UMTravels

This time in 2021 I was supposed to be in Barcelona and Dublin visiting friends.

This time in 2022 I was supposed to be in Barcelona and Dublin visiting friend in the rebooked trip.

Instead, I’m in Waikiki having already booked the time off. Don’t cry for me Argentina, though I’d rather go back to Uruguay, but flight schedules are still spotty.

Flying solo so I don’t have to worry about anyone else’s schedule.

Which means I’m taking lots a tax paperwork to deal with:

Hello, airport:

Great day to fly!

Flying on one of Alaska’s Max 9 with the new first-class seats:

I’ve seen when booking this seat, sometimes it says it doesn’t recline. It reclined for me, but it didn’t have the footrests like rows 2-4.

And I had a companion that snored louder than me!

Total sweetheart, especially on Benadryl!

And views on the way down:

I do really like the airport at Honolulu:

While not as cheap as Uber or the Bus ($1.00 Senior Citizen fare), I like having a car/can waiting for me. Makes more sense with there is more than me, as it’s the same price up to four, but minimal walking, and door to door.

Ramada Plaza for this trip. More Wyndham Points! Paid a bit more for a balcony.

And a peek-a-boo view of the ocean:

10^th floor balcony would be mine.

Lunch at the Korean Restaurant around the corner…sadly, I remember the food being better at their previous location:

And then shopping for room supplies:

Not pictured, the Bourbon and mixer!

And the nighttime views are good as well!

For breakfast – please don’t hate me – I went back to a place I took Bliss to for his first “senior” discount breakfast – IHOP:

Then I had a bit of a walk-about to work off all the fat:

Enough of the walking tour photos – let’s see some food porn!

As is usual on my Waikiki visits, there is at least one visit to Happy Hour at Tommy Bahama’s Bar/Grill. Great prices on top notch food/dink:

Classic Vodka Martini (Grey Goose) with blue cheese stuffed olives:

Their world famous Coconut Shrimp:

Blackened Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos:

Little loaves of bread with a cinnamon butter spread (a freebie):

Cheeseburger Sliders:

And you wonder why I keep going back!

Another favorite is Liliha Bakery, close to the Salvation Army, more on that later. Love the Fried Chicken:

Also, another day had a Pastrami Benedict at Giovannis – which I didn’t put a link in because I always leave underwhelmed. This was their last chance:

Really, calling Sysco pucks, “Hash Browns”.

Back to the Salvation Army – picked up two shirts (one a Tommy Bahama) and an etched glass so I can have my whiskey out of something other than a paper coffee cup:

And those tax documents I brought to work on, got a bunch of work done on them the last full day:

Nine AM flight home, and with COVID, the AA/JAL Lounge isn’t open, so I’m huddled with the masses:

My Alaska MVP 100K status didn’t get reflected on my account until all the upgrades to First cleared, so I was in my back, at least on the aisle in premium with free cocktails, and a pre-ordered meal:

And on my return home, just A LITTLE mail:

Aloha!

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