Day 3: Birthday Beach Bash

Well Happy Birthday @Ian - a grand celebration and the reason we are here! Definitely worth it to soak up the sun and sand and to share the day with such a fabulous #Squad.

Eating - Round 1 - Breakfast

Had the blinds pulled and the air-conditioning on and it was the message at 9.30 from @Mindy that read "We're on our way" that was the impetus to tumble out of bed. 

The room was covered with layers of clothing from last night's drenching so did have to shove the "unmentionables" out of sight before donning the #Squad shirts- we are now "official!

Did the official present handover for the Birthday Boy and shared the stash of Aussie goodies - Chicken Twisties were inhaled and Cherry Ripes sampled. Big hits all round.

Breakfast was just downstairs at Cinnamon's and did include a Belinni, Bailey's, coffee hits and a smoothie as well as breakfast usuals AND a pancake stack. Thankfully no SPAM on the menu for us - still finding it hard to believe it is "iconic" Hawaiin fare right up there with leis, pineapples and ukuleles.Sure we will indulge eventually.

Eating - Round 2 - Grazing Lunch

Loaded up our gear and headed to Ala Moana Park and the lagoon for a beachside play. It was all beautifully set up with tents, tables, cushions, games, food and drinks AND we were all presented with our fresh flower lei!

The hours just disappeared - whether it was floating in the lagoon with the turtles, corn hole toss challenges on the sand (with very precise rules), or just eating and drinking in the shade of the tents, the laughs and stories just kept rolling on. 

Might need to make a mental note to self that warm wine, sipped surreptiously from a water bottle, in extremely warm conditions seems to speed up the effects of alcohol.

And @Mac should note that cushion surfing on the sand might lead to glasses leaping unnoticed out of your pocket. 

They weren't missed until we were home and they couldn't be found to use to see the door lock to punch in the numbers. @Mindy saved the day again and luckily the hostess had located them in the pack up. Had to jump through some hoops to retrieve them - but he is reunited.

Eating - Round 3 - Dinner

We only had a 45 minute turnaround between leaving the beach and meeting at Dukes for dinner. We were close to on time - admittedly, the last to arrive.

Dukes is "beachfront", is massive and was lively. Probably needed some fine tuning of the hearing aids to catch all of the conversation but got the drinks and food orders sorted and then caught up on loads of uncensored stories and "gossip" from "life in Whistler." Only had to trade a few embarrassing childhood stories about @Mindy in return. 

Had the second round of birthday cake and another rendition of the birthday song. Only the cake this time was a @Dukes special of icecream, macadamias, chocolate fudge, cream and Oreos. It was served in a chunk, literally a mound of icecream cake,  and it was all forks in and every man for himself.

The young ones are out partying and no doubt drinking and dancing on tables!

We opted for a walk home and some balcony time. Got live music in the courtyard below, great vista of the marina and hints of an ocean  Got our Hilo bus cards on the walk home and @Mac is busy prepping our timetable options. Think it will be an early night.

Step count: 18 546 (one new blister)

Weather: 30 -25