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Published: November 1st 2015
Welcome to Kaneohe Bay
This was the welcome package in our BOQ room!Today is day 1 (well, when I started writing this on Tues it was). Technically day 2 if you count when we were originally supposed to leave. So the Space A adventure started out with a fizz. Space A, or space available, is open to all military, retirees, and dependents and involves hopping on a military flight to wherever they are going. I've done it many times in the past, but never had such trouble with flight changes! Advantage: free. Disadvantage: subject to any and all changes without notice. Back in the old days (ha!) we used to have to call the recorded info line periodically for schedules. Now it's all on the Facebook page! Very handy.
After watching the boards from Andrews, Dover, BWI, and McGuire, we decided to buy a ticket. It felt a little like quitting, but how nice to have a schedule. So with a sweet upgrade to first class for one leg, and Rachel and I camped out in the back of the plane for the other, it was really a comfortable flight. Add to that free access to the United club for being military (thanks Denver!) and access to the airspace lounge in BWI
Nice view
Not Rachel's butt, but the view from the window was great! In the background was the ocean. (thanks Amex!), we had all the free food and booze one could need for 15 hours of traveling. But if that wasn't enough we had free wine on the plane (thanks Amex again!) and 8 hours of free movies (thanks United!). Being in the last row with no one in the middle was actually pretty nice on the new place. After a few hours you don't notice the bathroom smell anymore, plus you get to see everyone on the place at least once. Haha, seriously though it wasn't bad - and our seats even reclined a little bit!
So after almost no sleep in a 24h period, we grabbed the rental car in Hawaii and made our way to base. We had called around extensively, and the only military lodging open was Kaneohe Bay BOQ, which apparently had tons of rooms (my guess is because they don't have a website). For $88/nt we have an amazing room with unbelievable views. They hooked us up with a corner room- I think the second best in the place (best would probably be our room one floor up). If you ever stay here, ask for room 338 😊 The only catch here
Kitchenette
The room even had a kitchenette! Not bad for $88/night. is no AC, but there is such a constant breeze it really hasn't mattered. We did find out, though, that facing the East makes for a very warm room if you stay in it for the morning.
After dropping our stuff, we ventured out into Kailua for dinner and drinks, but didn't make it long. We were in bed by 8 haha. 10 hours of awesome sleep later, we were feeling quite refreshed! We snagged breakfast at Boots n Kimos with their amazing macadamia nut pancakes, and again found out they still don't bottle that sauce. A serious shame!!
We were up for something active so decided on a short hike at Manoa Falls. When I say hike, I mean something I can do in flip flops 😊 This qualified. It was a nice gentle walk through the shady trail, and if you walk fast enough the mosquitos don't land 😊 At the end of the 0.8mi walk up the gentle slope was a little pool with a waterfall. After crawling under the "danger keep out" sign (really? C'mon. That's like putting that sign up by the pot at the end of the rainbow) we got to enjoy
Tons of room
The BOQ room had a living room and a separate bedroom - really like a small apartment! dipping our feet in a pool of leptospirosis. Haha Google it. But hey, it was a reasonable risk on something that's easily treated with antibiotics. Rachel even made it to the falls after wading through the pond. Ew. Haha
Our next stop was the beach. Since the windward side (East, where we're staying) was cloudy and overcast, we decided to hit up Waikiki. Freakin gorgeous! It's truly like paradise here. 70-80s, sunny, breeze, water that's the perfect temp. As long as you don't get your feet bitten off by a shark, it's perfect! Apparently it's tiger shark pupping season. Doesn't that sound cute! Ha.
We had camped out in front of the Hale Koa, and finished our afternoon with amazing beer and nachos at the barefoot bar. Something about being in the sun all day and adding beer and something salty is magical. We had started with the fruity drinks (mmm lava flow), so it was a great ending! Plus after pointing out that the bar tender charged me full price instead of military price for the Sam Adams Oktoberfest (which was awesome), he gave me another free and hooked us up with sweet parking validation- $3 for
Amenities
Cute little amenities bowl with all the necessities. :) the whole afternoon! Rachel drove home 😊
On the way out/in they also have a koi pond. Those fish are huge! And so docile - I actually was petting the fish haha. Something I can't do with mine at home. Stick your fingers in the water and they come bump them and give a little taste. Fun!
