more snow here in the mountains. Enjoy some warmth for me. You go girl!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Barb. I'm amazed that you can dig up out of all that snow to find the air! You have been hammered with epic snow!
DeleteYour "down" photo had me laughing! Honestly, you should be proud of yourself, I would never have the guts to even try it! Two weeks in Hawaii!! Hey, someone's gotta do it!
ReplyDeleteAnother great lady named Kay lives on the island of Oahu, if you look at her blog....I am remembering that she has a nephew who works in a restaurant there....it looked so good on her blog. How cool would it be to find it and say you heard about it through Kay's blog? travelerswifeblogspot.com
There, I looked it up for you if you would like to visit her and ask her. Tell her Kay from Georgia Girl With An English Heart told you about her!!!!!
Aloha, Kay! I was laughing when I came up out of the water. Terry caught my laughter on the video. When I get home, I'm going to learn how to make an iMovie and post my SUP adventures. I pulled these single shots from the various bits of video Terry made. I will look up your friend's blog next. Hope all is well with you, Richard, and Christopher!
ReplyDeleteHa-ha-ha!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post!
You have had obviously much fun and good balance exercise!
Something I should consider instead of spending my free time in hides!!
I'd love to get close to the Pronghorns once in my life though!
Thanks for sharing the fun moment with us Fundy! and thanks for your soooo sweet comment on my last post!
Keep well!
Hi Noushka! I'm glad that you enjoyed this post. I'd love to get close to those pronghorns once myself! LOL! Have an awesome week!
DeleteThank you so much for your visit and super wonderful comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed Hawaii!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Kay! Thanks for stopping by. I love Hawaii, even in the big city! I'm going to have to keep reading your blog for a Hawaii fix when I've left! Aloha!
DeleteHow beautiful! Thank you for bring some Hawaii sunshine my way on this cold Ohio day. It looks like a fabulous time. Your are very brave for trying the SUP on a windy day on the ocean. You did great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle! You have my total sympathy! The midwest has been pounded this winter! Have a great week!
DeleteWay to go Louise!! In no time you will paddle-boarding up and down that beach! Once you 'find' you balance it will be like riding a bike.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you two are having a wonderful time. Enjoy every second.
Hi Jim! I'm making the most of every second ~ and I managed to lie on the beach yesterday for almost an hour. That's hard for me ~ just to lie around. A couple next to us was leaving and offered us their umbrella and chaise lounge which they had paid to rent for the entire day. So I lounged around under a bright red and yellow beach umbrella! Aloha!
DeleteLouise, 'jealousy' is one of the SEVEN DEADLY SINS' right?
DeleteBless me father for I have sinned it has been.........
The intensity looks good on you!
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that you are doing a heck of a lot better Louise. The UP position tells it all, just ignore the DOWN position besides the water is warm, right!
Honolulu, WOW after last year's stay this is quite a reversal. We have blogger friends who live down the road from you. Say HI will you! They hang out at the Outriggers Canoe Club...Kalakaua Ave with an adorable child !! Winks.
Listen more pics please and thank you!!
ALOHA my Merrytime friend!
Ron
HAPPY BELATED 64TH BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
DeleteI wished you this on FB, but you know about YOU and FB!!
LOL
Hey Ron! I was just about to send a reply to you, when Terry dragged me off to the Honolulu Coffee Co. shop in the Moana Surfrider! LOL! Like I have to be dragged to split a warm almond croissant and French press bold organic Kona coffee! I've been up and down Kalakaua lots and by the Outriggers Canoe Club. I'll wave at all the couples with adorable kids for you! Thanks for the birthday greetings! You're right, I missed FB! I've taken tons of photos and have material for many blog posts. I just need to clone myself! Aloha!
DeleteBravo to you! That really looked like fun out there on the ocean. You are so adventurous. As I sit here in the cold still I envy the warmth of Hawaii. Enjoy your trip.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you are still in the cold ~ and according to various blogging friends, there is more heading your way. :( I'm sending you vibrations of warm sunshine and tropical breezes! Stay warm, Peggy!
DeleteTwo weeks in Hawaii sounds like heaven! Glad to see you having so much fun :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sara Louise! I'm trying to find time to catch up on reading my favorite blogs, one of which is yours. Hope all is well in Texas! Every time I see a mushroom, I can't help but think about your adventure with the mushrooms and the maggots. LOL! Your blog leaves lasting impressions! Have a good one!
DeleteI've never been there but I'd love to go. Your trip looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, Rick! I do hope you make it t Hawaii. It is a very special place. Have a good week!
Delete'Sup Louise? Ha ha. Seriously, I hope you're proud of yourself. It takes a bit of bravery to even get out there and try. And I LOVED all the photos. Awesome! I hope I can try it myself one day. The people who've been doing it a long time make it look so effortless, don't they? :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Audrey! Yes, they do make it look so easy! And I am proud of myself for doing it. My instructor said I did a great job and that I've really got the steering down ~ but I need to relax more! Duh, everybody tells me that! LOL My grandmother MacDonald called me, "high strung." Anyway, I am having a ball, with many photos to share on my blog in the coming months! Hope all is wee with you, Alain, and the girls!
DeleteYour pictures tell a whole story of the struggle between human and water. Hurrah for getting up and sorry you took that fast dive. Visiting you today from Pat's Birthday Bash
ReplyDeleteHi Manzanita! Thanks for visiting ~ I've seen your icon a lot on Pat's blog. Now that I've wished him Happy Birthday 24 times, I can start visiting the blogs he wrote about. I've been meaning to go to yours for ages! That dive was so fast, I was off, under, and up before I knew what was happening! LOL! Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such fun! It's nice to see that you have a sense of humor about the whole learning process. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pixie! It was a blast. And, as someone who spent her career teaching second and third grade, I've got to have a sense of humor about learning. LOL! Have a good one!
DeleteKiedyś na pewno się uda !!! :)
ReplyDeleteNigdy się nie poddawaj jest moje motto! To była świetna zabawa, aby dostać się na paddleboard! Trzymaj się, Patrycja!
DeleteWhat a wonderful experience! Both being in Hawaii and up on the board. You go, girl!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra! I know I am fortunate to be here, and I'm making the most of my time! Have a happy day!
DeleteHahaha...these photos are great! What fun. And what a great experience. Good for you, girl, for trying this. (And I must say that being rescued by a helpful young man doesn't sound all that bad ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Martha! Terry was my photographer, and he shot videos because it was just too hard to get individual shots. So I pulled stills out of the video. I so love my Canon 260! There are a lot of great looking young guys everywhere ~ a lot of the people look young! Must be me ~ LOL! Have a good one!
Delete