Since I had an evening flight, I had essentially a full day to dedicate before heading to the airport.
Since the last night of my stay was using the Fine Hotels & Resorts Credit from my American Express Platinum, I got free breakfast. I ordered pink pancakes. They were piquant.
I then headed for a hike. Diamond Head is a volcanic summit near Waikiki. It is a fairly easy hike, with the sun being the only challenge. As a result, it is recommended to do it in the morning. I stopped along the way to take a few snaps.
Here, you can see the interior of the cone.
I had almost reached the top, but had to take a picture of the blue water on a sunny day.
Finally, I had reached the top. The view is the classic one sees when seeing images of Honolulu: Waikiki Beach with all its hotels. Unfortunately, the image is a concrete jungle with a sliver of beach. The relatively untouched area in the foreground is more beautiful.
Now, it was time to head back down. In a way, going down is not more difficult than going up but trickier, because of the stress on the knees.
One last picture before heading back to civilization. The trees are lovely, with a volcano in the background.
I had to have one last meal before going, so I stopped by Rainbow Drive-In, a place lauded by locals. I went to the Kapahulu location, a short walk from Waikiki. I ordered the class mixed plate: beef, chicken, and mahi mahi, all over rice and macaroni salad. It was ambrosial, and filling. I need not eat on the flight home now.
That was the end of my jaunt in Honolulu. Perhaps one day I will return to Hawaii, but I would go to another island as I had gotten my feet wet in the capital and gotten a taste for the culture and vibe.