oahu travel

Oahu travel suggestions

Aloha,
The island of Oahu has many different places you can stay all over the island, yet there are definably places you would want to avoid.

Waikiki isn't bad, and for some people it is exactly what they are looking for; night life, fancy restaurants, and a popular beach with cocktails. We lived in an Ohana hotel located at Kuhio and Lewers for a month back in 2003, and it was ok but not anything special. Before we knew anybody over here living in a cheap but decent hotel seemed like a good idea until we could find a place of our own. We also lived on the other side of Waikiki at Discovery Bay (a condo place) which is across the street (Ala Moana Blvd.) from the ILI KAI (Hotel and Condo place) and the Hilton Hawaiian village. We also spent a night at the Ohana Beachcomber Waikiki, and it was ok and it is not on the beach. The thing about Waikiki is it is busy, sometimes crowded, and sometimes very loud even past midnight. My experience is that the closer you are to the center of Waikiki or the International Market Place the more tourist trap crap you are going to experience. There are many nice and expensive restaurants in the Waikiki, yet I am limited to tell about the only five I have eaten at; Dukes(very expensive) is the best if you like fish, Tiki's has fish and more traditional type food like Lau Lau(very expensive); Outback Steack house (on Ala Moana Blvd and not very good); Chili's (on Kuhio), and Cheese Burger in Paradise (it's ok and on Ala Moana Blvd).
If you are unsure about a place let me know and I'll either let you know what I think or go check it out and then let you know what I think.
Diamond Head- it's a nice short little hike, but they are going to charge you an entry fee to enter



Pearl Harbor- there is a bit more to do here then just see the Arizona memorial; the memorial is free and I believe the parking is free as well. There is a museum and the U.S.S. Bowfin (WW2 sub) where you can also get the combo ticket that allows you to take the trolley over to the U.S.S. Missouri (the battleship the Japanese signed their surender), and the Avaition Museum. I suggest starting early the memorial opens at 7:30A.M. and by 9 A.M. there will be a line. Bringing a lunch if you have a cooler or taking a lunch break and driving toward the airport down to Radford Dr. and getting something to eat is a pretty good idea. There was a snack bar, but really do something else.
I don't think there is any place to stay over here unless you know someone in the Navy or Airforce stationed here.



The North Shore
Wailua- very small town and there are sharks (breeding area)

Haliewa- a Hawaiian style country town with some tourist stuff like boutiques, surf shops, art galleries, and restaurants. THIS IS NOT LAHIANA
although there are other restaurants in Haliewa there are three restaurants most tourist frequent in Haliewa Joe's (popular and expensive) Jensens Seafood, and Cholo's. All three are places people go to be seen especially Cholo's.

Waimea Bay- pretty neat big surf spot in the Winter
Waimea Falls- never been

Sharks Cove- great snorkeling in the summer

Sunset Beach- surf spot

Turtle Bay- this is a private resort that has a hotel, two golf courses, condos, and multiple private beaches. They might have more but I've yet to go there. If you go find out what the visitor polocies are and I'll come over.

Liehi- it's where the Mormons are and it's pretty. The Polynesian Cultural Center which is huge is also here; I hear it's an all day thing.

Kahuku- Horseback riding and movie tours



The East Shore

Kailua- nice long beautiful beach with beach estates for rent among other things. There are good restaurants and some shopping. This is where bama vacations

Lani Kai- very nice and quiet with one of if not the prettiest beach in all of Hawaii; but if you need to go to the store or want to go to a restaurant your going to have to make the quick drive into Kailua.

Waimanalo- big long beach. Don't think all the locals are going to be happy your there because some really don't want you there. The Magnum P.I. House is here but you kind of have to know where it is and it is NOT open to the public.

In Between Waimanalo and Hawaii Kai/Portlock
Sea Life Park (http://www.sealifeparkhawaii.com/) it's like a smaller version of Sea World. There is a Dolphin experience you can pay to do, and they have some other animals; they do not have a Walrus like you see in the movies.

