Day 61 - Hawaii

A taco shell with chicken and shrimp - yum. Eaten at the Ala Moana Mall in Honolulu

Passing by the front garden of the Hilton in Waikiki, Honolulu

An unusual flower - black in colour and called Bat Wings. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

A juvenile breadfruit located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

A Noni fruit located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu. This fruit is becoming popular as a remedy for many human ailments. 

Greg - our guide. His knowledge on Hawaiian botany is impeccable. He doesn't look like our old Alan Searle - you know the Aussie gardener with a lisp? Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

Pink bananas? Quite inedible but look nice. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

More inedible bananas located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

This is a flower of the ginger plant. It is hard and waxy. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

Another type of ginger plant, however the orange flowers emanate from the roots. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

We forgot what these flowers are called - ginger roses??? Nevertheless, they are popular and used in Hawaiian flower arrangements. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

Shrimp flowers - well they suppose to look like shrimps (prawns). Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

In tropical rainforest - always wet and humid. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

Some flowers have blossomed some ain't. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

This fruit contains cocoa - the main ingredient for chocolate. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

The colour of this flower is vividly purple - some say it is blue. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

The small unripened nuts of this tree are coffee beans. Located in the Manoa Botanical Gardens, Honolulu

Diamond Head and parts of Honolulu from the scenic lookout at Tantalus Round Top

The suburbs of Manoa and Rainbow Valley (no rainbows during our visit) from the scenic lookout at Tantalus Round Top

Waikiki from the scenic lookout at Tantalus Round Top

This is the location where Elvis Presley did a scene in Blue Hawaii. At the Tantalus Round Top lookout.

Our last dancing experience in Hawaii. At the Ala Wai Palladium Golf Club. The concertina doors have been opened showing the huge extent of the dance floor.

This morning we visited Walmart in Honolulu and finished buying gifts for friends in Australia. Had lunch in the Ala Moana Mall and then at 1 pm began our cultural tour of the local botanical gardens in the jungle. It was not far from Waikiki and it was so peaceful. It always rains here and with rich volcanic soils and tropical temperature is a haven for anything that grows. It is a huge garden with many steep trails however our guide Greg showed us the most interesting plants that abound. From the garden we visited the Tantalus Round Top lookout which gives a commanding view of Honolulu and Waikiki. Also it is the best vantage point to see a rainbow that develops when the mist rolls over the mountains in the back. Sadly this did not happen for us. We returned to Waikiki and had our last dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and then went to a social dance at the Ala Wai Golf Club. The dancing club used the two floors allowing the full extent of the building. Boy it is long. It is difficult to complete one lap for a sequence dance to a 2.5 minute song. Well this is it for our holiday to the USA. We leave on the 1235 hour flight back to Sydney tomorrow and this will be the last post whilst we are in the USA. We will enter a brief burst for days 62 and 63 (remembering Sydney is 17 hours ahead of Honolulu) on our return. So......that's all folks and looking forward in meeting our friends back in OZ very soon. Cheers.