With an early morning departure from Seattle and gaining 2hrs time, I arrived by lunch-time and enjoyed a full day at Waikiki Beach. Beautiful!
The airline I used to work for. Loaded and ready for departure for Honolulu. DC10's aren't common anymore, but Northwest still utilizes these widebody classics on long-haul flights.
After not visiting Hawaii since the 80's, I decided a trip was in order! I left Seattle on March 7th and headed to Waikiki for 4-days. Although the trip was relaxing and interesting, I was disppointed at the the upscale shopping that has proliferated Waikiki. Name a designer, and you'll find the shop on the upper end of Kalakaua Ave. I went just for the beach, but the Japanese spend, spend, spend in Hawaii, and it's clear that the designer stores cater to the Asian clientele mostly.
I highly recommend anyone to visit the Arizona Memorial. I took the half-day trip and it was well-worth getting up at 5am. A tour guide told me it gets so crowded by the afternoon, that the tour cos. have to schedule their trips early. I even met an Aussie couple and enjoyed exchanging ideas on future places to visit in our respective countries.
I detoured and returned via San Francisco to visit Mom and a few friends. Another short visit, then a drive back up north to my adopted home with buddy Alan. As much as I like to fly, nothing beats a road-trip. And we even stopped in far Northern CA to visit Alan's relatives who are ranchers too.
Alan hadn't visited Seattle since the 60's, so we drove and took the ferry out to Whidbey Island on another road adventure. I had to start work, and Alan had to get back to his rancho, so after a few days he hit the road south!