Please read with a kind and open heart, with the Aloha Spirit if you will, for this blog will be written in the raw. I will be writing and posting quickly with little time for editing, attempting to capture our adventures in real time during the few lapses that occur during an action-packed schedule.
In all honesty, it was with some trepidation that I looked forward to the actual traveling that it would take to get me to my destination. Yes, it is true. This travel agent is not particularly fond of air travel. In fact, you might say in the past I was somewhat phobic over the idea. Wow! Have I come a long way. But, knowing the prize that awaited me at the other end of that long traveling day...I hopped onboard. Traveling from the East Coast to Hawaii makes for a long and grueling day, but oh is it worth it. We spent a total of about 10 hours in the air with a 3 hour-lay over in Los Angeles.
Our day began with a 5:30 a.m. beep of the alarm. Lon had been awake since 4:30, so excited was he to start his Hawaiian adventure. Atlanta reminded us that we live in the big city, as we experienced anxiety-provoking traffic delays on the way to the airport. Once there, long lines at security had us checking our watches, but no reason to fear. We made it on the plane with a good 30 minutes before take-off.
Prone to motion-sickness, after hitting about 30,000 feet in altitude, I could definitely tell we were in the air. A little pop of Dramamine at the L.A. Airport and I was all set for the next flight. It helped immensely. The flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu was much more enjoyable. Probably partly because our flight attendants were so much friendlier and efficient on that leg of the trip. Reminds me once again how important customer service is! Arrival in Honolulu around 5:30 island time - that would be 11:30 p.m. in Atlanta. Much to our surprise, we aren't feeling it yet. A quick nap on the plane and the sun revving our engines and we are good to go just a little while longer.
Now how many places do you know that have a beautifully landscaped airport? Walking between buildings to collect your luggage, you know you are in Hawaii. Beautiful plants and trees adorn the courtyards preparing tourists for the sites they are yet to behold. Robert's Shuttle of Robert's Hawaii was waiting to pick us up right outside. The only downside to this service was it took about 45 minutes to get to our hotel, because they were dropping other passengers off along the way. However, it was less expensive than a taxi, so...
Arrival at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel surpassed my expectations. I booked this hotel based on location and the fact that I have points through their priority club to take care of the room. It was a practical decision that ended up being a lucky winner. The location is awesome! On Kalakaua Avenue directly across from Waikiki Beach surrounded by other hotels, high-end shopping, and next door to the International Market Place, the view from our "partial-ocean" view room was a pleasant surprise. Not only could we see the ocean but also Diamond Head was in prominent view from our balcony. Cool! So now that it's after midnight Atlanta time, what to do about dinner? Airplane food and peanuts had our stomachs growling for more. Luckily, down in the lobby, the hotel sports a Jimmy Buffet Margaretaville Restaurant. Cheeseburgers in Paradise for us tonight! The decor was fun and we're off to a great start. Though traveling fatigue is now beginning to set in. Our long day of travel ends at 3 a.m. Atlanta time - an early 9 p.m. HI. We managed to sleep until 5:30 a.m. Hawaiian time - not bad for the first day of time change. Expect to wake up during the night a few times when making this transition. Of course, the birds chirping outside the window during the night didn't help any. But, as Lon said, "The birds are so happy to be in Hawaii they chirp all night long.". Who needs sleep anyway, right?
One note about Waikiki Beach. It's one of those places that doesn't sleep. Cars up and down the drag, sirens going off a few times during the night. An action-packed place.
DAY 1: Waikiki Beach
Off to breakfast in our new favorite Jimmy Buffet's, then it's time to try out the new camera. We had surf lessons planned for this day, but with almost no surf we rescheduled those for Kauai. Instead I get to shop for souvenirs in the International Market and swim in the inviting Pacific Ocean. One side note here: You will be stopped multiple times by vendors on the street to purchase excursions. They're very friendly but persistent. Once I told them we had everything planned already, because I was a travel agent - problem solved - on to their next friend for the day! This job does comes in handy sometimes. Found a few goodies for the daughters and time for a quick bite of lunch. I don't recommend the International Market's Food Court- buy hey, it was protein.
Now...beach time. Drying off in the sun after a dip in the inviting waters of the Pacific, I'm people watching. It strikes me that this small microcosm called Waikiki Beach is like a representation of the diversity of the Hawaiian Islands we have yet to see. Palm trees set against high-rises, a dormant volcano looming over the sparkling ocean, and the people...children frolicking in the waves, young people gathered in circles on rafts talking about their partying adventures the night before, athletic types attempting to surf the slight swells that begin to appear in the afternoon, and older folks hunched over unable to stand tall yet walking the sands. The hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach and the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. It all blends together to produce a place that is vibrantly alive - day and night. Sitting beside me, Lon says again, "Can you believe we are in Hawaii?"
But alas, we must leave the beach and head out to prepare for the next adventure on our agenda - a luau. First, a quick stop at the ABC store right down the street from our hotel. Can you tell I really love the location of this place? With a fridge in the room and an ungodly pick up time of 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, we decide to get protein drinks, bananas and protein bars for a quick breakfast. Stocked up for the morning, it's time to prepare for that luau. See you on the other side.
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