Aloha! Just wanted to post a wee bit more about my time in Hawai’i. I absolutely will be back. It’s funny talking about Hawai’i as, technically I was not in Hawai’i, I was in O’ahu, one of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawai’i is actually otherwise known as Big Island. The Hawaiian Islands include eight main islands and numerous other smaller islands stretching for 1500 miles.

I was mostly in Waikiki, which is a bit like telling people you’ve been to England, but you’ve actually only been to London! It is so touristy and I was pretty surprised to see the likes of Gucci, Kate Spade, Chanel, Mui Mui etc. It costs a fortune to get there and the accommodation isn’t cheap either – so who on earth has spending money for designer shops?

The heart is another thing! San Antonio was stupidly hot, but humid too. O’ahu is one of those places that fools you. It is hot, but that Hawaiian breeze lulls you into a false sense of security. Factor 30 was not enough and, unfortunately when I was out “surfing” the back of my legs and back got kinda burnt – ouch. Factor 50, trousers and tops that covered my back were the way forward for the rest of my time in O’ahu. That was when I discovered that if you haven’t got anyone to help with sunscreen/after sun then 1) buy the spray on stuff (you’ll miss bits, but you’ll also get bits) and 2) at night just spray/spread the after sun on your pjs. Top tip I know – you are all very welcome!

Pearl Harbor was sobering, but interesting. The people are incredibly friendly. Food and drink is expensive (look for Happy Hour). The views are never bad. It rains almost every moring at Waikiki due to the Ko’olau mountain range (windward side of the island) and the Wai’anae range on the leeward side. Aloha is used for both hello and goodbye!