Monday 27/9/2010
7.44am and I'm doing the laundry on the 2nd floor. $1.50 per wash, doing 2 loads, 1 colour and 1 whites, both on 30 min cycle.
$1.00 per dry and it's a 52 min cycle. Get change from the change machine. Put in $7.00, and use quarters for the wash and dry.
Decide to sit outside and play bejeweled. Very noisy with trucks doing their deliveries. They have a tv which a guy has put on, so I join and watch, waiting for the dry cycle to end.
11am, we head out to catch the bus to Chinatown. Get off just past the gates and have to back track. It's been a while since we've been here and the memories are coming back. Fiona just has one thing on her mind. Get out of the heat. Walk past the entrance to Manakea marketplace, but we end up walking through the back entrance to the seated area. Fiona and Janet find empty seats and sit down. U. David and A.Cath buy smoothies. This gets her up and going again. Janet and A. Cath want to go grocery shopping, so I spy a seat outside which is a bustop, and I sit there with Fiona drinking our smoothie. Janet, U. David and A. Cath walk around the shops and around the block. They buy vegies, char siu, siu yuk, bananas and water chestnut.
2.00pm, they find a pho restaurant that has people lining up outside the shop, so they line up as well. Janet is sent back to come get us. We're very lucky to get in as they close the doors at 2.30pm. Have pho, 2 mediums and 3 regulars for $40plus tips. Very popular place. After pho, we walk back to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Waikiki.
3.00pm, get back to Imperial. Have the lady finger bananas since they are falling of the bunch. Then A.Cath and I go out to look at the shops. I buy a bag from Le Sport Sac, and A. Cath also buys a bag too, but when we get back to hotel, she gives it to me, so U. David won't know. I also buy some dresses from Blue Ginger which I have been eyeing.
6.30pm we are back at the hotel. Fiona has been stuffing her face with junk food and Janet has been studying how to get to Arizona Memorial. U. David has been sewing his old Hawaii Hat which is falling apart at the seams, he almost lost it on a trolley ride to the AMSC.
We have dinner of rice, ong choy, char siu and siu yuk.
8.30pm, Janet and Fiona head back to the hotel. As it is early, they feel it is safe to walk by themselves.
I watch Hawaii 5-0 the new version. News at 10pm and end up sleeping at 11pm. Too sleepy to stay up and watch David Letterman.
Tuesday 28/9/2010 - Pearl Harbour
7am, U. David is awake and all dressed. Head out the door before 7.30am to go to Ohana. Janet is still sleeping. Gets dressed really quickly and they are out to get the bus.
I stay with Fiona in the room. She gets up at 9.30am and dresses herself. I make her breakfast of bran, milk and bananas.
11.30am sitting at the table in the room. She is writing away. I've uploaded my photos into FB Having salada crackers.
1.30pm we go out to get Maccas for lunch. I get a Big Mac meal, Fillet of Fish burger, 20 nuggets ($5.99), berry smoothie ($2.99), all up it costs $22.00. we go back to hotel to eat.
Eating maccas and chatting to Evan. I colour in my xmas cards, Fiona is still writing and eating.
3.00pm and they get back after having lunch at Chinatown.
4.15pm, head down to see the hula show at Beach Walk. Janet buys 2 hula girl charms. I buy stamps for postcards $9.80 for 10. Buy t-shirts for boys and girls (Fiona's housemates) Stop at Maui Divers and Janet buys a plumeria necklace for Fiona and a turtle (hono) pendant for me and gets a free gift - which turns out to be Fiona picking a oyster, she gets 2 pink pearls and has it set into a ring. Janet also gets to pick an oyster and also gets 2 pink pearls which she has set into earrings..so much for them being free, the settings cost a lot, so they all go onto Fiona's credit card. We miss the free hula show, but as we walk through the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, there is a performance of Hawaiian music and dance so we stop and watch a bit. U. David and Fiona get a seat, while we stand, until we decide it might be better for us girls to go prepare dinner, so we walk back to hotel, leaving U. David and Fiona to watch. We get distracted by a hair accessory shop - the hair pieces look interesting, 2 for $50-00 or 1 for $28. Janet gets a makeover.Think about getting it for Fiona, but decide against it.
Walk back to hotel to cook dinner. It's 8pm. We have rice with char siu, siu yuk, choy and leftover chicken nuggets.
