10 Mar 2019 – Aloha
Fri: away for less than a month, no need to cover things but painted the bathroom floor and that should be good&dry when I get back. Hope that the old cracked duck-taped suitcase with a cover will survive this journey from SIN-PVG-HNL-ITO-HNL-PVG-SIN. (SIN-HNL-SIN-US$736/S$1,000, HNL-ITO-HNL-US$158/S$215) Had to pay S$60 extra charges due to error in name on ticket!
Sat: T3 SIN-PVG on ChinaEastern flying time nearly 5hrs arr into T1 dark&wet 0400hrs. There is even a BreadTalk here in this airport@T2. Had plenty of time to get to know this airport before catching the Metro into LongYang St (CNY6/S$1.25 app 35mins with one change).
Had a wonderful day thanks to Christopher for taking&showing me KerryParkside, a mall with some tasteful decorated shops and a hotel.
Also a good day to be indoors – did not have any clothing for the rains&cold weather. Looks like a bakery here is ready for Easter!
The world’s fastest train, Maglev running at 430kmph (267mph) took about 8mins for 30k from town to the airport, (CNY40/S$8 OW). The last time here and on this train was May2009.
https://amylamsg.com/2009/05/30/shanghai/
Driving the train doesn’t set its course. The real job is laying the track – Ed Catmull
Perfect timing to collect my backpack@the left luggage (CNY30/S$6), PVG-HNL flight (8+hrs) dep on schedule arr into HNL ahead of schedule@0800hrs and check-in bag was already waiting for me. Aloha from where a beautiful rainbow welcomed me. Tkx to David&Huang for meeting me@the airport.
Small chicken taco+Mexican coleslaw lunch in town before heading to Wilki&Patti
Kaneohe – Wilki has green thumbs, his garden is lush&green and this is in the area&surroundings where the movie JurassicPark was filmed. The amazing yellow flowering tree is a Saraca asoca tree, also know as Sorrowless tree. It is believed Shakyamuni Buddha was born under an ashoka tree in Lumbini Garden. In Hinduism the ashoka is considered a sacred tree
Picked up Thai-food for dinner back@David’s in Manoa. 1st time tasting these CocoPuffs from Liliha Bakery – little cream puff shells with a creamy chocolate filling and topped with buttery macadamia nut Chantilly frosting are just heavenly. The original recipe is a highly-guarded secret. Tkx to Wilki for bringing dessert. Crashed by 2300hrs after hardly any sleep on both flights.
Sun: slept thru’ 8hrs last night which was needed and welcomed. ManoaLibrary for a book sale.
Farmers’ Market and was introduced to Kukui nuts (candle-nuts) and purple Anthuriums which I have never seen and had to get a bunch for US$3/S$4.10.
A walk in the ManoaValley neighbourhood to check out these stunning trees.
Cannot get enough of these roots of this tree which is also my landmark to find the way to David’s.
In the garden, the yellow Hibiscus are soon fading; the Avocado tree+fruits are still going strong that even the birds know where to find them! Some for my daily breakfast and they are good.
Bougainvilleas&Waterlily are doing OK in this garden, but seems like end of the season for this Plumeria/Frangipani@the neighbour’s garden. Strangely enough, here in HI, so far what I have seen, these plants usually are either full of leafs without flowers or full of flowers without leafs?
Edited 26Apr: fascinating to learn that Plumeria/Frangipani is in the tomb plant family (Apocynaceae)!!!
In my SIN childhood days, it was known as 死人花=dead people flower, probably because they grow abundantly&easily, and thus the usual flower used for funeral wreaths then. Grandfather’s 1950 funeral@5Temenggong Rd