Well after my 10 and a half hour flight I'm finally in the land down under! Actually, the timing was pretty good, because I got on the plane at midnight, and slept most of the flight, and landed here around 8am Sydney-time, so it's actually not horrible considering how much of a time change it is (all it means is that I skipped February 5th haha).
Australian money is pretty cool - very colourful and with little clear sections that have artwork inside them. I'm also pleased that I don't need to carry anymore $1 bills!
Anyways, yesterday I checked out Diamond Head, which is the volcanic crater you saw above the beach in my first Waikiki picture. The crater itself isn't a volcano according to the people at the front desk at my hotel, but it can have lava flows when other connected volcanoes erupt. It was originally called Diamond Head by the British, because they thought the sparkling stones were diamonds from afar (when they were really just formations because of the lava). Later the US military created a fort inside the crater, since it was easily protected, in order to maintain their control of Hawaii. I didn't make it to the top to see the crater - that's about a 700 foot hike and takes closer to three hours - but I did make it far enough to get a good shot of the city!
Diamond Head from the base of the road.
Waikiki from the Diamond Head Look-Out.
Australian money is pretty cool - very colourful and with little clear sections that have artwork inside them. I'm also pleased that I don't need to carry anymore $1 bills!
Anyways, yesterday I checked out Diamond Head, which is the volcanic crater you saw above the beach in my first Waikiki picture. The crater itself isn't a volcano according to the people at the front desk at my hotel, but it can have lava flows when other connected volcanoes erupt. It was originally called Diamond Head by the British, because they thought the sparkling stones were diamonds from afar (when they were really just formations because of the lava). Later the US military created a fort inside the crater, since it was easily protected, in order to maintain their control of Hawaii. I didn't make it to the top to see the crater - that's about a 700 foot hike and takes closer to three hours - but I did make it far enough to get a good shot of the city!
Diamond Head from the base of the road.
Waikiki from the Diamond Head Look-Out.
I'm off to explore Sydney before officially checking in to my hotel. It's supposed to be somewhat rainy tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get a good look around this morning!
boo to you missing my ENTIRE birthday :P
and also, I'm surprised at how... city-like Waikiki looks. I guess I imagined it a little less citified. not countryish or anything, just not... like New York or Maimi. I'm a little weirded out.