8.30pm JT and Fiona walk back to hotel.
9.30pm updating my diary. I didn't get to go shopping :(
Wednesday 29/9/2010 - Shopping Day
This is my day to shop. Janet will be babysitting Fiona, with A. Cath and U. David.
I woke up with a sore dry throat, probably dehydrated from not drinking enough.
Out the door at 8.30am. Catch the bus to AMSC. Get there at 9am, but the shops don't open until 9.30am, so I kill time playing bejeweled. The first shop I walk into is Williams - Sonoma, a kitchenware shop, lots of good things, but I don't buy anything here.
Ann Taylor - 2 work pants, 1 (white) jeans which is on special.
Hollister - 4 T-shirts, 2 hoodies
Gap - buy 2 track pants, 1 pj pant, 2 cardies, 1 blouse, 2 singlets, 2 bras
Baby Gap - buy 2 kids pant & top reversible suits, 1 body suit, mittens and cap
Abercrombie and Fitch - 2 hoodies
Catch trolley back to hotel to drop off bags at 2.30pm. Drink and grab a bite of cake, baby carrots and water chestnut.
It's raining as I catch the bus back out again to AMSC.
3pm and I walk to Crooks and Castle to get Nathan's t-shirt.
Walmart - 4 x neosporin, chocolate macadamias, bubble gum, panty liners
then walk back to AMSC
Victoria's Secret - 6 x body hand lotions, 5 x lip gloss, gym pants
See U. David and Fiona in food court, so leave my shopping with them, while I go do some more shopping.
American Eagle - 1 pants
Aerosport - 2 t-shirts
Old Navy - 2 jeans, 1 drawstring pants, baby top
Catch trolley back with the others to Imperial.
Eat noodles for dinner at 8pm
Walk with JT and Fiona back to hotel. Stop at Apple store, spend quite a bit of time in Apple store. JT buys 2 x 32gb ipads. Get back to hotel 10pm. Use net to chat to Dazzer and Evan.
Walk back to Imperial 11pm.
Pack stuff - but don't think it will fit, did I buy too much? Bedtime 12.30am
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Luau: Hawaii Sun 26/09/2010
Sunday 26/9/2010
Wake up early, but sleep in until 10am. Decide to go for a walk so head out at 10.30am. Look in Blue Ginger, walk to Macy's and try on swimsuits. Walk back to resort, buy 2 Hawaii T-shirts for Fiona.
Back at Imperial, it's 12 noon, have 1 egg and a slice of bread. Still waiting for Janet and Fiona to make their way over.
We all head out at 1pm for a walk to the Army museum - unfortunately it closes on Sunday. So we continue walking to the beach in front of the Hilton. There is a outrigger carnival on the beach, with hula dancers for entertainment. Its a pretty hot sunny day, so we don't stay for long, watch a race or two and then we head back via the Hilton hotel around 2pm, stopping at the penguin enclosure along the way. Stop at the ABC store downstairs to buy icecream and food.
3pm, head out to catch trolley back to Ohana. Get to the hotel 3.40pm with enough time for Janet and Fiona to change and get ready for the Luau.
4.00pm and we're waiting in the lobby.
Get on Bus 79 (which is Bus 1 with the pink sign)
Our host for this evening is Royce
5.00pm and we're heading 30 miles out of Waikiki to Germaine's Luau.
Get off the highway at Kapelei and stop at Barber Point (lighthouse) where Germaine's Luau is situated.
Tickets have been given out on the bus for food and drinks.
8 busloads of people have been taken to the luau. Photos are taken as we get off the bus. Should have worn my thongs..heels are definitely not required. End up going barefeet as does most of the others. Find a table with a good view of the stage which has been reserved for the dancers. Performers are situated around the grounds for people to have their photos taken with them. We go take photos. Soon the horn is blown to sound the opening of the imu (ground oven) A. Cath, U. David and I go to watch while Janet and Fiona remain at the table. The pig is taken out of the ground oven and carried around for people to take photos. Then we all file back to our tables. The buffet is on a table by table basis, and it's not long before we head on up to collect our food. Pile it high with a bit of everything.
Food consists of: pork, beef, fried fish, rice, poi, pasta salad, pineapple coleslaw, bean salad, garden salad, long noodles with chicken, fried chicken, coconut dessert, sponge cake.