There is a Light house you can walk to just down the road

Koko Head Crater- botanical garden in the center, and you can climb to the summit, but you'll need to drive to the park on the other side to get to the trail head. *the trail has no switchbacks, so that means it's straight up.

The Blow Hole- on the side of the road with good parking, no sign.

Hanauma Bay- Wildlife Preserve supposed to be great snorkeling, but get there early. Closed Tuesdays

Hawaii Kai/ Portlock
There are some vacation places to rent here and one of the three Costcos is here




Leeward Oahu
If your not staying at one of the new resorts on this side of the island I think it would be better if you didn't venture to this side of the island.
Disney is building a big place over here.
There is a waterpark


Please understand that if you show up at my door unannounced and expect to stay with me you may be surprised when I hand you a tarp and head you towards a place you can camp (most likely illegally and with homeless people) This doesn't apply to everyone but I don't think you should risk it.

Neighboring Disneyland Hotels

Hello there fellow travelers. I have compiled a list of neighboring Disneyland area hotels that I have stayed at, and I have added ratings and comments. Prices may fluctuate, so some hotels maybe less expensive than others at different times of the year. I suggest ignoring my price structure and just go by walking distance and comfort, and base the prices off of what you find online. The Rating System: #1 is the best #13 is the worst. This is just a guide and I will not tell you what to do; this is just my opinion and I hope it helps. If you have younger kids that may be getting ready for bed around the time Disneyland has their firework show it is worth asking the hotel if they have 'Firework view rooms' for a before bedtime treat.

Embassy Suites-South

(11767 Harbor Boulevard, Garden Grove, CA 92840)
Ranking: Walk #11
Price #5
Comfort #4
Food:There is a sort-of buffet in the Hotel but it's kind of weird, so I wasn't a big fan. There are other restaurants close by: Red Robin, Outback, Joes Crab Shack, Buca Di Peppo, and Coco’s
Comments: Far from park, and no direct hotel-Disneyland shuttle (there is a Disneyland trolley that you can pay to ride, and has multiple and frequent stops), yet I suggest just driving and parking at Disneyland. This is a good place for families; with a bedroom for mom and dad and a fold out couch for the kids in the living room.
Other Info: There is an animatronic-Lion in the Lobby that younger kids will like. Elevator noise in rooms close to elevators.

The Anabella hotel (1030 W Katella Ave Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #10
PRICE #6
COMFORT #9
Food: Hotel restaurant ok, Coco’s, and some other place I’ve never eaten
Comments: I’ve stayed at the very front west corner (the street noise is kind of loud), and the very back east corner (Anaheim convention center noise starts early, and ends late; it is disturbing) IF you decide to walk to the park cut through the Grand Californian. There are some rooms that feature a separate kids room within a suite.


The Carousel (1530 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #5
PRICE #1 ( I don't think this is current)
COMFORT #11
Food: Quiznos (never eaten at this one), free breakfast upstairs (I didn't like it)
Comments: rooms are dated, but you get what you pay for here


Camelot Inn (1520 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #6
PRICE #2
COMFORT #10
Food: MacDonald’s
Comments: It was clean, and fairly comfortable. Nothing special


The Disneyland Hotel
RANKING: WALK #4
PRICE #12
COMFORT #2
Food: Downtown Disney
Comments: It is a longer walk to the park than you might think.

The Disney Paradise Pier
RANKING: WALK #8
PRICE #10
COMFORT #5
I have nothing good to say about Paradise Pier. There is no resort transportation, yet you pay a resort fee. The rooms are not super nice. The elevators broke numerous times when we were there. For the price there is no incentive to stay here.

