Kona day 1, 12 days till the big dance
Well of course my first photo on day 1 had to involve food!
Awake at 3.30 (14.30 UK) but after a drink of water was straight back to sleep until 6.45! Not bad for my first day settling in.
Dan (who I met yesterday at the airport) texted asking if I’d like a lift down to the pier for a swim so he picked me up on route down and we headed down. He said it was surprisingly busy as usually still quiet 12 days out. Jumping in I was elated to feel the warmth of the sea. Gorgeous temperature. We swam for about 30 minutes, I managed to stay within sighting distance of Dan and we stopped to regroup at a buoy about 15 minutes out (I was just swimming for 30 minutes today).
As we were chatting about dolphins within minutes a shoal of them popped up in front of us 🐬🐬🐬. My highlight of the day. It felt magical being there. On the return I heard someone shout so stopped to look up and a woman said “hey did you just see the dolphins nearby“ and I said yes aren‘t they amazing and then carried on my way. I didn’t realise until I got back to shore that in fact it was my friend Tanja Slater and she‘d actually called my name. I blamed the ear plugs which I have to use when I swim. Chatted to Tanja for a bit and Stuart Anderson from Team Freespeed then headed to Lava Java for breakfast with Dan.
Ate a huge omelette with potatoes and bacon on the side then Dan spotted Triathlon Taren. Photo opportunity. Didn’t dare interrupt Lucy Charles on her run for a photo as she passed by 😂
Back to my condo, quick change as was getting a lift to the supermarket to stock up. Then another quick changeover as was then getting a lift to Bike Headworks for a quick check on my front cassette, rode back to my condo being super alert as I’ve been told that the roads around here and down onto Ali’i drive get a little chaotic.
Hadn‘t had lunch so ate at 4.30 which ended up being lunch/supper, then pottered in my condo and watched the sunset which despite being cloudy was atmospheric and ended my first day also chatting to my daughter Ella with a lot of joy.
Bed as it’s somehow already 10pm! Tomorrow is a brick day.