Day Thirteen

Was rudely awoken by Ann telling me it was ten to four. No other instructions were given. Got up. We were in the lobby by 4.45am. We weren't the first. Still managed to get on the first shuttle to the airport at 5am. 

Checked our luggage and then headed for security. Long queue. Eventually got to the front of it. Went through the body scanner. Was asked to stop because I had 'a discrepancy in the groin and buttock area'. That is the direct quote the security guard gave me. He told me he was going to do a search and asked me if I wanted to be searched there or in a room. I said there. No discrepancy was found. Whilst the search was going on I looked at the screen. It just showed a red square in said area. I presume it was the button fly on my shorts. 

Having been touched up by a stranger, we got our stuff and made our way to the gate. Thought we would get breakfast at the Starbucks there before we boarded. Turns out it was the slowest Starbucks ever. By the time we got our order it was time to board. Got on. Flew. Arrived in San Francisco having completed the sixth of seven flights this trip. Last time we were here was 2010. Thirteen years since our first trip! Doesn't seem like more than five since we were on Alcatraz. Absolutely ridiculous. 

Deplaned. Went to baggage claim. My suitcase arrived first. Wasn't sure what was happening or how to react to this. Thought that Ann's one might jump out just before mine reached us on the conveyor but it didn't.

Next we needed to pick up the hire car. Now I've realised that airport car hire plays on the fact you are trapped and, whether you pre book or not, you have no choice but to choose from the selection they have. When I was booking the car a month or two ago, I realised that if we collected from there we could either get a smaller SUV or a premium one at a large cost. Presumably you can't get a plain full size one so that people have to take the expensive one instead. What I did find was that at another Enterprise about seven or eight minutes from the airport you could get one, so I booked it from there instead.

This, however, left us a conundrum. How do we get to the pick up? We couldn't walk so we would have to get an Uber. Ann checked the App and the cost was going to be about $40. Far too much. So I had hatched a plan. There was a Hyatt Regency a couple of mins walk away from the pick up and there was a free shuttle bus to the hotel for those staying (which we weren't). We went to the bus pick up and waited. Got on. Got dropped at the hotel. Got off with our suitcases. Waited for the bus to depart and then walked to the Enterprise office down the road. What a cheeky little move. Ann said it made her feel nervous. I suggested we reverse the trick when we drop the car back. She says no. We'll find out hat happens in a later blog. Picked up the car. Black Chevy Tahoe, a car we have had before on previous trips.

The Beast

Filled up with fuel at the nearby garage and then set the satnav for our hotel about an hour and twenty minutes north. The progress was slow as it was Friday night rush hour. Lots of traffic and lots of traffic lights as we headed through the west side of San Fran. Eventually we ended up crossing quite a famous bridge.

Eerie

It was misty. Luckily it wasn't hit by an earthquake, tsunami, tornado or aliens as normally happens to it and we made it across.

Slowly we continued until we reached our destination cambriasonoma.com. It is very nice and has a price tag to match. Checked in and dumped our stuff. Headed out for dinner at mikesatthecrossroads.com. I had a Grilled Cheese a la Miguel. Ann had something. It was a a good place. Ann and I discussed writing a book about American road trips and all the tips we would put in it. One would be to follow the locals when it comes to picking places to eat. Mike's was full of locals and more and more kept coming in. We did well to get a table. It is the sort of place where there are never any other visitors other than us, which is just how we like it.

Nipped to Safeway to buy a 24 pack of water to put in the car. Headed back to the hotel. Ann couldn't remember if breakfast was included with our stay so asked at reception. It wasn't. Ann looked at the prices. Needless to say we'll head out somewhere to eat instead.

My book has been found in Hawaii. The lady who's apartment was going to post it and we were going to send her the money but the cost of posting it anywhere is more than the cost of the book. We've told her not to bother. She says she'll read it instead. I'm more devastated that my five euro note I use as a book mark is in it. Been my bookmark for seven years.

Now watching a double header of Pretty Woman and Big. They just don't make films like these anymore.

Ann is still awake. Another oddity in a day of them.

