2016 – Circling the World: Stops in Sydney and Oahu

Amy: An early morning flight whisked us from Christchurch, New Zealand back to Australia. The first time we visited the “land down under” we were not able to make it to Sydney, but we didn’t want to miss out on the iconic city. As most flights back to the United States go through Australia, we took the opportunity to visit for a few days.

We landed just in time to grab our bags, hop a taxi into the city, and find a place to watch the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. We spent an exciting Monday morning cheering on the Broncos with some tasty wings. By the end of the game we were wiped out and hiked through the city to the East Sydney Hotel for a nap.

We awoke feeling excited by the Super Bowl win and for our upcoming dinner with some friends we met during our trip to Vietnam. We splurged on some fun cocktails and dinner with Jan and Harry, a brother and sister, who we met during our Halong Bay cruise. This was the first “second meeting” with some fellow travelers while on our adventure.

Jon and I enjoy exploring urban and natural landscapes with our feet. Not only is it great exercise, but you can experience so much with no cost. Perfect for budget travelers! We spent the next two days crisscrossing the vibrant city. From the centerpiece of the city with the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, then on to the beautiful parks and the city which displayed a mix of modern and classic architecture.

Other highlights included watching flocks of stunning (and loud) cockatoos fly through the skies, hiking across the Harbor Bridge, and visiting the lively fish market. We enjoyed getting a taste of the city, which made our visit to Australia complete.

Phase One of our journey with stops around the world was coming to a close. Before we had departed, we found an amazing deal on a little condo outside of Breckenridge. For Phase Two, we would head back to Colorado for some skiing during the month of March. Heading back to the US left us with a mixture of excitement and sadness. However, a stopover in Hawaii kept our spirits high.

Trying to keep the budget on track, we focused our four-day Hawaii visit on the island of Oahu. We booked a room at the most affordable place we could find, the Waikiki Beachside Hostel. The location was perfect, but the room was probably the worst of any during our travels. The shared living/kitchen area was also used as a bedroom for other visitors and housed a few messy men. It felt pretty awkward, but at least our roomies were friendly. Oh well…we didn’t plan to spend much time in the room anyway.

After spending a day on Waikiki Beach, we noted one way we had changed in our travels. The crowded beach may have bothered us previously. Throughout our travels, we both adjusted to being in busy places and surrounded by people and enjoyed the lively buzz and sights.

When we visited Oahu in 2007, we didn’t make it up the North Shore or to Pearl Harbor, so these were our objectives for this visit. The energetic driver of the Surf Bus provided narration on our trip to the North Shore. We visited the famous beaches and huge surf breaks along the shore. We then opted for some snorkeling in The Shark Cove. Due to the large surf we didn’t know if snorkeling would be possible as the waves had been crashing over the natural break wall. The waves had subsided enough to take a crack at viewing some Hawaiian fish.

The cove was placid for a short time and we were able to spot some aquatic life. That was until the waves picked up and came rushing into the cove. We both tumbled in the rolling waters and after a few bumps and scratches on the rocks and coral we headed to shore to enjoy some spicy shrimp from the North Shore Shrimp Truck. We wrapped up the day with our first attempt at SUP (stand up paddle boarding) along a river near the town of Haleiwa. Despite both falling off in the wavy bay outside of the river, we had a blast and will plan another SUP adventure soon.

We wrapped up our visit with a day at Pearl Harbor and the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. We were moved by the educational and emotional museums and films, along with a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. Tours of the USS Missouri, where the Japanese officially surrendered to end World War II, and a tour of the submarine USS Bowfin rounded out our day.

The Pearl Harbor visit was a perfect way to finish our trip around the world. We felt much more connected to countries that used to seem far away and distant. The need to learn about different places, embrace diverse thinking, and value other cultures continued to hit home. This felt especially true as we watched the results of the presidential primaries and caucuses unfold. We were a bit jarred as the media hit us full force with our return to the States.

We were mostly well received as Americans during our travels. We did get a number of questions about the limited amount of  “holiday” time provided in the US, our approaches to healthcare, and what in the world was happening with the election. Since I value many different points of view, I try to express my thoughts diplomatically and with balance. However, I must say that this election will be very important for how the world views the United States. Bigotry, sexism, discrimination, fear, bullying, and intolerance for difference cannot be the trademarks of our leaders. This certainly rang true as we toured the World War II monuments and museums.

After one last walk on the stunning beach, we boarded the plane to head back to the mainland. Wrapping up our final ‘round the world’ flight, we arrived early in the morning to the cold, blustery land of Minnesota. The freezing temperatures and snow were a bit of a shock. Phase Two had officially commenced! We would spend a short time in Minnesota visiting family and friends before a drive out to Colorado. We will share more in an upcoming post about our next steps and also more about what we learned and how we changed from Phase One.

(Dates: February 8-15, 2016)