They have hawaiian dancers, samoa fire dancer, tahitian dancers and they also have audience participation. The first time, Fiona doesn't want to go up. The next time they ask for people to join them, she surprises us all by following the rest of the dance troupe up on stage to do the tahitian bum shake. I would have joined them, but was busy videoing Fiona's performance.
9.00pm and it's back on the bus going back to the hotel. Royce gives us a recap of the night.
He sings a song and encourages us all to join in the chorus:
Just hang loose, just have fun,
sipping on a drink, lying in the sun.
Don't try to fight it, it ain't no use
Cos, when you're in Hawaii, you should just hang loose.
Get back to the hotel around 9.30pm. Fiona and Janet get ready for bed, while I upload photos and videos of the nights events. We walk back to the Imperial at 11pm.
In bed at 12 midnight.
Wake up early, but sleep in until 10am. Decide to go for a walk so head out at 10.30am. Look in Blue Ginger, walk to Macy's and try on swimsuits. Walk back to resort, buy 2 Hawaii T-shirts for Fiona.
Back at Imperial, it's 12 noon, have 1 egg and a slice of bread. Still waiting for Janet and Fiona to make their way over.
We all head out at 1pm for a walk to the Army museum - unfortunately it closes on Sunday. So we continue walking to the beach in front of the Hilton. There is a outrigger carnival on the beach, with hula dancers for entertainment. Its a pretty hot sunny day, so we don't stay for long, watch a race or two and then we head back via the Hilton hotel around 2pm, stopping at the penguin enclosure along the way. Stop at the ABC store downstairs to buy icecream and food.
3pm, head out to catch trolley back to Ohana. Get to the hotel 3.40pm with enough time for Janet and Fiona to change and get ready for the Luau.
4.00pm and we're waiting in the lobby.
Get on Bus 79 (which is Bus 1 with the pink sign)
Our host for this evening is Royce
5.00pm and we're heading 30 miles out of Waikiki to Germaine's Luau.
Get off the highway at Kapelei and stop at Barber Point (lighthouse) where Germaine's Luau is situated.
Tickets have been given out on the bus for food and drinks.
8 busloads of people have been taken to the luau. Photos are taken as we get off the bus. Should have worn my thongs..heels are definitely not required. End up going barefeet as does most of the others. Find a table with a good view of the stage which has been reserved for the dancers. Performers are situated around the grounds for people to have their photos taken with them. We go take photos. Soon the horn is blown to sound the opening of the imu (ground oven) A. Cath, U. David and I go to watch while Janet and Fiona remain at the table. The pig is taken out of the ground oven and carried around for people to take photos. Then we all file back to our tables. The buffet is on a table by table basis, and it's not long before we head on up to collect our food. Pile it high with a bit of everything.
Food consists of: pork, beef, fried fish, rice, poi, pasta salad, pineapple coleslaw, bean salad, garden salad, long noodles with chicken, fried chicken, coconut dessert, sponge cake.
They have hawaiian dancers, samoa fire dancer, tahitian dancers and they also have audience participation. The first time, Fiona doesn't want to go up. The next time they ask for people to join them, she surprises us all by following the rest of the dance troupe up on stage to do the tahitian bum shake. I would have joined them, but was busy videoing Fiona's performance.
9.00pm and it's back on the bus going back to the hotel. Royce gives us a recap of the night.
He sings a song and encourages us all to join in the chorus:
Just hang loose, just have fun,
sipping on a drink, lying in the sun.
Don't try to fight it, it ain't no use
Cos, when you're in Hawaii, you should just hang loose.
Get back to the hotel around 9.30pm. Fiona and Janet get ready for bed, while I upload photos and videos of the nights events. We walk back to the Imperial at 11pm.
In bed at 12 midnight.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Fiona's Day to Shine: Hawaii Sat 25/9/2010
Saturday 25/9/2010
Wake up at 7.30am. Leave A. Cath and U. David who are still sleeping and walk over to Ohana at 8.00am. People are already lining the streets for the Aloha Festival Parade.
Janet already has Fiona up, so I do her hair. The adapter which Ken has given us, doesn't seem to be working, I have wasted 1/2 an hour waiting for the GHD to heat up. Decide to chance it and plug it straight in without adapter and it works great. Curl Fiona's hair, while Janet does her makeup.