The Disney Grand Californian
RANKING: WALK #1
PRICE #13
COMFORT #1
Food: Story Teller Café (expensive) and Downtown Disney
Comments: Nice, but Expensive


Fairfield Inn *my favorite (1460 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #7
PRICE #9
COMFORT #7
Food: Mi Mi’s, Mac Donald’s, and Millies (not very good, but better than IHOP)
Comments: Fireworks view rooms are awesome; you can see the show and even hear the music. Very comfortable beds, and free WiFi. Walk to the park is just bearable.


Marriot Suites (12015 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92840)
RANKING: WALK #12
PRICE #11
COMFORT #3
Food: Red Robin, Outback, Joes Crab Shack, and Coco’s
Comments: Far from park, and no direct hotel-Disneyland shuttle (there is a Disneyland trolley that you can pay to ride, and has multiple and frequent stops) No free internet.
Not a very good value for the money.


Parkview Inn *easiest walk (1570 S Harbor Blvd Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #3
PRICE #4
COMFORT #8
Food: Capt’n Kid’s (never eaten there), and IHOP (horrible don’t eat there)
Comments: Very close to the park, with a very short walk. Rooms were very clean (smelled like a hospital)


Best Western - Park Place Inn On Harbor across from Disneyland (1544 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92802) *easiest walk
RANKING: WALK #2
PRICE #6
COMFORT #12
Food: Capt’n Kid’s (never eaten there), and IHOP (horrible don’t eat there)
Comments: Very close to park with a very short walk. Rooms were very dated, no internet at all. Not a very good value for the money.


Best Western – Stovall’s Inn (1110 W Katella Ave
Anaheim, CA 92802)
RANKING: WALK #9
PRICE #3
COMFORT #13
Food: Coco’s
Comments: The walk is a little far but reasonable, and the Anaheim Trolley (pay to ride) picks up outside the hotel. The room was clean, but dated. I wouldn’t pay more than $80 a night even during peak season to stay here. IF you decide to walk to the park cut through the Grand Californian.


Anaheim Sheraton (900 S Disneyland Drive Anaheim, CA 92802) Walking not advised; there is a hotel ran shuttle that runs twice an hour.
RANKING: WALK #13
PRICE #8
COMFORT #6
Food: Hotel restaurant ok but not open at convenient hours
Comments: Nice, Clean, and if you don’t mind driving yourself or taking the hotel shuttle it’s a good place to stay.

Visitors

It has been sort of weird around here since our last visitor departed. We had two visitors from May 21st to June 10th. First was my cousin Jessica who spent just under a week with us. We had a good time and did some tourist type stuff, some we've done before and some we haven't but mostly we just hung out at the beach. Sam and I aren't party people so we were relieved we didn't have to go out to any clubs, although I had suggested we go to a Karaoke bar.
Just before Jessica left we were informed that one of my other cousins would be arriving three days after Jessica departed.



David arrived via CVN74 or otherwise known as the U.S.S. John C. Stennis. David was only going to be here for three days, but it turned into a week and a half. I was told to meet David at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial around 11 A.M. but the Navy had other plans.
You can see how thrilled I look--I was hungry which didn't help--










I don't remember what this was called, but here he is Big Dave.
Dave gave me a tour of the ship which was cool. I have never been on an aircraft carrier, and I am looking forward to going on a Tiger Cruise one day. In the picture above you can see the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial and the U.S.S. Missouri Memorial behind it.


We played Miniature Golf David's last night, and he won.

It was fun to have visitors, and maybe one day someone will want to go to a karaoke bar when they visit. I hope Sam and I have a better different place to live the next time we host someone.

