We were the only people waiting for the place to open at 6. Fung was sitting at one of the outside tables with the newspaper, and I was resting next to my three-speed 1954 English bicycle.

We had never met, but he looked up from his paper and asked where I came from. I said near downtown, then asked where he was from.

That started a wonderful conversation that turned into an inspirational story.

As we talked that morning, I learned that Fung catches the bus near his condominium at the Banyan at Beretania and Punahou, usually on Saturdays, and takes it to McDonald's at 'Aina Haina — and then walks back.

In the course of learning about his walking routine, I revealed that I am 66 and he told me he is 80.

My initial reaction was disbelief. Fung exhibits no signs of his age. He's alert, alive and enthusiastic.

Moreover, he also walks to Pearlridge and then buses back to his home, sort of a reversal of his McDonald's gig.

I love walking and biking, but I had to ask — truly in appreciation of his exercise program — what was the distance from his home to Pearlridge?

Fung told me he doesn't know. From that, I learned the first lesson about his walking program: Staying happy and healthy in retirement (and in life) means you stop measuring everything, which most men have done all their careers. It was a revelation.

"You mean you just walk for the fun of it?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

I then asked how long it takes to walk from 'Aina Haina to his home.

"Oh, about an hour and a half," Fung said. "But if I see something along the way that interests me, it can take twice that."

This answer reinforced the first lesson: Don't measure things — in distance or in time. It also included a second lesson: A sense of discovery, even at age 80, is wonderful medicine.

Instead of flying by buildings and stores and trees and the shoreline as most of us do in a vehicle, take it easy and see what's out there.

Nonetheless, I had to know the time it takes him to walk from Pearlridge to his home because I thought I might want to try it at some point.

"About four hours, but again it can take longer if I meet someone interesting along the way," Fung said.

Another lesson: Sociability is important in retirement, as Fung demonstrated when the restaurant opened and he struck up a conversation with his friends there.

Fung used to live in 'Aina Haina with a big yard, stone walls he built himself and a sizable vegetable garden and orchard.

When he lived there, his walk to Pearlridge would take 5 1/2 hours.

Bill was trained as an economist and was an administrator for the city, state and federal governments, but his real interest is aesthetics. When he's on his long walks, he either observes the style of buildings or designs homes for himself with intricate detail, even down to the financing.

He says he's probably designed — in his dreams — 10 houses for himself and his wife with a special emphasis on his dream house in Kula.

"I really want to live there," Fung said.

Fung grew up on a plantation in Pa'ia on Maui with eight siblings. After his freshman year at the University of Hawai'i, he went back to Maui to visit his mother. It was then he told her he wanted to live to 105.

Golf and tennis, two mainstays of retirement for many, are not in Fung's plans.

He said he tried golf when he was working, but found it took too much time and was too expensive. He was a lifelong surfer, but gave it up at age 75.

"Too many surfers and too many fights," he said.

During his long walks, besides designing houses in his head, Fung says he divides the route into sections; from 'Aina Haina, he looks forward to Kahala, then Kaimuki, Mo'ili'ili and then he is at his home.

Pearlridge is broken up into Chinatown, Kalihi, Mapunapuna and Aloha Stadium. He says this segmentation makes it easier.