Up, Up and Away to Paradise Isle

I was rudely awakened from my dreams by the phone ringing. According to my watch it was 5.35am. "What the …?" "Our early morning alarm call" said Ione "Who the …? Och well, I suppose 4 hours sleep is better than no sleep". Little did I know that 3 to 4 hours sleep would be the norm for the next two weeks. Ten minutes later I had showered, dressed, packed and was sitting waiting for the breakfast buffet bar to open.

Our arrival at the airport full of excitement, was saddened by the knowledge that Ione would be parting company from us, as she was heading home. Due to our hasty departure from the motel in separate taxis, I got to the departure lounge and realised I hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to Ione. Anna-Marie and I set off to find her. Her departure gate was at the opposite end of the airport, which necessitated us practically running along corridors and hastily whipping our tiaras from our heads at each set of security gates. We smiled sweetly at the staff and passengers who looked at us with a sense of awe (or was it bewilderment?) as our royal selves flew by. But importantly we found Ione and gave her a proper royal send off (hugs all round) as befits any Queen of the Universe.

Christy and I chatted during the flight to Hawaii comparing education systems in America and Scotland and holiday destinations of the youth in each country. I tried not to sound too like an overly nosy prospective mother-in-law when I questioned her about her family, studies, future aspirations etc,

Touch down in Hawaii and the heat immediately strikes me. Lovely! We knew our Aussie friends were coming to meet us at the airport, but it was neither Carmel nor Mariane who first approached us at arrivals. Instead we were greeted by a lovely lady who crowned us each in turn with beautiful floral lei. This we found was Lucy, previously know only to Sadie, but very quickly 'adopted' by the whole group. Carmel appeared looking just as she said she would, in a distinctive lime green ensemble and a slimmed down version of her photograph. But no Mariane. Oh dear. We hunted high and low, we put out messages over the tannoy and much searching later she is found – it transpired she wasn't missing at all – just misplaced!

Cindy and Sadie arrived at the airport pick up area with two lovely wee cars. There were very nice cars, but not designed to carry the luggage for 1 week for 8 women. It was apparent that 16 (bags) into 2 (cars) won't go. But … we were not to be left stranded at the roadside, Lucy stepped in and saved the day, by offering the use of her car as an extra taxi, as was to become the practice on many occasions throughout the week. Once people and cars were loaded we headed north-west, carefully following the rental agent's directions to find our house in Lanikai. See map