Bees like me

It seems like I have always had some kind of connection with flying-stinging insects like wasp, yet I wouldn't say those connections are positive. When I was about four I remember going to a parks and recs activity at our local park. It was my first time at parks and recs so I remember feeling awkward but I was given a place and set on a task and I think I was enjoying myself when I noticed a flying bug in the air. I should point out that at this moment in time I had no idea what a wasp was or that they would sting; and being somewhat of a day dreamer I found myself following the wasp around with my eyes as it buzzed around. I didn't panic or anything when it landed on my nose and I remember the wasp looking right at me as I looked at it; naively I thought I had made a new friend from the insect world. As I yelled out and started crying from the pain of being stung while wiggling to get out of the confined space between the other kids on either side of me on the long bench I realized that bug was not nice and was not my friend. I dare say that what was going on there was the wasp was introducing me to the feud I was now part of between insect and man.

I have had other encounters with wasp since then some unprovoked and then some that I definitely provoked, yet wasp are not the only flying-stinging insect I've had problems with. I have been stung about four times from average everyday honey bees, yet only in and while operating in some way a Wireline Truck. This is not to say I have never had close contact with bees, and in fact I have been surrounded by hives of bees without being stung.

Carpenter Bee's have been causing me problems lately. Carpenter bees are usually misidentified as Bumble Bee's, yet Carpenter bees are not fuzzy and most often if not always black with a shinny abdomen. With where I live I have to walk down a restrictive path by a section of fence where there is a nest of female Carpenters bees. When we first moved in we didn't even notice there were bees nested there but lately the F-ing things have been buzzing me when I walk past, but they don't mess with Sam. I have been buzzed by other Carpenter bees miles from home, and oddly enough one followed us in our car and almost seemed to be hiding buzzing around the phone lines while we were stopped at signals. The F-ers have even been flying around a buzzing our windows, and even when the opaque windows are shut their tiny black silhouette become larger and larger until they are about life size as they test the screening; Sam says "they just want to play with you because you smell so sweet". I do not smell sweet as far as I know, and if I did I think I would go see my doctor about diabietes. This has become an irritant that I'm not willing to tollerate anymore. I have been looking for ways to kill these horrible nucences. So far what I have read is that the hippies don't want you to kill them because the are great polenators, and many others suggest waiting until night and filling the holes with insecticide then plugging the holes with steel-wool. My problem has been that they fly into an area of the fence that is covered by ivy and other drapping plants so I have no idea where their burrow would be. What I have been left with is to bait a trap for the flying giant black jelly beans with a milk jugg containing a vinegar, sugar, and water mixture that is hanging from my awning. The idea of the trap is the bee will enter to feed and not know how to get out again and drown but I don't think it is going to work. So far the trap has been up for a hour and I haven't seen any go in it, and the one F-er I heard didn't go near it. If all else fails I'm going to be the weird-neihbor-guy who carries his tennis racket around and swings it wildly any time he hears a F-ing bee with a crazy "Hiyah, you bee-youch bitches" then mudder off something incohearent as I continue on my way.

I thought I had pictures

Ok, long story short I didn't take any pictures with my phone and that was the only camera I had on my trip to Woodland. I was planning on stealing pictures that Sam took but for some reason she didn't take very many and the one's she took really don't suit my needs. I apologize if you've been waiting. I will write more when something interesting happens, if nothing else I'll have something to write about in two weeks and three weeks from now.

Went to California

Last Thursday Sam and I boarded Hawaiian Airlines Flight 20 bound for Sacramento to attend Sam's parents 4oth wedding anniversary. Friday was mostly spent taking care of somethings that we should have taken care of a year ago, but everything worked out. The party was on Saturday and went just fine. Sam had produced a slide-show with music for the event which I don't think could have been any better. Early Sunday morning Sam and I headed down to Fresno, and luckily we arrived just in time to watch Ab's in a triathlon where she finished a strong 4th. We took Abs out to lunch while Audrey was taking a nap. Later we went to Boomers to play some miniture-golf, but the arcade has seen much better days. Monday we drove back to Sacramento and got in late, and Tuesday morning we flew home. This was not an advertised trip, and if you didn't know we were around there was a good chance you were not part of the anniversary. The Samanskys had no idea we were coming to California and I'd like to think they were pleasently surprised at our unexpected arrival. We really didn't have any extra time on this trip, and we used our time as we planned. So if you thought you saw me in Woodland there's a chance you did. No one who didn't get a visit should feel slated against we really didn't have any extra time, and those of you who have direct contact with my father just consider that I did you a favor by not advising you about my trip; otherwise you would be looked at as somekind of enemy conspiritor or some other such paranoid craziness. You can check back later when I add some pics.

