Honolulu, Hawaii (continued) - Nov. 20-Nov.30

We visited Waimea Valley. Waimea Valley is significant in the history of Hawaii and continues to be a repository for Hawaian spirituality and traditions. It has a main trail of about 1.5 kilometers leading to waterfalls. It is worth the visit : it is like a botanical garden, except that it is absolutely incredible. Flowers of all colours, of all shapes and sizes, extraordinary trees. It is a serene walk to the waterfalls where you can even bathe yourself in the fresh water. We met there on old lady "Auntie' that is very well respected by the Hawaian people who know her. She tries to be a model for the Hawaian and talked very vividly about their believes and their customs.

Our days have gone by quickly otherwise, as we have been at different beaches again. Needless to say, that after almost 3 weeks here, we are starting to have some nice suntan, (especially Alain, who is also enjoying not to have to shave every day). Does not he look like a younger version of George Clooney ?

We have also been through Chinatown a couple of times. Chinatown is not very big here, probably about 10 blocks, but we felt like we truly were in China with all the stands of fishes, vegetables, fruits and knick-knacks. By the way, 2011 will be the year of the rabbit. Close to Chinatown and Honolulu port, there is the Aloha Tower. This is where you have the cruise ships that arrive regularly either from the mainland or the other islands. Some Hawaian singers and dancers greet the tourist aboard and perform Hula dances before they sail.

Last Saturday we spent the morning at the KCC (Kapiolani Community Center) market, which is closed to Diamond Head. It is surrounded by different gardens of cacti, from the smallest to the tallest one.

Waikiki and Honolulu are starting to get ready for Christmas.The trees are up already and last week, the huge tree for City Hall was escorted from the neighboring mountains by about 15 motorcycles. In the streets, you have some choirs singing Christmas carols in English and Hawaian language. It is a little bit weird as we are running around wearing shorts and T-shirts all day long. We are not in the Holiday spirit yet.

Alain and I started running again in Ala Moana Park yesterday and it has been difficult on our legs. We cannot believe how quickly we loose our ability to exercise without strain and pain. Especially because we have really been walking a lot, we had no clue that it would be so tough. On the news front, we have arranged for our oldest son, Thomas, to meet us on Big Island between December 30 and January 10, 2011. We are really looking forward to seeing him again as it has been over one year now that he visited us in Montreal. In 2 days, we will be On the Road Again as we are leaving for the Island of Molokai.

Honolulu, Hawaii

November 9, 2010.
We are in the plane to Honolulu, Hawaii. On the last entry of our blog, we had advised that we would try to cross the border to Mexico in Nogales. Well, our plans have changed. We did drive back to Phoenix, AZ. However, every single person we have spoken to in Phoenix has discouraged us to go, especially with two motorcycles. It is extremely disappointing to have to give up, at least for the time being, on our project, but better be safe than sorry. This is also what travelling is all about, changing plans is part of the mix and after all, Hawaii is probably not the worst place to go.

We have booked our first night in a hotel in Waikiki and have booked three nights also through couchsurfing with Damall. For those who don't know what Couchsurfing is, this is an organization which allows people who travel to find free temporary accommodation, typically one to three nights. All the hosts graciously open their home. When you register with Couchsurfing, you also commit to open your home, which on our side, we will be happy to do upon our return to Canada. On our first evening already, we have experienced the smoothness of the climate and walked along Waikiki Beach. We have celebrated our arrival by going to a local restaurant. In the end, we are happy to be here !


November 20, 2010: In the last week, we have started to explore the Island. We have been able to secure some temporary accommodation by looking into www.easyroomate.com. We are now living in an appartment that we are sharing with Pia, a Swedish lady until the end of November. We have been shopping at Don Quijote, a Japanese grocery store, where you can find everything and where the choice of sushis of any kind is just huge ! This store sells also all kinds of exotic food and compared to the other stores we had found, the prices are really good ! We have decided not to rent a car on this island as The Bus is running on the whole island, and it is cheap! We have been travelling on TheBus for now over a week and we have been touched by the kindness of the local people. Once, we pulled the map with the different bus lines from our backpack and right away, someone started to ask us where we wanted to go. As soon as we said it, another lady started participating in the conversation. Alain and I looked at each other and were thinking that soon the whole bus was going to discuss it. Another time, the bus was fairly full : Alain and I were standing up and immediately one gentleman got up to let me sit. This was galantry ! and right after, another guy got up, this time to let Alain sit. Alain told him he was not that old and that he could stand ! ... and every time, even in the street, when we seem to be looking for something, there is always someone asking us if they can help. We have been going to different beaches, Waikiki beach, of course, which is located only three blocks from where we stay

Ala Moana Park, Waimea Bay with large waves

Kailua Beach, a long white sand strip, Hanauma Bay where we snorkled with many coloured fishes. The days go by quickly between walking, swimming, visiting and basically just enjoying each other. We look like we are on vacation from our previous vacation, although we miss our motorcycles ! The weather so far has been nice, not too hot, but cloudy at times. Since our arrival, it has rained only at nights. We hiked the Diamond Head Crater too yesterday and ended up the day lazily again on Waikiki beach. One thing I have forgotten to mention is that we went to visit the Dole Plantation. Well, it is just not worth it ! As you walk in to visit, we basically enter their store where they promote only Dole Products ! there is no indication of what has to be visited and when you finally find your way out on your own, you learn there is a 20 minute train ride that takes you in the plantation at the modic sum of $ 11.00. A real rip off ! Everybody in the store tries to sell you something or makes you think you might have won something. There is really not much information about the company itself, you don't feel any pride or any accomplishment there ! We are slowly adjusting to the Island pace !

