Day 5 – Monday
Sunrise
My last day and I still hadn’t adjusted to the time, so I was up well before the sun rose. I was a little sad that it was my last day here, so it was a nice pick-me-up to start the day with a gorgeous sunset and get ready to enjoy a leisurely final day instead of being bummed out.
Lunch at Eggs n’ Things
I intended to just grab a quick breakfast from the hotel’s coffee shop, but I was starving and needed something substantial, so I started walking down the street until I found a breakfast spot that had a long line — I figured it had to be good!
They’ve got the running of Eggs n’ Things down to a science. You arrive, go get a menu from the attendant (preferably one in English, not in Japanese, like the one I got) and stand in line while you make a decision on what to order, then order and pay before you even enter the restaurant. Luckily, I could look at the menu in English on my phone, so by the time I got to the attendant stand, I was ready to go.
The wait was maybe 15-20 minutes to get in. Not bad, considering how tiny the place it. It looked like it would hold maybe 40 people max.
Once seated, it wasn’t long before my food showed up: iced coffee, spam, eggs, rice and a stack of pancakes. All of that only cost about $11, with free refills on the coffee too. They also brought out three different syrups: Maple, Guava and Coconut. The coconut syrup was by far the yummiest and I drowned my pancaked in it after an initial taste. The maple syrup was good as well. The guava syrup was… interesting. I don’t really know how to describe that one except it tasted very much like candy.
The pancakes themselves were probably the best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life! Light, fluffy, delicious! Days later, I was still thinking about those pancakes. And, of course, I had to get spam while I was in Hawaii, so I ordered that too. I hadn’t had it in years, but I was happy to find out that I still like it.
I loved Eggs n’ Things and would come back on another visit. I’m pretty sure I’ve said that about every restaurant I’ve visited on Oahu, but they were seriously all SO good.
Honolulu Zoo
This zoo was right across the street from my hotel, and I felt like I just had to pop in before I left. I honestly didn’t think I’d be there for more than an hour or so but ended up staying about two and a half hours because it was just such a peaceful spot to hang out for a while.
I happened to stop in around feeding time for a lot of the animals, so even though it was midday, many of the larger animals were out because of the food. I was able to see lemurs, a variety of monkeys, giraffes, elephants, rhinos and a variety of birds I’ve never heard of.
I also was nearly scared to death by a peacock! He was just minding his own business hanging out under a tree, but I wasn’t expecting any animal that large to just be out an about here. Apparently, they just roam around in this area, but they’re not a zoo attraction.
There’s also a lovely Volunteer Garden in the middle of the zoo that featured many lovely plants, sculptures, and water features. I spent a decent amount of time there just watching the birds play in the water and people walking by.
I enjoyed the fact that more so than most zoos, this zoo tried to replicate the animals’ natural habitats as well as had a lot of greenery along the walking areas just for visitors to enjoy. I don’t know if I’d say this is a “must see” attraction, but if you’re in the area and looking for a peaceful retreat to spend a couple of hours in, the Honolulu zoo is a good option.
Honolulu Airport
I must not have really been paying attention when I arrived, but this airport is a ghetto hot mess. It’s small. It’s dark. It’s depressing. And the gate numbers are printed on computer paper and taped over the boarding entrance!
But somehow this halfway rundown airport has a beautiful Japanese cultural garden in the middle of it and an upscale area of shops and restaurants in one specific section of the airport. It’s so strange. Why not just fix up the entire airport? Or at least get permanent directional signs?! Anyway, the people I interacted with at the restaurant I ate in and at the gate were friendly, so at least the people that work there aren’t too depressed by their surroundings.
Stuff I wished I’d had time for…
If I’d had a few more days on Oahu, I would have definitely spend them on a Pearl Harbor tour, hiking Manoa Falls, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, spending a full day exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center and getting a surf lesson. I guess that just means I’ll have to go back!
