Barefoot Fun & Games

I never really understood the need to post a sign outside a store saying No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service. Surely that’s obvious? Apparently not. Not here anyway. Although it seems that where those signs might actually be useful, they absurdly don’t seem to mind. In Hawaii, sunbathers and surfers alike have no qualms whatsoever in wandering round a store half naked and barefoot. And nobody bats an eyelid. Except me of course, I did a few double takes.

I wouldn’t mind except for when I tried my luck with my own quick purchase straight off the beach. Fully clothed I might add and definitely with sandals on (I’m not one to get far barefoot). It was an impromptu trip to the supermarket as we’d only taken a meagre supply of cold beer down to the beach and needed top ups.

Long story short, I got ID’d. And obviously coming straight off the beach, I had no ID with me. No ID, no service.

I don’t want to say I pleaded (but I kind of did). Oh the irony that the shoeless people in front of me could buy what they wanted. Me, not so much. As a last resort, I blurted “But I’m nearly 50”.

With hindsight, I’m fully aware that in this scenario whether I’m 49 or 50 is not particularly relevant to my ability to purchase a couple of beers; nor is it likely to change the cashier’s decision. But it felt important to let her know just how wrong she was. 21 to ‘nearly 50’ is a lot of years. And don’t get me started on over 100% wrong. In my desperate, forlorn state, it was worth a shot. Still… you can guess the outcome. Tail between my legs, I retreated to the beach empty handed, much to Darren’s disappointment.

Pleased to see me before he realized I was empty handed.
Better eke that can out Darren.

Barefoot on the sand.
Although I may have been the only person at the beach with a coat on.

Even without beer, you can’t escape the beauty of our very own Three Tables Beach

Not sure she was expecting that incoming wave to come up quite so far

When we weren’t drinking beer on the beach, we managed to fit in some other fun and games including casino games in the olympic kingsway casinos and others. Kayaking over a mile out to an ocean sand bank in Kaneohe Bay was a real treat. Not only did we have the odd turtle pop up to say hello, but the color of the water was what tropical island aqua marine dreams are made of.

And Darren did some diving. Words cannot do it justice, just take a look at the pictures his dive leader snapped instead.

Yes, I’m quite well aware of the vast difference between my kayaking turtle shot and these. If I didn’t have feelings of inadequacy before, I certainly do now.

Not to be outdone, I took myself off for a run around the beaches of Honolulu. Can’t compete with Darren’s dive but hey, beggars and choosers and all that, and not such a bad view after all.