Oatman, Arizona and Los Angeles, California

Since October 24, 2010, we have been lazy and not keeping our daily notes uptodate. We have decided today on November 1, 2010 to head to Phoenix, AZ, which means taking the freeway again and driving through Palm Springs again. Palm Springs is a town located in the middle of the desert for rich people who live on fenced-in grounds with a private entrance. Weird feeling where the out-of-towner feels like an outcast. Not really exciting city where we spent only one night. In the campground, the only worry of the Park Ranger was to ensure we were paying our $ 15.00 night fee. With a temperature close to 35 degrees celsius at times, we have driven about 350 kilometers today. At that temperature, as there is absolutely no humidity, and with the wind blowing, your lips, mouth and throat become dry like sand paper after about 5 minutes. We try to stop as often as possible to ensure not to dehydrate. Another curiosity about Palm Springs is that it seems to be in a wind corridor, hence the dozens, maybe hundreds of windmills along the highway 10. Needless to say that when we drive the motorcycle, it is like receiving a free massage, you are shaken from the front to the back and you better hold on to stay in your lane. We wish we could have stopped to make some pictures there, but could not.


We have stopped tonight in a Motel 6 at 50$ a night in Blythe as we have dropped off our camping gear at TheMIGroup's Los Angeles office. We had contacted Tom Grohmann a few days ago as we were looking at giving up on our project to go to Mexico and were looking at spending maybe two months in Hawaii, then fly to Argentina and Chile to spend another couple of months there, which meant storing the motorcycles in Los Angeles. Great to see my former colleagues and visit the office. Good memories surface, but am glad to be away, for the time being, from the work environment.

In the end, we are going to check the ambiance in Mexico and see how it goes. If we run into issues, we will turn around and go back to L.A. to opt for the above mentioned option.

So in the last week, after leaving Vegas, stopping for half an hour at the Hoover Dam, we started by visiting a cowboy town, Oatman, close to what was a gold mine. This town should have become a ghost town like many in North America, but its inhabitants have decided otherwise and want to keep the soul of this town alive. It has also been able to keep its originality as it cannot grow. There is an Indian reserve on one side and a protected wilderness area on the other. This town has been used in the past for the making of some movies and even welcomed some movie stars like Clark Gable. Here everything is a reminder of the old good times : the sidewalks are in wood, and the inhabitants will dress up as cowboys every week-end and will impersonate cowboys fightin together. Another curiosity is the presence in the streets of burros, free to wander around. The visit of the unique hotel was fun, not because it is beautiful, but rather due to its originality. Most of the walls are covered with a real one dollar bills : the Bank Bar ! Again, a unique American way to decorate !

We had the opportunity to discuss with the owner of one store. Sitting on his chair, his reading glasses on his nose and a book in one hand, he does not really care about his potential customers, nor does he get stressed by a sale. He sells cowboy hats, leather belts and revolver holders, in short the basics for the perfect cowboy. He took the time to chit chat with us about his arthritis that has now disappeared. He is relaxed, interesting, and not concentrated by the width of his wallet. Just a pleasant time for us ! In short, a town to discover on Route 66 ! Ladies, beware of the burros !

and when Alain wants to adopt one, I veto it !

Los Angeles or the tentacular : We had seen Houston with its stressed drivers, in a rush, ready to drive over you to get to work or whereever. Las Vegas was interesting too with its continuous activity, his flow of tourists, of players, of dreamers and its noisy night life. Los Angeles is not deceiving : Hundreds of kilometers of intertwined freeways, in cement, with 4, 5 or even 6 lanes on each side, a plethora of trucks, cars, 4X4, RVs and a few motorcycles who zip between each lane. Scary at times !

We found a RV campground about half a mile from Disneyland. Again, an extremely noisy environment which makes us wonder how people can live in this constant noise. We will confess that thanks to the use of ear-plugs, we survived ! and after a few days, we almost got used to the noise too.

We had seen Disneyland 24 years ago and could not leave Anaheim without going there again, to visit what had enchanted us so much ! We are there again. Not much seems to have changed and our memories come back to the surface. It may be less crowded than before though, but let's not forget it is the end of October. The Indiana Jones attractions is the one we enjoyed the most this time with the roller coaster in the dark in the sky with the stars. We are big kids !

We were there at the opening and left at the closure after the Halloween Parade. Although the magic may not have been there this time, we had a great day!

