Just Chillin'
Yesterday was the ultimate tourist day. Heather was gone all day, so I enjoyed the amenities of our hotel and surrounding area. First I walked around and made good use of my digital camera, then decided to enjoy the lagoon and pool. Sounds like a fun, relaxing day, and it was.
At least until I gouged a nice cut into my left foot in the lagoon. I didn’t realize I had done it at first. I thought my foot hurt a bit as I was swimming to the front of the lagoon, but it wasn’t until I was drying off that I looked down to see the blood pooling by my foot. But did that stop me from moving on to the hotel pool? Of course not. I had to get in at least a few minutes of prime sunning time.
Later, when I returned to the room to shower, I investigated my injury. Definitely cut and definitely needing some Neosporin, but nothing that I felt required medical treatment. Of course, it did take a couple of days to get all the sand out of it. And I guess I’ll always have the scar to remember my trip to Hawaii!
After getting cleaned up, I ventured out along Ali’i Drive to do a little shopping for souvenirs until Heather got back from her day’s activities. When she did I learned that the entire program plus the spouses and add-ons (like me) would be going to the Kona Brewing Co. for pizza and beer that night. What I didn’t realize until later that night was that her instructor, Chuck, was buying dinner and the first round of drinks! I guess he must make some good money showing people around the Big Island. Oh, and by the way, when in Hawaii, you must sample some of the brews from the Kona Brewing Co. I had the Lilikoi Wheat Ale and it was incredibly yummy. Unfortunately, this particular brew is only available at the brewpubs on the islands, so I guess I won’t get it again for a very long time.
After leaving Kona Brewing Co., we ventured across the street from our hotel to LuLu’s, which appeared to be a happening place. There was more fun to be had at LuLu’s: beverages, dancing, flirting with young men on vacation… ah, good times.
Saturday morning arrived bright and early. Heather wanted to do some shopping and we had lunch plans with a couple from her program before heading to the itty-bitty Kona airport for our flight back to Honolulu. We dropped off the rental car and waited to check in with Hawaiian Airlines. And waited. And waited some more. As Heather put it, “I don’t think I’ve ever been in such a small airport, or such an inefficient one.”
But we finally found our way to Honolulu. And then the adventure began. I don’t think I’m a fan of driving in Honolulu. Far too many one-ways and all the street names seem to start with K, making things a little confusing (this was very much the case on the Big Island, too). Of course, it probably didn’t help that I forgot to pick up a map at the car rental desk..
Eventually, we got a map and located our hotel, but once we did we were exhausted and the best plan we could think of for dinner was the McDonalds that was just a few blocks away. And yet we still got a bit of surprise when the cashier placed the container of fresh cut pineapple on each of our trays. The look Heather and I exchanged was priceless. We both seemed to be wondering, “Were we supposed to specify that we wanted French fries with our value meals?” But no, it seems that McDonalds in Waikiki included pineapple as part of the meal… at least that one did!
And then it was back to the Waikiki Parc for bed as we plan to be up early tomorrow to go to Pearl Harbor. My little history geek nerves are just tingling with excitement!
At least until I gouged a nice cut into my left foot in the lagoon. I didn’t realize I had done it at first. I thought my foot hurt a bit as I was swimming to the front of the lagoon, but it wasn’t until I was drying off that I looked down to see the blood pooling by my foot. But did that stop me from moving on to the hotel pool? Of course not. I had to get in at least a few minutes of prime sunning time.
Later, when I returned to the room to shower, I investigated my injury. Definitely cut and definitely needing some Neosporin, but nothing that I felt required medical treatment. Of course, it did take a couple of days to get all the sand out of it. And I guess I’ll always have the scar to remember my trip to Hawaii!
After getting cleaned up, I ventured out along Ali’i Drive to do a little shopping for souvenirs until Heather got back from her day’s activities. When she did I learned that the entire program plus the spouses and add-ons (like me) would be going to the Kona Brewing Co. for pizza and beer that night. What I didn’t realize until later that night was that her instructor, Chuck, was buying dinner and the first round of drinks! I guess he must make some good money showing people around the Big Island. Oh, and by the way, when in Hawaii, you must sample some of the brews from the Kona Brewing Co. I had the Lilikoi Wheat Ale and it was incredibly yummy. Unfortunately, this particular brew is only available at the brewpubs on the islands, so I guess I won’t get it again for a very long time.
After leaving Kona Brewing Co., we ventured across the street from our hotel to LuLu’s, which appeared to be a happening place. There was more fun to be had at LuLu’s: beverages, dancing, flirting with young men on vacation… ah, good times.
Saturday morning arrived bright and early. Heather wanted to do some shopping and we had lunch plans with a couple from her program before heading to the itty-bitty Kona airport for our flight back to Honolulu. We dropped off the rental car and waited to check in with Hawaiian Airlines. And waited. And waited some more. As Heather put it, “I don’t think I’ve ever been in such a small airport, or such an inefficient one.”
But we finally found our way to Honolulu. And then the adventure began. I don’t think I’m a fan of driving in Honolulu. Far too many one-ways and all the street names seem to start with K, making things a little confusing (this was very much the case on the Big Island, too). Of course, it probably didn’t help that I forgot to pick up a map at the car rental desk..
Eventually, we got a map and located our hotel, but once we did we were exhausted and the best plan we could think of for dinner was the McDonalds that was just a few blocks away. And yet we still got a bit of surprise when the cashier placed the container of fresh cut pineapple on each of our trays. The look Heather and I exchanged was priceless. We both seemed to be wondering, “Were we supposed to specify that we wanted French fries with our value meals?” But no, it seems that McDonalds in Waikiki included pineapple as part of the meal… at least that one did!
And then it was back to the Waikiki Parc for bed as we plan to be up early tomorrow to go to Pearl Harbor. My little history geek nerves are just tingling with excitement!
Labels: Aloha
posted by Charlie at 9:53 PM
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