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Dec. 26th, 2009 11:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vintage_belleWell this is a late report, but.
22nd, left work early (after having spoken with Kyoto-sensei on Monday), ran for my apartment, grabbed my stuff, ran for the 14:00 bus to get to the station at 14:20, got my tickets, got on the 14:43. Got to Takasaki in time for the 15:13 Shinkansen to Tokyo. Got to Tokyo at about 16:15, which gave me enough time to catch the 16:33 express to Narita, which got me to the airport at 17:30.
Luckily nobody travels at 17:30 on a Tuesday night and I had done online check-in. All I had to do was print the ticket and head on through security and immigration, scarf down dinner, and wait around a bit to board. The plane took off pretty much on time and because of tail winds instead of landing in Hawaii at 7:30, we landed closer to 6:30. Good stuff.
I got the shuttle to the hotel (round-trip ticket so I didn't have to worry about getting back), and arrived about 8. Mom met me in front. We immediately went shopping at the Ala Malona shopping center - basically to celebrate Chanukah without the religious trappings. Neither of us have lighted the candles this year, in part for mourning and in part (in my case) because I don't have a menorah in which to light them. Haul: two shirts, a pair of jeans, three pairs of shoes, and a new watch (every last item was on sale). We returned and went to the beach to watch the sunset. Dinner was at a Thai place one of mom's friends had recommended.
Wednesday we woke up late (about 9:00). We got a late breakfast, and by the time we were out it was nearly 12. We decided to see America's only palace (the Iolani Palace), and we had one hell of a wait for the bus. It was a fairly long ride into Honolulu to get to the palace, but well worth the visit. After the sugar plantation owners overthrew the Queen and ignored President Cleavland's order to reinstate her, the Americans promptly auctioned every single piece of luxury in the building. The organization that now runs the tours is still trying to get it all back. The building is beautiful, quite small as palaces go, and I hope they're having success.
Thursday we went on a circle tour of the island, guided by a driver who literally did not once stop talking. Even when we were all getting off the bus, he was talking. When we got onto the bus, he was talking. Every minute the bus was moving, he was talking. We saw many beautiful lookouts, and a pod of about four humpback whales swimming by one of the beaches. We also went to the Dole plantation (which is moving to Maui because they can't keep up with their expenses.)
Today has been a very lazy day of walking, lunch, sitting by the poolside, and now heading down to see my last Hawaiian sunset. Tomorrow I leave around 12:00 for Japan again.
Quite a trip, no? :D
22nd, left work early (after having spoken with Kyoto-sensei on Monday), ran for my apartment, grabbed my stuff, ran for the 14:00 bus to get to the station at 14:20, got my tickets, got on the 14:43. Got to Takasaki in time for the 15:13 Shinkansen to Tokyo. Got to Tokyo at about 16:15, which gave me enough time to catch the 16:33 express to Narita, which got me to the airport at 17:30.
Luckily nobody travels at 17:30 on a Tuesday night and I had done online check-in. All I had to do was print the ticket and head on through security and immigration, scarf down dinner, and wait around a bit to board. The plane took off pretty much on time and because of tail winds instead of landing in Hawaii at 7:30, we landed closer to 6:30. Good stuff.
I got the shuttle to the hotel (round-trip ticket so I didn't have to worry about getting back), and arrived about 8. Mom met me in front. We immediately went shopping at the Ala Malona shopping center - basically to celebrate Chanukah without the religious trappings. Neither of us have lighted the candles this year, in part for mourning and in part (in my case) because I don't have a menorah in which to light them. Haul: two shirts, a pair of jeans, three pairs of shoes, and a new watch (every last item was on sale). We returned and went to the beach to watch the sunset. Dinner was at a Thai place one of mom's friends had recommended.
Wednesday we woke up late (about 9:00). We got a late breakfast, and by the time we were out it was nearly 12. We decided to see America's only palace (the Iolani Palace), and we had one hell of a wait for the bus. It was a fairly long ride into Honolulu to get to the palace, but well worth the visit. After the sugar plantation owners overthrew the Queen and ignored President Cleavland's order to reinstate her, the Americans promptly auctioned every single piece of luxury in the building. The organization that now runs the tours is still trying to get it all back. The building is beautiful, quite small as palaces go, and I hope they're having success.
Thursday we went on a circle tour of the island, guided by a driver who literally did not once stop talking. Even when we were all getting off the bus, he was talking. When we got onto the bus, he was talking. Every minute the bus was moving, he was talking. We saw many beautiful lookouts, and a pod of about four humpback whales swimming by one of the beaches. We also went to the Dole plantation (which is moving to Maui because they can't keep up with their expenses.)
Today has been a very lazy day of walking, lunch, sitting by the poolside, and now heading down to see my last Hawaiian sunset. Tomorrow I leave around 12:00 for Japan again.
Quite a trip, no? :D
