Your Vacation Location

[rdrr]

I had a whirlwind vacation last Sept/Oct in Italy. Saw multiple cities and enjoyed it so much. This year is going to be toned down as I save for my Wedding and Honeymoon May 2023. Current Honeymoon idea, Fly into Barcelona spend 3-4 days there, take the train up through the French and Italian Rivieras, and ending up in Cinque Terre Italy, before flying home.

 

[Huntn]

Left at 3am, got in to the hotel Hilton Waikoloa 20 hours later. Flights went smoothly, I’ve non-stopped, 1 stop, but as the first time on Kona, 2 stops Salt Lake, L.A. with a total of 6 hour layovers, and I’ll do my damnest never to do that again. The worst was when about an hour before leaving LA Dekta makes this announcement about COVID bracelets that you get by logging into the Hawaiian Travel site, create an account, and give them you life’s history including the dates of your COVID vaccines, and an uploaded image of your card shot. I was pissed, because this should have been mentioned before then And there was no way for me to get this done 45min prior to boarding for me and my wife,

So then I’m thinking, we’ll just show our COVID cards when we get there, and be on our way. Nope, we and about 60 other passengers had to sit in the airport for about an hour and enroll at the Hawaii Safe Travel flight. I coukd if done this at home at my leisure if something had been said in advance.

Anyway, more later.

 

[Herdfan]

Left at 3am, got in to the hotel Hilton Waikoloa 20 hours later. Flights went smoothly, I’ve non-stopped, 1 stop, but as the first time on Kona, 2 stops Salt Lake, L.A. with a total of 6 hour layovers, and I’ll do my damnest never to do that again.

​

I don't know. Last time we went to Oahu we had a direct flight from DC. That is one long flight. Was wishing for a layover.

Time before that, our airport had a direct flight to Houston, so we took it, 2 hour layover and then to Maui. That wasn't too bad as there wasn't any flying north to end up south. Almost as direct as you can go, but that flight to Houston went away.

In any case, have a great time!

 

[rdrr]

Left at 3am, got in to the hotel Hilton Waikoloa 20 hours later. Flights went smoothly, I’ve non-stopped, 1 stop, but as the first time on Kona, 2 stops Salt Lake, L.A. with a total of 6 hour layovers, and I’ll do my damnest never to do that again. The worst was when about an hour before leaving LA Dekta makes this announcement about COVID bracelets that you get by logging into the Hawaiian Travel site, create an account, and give them you life’s history including the dates of your COVID vaccines, and an uploaded image of your card shot. I was pissed, because this should have been mentioned before then And there was no way for me to get this done 45min prior to boarding for me and my wife,

So then I’m thinking, we’ll just show our COVID cards when we get there, and be on our way. Nope, we and about 60 other passengers had to sit in the airport for about an hour and enroll at the Hawaii Safe Travel flight. I coukd if done this at home at my leisure if something had been said in advance.

Anyway, more later.

View attachment 12330​

That sucks! However, I experienced the reverse. To get back to the US from overseas you had to fill out a self attestation form. Days before the flight Delta, emailed me twice, sent me a reminder in text, and had it in the delta app. I dutifully filled them and printed them out. About 40 people at the airport said, "What form?" That just delayed the boarding process.

Anyway looks beautiful. Enjoy the vacation!

 

[Edd]

Left at 3am, got in to the hotel Hilton Waikoloa 20 hours later. Flights went smoothly, I’ve non-stopped, 1 stop, but as the first time on Kona, 2 stops Salt Lake, L.A. with a total of 6 hour layovers, and I’ll do my damnest never to do that again. The worst was when about an hour before leaving LA Dekta makes this announcement about COVID bracelets that you get by logging into the Hawaiian Travel site, create an account, and give them you life’s history including the dates of your COVID vaccines, and an uploaded image of your card shot. I was pissed, because this should have been mentioned before then And there was no way for me to get this done 45min prior to boarding for me and my wife,

So then I’m thinking, we’ll just show our COVID cards when we get there, and be on our way. Nope, we and about 60 other passengers had to sit in the airport for about an hour and enroll at the Hawaii Safe Travel flight. I coukd if done this at home at my leisure if something had been said in advance.

Anyway, more later.