I leave them both at 9.30am to catch the pink trolley to the AMSC. It takes a different route because of the parade. The parade has already started and I get to see some of it while on the trolley. I get to AMSC with time to watch a bit of the parade. The performance is at 12noon, but I don't want to leave it too late to get a good spot to take photos/video.
It's 10.40am and I've bagged a spot. There is no sign of A. Cath and U. David and the dancers haven't arrived yet either. Most of the other parents or friends have arrived.
Janet, Fiona and the rest of the dance group finally get to the Shopping Centre, must be 11.30am, Janet says they didn't get on the bus until 10.30am.
11.50am and U. David and A. Cath finally get to the centre stage...seems they forgot about the parade and they had to walk all the way down to the other end of Kalakaua Avenue to catch the trolley.
12 noon and the show starts. Lots of videos and cameras take the action. Fiona tries her best, she is up the back of the stage tucked away in a corner, but we can see her quite clearly where we are seated.
After the show, Janet goes backstage to help Fiona change out of her costume. No one seems to know what is happening. Group photos and individual photos are taken.
After lunch we walk to Don Quixote (grocery shop) through Nordstrom. Buy some fruit and vegies (groceries for the next 5 days)- they have a big Japanese food section, and it's just as big as Walmart. The shop seems to have everything, but some of the stuff is dearer than Walmart. Fiona and U. David decide to sit outside and wait, while we girls look up and down the aisles.
3.30pm and we catch the trolley back to Imperial. Fiona sleeps while JT and I head back to Ohana to get kitchen stuff (condiments), a change of clothes for Fiona and for me to use the net. The net is very slow and I can't upload my photos. It will have to wait.
6.30pm head back to Imperial. A. Cath is already cooking dinner, Fiona is awake and watching the food channel. After Fiona has her shower, we have dinner.
8.40pm and still watching Food Channel. Others have tea, before JT and Fiona head back to Ohana. Watch NCIS and then bed.
Wake up at 7.30am. Leave A. Cath and U. David who are still sleeping and walk over to Ohana at 8.00am. People are already lining the streets for the Aloha Festival Parade.
Janet already has Fiona up, so I do her hair. The adapter which Ken has given us, doesn't seem to be working, I have wasted 1/2 an hour waiting for the GHD to heat up. Decide to chance it and plug it straight in without adapter and it works great. Curl Fiona's hair, while Janet does her makeup.
It's 10.40am and I've bagged a spot. There is no sign of A. Cath and U. David and the dancers haven't arrived yet either. Most of the other parents or friends have arrived.
12 noon and the show starts. Lots of videos and cameras take the action. Fiona tries her best, she is up the back of the stage tucked away in a corner, but we can see her quite clearly where we are seated.
1 pm and we have lunch in the food court. Have rice with teriyaki chicken and vegies, noodles with salmon and vegies. Buy 2 drinks, banana smoothie for Fiona and a passion guava.
3.30pm and we catch the trolley back to Imperial. Fiona sleeps while JT and I head back to Ohana to get kitchen stuff (condiments), a change of clothes for Fiona and for me to use the net. The net is very slow and I can't upload my photos. It will have to wait.
6.30pm head back to Imperial. A. Cath is already cooking dinner, Fiona is awake and watching the food channel. After Fiona has her shower, we have dinner.
8.40pm and still watching Food Channel. Others have tea, before JT and Fiona head back to Ohana. Watch NCIS and then bed.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Hawaii Thurs - Fri 23-24/9/2010
Thursday 23/9/2010
We all woke up pretty late, went down and across the road to Denny's for breakfast. I think we all must have been hungry, because we all ordered a dish each and when the bill came it totaled $75.00 for the 5 of us. The most expensive meal we had for the whole trip. I ordered 2 eggs, sunny side up, hash brown, 2 toast and fresh fruit and a hot chocolate. Fiona had 2 eggs sunny side up, hash brown, 2 toast, 2 saugsages and a tropical drink, which she eyed in the menu and just had to have.
After breakfast, we went back to the rooms to use the toilet before heading out to catch the pink trolley to Ala Moana Shopping mall. Free travel when we show our hotel key. We get there just before 12 noon and check out centre stage and views. It's just how we remembered it.
Went shopping in Sears and I got 2 tops and 1 shorts $31.38. Next stop Gap, where I got a matching hoodie and pants (on sale), singlet and wallet for Kaylene. Check out Victoria's Secret, Forever 21 and Abercrombie and Fitch. Fiona and U. David sat on the chairs outside the shops.
