I was right. Yesterday was Monday so this must be Tuesday.

We actually did some sightseeing today and Diane were able to get in some extra miles driving around the island. Me? I got some extra steps in getting the car back to the hotel.

First, let’s talk about my extra steps. As I’ve reported previously, to avoid compromising Diane’s iffy knees and hips, whenever we are ready to call it a day, she drives back to the hotel and goes to the room then I drive the car to the parking garage. You’ve heard this before. It’s not a complaint, it’s just information. Me driving a rental car on vacation has never happened previously because it used to cost more money to add an additional driver. This trip is different for some reason. Maybe the rules have changed. Whatever changed, I get to drive this time without paying more. So, Diane goes to the room and I take the car to the parking structure and walk back to the hotel. For the next trip I walk over, bring the car back, let Diane in the driver’s seat, climb in the passenger side, set the GPS and away we go.

It’s been working just great until this morning. I walked over to get the car, was almost there, and couldn’t find the car key anywhere on my body. That meant one of two things. 1). We both forgot the key in the room; 2). Diane had the key and intentionally kept it, letting me walk 2 miles to punish me for some reason; or 3). Diane had the key and just forgot to give it to me. OK. That’s 3. I realized right away and could have corrected it up front, but didn’t want to.

So, which was it? Of the three choices I’m only complicit in one of them, but bottom line is I should have made sure that key was stuffed in my pocket before I left the room. I take full responsibility.

I got my keyless self back to the hotel and Diane was shocked that I was carless. She dug around in her purse and saved the day.

With the key in my pocket I went back, got the car, drove back and got Diane. Then we drove to Pali Lookout on Highway 61.

The final destination was actually Kailua Beach Park, but Pali was on the way so we stopped. I was disappointed that the wind didn’t seem to be blowing as hard as I remembered. It was actually very nice up there staring down at Kailua and Kaneohe. While we were up there a large group of army men and women showed up and assembled on the lower section of the lookout. We wondered what it was all about so stuck around for a bit and discovered that a staff sgt. was reenlisting. He must have been an important soldier because in attendance were at least 3 bird colonels and a Brig. General. We left before the ceremony but applaud his decision to re-up.

Back at the car I set the GPS for a place to eat in Kailua but uncharacteristically made a mistake and chose a place in Honolulu. I have no idea how that happened, but Diane followed the GPS until I admitted my mistake and reset it to take us to Kailua.

The atmosphere was tense for a little while as we made our way back up past Pali Lookout and down the other side. On the trip we decided that we didn’t need to stop anyplace to eat because Diane had packed a bunch of snacks that we could eat while sitting on, or near the beach in Kailua Beach Park. So, that’s what we did.

The parking lot at the beach was pretty small and there were a lot of vehicles circling like vultures waiting for a spot to show up. We got lucky when someone pulled out just before we got to them and got parked having gone only halfway around the lot. We viewed that as serendipity. We were supposed to be there. Karma works.

Diane was prepared for the beach visit wearing pants with legs that easily rolled up. I was supposed to have shorts but they were left behind. I should have changed to them before we left. So, I was left with skinny jeans with no rollable pant legs. I did it anyway, to my knees. They weren’t really skinny jeans. I don’ have any of those.

All of the above and a pretty bird to boot.

… and, or course, chickens. They are pretty much everywhere away from Honolulu. I think the reason for that is because they taste good.

From Kailua we decided to continue on around the island, through Waimanalo to the east, instead of returning the way we came. We’d done that a couple of times already this day. It was a pleasant drive with a few stops.

The first stop was at Makapu’u Lookout that looks back to the way we came. A stunning view.

When we drove into the lot there was a paraglider sailing around the area.

He was fun to watch but the sea grabbed our attention and we lost track of him until he did this …

I noticed a minor commotion behind me and turned to see this …

He came in for a landing on a narrow walk of the lookout. Pretty skillful guy as there were a number of people around us but no one had to move as he landed.

Having seen that happen we decided the events of this day couldn’t get any better so we decided to leave.

Walking down toward our car there was some more commotion outside the guard rail toward the sea so we went to look and here was this guy getting his lines all untangled for another launch. I speculated that the only reason he landed was so he could use the restroom, but that wasn’t possible because there weren’t any at the lookout. Having discovered that, he rose gracefully into the air and sailed away to look for another one.

The next stop was to see the Halona Blowhole along the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline.

From there it was a surprisingly short trip back to the hotel.

Then we settled down for the night.