View attachment 12330​

I’ve mentioned on here before I spent a few years on Oahu as a kid because my dad was a navy guy. We went to Kona once and stayed at this resort place with all cottages. We went on a walking tour across the inside of a volcano that was all rock, of course, which blew my mind. Near the volcano, there was an old flow of lava (again, rock now) that had miraculously stopped directly in front of a radio tower, went around it, and continued on the same path. The tour guide was chalking that up to one Hawaiian god or another.

My school education there was 2nd through 5th grade and we were taught Hawaiian history and quite a bit about the gods, which put a genuine fear in me of Pele, goddess of lava. She was mean and lava was badass. They talked about her a lot on Kona.

Now I’m an atheist. Enjoy your trip, I love Hawaii!

 

[Huntn]

I don't know. Last time we went to Oahu we had a direct flight from DC. That is one long flight. Was wishing for a layover.

Time before that, our airport had a direct flight to Houston, so we took it, 2 hour layover and then to Maui. That wasn't too bad as there wasn't any flying north to end up south. Almost as direct as you can go, but that flight to Houston went away.

In any case, have a great time!

The problem is that I am vested in Delta and Houston is not a Delta Hub. Secondly anything other than Oahu will most likely require more stops. When we went to Maui it was first to Oahu, and later to Maui.

 

[DT]

@Huntn

Hope you're having a __blast__. You certainly couldn't find a more beautiful place to eat, drink and do a little <something-something>

 

[DT]

We've got several smaller trips planned: Savannah (for spring break, headed the other direction ), Keys (Tavernier) , Orlando/Universal/Hard Rock, Hershey PA, might to an extended DC trip again, that's work + play.

 

[Huntn]

We've got several smaller trips planned: Savannah (for spring break, headed the other direction ), Keys (Tavernier) , Orlando/Universal/Hard Rock, Hershey PA, might to an extended DC trip again, that's work + play.

I love Savannah when it’s not loaded with tourists.

 

[Huntn]

Hawaii Big Island D2- Today we got a better look at the island, leaving Waikoloa on the West side and driving South on the West cost around the bottom to Punalu’s Black Sand Beach.

Lots of people in the distance​

Overall it was a nice drive, but I’ll be frank, from about the Kona Airport to Waikoloa Village about 25 mile stretch of old lava fields is ugly, desolate, relatively barren, reminiscent of the moon with some grass , and the resort we are staying at is right in the middle of it, however there is a nice swath of green the surrounds the resort and the resort is very nice.

That said when we got past Honalo and the road started rising above sea level we got into what I expected to see in Hawaii, nice, lush vegetation, those big glorious trees, walls of philodendrons cascading down embankments, and small picturesque villages. Tomorrow we will explore North and West, maybe take the Saddle road up between the two volcanoes.

Now, these lava fields, something curious about them, sections are undisturbed lava flows, where you can see how it flowed before cooling, but other huge sections look like a lot of bulldozers went at the lava breaking and churning it up with the dirt underneath, mikes and miles, far into the distance of the climbing terrain to the volcano. So I looked up “lava field restoration/recovery, but not a peep I have found.

I am strongly suspecting for tourism neither the The State, nor the Resorts are going to be advertising their lava fields as a great feature. They are interesting in a bleak scientific way, and fortunately there are the green belts of what you expect to see. Even the woman we met on the plane who lives here unsolicited said, Hawaii is not the prettyist Hawaiian Island, but there are fun things to do.

Not said as a critique, just an observation, everything is expensive, breakfast at the resort was $60 for 2 egg and bacon breakfast, for 2 of us. I was expecting that, off resort is usually always better. Gas for the car is running $5.09 per gallon. I know, by European standards that’s a huge bargain.

As of today, subject to change having been to Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii, for natural beauty I’d rank Oahu No. 1, but Honolulu is a congested mess, Maui No.2, Hawaii No.3. Maui has some nice enchanted locals. Both Maui and Hawaii with so few people living on them, they feel more like the frontier in a way and that’s good too.

 

[Herdfan]

I love Savannah when it’s not loaded with tourists.

Next week will be the offspring's first St. Patrick's Day in Savannah. SCAD always goes on Spring Break over it, but she is staying a couple of extra days this year before coming home.

 

[DT]

Next week will be the offspring's first St. Patrick's Day in Savannah. SCAD always goes on Spring Break over it, but she is staying a couple of extra days this year before coming home.

