The purpose of this November solo (yes, solo) trip was to relax and excise some demons that had been accumulating in my head from the last couple years. So what can you say about Oahu that has not already been said? The place is pretty. Yes, there are a lot of tourists. Yes there a lot of sick couples doing gross things like holding hands and getting married. Yuck, but I was not to be concerned with such silliness.

I knew the place was humid after having been to Kauai. No big deal. I rented a car for the trip, but it turns out that you don't really need one in Oahu. Whatever. I took the opportunity to travel around the island by myself. If you like to do your own thing, get the rental car. I was staying in a certain time share at the now-aging Ilikai (Thomas Magnum would be very proud). Drove over, got lost, got found, checked in, and went to the hotel gym - which is actually pretty decent for a hotel gym.
Turns out there was a way expensive convenience store across the street, suitable for me to procure the necessary rations and liquids.

The routine was roughly as follows....get up whenever and sit on the patio eating fresh fruit, as my mind tried to put the past in the past. Once that was accomplished, I would hit the gym hard. Cardio and mostly bodyweight exercises. I wanted to come back more fit than when I left, not like the usual tourist post-vacation weight gain. Once the workout was done, it was a shower and a day of exploring with absolutely nobody to answer to. That's a double-edged, guilt-tinged sword. Gee, is it really ok to have fun like that? Shouldn't I be feeling lousy about something? Hmm. Naaaaaaaaaaaaah.

I always wanted to see it, and I got my chance here. 5+ hours onsite. Check out the monuments.

There is still oil seeping out of the Arizona after all these years.

I toured the Missouri as well, very significant from WWII.

If you don't get a tear in your eye when you stand on this spot, you might as well jump overboard. At times like that I am truly humbled by the strength and sacrifice of those that came before me, and at the same time fearful that we don't have that much will as a people anymore. Hope I'm wrong on that one.

I caught quite a few pictures around the island. Here are the highlights.

I am a sucker for sunsets. I saw some great ones in Oahu. Turned out there was this nice old fella that would sit out at the Ilikai every night and smoke a cigar, waiting for his wife to come home from playing bridge. Eventually I started talking to him, and later we started smoking cigars and shooting the shit together in the evenings. What a nice guy. I don't know if he remembers me, but I was grateful for the cool company.