A Week in Waikiki
Blog Entry #2
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Honolulu
After good nights' sleep in our king-size beds we awaken to bright sunshine and cooling breezes on our first morning in Hawaii. We enjoy a light breakfast (supplies purchased last night), on our balcony as we plan our activities for the day. Today will be devoted to R&R from yesterday's long flights, with some time devoted to a few necessary "chores."
While Will spends the morning with his bruised leg elevated (a gardening accident a few days before leaving Tucson took him to the emergency room for treatment), Anita and I walk through the Hilton's series of lobbies to sign for our car at the National Rental Car desk (we will pick up the car at noon). A short walk then brings us to the Hale Koa Hotel, a beachfront resort for miliary personnel and their families (active-duty and retired). A small Navy PX is located in the hotel, where we pick up more supplies for the week at very good, tax-free prices (Anita is a retired Navy officer). The hotel is on prime beachfront property--could probably pay off the national debt if the government decided to sell it.
After dropping off our supplies and picking up Will, the three of us head out for our first driving adventure in our Toyota Corolla, which takes us, of course, to lunch at Zippy's, a local Hawaiian chain serving up a variety of sandwiches and full meals at low prices. Then Anita leads us to the Joint Base (Pearl Harbor and Hickham Airfield) Navy PX and Commissary, a huge complex of shops and supermarket. Our main reason for coming, however, is so that Anita can buy discounted tickets to the attractions we want to enjoy while in Hawaii, primarily the Bishop Museum and a sunset catamaran cruise.
Back at the Hilton we confine our shopping at the windows of the Rainbow Bazaar within the hotel grounds.
Wednesday, 19 July 2017
Waikiki
This evening we will be sailing a sunset cruise, so this morning Anita and I take a walk from the Hilton eastward to the Outrigger Reef Hotel (part of a chain), from whose beach the cruise departs. Since all the beaches in Waikiki are public property, there is easy access from everywhere in the resort area. In fact, all the hotels are quite welcoming to the public (even non-paying guests), who wish to use the facilities of the hotel, such as bathrooms and changing rooms. Just as in Las Vegas, the hotels here want visitors to enjoy the shopping, restaurants, and facilities each hotel has to offer. We return to the Hilton by way of the main shopping street, Kalakaua Avenue, with a couple of stops for shopping and eating. One thing we learn on this sojourn is that the walk will be too long for Will with his still-painful leg. But taxis are plentiful and we will use them to cover the five-minute drive when we return for our cruise at 5pm.
The Holokai Catamarn carries 43 passengers and two crew members, and is powered by sails and an inboard engine if the wind is low. Passengers wade through a few feet of water to climb the stairs onto the catamaran for the 90-minute sunset cruise. Once on board there are seats for everyone and plenty of room to move around. I do not recommend too much moving, however, since there is an open bar serving exotic tropical drinks (as mamy as you care to imbibe), and the captain enjoys maneuvering his ship for the maximum effects of sea and spray--including a lot of bouncing around. All in fun.
As we watch the bright lights of Waikiki come on before us and the subtle light of the sun going down behind us, we return to shore. After brushing off the excess sand and water we ask a hotel lobby agent to get us a taxi back to the Hilton. He surprises us with a huge, double-long party limousine for the short ride. When we finish gaping in surprise he tells us that the limo is just serving as a regular metered taxi between rental shifts. We arrive in style back at the Hilton in five minutes for less than $15.00 (including tip) for three people.
Well, enough excitement for this blog. I will post more from paradise in the nest issue.
Blog Entry #2
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Honolulu
After good nights' sleep in our king-size beds we awaken to bright sunshine and cooling breezes on our first morning in Hawaii. We enjoy a light breakfast (supplies purchased last night), on our balcony as we plan our activities for the day. Today will be devoted to R&R from yesterday's long flights, with some time devoted to a few necessary "chores."
While Will spends the morning with his bruised leg elevated (a gardening accident a few days before leaving Tucson took him to the emergency room for treatment), Anita and I walk through the Hilton's series of lobbies to sign for our car at the National Rental Car desk (we will pick up the car at noon). A short walk then brings us to the Hale Koa Hotel, a beachfront resort for miliary personnel and their families (active-duty and retired). A small Navy PX is located in the hotel, where we pick up more supplies for the week at very good, tax-free prices (Anita is a retired Navy officer). The hotel is on prime beachfront property--could probably pay off the national debt if the government decided to sell it.
After dropping off our supplies and picking up Will, the three of us head out for our first driving adventure in our Toyota Corolla, which takes us, of course, to lunch at Zippy's, a local Hawaiian chain serving up a variety of sandwiches and full meals at low prices. Then Anita leads us to the Joint Base (Pearl Harbor and Hickham Airfield) Navy PX and Commissary, a huge complex of shops and supermarket. Our main reason for coming, however, is so that Anita can buy discounted tickets to the attractions we want to enjoy while in Hawaii, primarily the Bishop Museum and a sunset catamaran cruise.
Back at the Hilton we confine our shopping at the windows of the Rainbow Bazaar within the hotel grounds.
Wednesday, 19 July 2017
Waikiki
This evening we will be sailing a sunset cruise, so this morning Anita and I take a walk from the Hilton eastward to the Outrigger Reef Hotel (part of a chain), from whose beach the cruise departs. Since all the beaches in Waikiki are public property, there is easy access from everywhere in the resort area. In fact, all the hotels are quite welcoming to the public (even non-paying guests), who wish to use the facilities of the hotel, such as bathrooms and changing rooms. Just as in Las Vegas, the hotels here want visitors to enjoy the shopping, restaurants, and facilities each hotel has to offer. We return to the Hilton by way of the main shopping street, Kalakaua Avenue, with a couple of stops for shopping and eating. One thing we learn on this sojourn is that the walk will be too long for Will with his still-painful leg. But taxis are plentiful and we will use them to cover the five-minute drive when we return for our cruise at 5pm.
The Holokai Catamarn carries 43 passengers and two crew members, and is powered by sails and an inboard engine if the wind is low. Passengers wade through a few feet of water to climb the stairs onto the catamaran for the 90-minute sunset cruise. Once on board there are seats for everyone and plenty of room to move around. I do not recommend too much moving, however, since there is an open bar serving exotic tropical drinks (as mamy as you care to imbibe), and the captain enjoys maneuvering his ship for the maximum effects of sea and spray--including a lot of bouncing around. All in fun.
As we watch the bright lights of Waikiki come on before us and the subtle light of the sun going down behind us, we return to shore. After brushing off the excess sand and water we ask a hotel lobby agent to get us a taxi back to the Hilton. He surprises us with a huge, double-long party limousine for the short ride. When we finish gaping in surprise he tells us that the limo is just serving as a regular metered taxi between rental shifts. We arrive in style back at the Hilton in five minutes for less than $15.00 (including tip) for three people.
Well, enough excitement for this blog. I will post more from paradise in the nest issue.
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