States visited - 4

Discrepancies on the groin and buttock area - 1

Times violated by a stranger- 1

Day Twelve

Up early yet again. Learnt our lesson from yesterday and got to IHOP earlier. Got in without having to wait. I had a waffle. Ann had something. Back to the room and packed everything. Although we were leaving the hotel/room, we weren't leaving Hawaii. Our flight tomorrow is at stupid o'clock so we are relocating to be near the airport. Carried everything down to the lobby and deposited Ann there with it.

I went out into the morning sun and walked to the same Enterprise we had used on Tuesday. Collected our car for the day. Drove out and then had to navigate back to the hotel in the one way system. Parked up and Ann brought all our stuff out. Loaded it in the car and then set course for our first stop. It took about fifteen minutes to arrive and then another twenty for us to circle three times trying to work out how to get to the onsite parking. Eventually we worked out how to get in and finally arrived at Iolani Palace

Crystal

We hadn't booked a tour as we weren't sure if we would find time to get there. I went and checked but they couldn't get us a tour until 1.30pm. It was 9.30am. They did say we could do the basement tour for $5 each. Bought tickets for that and went back to report to Ann. There was also a fifteen minute video we could watch so we did that too. Hawaii used to have a royal family. This was their palace. In 1893 it was overthrown with the help of the USA as they wanted to annex Hawaii, which they did five years later. The palace was then used as a government headquarters and then when that moved to a new building, the palace was restored. We got to see the basement which held an exhibition about the history as well as seeing some of the lower rooms.

Bought a magnet. Went back to the car. Next we decided to heed the advice of the Uber driver who picked us up from the airport on our arrival. He said there was this overlook which gave a great view of the city. We made our way up the side of the mountain via some hairpin bends and arrived at the Tantalus Lookout Point. Gave the car a quick photoshoot.

Wrangler

Then went to look at the scenery. He was right. It was a great view over Honolulu.

Diamond Head Crater

Panaroma

Look at the blueness!

The Roffe-Knightley Effect™ came into play again. It was empty when we got there and then a bus load arrived. Once we had spent time taking in the great view we set off for the next stop. We cut across the island heading through a tunnel under the mountains and ended up on the far side where we had been on Tuesday. Eventually ended up here: Kualoa Ranch 

With planning this whole trip we made one error. This place runs a massive variety of trips and experiences each day but it books up well in advance. We planned to go but by the time we decided on the tour we wanted to do it had sold out. It runs every 20 mins but every time slot had gone. When I tell you it was three weeks ago we tried to book it, it shows you how popular this place is. Nevertheless, despite our devastation we decided to go and just so we could say we had been there, not that that helps with the disappointment we both felt. With the fact it is unlikely we will ever make it back here our one chance to see the real Jurassic Park in all its glory had gone. The tour goes around some of the locations and sets from the film/s plus some other big movies that have been filmed here. You get to see the log from the 'Gallimimus are flocking this way' scene, the Indominus Rex Compound from the more recent version, King Kong's footprints. We went in the shop and bought a magnet. Took some photos of the scenery. Didn't help.

Large

Headed back south and stopped at Subway for lunch. Went to a supermarket and grabbed some snacks for the flight tomorrow. Saw an interesting brand of soap.

Bet it smells good!

Drove back to the airport and arrived at the Best Western Plaza. Parked up and unloaded the cases. Checked in, dumped the stuff and then drove back to drop off the car. The guy who took the keys seemed interested in the name Knightley, asking questions about it.

Walked back to the Ala Moana shopping centre. It is the largest open-air shopping mall in the world apparently. It seemed very much like a tourist trap, full of luxury retailers like Prada, Rolex, Armani, Chanel, Cartier, Tiffany, etc. Didn't seem like there were many locals shopping in there. Eventually got bored of wandering so we got an Uber back to the new hotel.

Went out to a different IHOP for dinner. Mainly because it is the closest place to eat to where we are and we could walk there. Had exactly what we had for breakfast again.

Came back to the hotel to organise our packing properly. Realised I have left my book in the other place. Don't really know how I managed it but I have. Another devastation for the day but not a lot we can do about it as we have to catch the airport shuttle at 5am to catch a 7am flight to San Francisco. Of course Ann is asleep! Why did you even have to ask!

States visited - 3

Books lost - 1

Dinosaurs seen - 0