UMTravels

Yet another Portuguese and String Cheese omelet out of the Microsoft with morning, along with the good Cuban-style coffee I packed. I could get used to this (and just as well as it’s the same breakfast tomorrow).

Ran a quick errand to Whalers General Store for another bottle of Bourbon – apparently between the “company” last night and again tonight we have managed to drain the bottle – and a couple of summer rolls (shrimp, rice noodles, lettuce in a wonton wrapper with dipping sauce – not fried).

I had a 1pm “Wyndham” presentation at 1, which meant the lobby by 12:45, but they called at 12:15 saying the shuttle was here if I wanted to go early…. I went down to the lobby and the shuttle had left without me. Said they’d be right back… not. I finally went back to the room and had a third of the summer rolls so I’d survive the presentation.

So – I finally get to the Outrigger Waikiki where this damn presentation is… to find out its 90 minutes not 60 which is cutting it close for Johnnie picking me up at 3 for a run to Diamond Head to see his couple of houses that he is moving out of.

Initial presentation was actually one of the better one – they knew I wasn’t buying and it was more an exchange of information comparing the various Wyndham programs (theirs and WorldMark, both Wyndham corporate owned). Finished that and then the “shark” – a woman – tried another pitch before letting me out the door. When they said “sign here for your $125 AMEX card”, I signed – even though they had already paid $125 of the $125.96 for an island circle tour I booked for tomorrow. So – for my 90 minutes (which wasn’t explained to me the length) I got $250. Much better deal. Apparently they don’t know how to deal with pre-paid stuff.

On the way back after taking a coupon for a free Hawaiian music at the upstairs Waikiki Beach Walk merchants (ended up buying a $12 locally screened bandana feeling rich after my AMEX card) I stumbled across this lovely:

Pineapple people. Odd. Got back to the room with enough time to wolf down the remaining 2/3rds of the Summer Roll (with dipping sauce) and a cocktail before I got text from Johnnie that he was downstairs.

Off to Diamond Head to see where the brood (him, wife, children, extended family – 10 in all) have been living. One house for the main family, one for the extended family. Really what I wanted to see was “Cruella”, his Johnson Motors factory Camaro rework:

The thing is over 25 feet long… think 4 Dalmatians instead of 101.

Then we were off for a walk to the beach… which all beaches are public in Hawaii… and I have another Hawaii 5 0 moment. This house has been featured repeatedly on the show:

Millions of dollars’ worth of house, and anybody can party between the house and the water…

Johnnie took me out to a lovely dinner at Roys (must review for TripAdvisor) after the tours (and me grabbing a paper cutter, some unopened dill seed and some unopened food coloring) – he really wanted me to try the Butter Fish … which at $42 for the entrée I was happy for him to be picking up the tab:

Sorry that the picture is just of the Manhattan and Johnnie rather than the Butter Fish. I’ve known Johnnie since my college days. What a long strange trip it’s been.

And the final picture of the day was taken when RussianOrphan/WaikikiBoy came back to spend some more time – and I got him to sort of smile:

Please ignore the red-eye which makes him look like Satan. We also spent some time working on his January trip to Vegas for a half work/half play trip. He gets two days off with pay, but has to foot the bill.

Speaking of which — any preference on his online nickname? I’m conflicted:

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This trip might be the most fun I’ve had on holiday in a while.

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