Day 22

The trip sadly draws to a close. We had a GREAT time and I think this is the first vacation where Jill wasn't ready to come home before the end of the trip.

The airport was a problem. First, they wouldn't check our bags thru to Newark so we had to check (and reclaim them) in Honolulu. Then, a 45 minute delay for a 35 minute flight from Kauai to Honolulu. Then, with the limo waiting, we waited in vain for bag #3 at baggage claim. They lost it! 

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First we met (and tipped) our driver and checked out the mega stretch limo. It's seen a few weddings but it's big, has cool drinks, the price is right, and Kristen loved the multi colored light show in the ceiling. 

Then it was off to Pearl Harbor, where we looked at the extensive exhibits and viewed the Arizona Memorial in the distance but couldn't get tickets (they we all gone by then.) Back to the airport to see if the bag has come in on the next flight (it hadn't). Big Waste O Time.

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Then up to the tip of the North Shore for a surprise turtle sighting on the beach. They've gotta weigh around 100 pounds. A highlight, but don't tell the driver we saw them next to our condo last night!

Unfortunately we were now way behind schedule due to airline and baggage delays. So we had to abort the North Shore circle (would have been a highlight for us) and head back down to Waikiki. I had told the driver we wanted a brief drive-by, and a photo of Diamond Head; I think he assumed we wanted to hang out there (Gary is Vietnamese). Quel disastre! 

Waikiki  looks like Times Square; there's an ocean over there somewhere but glimpses are few and far between. I would never recommend that anyone stay there. After sitting in interminable traffic, we had Gary take us to Ono, a restaurant serving real Hawaiian food primarily to locals. Since it was 3pm by now, we got in easily (only 9 tables) and were waited on by an old Japanese-Hawaiian woman who told us what to order. I think she's the owner. We had 2 assortments; I liked the salmon tomitomi and the pork wrapped in taro leaves was ok. Jill and Kristen liked the kalua pig; Kristen thought the chicken noodle stew was good. It was a mixed bag, Dave liked it, Kristen was ok with it, Jill disliked it. $40.

Then up to Diamond head for a few photos, and a trip back thru Waikiki traffic to Mariana's tiki bar, in an industrial area near the airport. We had seen Anthony Bourdain go there for stiff tiki drinks. Stiff they were; we had a strong MaiTai each. Gary thought we were insane for going to such a place after the splendors of Waikiki! We made it to the airport at 6:04 for our 7:55 flight.

We slept well on the way back, due to exhaustion, I think. I made it until Nebraska, Jill till Illinois. A pickup from Bob and Joyce, no disasters at home, and we are now safe and sound with nothing but great memories!

So Over the Top

And oh yeah, Fedex dropped off the missing bag on Saturday! Northwest Airlines had it in Seattle. Go figure! 

Damages: $14,708



Bird List:

Wedge-Tailed Shearwater

Red-Tailed Tropicbird

White-Tailed Tropicbird

Red-Footed Booby

Great Frigatedbird

Black-Crowned Night-Heron

Nene

Gray Francolin

Wild Turkey

Chestnut-Bellied Sandgrouse

Hawai'i Elepaio

Kaua'i Elepaio

Kalij Pheasant

Cattle Egret

Spotted Dove

Mourning Dove

Zebra Dove

Common Myna

Northern Cardinals

Red-Crested Cardinal

Yellow-Billed Cardinal

House Sparrow

Saffron Finch

Java Sparrow