At 3.00pm we went to the food court, where we bought Char Sui Bau, Har Gow, Mochi Balls and Jamba Juice. Took our time eating.
After eating late lunch, we head to Walmart, where Fiona sits in a wheelchair and we push her around. Janet eyes some shorts for the boys. We spend over 2 hours just looking up and down the aisles.
Make our way back to Ala Moana SC and buy Fiona a drink at Foodland. I wait outside while the others go in to look.
Go back to food court for dinner at 6.35pm and then catch the trolley back to hotel at 8.00pm. We had to wait for the next trolley, as the one that got there was fully loaded. Lucky we didn't have to wait long for the next one, and we got seats.
9.00pm and I'm sitting in the lobby using the free wi-fi. U.David and Fiona have gone up to the rooms. Janet and A. Cath go to Food Pantry to buy water. Wait a while for them and the give up waiting and go up to have a shower.
I don't get to bed until after midnight.
Friday 24/9/2010
Fiona had a good long sleep in. I got up at 8.30am. Switch laptop on and Ming is online. Chat re shopping.
We find out that Mrs R is in room 630. so Janet leaves a message for her on the phone, as we have no idea what the plans are for Fiona's rehearsal and performance.
U. David, A. Cath and I check out of our room at 11.00am. We leave our luggage in Janet and Fiona's room. We bump into Mary in the lobby, who tells us that there is going to be a dance rehearsal somewhere in the hotel on the mezzanine level that afternoon at 3.45pm then the group will be heading out to see the fireworks at the Hilton. On Saturday, the group is to meet in the lobby at 10am where they will get on a bus and travel to the Ala Moana SC for the performance. On Sunday we are to meet in the lobby at 4pm for the luau.
We walk down to the beach and take photos with the Duke statue, before catching a trolley to the AMSC at 12.30pm. Have lunch in the food court at 1pm of Pho, Mung, Rice with Beef and a watermelon smoothie $6.02
Finish lunch at 2.10pm and it's time to catch a trolley back so that we have time to get to the rehearsal. Get back to the hotel at 3.20pm.
3.45pm we all go down to Mezzanine level, but there aren't that many people there and they also have no idea what is going on. Find out that it is on level 2, so we catch the lift up, but every lift that opens up is full, so we catch a lift down first and then go back up. The lifts are so slow and they are always packed as there is only the 2 lifts.
Get on level 2 and find that most of the other dancers are waiting there, but there is no sign of Justine or June (Mrs R). Seems they went on a catamaran ride and they just made it back with no time to change. They are still in their swimsuits, etc. Looks like most of them have spent the day at the beach. Details are given on meeting times and then its down to dancing. The room which is more like the foyer of level 2 is hot and the poor kids just keep on dancing. Half an hour later its over. Some are heading out to dinner and then fireworks.
We need to check in to the Imperial Waikiki, so a bellboy is called. He manages to break A. Caths handle on her big bag, so Janet gets his details for insurance purposes. He hails us a cab and U. David, Janet and I head to the timeshare hotel, while A. Cath and Fiona wait at Ohana West. Check in to room 706, U. David and A. Cath get the bedroom while I get the lounge. We then head on back to Ohana West to get Fiona and A. Cath. Having walked past the RHSC food court on the way to Ohana West, we decide to go get dinner there so we walk to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center food court. We end up buying a Panda Feast: 2 large sides and 3 entres for $35 plus tax. We get fried rice, steamed rice, broccoli and beef, chicken and beans and chicken and mushroom and zuchini. Decide to go back to Imperial to eat.
At 8.00pm I walk Janet and Fiona back to their hotel. Use the internet to upload photos and recharge my batteries.
At 10.30pm walk back to the Imperial to shower. After shower, update notes for the other days then to sleep at 11.35pm.
We all woke up pretty late, went down and across the road to Denny's for breakfast. I think we all must have been hungry, because we all ordered a dish each and when the bill came it totaled $75.00 for the 5 of us. The most expensive meal we had for the whole trip. I ordered 2 eggs, sunny side up, hash brown, 2 toast and fresh fruit and a hot chocolate. Fiona had 2 eggs sunny side up, hash brown, 2 toast, 2 saugsages and a tropical drink, which she eyed in the menu and just had to have.
