accessibility.com.au - Travelling Beyond The Front Gate By Matt Laffan

HAWAII

People familiar with my background will appreciate that I grew up as a lad with the sea, sand and sun on the Far North Coast of New South Wales in Coffs Harbour. Nevertheless my access to those wonderful ingredients was never easy and as I got older the ability to enjoy the coastal life was not one that I was able to exploit to the full. However one never loses the taste for being in the ocean and feeling the sun on one’s back even if it is years in between dips.

It so happened that come early September 2007 I was looking for a bit of a circuit breaker and an escape somewhere nice to recharge my batteries and renew my hunger for the great things about life. Fortunately my great mate Brett was in a similar mood and we discussed our options late into the night one evening over a glass of wine as the remnants of the dinner party we had enjoyed settled in our full bellies. At the time the other guests had left and Brett’s wife, Bianca, was curled up asleep in the apartment while we two fellows conjured up a plan for a therapeutic sojourn and our minds turned to Hawaii. 

Brett loves the surf, I was keen to go somewhere warm where I could swim and both of us were keen to leave Australian shores and try somewhere overseas. It struck me that Hawaii was the perfect playground for our desires and so a plan was hatched. Within a few weeks Brett, Bianca, myself and a carer were aboard a Qantas flight headed for Honolulu in search of the perfect ten day escape!

When I organised the package for us I spoke to Adam at Flightcentre in at the World Square and I gave him some simple but important requests: The hotel had to be on the beach and have beach views and we wanted a competitive package. Adam came up with the goods when he booked us into The Resort Quest Waikiki Beach Hotel as you can see from the photos taken from our balcony.

On this particular trip I did not request an accessible room. I did this because the carer travelling with me was able to do the job with my showering without the need for the bathroom to be accessible. With this in mind I wanted to avoid an accessible room because more often than not they are not the best rooms in a hotel and the plan was to have a great room for our break. And that it was. However, if the superb access around the hotel is anything to go by I think the hotel’s accessible room would have been adequate.

 Before leaving I did some research on transport and I was relieved to find both an accessible taxi company (see below) and a company dedicated to looking after the needs of travellers with disabilities to Hawaii, Access Aloha Travel, (see below). Therefore, I was able to organise an accessible taxi to meet us at the airport upon arrival and then ensure we had a wonderful accessible vehicle for our hire for the last three days in town.

Both these things made life a transport breeze. The van was especially good because I was able to prearrange for the front passengers seat to be removed so that I could sit in the front while Brett and Bianca sat in the back. The view for me was among the best I have ever enjoyed in a vehicle as it allowed me an unimpeded view as we explored the island.

Although I did not take advantage of them I hasten to add that the bus service in Honolulu was also accessible with every bus that I saw proudly bearing the international wheelchair accessible symbol.

Our digs at the Resort Quest Waikiki Beach Hotel were simply terrific as it is located on the most scenic end of Waikiki, directly across the street from the beach. Only a few hundred meters or so down the footpath there were two lagoons which were perfect for my swimming needs. The water was warm and protected from the waves by a stone wall. During the peak season the lagoons are packed with people, many of whom are lounging about on lie lows beneath the blue skies, but as we were there just at the end of the peak period there was plenty of room to move.

Almost immediately upon wandering down the street I was struck by the number of people using mobility devices around Waikiki. A large number of people riding scooters made their way up and down the pathways though the majority of the riders gave me the impression that they could walk they just could not be bothered too. However, there were a few wheelchairs around as well and that was as clear an indication I needed to know that this holiday destination was going to be easily accessible.

One of the advantages of not being a tall person means that my carer’s find it easy to move me around. And so it was that I was able to be transported out of my chair and to the sand thanks to my muscle bound assistant! This allowed me to while away the hours on the sand in between swims and it was just liberating to relax and indulge in this fashion for the first time in over twenty five years.

