Vacation booked

[goldendesign]

Beginning of August, 11 days. Friends of ours whom we've traveled with often called recently and was "How about Hawaii?" 
Our plans to travel abroad to family was kinda killed with Europe still not getting their Covid shit together so we had an opening. 

Moana Surfrider on Waikiki beach. Hawaii wasn't on either of our to-do lists (I mean I live within an hour of several continuously named "best beached in the world beaches) but definitely something I feel you have to do at least once. 

Biggest surprise was how we booked it. Costco vacations. Through booking, travelocity, my corporate account, and straight to each source (air/hoterl/car) all ran the same amount. But with Costco travel it came in $1800 cheaper with free shuttle from airport included. Also I used my Costco Visa and Executive membership and will be getting 3% and 2% cash back respectively. Hawaii isn't cheap but at least I found a reasonable accommodation. 

[Razors Edge ★]

Sounds awesome.  We loved Hawaii. You should have a blast.  Not sure how the snorkeling is by Waikiki, but if you have a car, find a less busy beach with good snorkeling and spend a day there. 

I'm still tortured about Europe, but am thinking it is opening up steadily despite their recurring COVID issues.  My coworker is off to France for three weeks next month, and I was thinking it would be nice to do a similar but shorter trip just to get in the groove again. We'll see.

[Prophet Zacharia]

58 minutes ago, goldendesign said:

Waikiki beach.

Is beautiful. Oahu is the island I’ve spent the least time on, but would go back in a heart beat. I went to the island specifically for the Pearl Harbor experience, but loved Honolulu and the North Shore equally, despite their radical differences. Enjoy, and post pictures!

[Razors Edge ★]

Just now, Prophet Zacharia said:

Enjoy, and post pictures!

Yep! But hide the thumb!!!!!

[goldendesign]

8 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Not sure how the snorkeling is by Waikiki, but if you have a car, find a less busy beach with good snorkeling and spend a day there

We are trying to get a car. The "package" we booked should have came with a car but a costco travel rep called us and told me they were out. Refunded the portion that was the car. Now I'm consistently looking looking for one to pop up. The rental car shortage (car shortage in general) is effecting the little island pretty badly. I called the concierge of the hotel and he said unless we booked about 3-4 months out its gonna be a tough one. In a week or so we can start checking and reserving cars from Toro or Hui, both of which are kinda like car-sharing programs. Hui looks clean and straightforward, Toro has cars now but they seem kinda sketch.

 

8 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

I'm still tortured about Europe, but am thinking it is opening up steadily despite their recurring COVID issues. 

That's where we were two weeks ago. We had planned three weeks in Europe; one week in Ankara with the family, another week again all together on the Mediterrain coast in one of those fancy ultra inclusive hotels, then finish off with a Greek islands tour. The more we looked at vaccination/transmission rates and weigh the danger for our 4 year old and WoGoldens 76 year old mom, we figured it's best to wait another year.

7 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I went to the island specifically for the Pearl Harbor experience,

Definitely a history buff and a sucker for a good museum. They have a few on the island that look worth going to. 

[Bikeguy]

35 minutes ago, goldendesign said:

We are trying to get a car.

Yeah that what we had years ago.   Good luck...

The only public transportation is "The Bus".   Which may take you to some places.  

Possibly Uber and Lyft can help too.

[Randomguy]

1 hour ago, Bikeguy said:

Possibly Uber and Lyft can help too.

Or if you aren't travelling far, rent a uhaul van for 19.99/day and pretend you are moving.

[Prophet Zacharia]

6 hours ago, Randomguy said:

Or if you aren't travelling far, rent a uhaul van for 19.99/day and pretend you are moving.

I doubt you can get a Uhaul in Oahu, that trick has been played out in Hawaii all spring. People on Hawaiian Facebook groups are now renting out use of their personal cars the shortage is so severe. 

[goldendesign]

2 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

People on Hawaiian Facebook groups are now renting out use of their personal cars the shortage is so severe. 

Toro is the app for that; might be the way to go. Though $80 a day for a 2008 Corolla might not be the experience I am wanting to pay for. There are other nice cars hiding but it's truly a mixed bag.

[Prophet Zacharia]

8 hours ago, goldendesign said:

Definitely a history buff and a sucker for a good museum. They have a few on the island that look worth going to. 

Plan to spend most of the day at Pearl Harbor. The Pacific Aviation museum is top-notch, the Missouri is impressive and the Bowfin is pretty neat. We didn’t get to the Punchbowl Cemetery, but it seems impressive.

Quote

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl is an immensely moving place. The Hawaiian name for this crater is Puowaina—hill of human sacrifices. It’s eerily fitting that it is now a cemetery for those in the military who sacrificed their lives in the Pacific.

 

[Parr8hed]

Sounds like an awesome trip.

[MickinMD ★]

We, some members of my extended family, tentatively have Las Vegas penciled in for late December, early January - my nephew turns 21 on Dec. 28th.

But he's interviewing with an airline today, hoping to become a steward, and if he gets that job and leaves his Amazon job, his time-off may be thrown out of whack.