Our stay in Los Angeles had to include going back to Hollywood and see the houses of the Stars. We went there incognito and nobody recognized us this time. We went back to Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard, Mulholland Drive and so forth. The houses on the hills are for some of them on pilotis and don't have much land. Really, we are still in Los Angeles and therefore it is still noisy.

We could not be in California without spending a couple of days on the beach, in the State Park close to Laguna Beach to be more precise, called Chrystal Cove. It is a protected area from developpers. This place has also been used several times for the shooting of some movies, like the Pirats of the Carribeans. Alain enjoyed the sea (isn't he handsome when he works on an ad for a new shower gel ?)

and the second time we went, we took a nap on the beach...

Here are the maps of where we have been so far.

Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, Utah & Las Vegas, Nevada

October 19, 2010 to October 21, 2010 : On our way to Bryce Canyon, we crossed the Capital Reef National Park, which gave us the opportunity to take pictures of some petroglyphs. Bryce Canyon and Zion Parks are both absolutely enchanting, although completely different. First of all, the altitude of Bryce Canyon is high, above the 2500 meters all the way, which means that mid-October , it is fairly chilly. When you drive through Bryce Canyon, you mainly drive on the plateaus, through the forests and have many stops to enjoy the view. The views are beautiful and breathtaking. The rim trail is interesting to follow. I cannot say that we were disappointed by this Canyon, however, it deserves to be viewed by a warmer temperature (End of August or early September is probably ideal) and we also probably should have done a trail down to the bottom of the Canyon. Needless to say that we did not camp that night, as our ride back from the park froze us down to the bones. Bryce Canyon, we will come back ! Here is a short video :

We decided to head to Zion Canyon, about 160 kilometers away. The elevation of Zion Canyon is about 1500 to 1700 meters high. We entered Zion Canyon by the East entrance. This leads you down to the bottom of the Canyon. You start by seeing the checkerboard mesa, then rides down a 1.1 miles tunnel, which was completed in 1930 and after a few curves downhill, you arrive at the visitors Center. Once again, Alain and I are stunned by the organizational skills of North Americans. The road leading up to the Canyon being very narrow, the Park decided back in 2000 to have shuttles going up and down the Canyon for the tourists. The shuttles run every 6-7 minutes, have 7 stops at different key points of the Canyon and you can hop in and out to go enjoy the scenery, as much as you want. This has led to less congestion in the park and a better management of its resources. Alain and I enjoyed thoroughly the walks along the river, to the Emerald Pools. Our second day, we hiked the Angel’s Landing trail, which finishes by a steep walk up, where you have to hold yourself to chains with cliffs on both sides. This time, I chickened out and reminded Alain that some of our trip’s principles are to have fun and to have no stress… Again, we had the opportunity to see deers on the side of the road or on the side of the trails. Tomorrow, October 22, 2010, we are going to Las Vegas… We have had to eliminate North Rim of Grand Canyon (mainly because of the weather) and Lake Powell (because there are no roads to follow on the banks of the Lake).

It has been two months now that Alain and I have been wandering on the roads of the United States and we still feel so fortunate every day to be on this trip and see, learn, discover every day something different. It’s difficult to pass the emotions in our blog and describe the beauties that we are seeing. The words and the pictures are not enough and don’t give credit many times to what we see. However, we keep on making pictures on rocks and waterfalls, so that we can live again ourselves these moments. We have now adopted a new rhythm in our daily life, deciding one day to the next almost what we will do next. Despite some frictions from time to time between each other (which really happens when we are tired), we are happy to say, that after two months of being together 24 hours-7 days a week, we still love each other !

Las Vegas : we have been there once before, in 1986, before we got married. Wow! What a change! We remembered a small town with mainly one street, where the main attraction was Circus Circus. When we arrived from Zion, we discovered a large city with highways. No doubt, you love Las Vegas (like this lady whom I met briefly from Miami Beach who has been coming there 3-4 times a year since 1950) or you hate it. One thing is sure, you cannot stay indifferent to it. Extravagant (Venice in a desert??

Awesome, Surprising, Beautiful, Incredible, Magical. It's Las Vegas and it is American ! All revenue levels are represented and this reminds us that money is King. But we are safe, as you also meet some preachers in the streets ! You also have some girls who lightly dressed try to attract you (especially men in their quest of a fantasm) to make a picture with them.

For Alain and I, coming from the wilderness, we were stunned by the noise around. One thing is sure : Las Vegas is not ready to die : it keeps on renewing itself with new attractions at several billion dollars. You are here to empty your pockets. Alain and I lost $ 2.45. As we did not win, we stopped playing ! This is all we had ! In the end, there is absolutely a sense of moral and psychological distress in the air but it is covered by the fireworks and the fountains of the Bellagio Hotel :

It's October 24, 2010. We are at the stage when we don't know what to do next. We have heard so many things about Mexico that we are hesitating to cross the border. For now, we are heading West towards Los Angeles and think about options. This is put on line on November 1, 2010 only, due to internet problems...