After breakfast, we went back to the rooms to use the toilet before heading out to catch the pink trolley to Ala Moana Shopping mall. Free travel when we show our hotel key. We get there just before 12 noon and check out centre stage and views. It's just how we remembered it.
Went shopping in Sears and I got 2 tops and 1 shorts $31.38. Next stop Gap, where I got a matching hoodie and pants (on sale), singlet and wallet for Kaylene. Check out Victoria's Secret, Forever 21 and Abercrombie and Fitch. Fiona and U. David sat on the chairs outside the shops.
At 3.00pm we went to the food court, where we bought Char Sui Bau, Har Gow, Mochi Balls and Jamba Juice. Took our time eating.
After eating late lunch, we head to Walmart, where Fiona sits in a wheelchair and we push her around. Janet eyes some shorts for the boys. We spend over 2 hours just looking up and down the aisles.
Make our way back to Ala Moana SC and buy Fiona a drink at Foodland. I wait outside while the others go in to look.
Go back to food court for dinner at 6.35pm and then catch the trolley back to hotel at 8.00pm. We had to wait for the next trolley, as the one that got there was fully loaded. Lucky we didn't have to wait long for the next one, and we got seats.
9.00pm and I'm sitting in the lobby using the free wi-fi. U.David and Fiona have gone up to the rooms. Janet and A. Cath go to Food Pantry to buy water. Wait a while for them and the give up waiting and go up to have a shower.
I don't get to bed until after midnight.
Friday 24/9/2010
Fiona had a good long sleep in. I got up at 8.30am. Switch laptop on and Ming is online. Chat re shopping.
We find out that Mrs R is in room 630. so Janet leaves a message for her on the phone, as we have no idea what the plans are for Fiona's rehearsal and performance.
U. David, A. Cath and I check out of our room at 11.00am. We leave our luggage in Janet and Fiona's room. We bump into Mary in the lobby, who tells us that there is going to be a dance rehearsal somewhere in the hotel on the mezzanine level that afternoon at 3.45pm then the group will be heading out to see the fireworks at the Hilton. On Saturday, the group is to meet in the lobby at 10am where they will get on a bus and travel to the Ala Moana SC for the performance. On Sunday we are to meet in the lobby at 4pm for the luau.
We walk down to the beach and take photos with the Duke statue, before catching a trolley to the AMSC at 12.30pm. Have lunch in the food court at 1pm of Pho, Mung, Rice with Beef and a watermelon smoothie $6.02
Finish lunch at 2.10pm and it's time to catch a trolley back so that we have time to get to the rehearsal. Get back to the hotel at 3.20pm.
3.45pm we all go down to Mezzanine level, but there aren't that many people there and they also have no idea what is going on. Find out that it is on level 2, so we catch the lift up, but every lift that opens up is full, so we catch a lift down first and then go back up. The lifts are so slow and they are always packed as there is only the 2 lifts.
Get on level 2 and find that most of the other dancers are waiting there, but there is no sign of Justine or June (Mrs R). Seems they went on a catamaran ride and they just made it back with no time to change. They are still in their swimsuits, etc. Looks like most of them have spent the day at the beach. Details are given on meeting times and then its down to dancing. The room which is more like the foyer of level 2 is hot and the poor kids just keep on dancing. Half an hour later its over. Some are heading out to dinner and then fireworks.
We need to check in to the Imperial Waikiki, so a bellboy is called. He manages to break A. Caths handle on her big bag, so Janet gets his details for insurance purposes. He hails us a cab and U. David, Janet and I head to the timeshare hotel, while A. Cath and Fiona wait at Ohana West. Check in to room 706, U. David and A. Cath get the bedroom while I get the lounge. We then head on back to Ohana West to get Fiona and A. Cath. Having walked past the RHSC food court on the way to Ohana West, we decide to go get dinner there so we walk to the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center food court. We end up buying a Panda Feast: 2 large sides and 3 entres for $35 plus tax. We get fried rice, steamed rice, broccoli and beef, chicken and beans and chicken and mushroom and zuchini. Decide to go back to Imperial to eat.
At 8.00pm I walk Janet and Fiona back to their hotel. Use the internet to upload photos and recharge my batteries.
At 10.30pm walk back to the Imperial to shower. After shower, update notes for the other days then to sleep at 11.35pm.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sydney to Hawaii Wed 22 Sep - Fri 1 Oct
Wednesday 23/9/2010
Woke up early. Fiona is also up early. My SU boxes arrive. Get Sue to swing by and pick them up.
