Trip 2: Day 4-5 Waikiki Hilton

Day 4-5 Waikiki

I leave the airport and have plenty of time so I decide rather than book a $14 shuttle I’m going to test public transport.

Google tells me that the number 19 and 20 bus routes will stop right outside of the terminal and take me all the way to Waikiki.

Arrivals at HNL is on the ground floor and to get to the bus stop you have to go upstairs to departures and exit there. There is a bus shelter outside with ‘City Bus’ written on it.

I ask a local and she confirms I’m in the right place and advises me that the fare is $2.50 and no change is given, quick trip to starbucks to buy a water and get some change.

I’ve only got carry on luggage which the driver is fine with but some other tourists with larger bags are turned away.

I’ve got 45 stops until I get to the Hilton so I settle down on the back seat, as we drive through Honolulu the bus gets absolutely packed.

After about 45 minutes I get dropped right outside the Hilton and have gained a pretty good grasp of the scale of Honolulu, it’s a much bigger city that I thought.

I check into the Hilton and get a nice room looking onto the beach and Diamond Head.

I have a quick refresh then head to the beach until sundown.

I grab a turkey Panini for dinner and eat on the beach, I’ve booked into the Marriott for the main part of my stay out here so I walk up to check it out. There’s a really nice atmosphere on the beach at night, I find a bunch of older locals drinking and singing Hawaiian songs.

I’m exhausted so head for bed.

The next day I get up, pack and clear the room. My flight is not until the evening so I give my bags to the hotel to store and head for brunch at Denny’s USA style. If a single meal could make you diabetic then this must be it…

I then head to the beach and spend the day relaxing and swimming.

I booked a courtesy room at the Hilton which allowed me 20 minutes to have a shower and then I get back on the number 20 bus to head for HNL. A very enjoyable day, the more time I spend here the more I like it.

I would say I’m not a massive fan of the Hilton village here, the room was great and the service was excellent but it’s just too big and messy, it’s a ‘resort’ with (I think) 5 he 20-30 floor towers and swimming pools and shops in between.

It feels like they built a bit, then added another bit, then another… and ended up with a concrete mess. Hopefully the Marriott will be a little nicer (a chap on the flight out last time recommended the Marriott to me)

Trip 2, Day 4: Flight 6 May 22nd 08.00 LAX-HNL

Day 4 LAX-HNL 08.00

Boeing 757

First

Tier Points:  210

After a very refreshing albeit short sleep I’m on the shuttle to LAX. Breeze through the priority ticketing and security. The American terminal at LAX is pretty brilliant in terms of time from check in to gate. I’ve always been through in 15-20 minutes which for an airport of its size and passenger flow is impressive.

I head to the admirals lounge and get a card to access the flagship lounge (oneworld emirates get this access even though AA’s own exec platinums to not).

I really like the Flagship lounge at LAX, I’ve never seen more than 5 people in here and they have yoghurt and fresh berries (as well as premium spirits and a buffet). I write some blog and eat some berries.

Boarding goes smoothly and we are off to Honolulu on time.

Breakfast is a sausage quiche, pretty poor stuff and I’m glad I ate at the lounge, and I pretty much sleep through the flight.

It’s worrying that a 6 hour flight has become pretty bearable to me by now.

We land in Honolulu and I’ve planned an overnight here as turning straight around last time absolutely destroyed me.

 F22's in paradise...

Trip 2, Day 3: Flight 5 May 21st 20.45 JFK-LAX

Day 3 JFK-LAX 20.45

Airbus A321T

Business Class

Tier Points:  140

You snooze, you lose. I booked this particular fight a week later than trip 1 and as a result was ticketed into business class and not first on this 3 class 321T. That meant 140 tier points instead of 210. I asked to upgrade at check in as I need the TP’s but was told on check in that it’s a full fight.

I have a 6 hour layover and as I’m a oneworld emerald (because I’m now BA gold) I was granted access to the AA flagship lounge at JFK, its nice, quiet and had a decent selection of food and drink (grilled chicken and spinach salad, cheese board etc)

I check some emails and get some work done and have a chat to a man from Brazil who is a captain for LAN on his way home to Rio. He’s a very nice chap and explains to me how the 777’s and 787’s don’t need winglets because the wing shape is so efficient.

I also do some reading and note that the first production Trent XWB has left the Rolls Royce factory and is headed to Toulouse for the first production A350.

We board on time, I actually prefer the business cabin on these A321T’s, especially if I was travelling with a partner. The chap next to me works in finance and I heading home to LA for his son’s birthday. A light snack (cheesboard and grapes) is served and we have a competition for who can work the longest before falling asleep. At this point its 22 hours since I woke up in London, although I did get a 2 hour nap over the Atlanic. He’s clearly had a long day as he falls asleep with his hand jammed on the down button of the laptop leaving it scrolling through the mother of all PDF’s.

I climb over his seat without waking him for a natural break then get the seat into bed mode and get a couple of hours sleep myself.

The cabin temperature has been all over the place and I overhear a regular flyer saying that the A321 was not designed with a 3 class configuration and there are only 2 air con systems, one for First and one for Economy which results in the Business cabin often being far too hot. I’m unsure if there’s any truth in this or if it’s was a load of hot air (you may laugh).

We get off around midnight, and I get the shuttle over to the Westin. I’ll be up again in 5 hours.