For the first five days or so much of our time was taken up by relaxing by or in the water during the day in Waikiki and trying out various drinking venues and eateries at night.

Although it was not easy in Hawaii to get a reasonably priced healthy meal. It is the American way to deep fry, sugar-coat or soak in processed cheese whatever it is that that makes up the main dish. By way of example, the first meal we had included shrimp fried in coconut! It was terribly rich and tasted more like a bounty chocolate than seafood so it was largely left uneaten.

The best value for money fresh food we came across was at the California Pizza Kitchen (see below). The ingredients were always fresh, you could get lovely salads and the prices were reasonable. The fact that the staff were enthusiastic, warm and full of that North American hospitality-service vitality meant we called it home for quite a few nights in a row.

Although for good authentic American style cooking we really did enjoy the spare ribs at Tony Roma’s!!

Once we had really submerged ourselves in the relaxing ways of the Waikiki Beach lifestyle it was time to explore the island a little and it was great fun.

We went cruising around to a few of the famous spots including Laniakea Beach, Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay on the North Shore. And they were simply stunning.

The drive to the various places provided an opportunity to see how diverse the landscape is upon the old volcanic sites. On one half of the island the terrain was very dry and sparse while in other areas it was extremely green and full of tree cover. And the coast was simply breath taking.

Laniakea beach or Lani’s is also referred to as “Turtle beach” because this natural sanctuary attracts so many of the endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle or “Honu”.

Toward the right hand side of the beach is a small cove in which the turtles make their way in to the shore through the channel assisted by the natural cover of boulders and the coral reef which act as a rocky deterrent to its natural predator, tiger sharks.

Although these turtles are very friendly and let you swim and visit with them on the beach it is essential to remember it is their home and to keep a safe, friendly distance from them. 

It is only since 2000 that the turtles have been regular visitors to the beach, basking on the sand and enjoying the warm sun, and their arrival is most likely due to the abundance of limu (seaweed) growing on the rocks which they feed upon.

In most parts of the world, sea turtles are shy, elusive creatures because of the way in which mankind has hunted them. In Hawaii, however, this has been changing for several years and the Hawaiian green turtles have become more and more accustomed to seeing humans that won't harm them. 

I am not a strong swimmer and I require someone to support me in the water so I thought that my use of inflatable rings might offer me some floatation and independence in the open water and my companions a bit of freedom too as we enjoyed the sea. The fluorescent green devices proved just the thing as I used one under each arm as I took to the water to be at one with the turtles! It was a magic feeling to be floating there in the sea water with wildlife going about its natural business only a few strokes away and it proved to be one of the holiday highlights for our party.

By way of interest the local guide information notes the following:

• the Green Turtle is protected as a Threatened Species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and wildlife laws of the State of Hawaii. Please treat them with respect and do not feed, touch, crowd or tease them.
• can reach a shell length of 40" and weigh up to 400 pounds
• lives to be an estimated 60-70 years old
• can swim in short bursts up to 20 mph
• feeds primarily on seaweed and sea grass
• has no teeth, but has a serrated jaw that can inflict a serious bite
• can eat and swallow only while under water
• has excellent underwater vision
• can hear low frequency sounds but has no external openings to the ears
• has counter shaded colouration, dark on top and light on the bottom, providing some camouflage in the ocean
• has thick tears that rid its body of excess salt and help to clean its eyes
• is not green on the outside but gets its name from the colour of the internal body fat
• has thin plates of keratin forming the outer layer of the shell while underneath are bones, cartilage and tissue
• giving the shell its strength
• is mainly preyed upon by large tiger sharks
• is sexually mature at 25-35 years of age.
• when mature, the male can be distinguished from the female by its much longer and thicker tail
• crawls ashore to warm its body (to bask), usually for several hours
• returns to nest and reproduce at the same general area where it was born
• migrates over 1000 miles roundtrip from Laniakea to French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to mate and nest
• does not nest at Laniakea Beach

While driving from either direction on Kamehameha Highway the view is typically residential housing, trees, and rock walls along the ocean coast. You will know you are at Sunset beach because the view opens up to the pacific blue ocean with a sidewalk and Canary Island Date Palm trees bordering the highway. Parking spots also run perpendicular to the highway on the coast side which usually creates slower traffic while drivers park/leave the beach, parking is also found on the mountain side of the highway where the bathrooms and showers are located.

