CAAAW, CAAAW, CAAAW - We awoke this morning, at 6:30, to the deafening sound of seagulls screeching. I would love to think of this as comforting, but unlike the soft cooing of the mourning doves we are used to in Hawaii, these birds just sounded raucous and annoying.

By 9 am they had commenced with road work right outside our building, the inside of which BTW is quite lovely. Complete with jack hammers, loud thumps and loud conversation, competing with the seagulls.

As the jack hammer started once again, right outside our window, Chelsea gave me a wry look, “this town has no chill,” she said.

Between the loud, sing-along karaoke last night (and again tonight), that finally gave up after 11 PM, and now this this morning.

I can only imagine what it will be like with 500,000 people this weekend, partying… large crowds are my worst nightmare.

Today we have what is known on the Camino, and other long distance hikes, as a zero day. When your mind and/or body have hit the wall…everyone just needs to go to their corners with a book or their phone and chill. We are preparing for re-entry into our normal lives.

The chilling was done in between various shopping excursions though. During the first, I told them to leave me at a bookstore on a very busy street and to pick me up on the way back…I, of course, got done sooner than expected.

“I’ll just head down to the beach and make the birthday video for Aunty Mary.” I texted Chelsea. “Meet you back at the house.”

I set off confidently, sure that I knew the way…after a while though I was going uphill…hmm, surely this can’t be right, it’s always downhill to the beach. I made two more turns and walked another half mile before I texted Chelsea, “I’m a little bit lost, I think.”

“Use google maps on your phone Mom.” I could hear her eyes rolling…

Duh! When I’m in overwhelm I tend to shut down and forget the obvious…luckily I was only a 4 minute walk away from the apartment (but had been walking in the opposite direction), so I aborted the beach mission for the moment.

All of a sudden the background serenade of seagulls and jackhammers didn’t sound so bad.

Mid afternoon, we decided to head down to the beach for a quick swim and an ice cream… The weather today was Hawaii worthy, sunny and very warm… But the ocean was still pretty damn cold.

Lylah was the only one brave enough to completely dunk. 😁

We joined many people on the crowded beach, and I finally got to do my birthday video for my Aunty Mary who turns 90 on Thursday.

We finished with a bang tonight. Hands down, the best fish and chips we have had yet. And then an amazing sticky toffee pudding for dessert… We dove on it and totally forgot to take a picture😂😂😂

Oh my goodness… and one last laugh as I’m signing off, the karaoke across the street they’re singing It’s Raining Men…😂😂😂

Thank you all for joining us on our trip.