It'll be fun, were headed up later in the week. SCAD, no shit, we know some SCAD-grads, one was one our our principal, senior designers (that pivoted into multimedia type work).

 

[Huntn]

Hawaii Big Island D3- Today drove from Waikoloa on Saddle Road over to Hilo (1.5 hrs approx 70 miles) The exterior of the island is mostly dry moonscape with grasses, lava flows or bulldozed up lava flows, no one lives there, and now that I’ve seen it, no surprise. Pretty in a stark way. Who wants to live between 2 volcanoes on a lava strewn plain?

I just never pictured a great portion of the island looking like this. And from what I’ve seen so far there are primarily 2 coastal strips down both sides where most residents live.

Black dots are goats which are all over the island.
​

Hilo is nice and quaint. If we ever make a return visit it will be to fly into Hilo. And we found one of the island’s magic spots, a tropical rainforest biome North of Hilo on the coast, in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Tropical Bioreserve and Garden. The place is amazing although my wife tweaked her back, so walking was out, and we mostly drove around the vicinity and took pictures.

Not my image

This is a slice of heaven that aI would move here in a heartbeat if I could afford it, and there were no pesky volcanos to consider.

Hawaii Tropical Botanical and Garden

Big Island’s hidden gem, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, is a must stop destination that attracts photographers, botanists, and nature lovers from around the world.

htbg.com

Heading North up the East Coast to Honoka’a, we past large stands of Eucalyptus trees, I believe imported to help the island’s forests, a pretty area. The roads on this side of the island are nice and minimally curvy so you can make nice time as compared to the West coast road which has stretches of very curvy, low speed roads.

Bottom line, the coastal strips are nice, but not in the NW unless you are on a resort and the East South East area seems iffy too. It seems that although it‘s the biggest Hawaiian Island, it has a really limited area where people would want to live. Just telling it like I see it, but we have no regrets visiting here on vacation, because today was a good day and the sights were really good.

 

[Huntn]

Ok, back home and tired. A long trip, mostly had a good time. Will never do another 3 leg trip* to or from Hawaii, will not go back to Kona, nor ever do another Time Share presentation. For the Big Island, if you are intrigued by volcanoes, lots of lava fields and an active volcano, but instead I would choose Maui. Kauai is a possibility for the future, but I think the best plan is to fly into Oahu first and then catch a short flight to one of the other islands.

* Before anyone kids me about you get what you pay for, that was not to save $, not the case, but the fault is ours for wanting to fly from the States directly to the big island, and sticking with a specific airline without considering other possibilities, and the most direct flights are to Oahu.

 

[Huntn]

One thing I forgot to mention, I detested wearing my mask in the airport and on the plane for 20 hrs. I’ve been wearing a mask regularly for 2 years now, but this annoyed me, hot and stuffy.

 

[DT]

One thing I forgot to mention, I detested wearing my mask in the airport and on the plane for 20 hrs.

This X at least 6 ...

 

[Herdfan]

One thing I forgot to mention, I detested wearing my mask in the airport and on the plane for 20 hrs. I’ve been wearing a mask regularly for 2 years now, but this annoyed me, hot and stuffy.

Which is why I haven't flown in 2 years. And won't until this is rescinded. So I have put my money where my mask goes and have driven to FL 3 times. And that is a direct 1.5 hour flight.

 

[Huntn]

Which is why I haven't flown in 2 years. And won't until this is rescinded. So I have put my money where my mask goes and have driven to FL 3 times. And that is a direct 1.5 hour flight.

It’s not that I am against masks, I understand where airline employees/companies stand, they are constantly exposed in tight quarters. It’s just in the airplane on a long trip, as in 20 hrs, they were hot and uncomfortable. Everyone complied without complaint,

 

[Arkitect]

Exmouth estuary long weekend.

Salt marshes, seabirds, sunshine, lots of salty fresh air.

 

[DT]

It’s not that I am against masks, I understand where airline employees/companies stand, they are constantly exposed in tight quarters. It’s just in the airplane on a long trip, as in 20 hrs, they were hot and uncomfortable. Everyone complied without complaint,

Yeah, an hour or two, no sweat, we've been to NYC, and PA. 20 hours? Wow, that's tough.