Beautiful Hawaii
We had the most wonderful trip to Hawaii, and it went by much too quickly. The next time we go (and there will be a next time), we’re going to have to stay longer, and spend all of our time on just one island. There is so much more we’d have enjoyed doing and seeing, and there was no time to do it.
Our flight to Honolulu last Thursday was long, but uneventful. I really dislike flying, as it’s just too uncomfortable, but fortunately the flight from Anchorage to Honolulu was more entertaining than other flights I’ve been on.
We flew Alaska Airlines, and the crew had a silly sense of humor, which put everyone in vacation mode. They also served complimentary Mai Tais to everyone (of age) on the flight. This was also instrumental in putting many of us in the Hawaiian spirit.
We landed in Honolulu after 6pm. By the time we picked up our luggage and found the shuttle to the car rental agency it was dark. It was also quite warm and humid. The weather felt very much like we remembered Florida feeling. It didn’t take long before we were overly hot and sweaty, and we didn’t find that very appealing, despite the fact that it was -20F when we left Alaska earlier that morning.
The quest to find our hotel (which was in Waikiki) was a huge disaster. It is quite apparent that Steve and I have become accustomed to a laid-back lifestyle, because when we finally drove onto the highway, which was crowded with cars, our stress levels went up.
I can not see well in the dark, and I can’t see well to read. I have reading glasses for reading, and I have regular glasses for night driving. I don’t need to wear glasses when I drive, but I do wear them at night, as it helps with sign reading - especially in an unfamiliar place. Armed with the ridiculous (non-detailed) map that Thrifty Car Rental gave us, and printed directions on how to get to our hotel, we began the search.
It is extremely difficult to co-pilot when you can’t see the map clearly because the words are too small, and can’t pronounce the names of the streets/exits because they are in another language. Add in darkness, and it was impossible! Our “nice, relaxing vacation” didn’t start out that way. It took more than 2 hours to find our way to our hotel, when it should have taken about 30 minutes. And neither of us was in a good mood when we finally did check in.
Since it was already late (nearly 10pm) by the time we made it to our room, we just dropped our bags and went in search of something to eat. We had a lot to choose from within walking distance of our hotel. In fact, that’s one of the best things about Waikiki; there’s a lot to choose from when it comes to shopping or eating or entertainment - and most within walking distance.
We opted for something quick, so fast food won out. We took a brief walk across the street to the beach, where we breathed in the ocean air and enjoyed the warm breeze for a little while. Finally, we started to relax. We were exhausted.
