Around the world in 80 days (-5)

After travelling approximately 47,000km/29,100 miles we are finally heading home. We have had an absolutely wonderful time travelling. We want to thank our wonderful son, our family and friends for staying in touch with us while we travel. We also want to thank our great friends for sharing some of our travelling with us.

We have really valued your contact with us through many emails, good wishes and comments about our blog (there have been 9,000+ visits and 10,000+ page views to MandM Travels which has been very exciting). Skype has also been fantastic and makes being apart just a little easier! We look forward to seeing you all soon.

To travellers we don’t know who have read this blog, we wish you well for your travels.

So, who are MandM? For those who don't know us.........We are two 50+ year old Melbournians on extended long service leave.

Good bye & Good Luck!

Marg & Matt

This blog is for the girls and most probably NOT the guys! The stars have aligned to make shopping in Hawaii more affordable than ever. The Aussie dollar has stayed strong against the US dollar and so shopping trips to outlets, high end stores and great finds like ROSS are a must do. American brand clothes, shoes, bags and makeup are much cheaper here than in Australia and so despite not really needing anything, women can be seen scurrying around with full hands carrying all types of bags from a variety of stores. When they return to home base they rush to their partners feeling victorious, ready to show off their purchases and underquote the amount they spent.
While the Australian economy is strong and the US economy is weak, we MUST do our bit to help! (Mr Obama thanks you!)

Today we hit the road to explore the whole island as M again tested his driving skills on the other side of the road. The island is not that large and takes about 3 hours to circumnavigate. Of course, there are amazing scenic views along the way and so lots of great photos to take. We experienced every season in one day. Warm sunshine in the south, heavy rain on the east coast, a colder north coast and heavy cloud cover over much of the island. Today was the first day of great swells for surfers. There were huge waves the size of which i had never seen before. The geography of the island is amazing and you can see why the movie Jurassic Park and TV show Lost were filmed here. Dense tropical forests, volcanic rocks, steep mountains, craters, cliffs and amazing shorelines. The flora is also lush and beautiful. Waimea Bay Beach was a highlight of the day. It is an amazing surf beach that holds a top surf competition only when the swells hit 25 feet+. When you get there you are amazed at how the force of the sea has sculptured the sand/shoreline to have such a steep drop into the sea. Driving around the island was great and one of the best ways to see everything. We all had a great day!

Here we are in Wakiki, Hawaii- our last stop before we go home. One of the nicest things about being here is that we are again fortunate to be with great friends sharing good times as we relax, unwind and enjoy this tropical idyll. Blue skies, palm trees and a very relaxed lifestyle greet you here. Time in the sun and beautiful vistas of the beach are a part of holidaying here.

Like surfboards and barrels, the sweet tropical pineapple seems to be a symbol of Hawaii. It is a fabulous, gorgeous looking and tasting fruit. It features on furniture, clothing, cutlery and carvings amongst other things. There are huge plantations here in Hawaii. (You can visit the Dole Plantation) The weather for growing it is just right. It is a versatile fruit-hot, cold, cooked and raw. As Andrew has often said: "Everyone needs a pineapple".