10th day - day 10 (for English scroll down)

Day 10 - or the day of many scares. It started off hectically: The Revolut account is constantly emptying faster than it can be filled.... To our great horror, Easter is also on this planet, which can easily pass by travelers. Transfers to and from accounts - very difficult on such holidays. But luckily there are good friends (thanks to Mecke at this point!) who are happy to transfer a small sum from Revolut to Revolut, holidays or not. Well, finances are back in order, let's go to Herz to pick up the rental car. Then came the second scare of the day: the size of the car! I might as well just join the Truckerbaby's... Well, we are in America - that's how it is. With Google Maps we went up to Manoa Falls. The goal was a photogenic waterfall (well - rather a trickle) through a rainforest, whose greenery could be admired in all shades. But I found the chosen footwear of the hikers much more exciting. There were barefoot hikers, street glitter flip flops, and hardcore hiking shoes. However, the beloved Swiss red socks have not made it here yet. At the end of the trail, some hiking shoes were dangling from the branches. I found it funny - Zoe was shocked in two ways. Firstly, that this is a drug exchange point, and secondly, that I didn't know that hanging shoes are an international sign of a drug exchange point. I also don't want to know where she knows this from...! Then came the third scare of the day. Zoe's mobile phone was dead - no, that's not a scare - more of a blessing, but in that situation it was annoying. The scare was that suddenly I had no internet access anymore, specifically no Google Maps!! And how do we get back to the hotel now? Just like in the old days? Read signs and remember things we passed by when we came? To our surprise, this actually didn't work so badly. During the drive, it dawned on me that I had received so many warnings from Sunrise: "Your roaming limit is almost reached". In the good old J&J times, we could simply ignore that and keep going, but those times seem to be over and it really is the end after a certain amount! (Note to Jackie at this point: it's only going downhill from here...) Arriving at the hotel, we quickly went to the next SIM card store to purchase 2 unlimited subscriptions. So we're back on the pulse of life - hallelujah! As there was still some time left before dark, we drove to an apparently very beautiful beach to enjoy the sunset. Unfortunately, we also had to classify this excursion under the motto "apparently". Beach visiting hours are from 7am to 2:30pm. After that, the beach, water, and fish are off - rien ne va plus! Seriously?!? 2:30pm is barely halftime at the beach - right?

For that, we had a "cinema evening" in the hotel bed with lots of chips, cookies, and Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale - perfect 😊

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Day 9 - or the day of many scares. It started already rather hectic. The Revolut account keeps on depleting quicker than I can fill it up… The first scare was: its Easter on this planet, a fact that can easily slip when traveling. Banking transfers are challenging on public holidays, but luckily there are friends (herewith many thanks to Mecke) who happily transferred amounts from Revolut to Revolut account no matter if there is a public holiday or not. OK Finances fixed - off to Herz to get the car. And here we go with the second scare of the day: the size of the car! Really - I might as well apply for the truckerbaby’s show… Oh well, we are in America and that’s how it is here. With Google Maps we then went off to the Manola Falls. The target was a photogenic fall (more a trickle than anything else) through a rain forest with loads of different greens. It was very pretty. I however was more fascinated by the various shoes the hikers wore. The range went from naked feet’s to glitter flip flops to hard core hiking shoes. The, from the Swiss so loved red socks, did not make it to Hawaii yet though. At the end of the trail there were some shoes hanging on some branches. I did find it funny, whilst Zoe was shocked twofold: firstly that this was apparently a drug hub and secondly that I did not know that hanging shoes on a tree, is an international sign that this is a drug hub. At that point I did not even wanted to know why she knew this…. Then the third shock stroke. Zoe’s mobile phone was out of batterie, which is not a scare really, but more of a blessing, but in that situation it was annoying. The scare was that I suddenly did not have any internet access anymore, concretely - no Google maps!! And how do we get back to the hotel? Like earlier days? Follow the signs and remember items which we passed on the way to the falls? Much to our surprise it worked rather well. During the journey it daunted me, as I got continuously warnings from Sunrise: “your reached your roaming limit”. In the good old J&J times, one just ignored the warning and kept on using the internet, but very clearly those times are gone (note to Jackie: it just keeps on going downhill) Arrived in the hotel we quickly went and purchased 2 unlimited Sim cards. Now we are back on the pulse of life - halleluja! We still had a little time left before dusk, so we embarked to an apparently lovely beach to watch the sunset. Unfortunately this is another trip which we have to book down as “apparently” as we did not get to see it. The beach is open between 7am and 2.30pm. Thereafter Sand, Water and Fisches are off - rien ne va plus! Really?!? 2.30pm is barley half time on a beach - no? Oh well, instead we had a movie evening on the hotelbed with chips, cookies and Pearl harbor with Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale - perfect 😊