My Way To See Hawaii

“What’s your destination?” friends, asked me. “Is it Maui, Kauai or one of the other Hawaiian Islands?” I always replied that my primary destination was, “The Zaandam”, a Holland America ship. Why? Because I’ve been a ship’s surgeon and love ships and long sea voyages. The port-a-day routine does not appeal. So this 15-day return trip from San Diego to Hawaii provided 10 days of relaxation at sea and also a visit to all the major Hawaiian Islands. San Diego, with its huge naval base, is a perfect port from which to embark. The night before boarding the Zaandam, we dined at The Fish Market along side the aircraft carrier Midway that played such a vital role in the Pacific during World War II. Arriving in San Diego a day early is good insurance that you won’t miss the ship’s departure due to airline delays and also allows more time to explore a beautiful and vital harbour.

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During the five days to Hawaii, my wife and I enjoyed sublime relaxation, reading the books we’d put aside for lack of time, walking the breezy decks and watching the sea go by. But Holland America offers a wealth of activities for those wanting to meet fellow passengers. Our first port, Hilo, on the big island Hawaii, offers a glimpse of old Hawaii. Hilo is a cane field town and its architecture combines old wooden buildings with metal roofs along with contemporary lava-walled offices. A disastrous tsunami struck Hilo in 1946, then another in 1960 destroyed the bay front. The residents then got smart and moved everything to higher ground. The second stop, Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, has always been my favourite Hawaiian location. Invariably friends are surprised when I say “it’s because of Waikiki Beach”. “But it’s just like Miami Beach?” they always reply. I got lucky years ago and visited Honolulu and the other islands on business for several years. That’s when I easily decided that Waikiki Beach beats Miami by a mile. It has world famous Diamond Head Crater as a back drop, the best beach, and hotels smack on the ocean. And if you’re staying in Waikiki for several days there are so many interesting hotels along the beach you can pick a different one for lunch every day. On the other islands the hotels are often far removed from the beach separated by fancy gardens and more isolated. Besides, you can’t burn in the sun all day. And no other Hawaiian Island has so much to offer. You can stroll along Kalakaua Avenue and shop until you drop. Or wander into Honolulu and visit Iolani Palace, America’s only Royal residence and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Or travel to Oahu’s north shore to see 35-foot waves and world-renowned surfers. There are so many things to do ashore in Oahu, the problem is deciding on which one to choose. But for me two top the list. Taking a helicopter ride over the course used by Japanese planes to attack Pearl Harbour provides not only a sense of reliving an historic moment, but also a spectacular view of the Hawaiian landscape. The other must is a visit to the Japanese planes’ destination, Pearl Harbour. The first stop there is the Memorial Visitor’s Center where you will view a 20-minute film depicting the events of the Pearl Harbour attack and the sinking of the USS Arizona. You then step aboard a U.S. naval launch for the short ride across Pearl Harbour to the memorial itself. Here more than 1,000 servicemen still lie entombed in the sunken USS ship. Don’t miss the chance to see the battleship Missouri, known as the “mighty Mo”. This is the place where the Japanese signed the surrender document which ended World War II in the Pacific. The spot is marked by a memorial star on the ship’s immaculately-tended wooden deck. And you can wander the decks and passageways of the Mo to see the points of interest. The list of adventures goes on an on. We ended the day with a cocktail cruise off Waikiki Beach. It’s as close to heaven as you can get. During our five days of island-hopping by ship, we also visited Maui, Kauai and the Kona coast. On all of these islands you can visit sugar plantations, walk through lava fields, go kayaking, snorkling, whale watching, ride at a ranch, drive to see 1,000-foot volcanic craters or even have a surfing lesson. And some travellers skipped the ship to play golf on the some of the world’s best golf courses. By the time you set sail for the return trip to San Diego, you will understand why movie makers chose Kauai to film South Pacific, Blue Hawaii and 48 other films. One film, however, scared the hell out of a couple camping when King Kong came crashing through the tropical forest. You’ll also realize why Charles Lindberg wanted to be buried on Maui, and why a waiter told us he was tired of the stress of life in New York City, closed his law office and moved to Hawaii. What better recommendation could you get? Is there bad news to report about the trip? You bet! While we were sailing the Pacific Ocean, the mother of all financial melt-downs hit world headlines. Each day the ship’s newsletter reported the disaster and I envisioned my hard-earned money going down the drain. But there was some consolation. Since I’ve never learned to walk on water, there was no way of leaving the ship. And it’s simply amazing how a couple of Hawaiian rum punches in the sunset on the aft deck will ease the psyche.