Bindy comes to pick us up at 12.30pm
We get to the Seeto's by 1.00pm where we have congee and chow mein.
Sit around and kill time before we leave for the airport at 4.10pm
Get to the airport 4.40pm and check in our bags. Fiona gets her wheelchair and we get priority..no lining up. Go through customs and security. Fiona will not get up off the wheelchair so they make her take her shoes off in the chair and scan her, before wheeling her through, while we go throught the gates.
Wait in the lounge area of the airport, it is 6.12pm. have to go to gates 1 hour earlier so that we can board before everyone else.
Gate opens at 7.10pm. We go through another security check but not searched. We are the first ones to board the plane. Not seated together. Fiona and Janet are seated 2 seats ahead of us. Try to get Uncle David and Aunt Cath to swap so they are sitting together and Janet and Fiona can sit next to me, but Fiona is not budging.
Takeoff at 8.10pm. Delayed due to late transitting passengers.
I watch Survivor on my laptop as there is no individual screens and we cannot see the big screen which is showing A-Team.
U. David and Fiona get their diabetic meals first. U. David is still hungry. A. Cath and I eat his apples.
9.23pm and we're waiting for our meals to be served. Everyone seems to be ordering the beef and not the fish. Honolulu time is 1.26am
10.12pm finished meal and waiting for them to clear. Also waiting for ice cream.
Didn't really sleep, just closed eyes and was listening to music. Woke up when Captain put on seatbelt sign because of turbulence. I could hear Fiona being sick. Didn't know how bad it was until we got off the plane. But gave Janet our supply of sick bags as well. the poor guy that was sitting next to Janet helped Janet.He reminded me of Darren. Fiona was feeling bad, but when breakfast was served, she still ate and then was sick again.
When we arrive in Honolulu, we're one of the last ones to get off as the wheelchairs arrive to take Fiona down. Uncle David also gets a wheelchair. They are wheeled down to immigration, while A. Cath and I walk down escalators and stairs, although we get there before they do. We need to scan both hands, first the 4 fingers and then thumb and then a photo is taken. U. David's wheelchair attendant has left him, so A. Cath takes him in the lift. Our attendant takes Fiona and Janet to the lift and A. Cath is still in the lift, seems the attendant put them in but didn't press a button. We go down and get to baggage claim to collect our bags and then through customs, all the while the attendant is leading the way with Fiona. We declared food, but they just wave us through. Then it's down to wait for our transfer to the hotel. The attendant leaves us at this point, he has earned his tips.
By the time we get to our hotel (the shuttle van dropped everyone else off...we were 2nd to last), and check in, it is like 12 midday. Our room was ready first, so we put all our bags in room 1453 and Fiona has a shower before we head out to get some lunch. Cross the road and walk to the International Marketplace Foodcourt. Buy Peking fried rice, beef hor fun, Vietnamese rice with grilled pork. Fiona was so hungry she ate half the plate of fried rice. Walked around the block and then back to the hotel to use the loo.
Also by then, the other room 1452 was ready. JT, Fiona and I shared this room, whilst U. David and A. Cath shared room 1453. Fiona flopped on bed, U. David flopped on bed,Janet flopped on bed, so A. Cath and I went to Food Pantry to buy water and fruits. Also bought bento boxes for dinner, Unagi, tempura prawns and fish. When the others woke up, we had dinner in the room, then showered and all went to sleep pretty early.
Woke up early. Fiona is also up early. My SU boxes arrive. Get Sue to swing by and pick them up.
Bindy comes to pick us up at 12.30pm
We get to the Seeto's by 1.00pm where we have congee and chow mein.
Sit around and kill time before we leave for the airport at 4.10pm
Get to the airport 4.40pm and check in our bags. Fiona gets her wheelchair and we get priority..no lining up. Go through customs and security. Fiona will not get up off the wheelchair so they make her take her shoes off in the chair and scan her, before wheeling her through, while we go throught the gates.
Wait in the lounge area of the airport, it is 6.12pm. have to go to gates 1 hour earlier so that we can board before everyone else.
Gate opens at 7.10pm. We go through another security check but not searched. We are the first ones to board the plane. Not seated together. Fiona and Janet are seated 2 seats ahead of us. Try to get Uncle David and Aunt Cath to swap so they are sitting together and Janet and Fiona can sit next to me, but Fiona is not budging.