Easy delicious and Healthy frozen dessert

3 frozen bananas

I found this on the internet and made it in just over 15 minutes, but to be fair I already had frozen bananas. I've added some of my own tips to make it easier.
What you will need:
3 ripe bananas frozen
1/4 cup milk of some kind (skim all the way to cream I don't think it matters)
Pinch ground nutmeg
Electric Food Processing device (Food-Processor is ideal, I used my kitchen-aid mixer, and I'm sure blender would work)
Throw all the ingredients in and make it creamy, and Yummmm! Enjoy!

*I peel the bananas before freezing and put them in a zip-lock freezer bag.

Dental Complications

Recently I had my old gold crown fall off, and the smell was not only overwhelmingly gross but resemble the stench of hot month old garbage. The crown was only about 7 years old and why the glue failed is really speculative. Back in 2002 I had the work done in Woodland by a dentist that I used to like, and I liked until I recommended her to my father; my dad was inappropriate with my married with children dentist and the service was never the same from any of the staff. As far as the saga of my cursed crown the temporary crown fell off twice before I returned to the dentist office where they tried to affix someone elses crown which obviously wasn't going to work; the temporary crown fell off another time before having the gold crown finally set. My old gold crown fell off while I was flossing, and it was surprising since it came straight off as I inserted the 'Glide' in between the teeth. So I went to my dentist here and unfortunately there was some decay, and was bad enough that the had to use a "laser" to remove part of the gum line so that later they will have enough surface area to glue on the new crown; also I had to have a root canal done by a specialist for my "extremely deep roots". Luckily it didn't hurt that much, the pain in all this has really been financial. Sam and I were notified that our dental insurance has a probation period before they will cover major work, and we didn't quite understand how we could still be in a probation period since it has been nearly a year; the probation period is a full year. I am now responsible for several hundreds of dollars with my dentist, and $1800 with the specialist for the root canal. On the bright side Sam was able to move back my dentist apointment for the crown so at least that will be covered by the insurance at the end of April. I am very happy that my new temporary has been solid since March 20th. All in all a frustrating situation.

Honolulu Frozen Yogurt

In the last couple of months Honolulu has had two different new Frozen Yogurt places open up. Both places are similar to one another, yet there are big differences.
The first place Sam and I tried is Yogurtland (http://www.yogurt-land.com/) which is only a few blocks from where we live next to the University. The frozen-yogurt is self serve, and that includes the toppings; don't get excited they weigh your cup and charge you by the ounce. The flavors change occasionally, and they have several to choose from. Most of the frozen-yogart is either low-fat or non-fat, yet I'm not sure you would ever know. I like Yogartland and have visited several times.

Last night Sam and I went to Menchies Frozen-Yogart (http://menchies.com/) at Ward Center. There is no doubt that Menchies has the better location, but that's the only upperhand I can see Menchies has over Yogartland. I didn't like either flavor I choose last night both had a bitter after-taste; I had a taste of Sam's and it was the same way. Menchies is self-serve and they charge by weight as well, but the quality is definately lacking; the service is lacking as well.

As stated above I feel the difference between the new fancy frozen-yogurt places heavily favor Yogurtland, and I highly recomend it if you like frozen-yogurt and just happen to be in Honolulu.

beam transmission

I've decided to have a centralized Blog instead of posting the same blog in three different places, so this is the result. I make no promises that my blogs will be to your liking; in truth there is a real good chance that some blogs will be a rants about current issues and events.

Until next time,
ALOHA!