While most enjoyed a leisurely sleep in this morning, there were a dedicated six who made the pact to hike up Diamond Head. Congratulations to Ellen, Kate and Kayleigh (and the accompanying three adults, you can work out which ones) who braved the 7.30am start, and the 762 foot elevation. In amongst the laughter and puffs and pants (that might have just been from the adults) we made it to the top to take in the breathtaking views overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Honolulu. The trail even took us to the edge of a 300,000 year old crater. To celebrate us making it to the top and back we treated ourselves to a range of pineapple beverages and Kate splurged on a pineapple acai, which she enjoyed just as much as the birds she was sharing it with.

After making our way back to the motel, we then headed off with a group keen to try paddle boarding – you know you’re in Hawaii when you’re paddle boarding on Waikiki Beach. There were many laughs as the kids’ (and adults) coordination was tested, but they quickly got the hang of it and were paddle boarding like pros. The dismount however did prove to be a bit of a hurdle, but definitely entertaining for those of us sitting on the beach.

After a quick change we caught the shuttle bus to Hawaii’s largest shopping centre located in Honolulu, Ala Moana, just minutes from Waikiki. It was our last chance for some shopping it to see what else we could squeeze into our bulging bags. After a few last minute purchases it was back to the motel for a quick change ready for tea. There’s not a lot of downtime for us, even on our rest days, we will certainly sleep on the plane home 😊

Exhausted from all the water play and shopping, we treated the group to a team dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. It’s great to sit down as a group and eat some substantial food as the students are getting a little tired of the choices available to them. One thing is guaranteed, the students will have a greater appreciation for the quality of Australian food and produce when we return as many have discussed how much they miss home cooked meals. After a last look at the sights along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, we headed back for a good sleep so that we’d be full of life ready for Wet ‘n’ Wild tomorrow – there’s guaranteed to be a few interesting stories to come from that little outing.

The Flag!

We actually have a new winner today – impressive to get through 20 days without receiving a flag. But your luck’s run out, Mason Galwey, congratulations on your flag success. Mason received the call up after a little shopping faux pas. To give you the background, Mason has purchased around 20 pairs of shoes (would you believe, not the record, Matt Black owns that title with 23 foot covers), so needless to say, he was running out of room in his bag. To remedy the issue he decided to purchase another suitcase, so in he boldly walks into the first shop he sees that has a suitcase. He sees one he likes, but being the good shopper he is, he knew he needed to test it out. He spun it around a few times, moved it back and forth, knocked it on the sides, tested the zipper and spun it around a bit more. The sales lady was giving him a strange look but undeterred he asked about colours and even if there was a warranty. All was going swimmingly, until Mason decided to look at the price. He could purchase his lovely bag that he’d already road-tested for the princely sum of $1050. With the blood draining out of his face, Mason carefully folded back the extendable handle and extremely gingerly lifted it and painstakingly placed it back on the shelf. After thanking the sales lady for her time he edged out the door and down to a shop that sold $40 suitcases – strangely enough, he liked that one much better.