Takeoff at 8.10pm. Delayed due to late transitting passengers.
I watch Survivor on my laptop as there is no individual screens and we cannot see the big screen which is showing A-Team.
U. David and Fiona get their diabetic meals first. U. David is still hungry. A. Cath and I eat his apples.
9.23pm and we're waiting for our meals to be served. Everyone seems to be ordering the beef and not the fish. Honolulu time is 1.26am
10.12pm finished meal and waiting for them to clear. Also waiting for ice cream.
Didn't really sleep, just closed eyes and was listening to music. Woke up when Captain put on seatbelt sign because of turbulence. I could hear Fiona being sick. Didn't know how bad it was until we got off the plane. But gave Janet our supply of sick bags as well. the poor guy that was sitting next to Janet helped Janet.He reminded me of Darren. Fiona was feeling bad, but when breakfast was served, she still ate and then was sick again.
When we arrive in Honolulu, we're one of the last ones to get off as the wheelchairs arrive to take Fiona down. Uncle David also gets a wheelchair. They are wheeled down to immigration, while A. Cath and I walk down escalators and stairs, although we get there before they do. We need to scan both hands, first the 4 fingers and then thumb and then a photo is taken. U. David's wheelchair attendant has left him, so A. Cath takes him in the lift. Our attendant takes Fiona and Janet to the lift and A. Cath is still in the lift, seems the attendant put them in but didn't press a button. We go down and get to baggage claim to collect our bags and then through customs, all the while the attendant is leading the way with Fiona. We declared food, but they just wave us through. Then it's down to wait for our transfer to the hotel. The attendant leaves us at this point, he has earned his tips.
By the time we get to our hotel (the shuttle van dropped everyone else off...we were 2nd to last), and check in, it is like 12 midday. Our room was ready first, so we put all our bags in room 1453 and Fiona has a shower before we head out to get some lunch. Cross the road and walk to the International Marketplace Foodcourt. Buy Peking fried rice, beef hor fun, Vietnamese rice with grilled pork. Fiona was so hungry she ate half the plate of fried rice. Walked around the block and then back to the hotel to use the loo.
Also by then, the other room 1452 was ready. JT, Fiona and I shared this room, whilst U. David and A. Cath shared room 1453. Fiona flopped on bed, U. David flopped on bed,Janet flopped on bed, so A. Cath and I went to Food Pantry to buy water and fruits. Also bought bento boxes for dinner, Unagi, tempura prawns and fish. When the others woke up, we had dinner in the room, then showered and all went to sleep pretty early.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Justin's 21st Birthday
I made sushi and mini quiches for entree.
Made Justin a mini scrapbook album out of envelopes. I'm glad he appreciated the gift. Everyone got to sign it as well.
On Sunday, 12 September, we went to visit the cemetaries and in the evening we celebrated Justin's birthday again. Janet's chiffon cake did not turn out, so we cut it up and made little star cakes.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Marisa's Surprise Baby Shower
Mandi organised a surprise baby shower for Marisa and boy was she surprised.
It also coincided with Father's Day as well, but seeing as it was only for lunch, it didn't seem to impact much. Lots of sweets. Her sister, had gone overboard with the baking.
I gave her some bonds singlets, mittens and socks and bibs all wrapped up in milk carton boxes.
Everyone had gotten there early and we're all anxious that the shock of seeing us all wouldn't put Marisa into labour. When she did arrive with Steve, she took one look at all of us gathered in the lounge room, said "Oh My Stars!" and turned straight around and walked back out to hide in another room. We all just stood there wondering if she'd walk back in...we hadn't even shouted out "Surprise".
Baby shower games were played, food was eaten and presents unwrapped.
It also coincided with Father's Day as well, but seeing as it was only for lunch, it didn't seem to impact much. Lots of sweets. Her sister, had gone overboard with the baking.
I gave her some bonds singlets, mittens and socks and bibs all wrapped up in milk carton boxes.
Everyone had gotten there early and we're all anxious that the shock of seeing us all wouldn't put Marisa into labour. When she did arrive with Steve, she took one look at all of us gathered in the lounge room, said "Oh My Stars!" and turned straight around and walked back out to hide in another room. We all just stood there wondering if she'd walk back in...we hadn't even shouted out "Surprise".
Baby shower games were played, food was eaten and presents unwrapped.
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