Hawaii's Sunset beach on the North Shore of Oahu is as beautiful as it is famous. Its golden sand, swaying palms, and warm waters are a Hawaiian cliché although we did not venture into the sea on our visit there. We chatted to the lifeguards, which every visitor should do, and they warned of some dangerous currents running out there so we drove on to another spot, Waimea Bay.

We parked at Waimea Bay which is encompassed by the Waimea Bay Beach Park situated at the mouth of Waimea valley.

The local guides suggest that the hills on either side of the bay are good spots for whale watching during the heavy migratory months of January through to March and for big wave watching during the Hawaiian winter surf season.

This pleasant and popular family beach offers grassy picnic areas, showers, restrooms, and even an on-duty lifeguard. You can also view a memorial to big wave rider legend Eddie Aikau.

I did not take to the waves out there but after rescuing my floatation devices from Brett and Bianca I did get out into the water and observe the beauty of the place from the water. It was clean, clear water with a gorgeous aqua colour and the beach had beautiful sand.

However we would not have been out there in winter when Waimea Bay hosts the largest and most dangerous and rideable surf in the world. We have all seen footage of the spectacular waves that rise up on that coastline at peak surf season and there is no doubt that it would be something fantastic to watch live but safely from the shore.

So unless you are a professional surfer and you are there after September you’ll find yourself taking pictures rather than taking a dip but even the best of us can enjoy relaxing on the beach there with nothing much to do but enjoy the view!

Apart from driving around the island it struck me after my Darwin experience (see mattlaffan.com.au/travelling_darwin.html) that a helicopter ride would also provide a perfect opportunity to regard the island as a whole. So I booked a scenic hour long trip with Makani Kai Helicopters (see below).  It was well worth the effort as it allowed me a fulsome appreciation of how the landscape has been dominated by the now dormant forces of the volcanoes. Just a warning, if you have a mobility disability, like me, you cannot travel on your own for safety reasons and you will need to do so with an able bodied companion. Fortunately Bianca was up or the experience with me and we really enjoyed the trip and view that it gave us.

Accommodation:

ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel
Island of Oahu
2570 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815   

Transport:

Accessible Taxi (best to book 24 hours in advance)
Hours of Operation: 7 days a week – 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Reservation: Call: (808) 422-2222 
http://www.thecabhawaii.com/accessible

Access Aloha Travel for all your Access Needs
http://www.accessalohatravel.com
Access Aloha Travel | 94-813 Leomana Way | Waipuahu, HI 96797
Local: (808) 545-1143 | Toll Free: (800) 480-1143 | info@accessalohatravel.com

Makani Kai Helicopters
110 Kapalulu Place Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
(808) 834-5813
info@makanikai.com
http://www.makanikai.com/index.htm

Wining and Dining:

California Pizza Kitchen
2284 Kalakaua Ave, Space E, Honolulu, HI 96815

Tony Roma’s
1972 Kalakaua Ave Honolulu
Phone. (808) 942-2121

Royal Hawaiian Hotel:
2259 Kalakaua Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 923-7311
Offering a breathtaking view of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head is the Mai Tai Bar on the beach. A perfect place for cocktails and the sunset.

Moana Surf-rider Hotel, a Westin Resort
2365 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Phone: (808) 922-3111
Drinks at sunset under the banyan tree overlooking Waikiki beach is a must and the cocktails are reasonably priced!

back to the top of the page

back to Matt's accessibility.com.au articles