We meet up with 2 of my friends for dinner and drinks that night. Where did we go? Whole Foods! Seriously. In Kailua it's apparently quite the destination! Decent bar, TONS of food options, and lots of people! It was a nice night 😊 Plus always great to reconnect with old friends. I realized I hadn't seen Veronica in 8 years! And holy cow is her kid cute. Seriously- picture Boo from Monsters Inc - she looks just like that.
It was another early night, and another early morning! Much easier to go West 😊 We had so many options on our plate for the last day, and so many amazing suggestions from FB friends! It was absolutely gorgeous out, so we were going to hit the beach after checking out the Disney spa. We never left Disney. 😊
Boots n Kimos
Awesome macadamia nut pancakes. Seriously wish they bottled this stuff. Opened earlier this year, the Disney resort called Aulani is a sweet little gem on the otherwise desolate leeward side of the island. You can actually park there, walk around the resort, and go to the pool and beach without anyone asking anything about a room key. We were denied the small pool reef snorkeling (liked meh anyway) but everything else was open. After making a 2pm appt for massages at the spa (not a couples massage haha), we hit the beach then the pool. We didn't stay long though because the water relaxation area of the spa is open for use if getting a treatment. So at 1 we made our way there.
Wow. Just wow. Guys-- you can probably skip the next couple paragraphs haha. I haven't been to many spas, but maybe this is what they're like? First we dropped our stuff in the fancy lockable lockers. This place has really covered every touch, in true Disney fashion. The bathroom has disposable brushes, hair dryers, makeup mirrors, big bottles of hair gel, hair spray, makeup remover, lotion, spray deodorant. The showers are gorgeous rain showers with big bottles of awesome smelling shampoo, conditioner, gel. Everywhere you
Chickens!
Hawaii classic -- free range chickens all over the island turn there are tons of perfectly folded white towels and fruit water. We started in the steam room. I usually think of saunas, which I hate (bleh- sitting around sweating on purpose?) But this was really relaxing. It was warm but not uncomfortably so. Plus walking around in a wet bathing suit made it feel great. The eucalyptus was a nice touch. They have chilled towels right outside too if you get too hot. I have the beginnings of a cold (first one all year :/ ) so the steam room was one of my favorites.
From there we went into the outdoor gardens with a perfect canopy of palm trees, soft lights, and realistic-sounding bird music. They had a 80-degree small pool, next to a 90-degree pool. Farther back is a 100-degree big hot tub complete with a mini waterfall. Next to that was a 45-degree pool (that's Fahrenheit) if you want to torture yourself. Of course Rachel and I both did it, which sparked a long conversation about how cold it would have to be and how long to be in it to vagal. Challenge not accepted haha.
All around the edge of the gardens were
Cloudy day on the windward side
But with a tiny flash of blue trying to poke through! That's a hint at how gorgeous it was on the other side of the island. super comfy oversized cabana chairs. In the center was a shower area that looked like it came out of a magazine. It was a circle of 5 or 6 different types of showers that have sensors - they activate when you're in front of them. One dumped a torrent of water, one had body jets, one even had a cool must from above with warm jets from below (a big surprise if you're not expecting it and standing in the wrong spot haha).
The last area was the relaxation section- one coed with super relaxing ambiance, the other unisex with molded beds. Both had cute little snacks and fruit. After our massages, which were pretty good, we went back and hung out in the water area for a couple hours. What a nice relaxing day! Rachel's massage was under a water shower, which sounded amazing and is on my list if I ever come back 😊 To all my Oahu friends, or if traveling through, check out the spa! Seriously amazing day. Also, they validate the $35 parking so it's free to park if you go to the spa! (or eat at the restaurant)
We topped it off
Canopy
On the hike at Manoa falls. with dinner and drinks at Rum Fire at the Sheraton in Waikiki. Hoppin place! Another good find if you're in Hawaii...
And 5 in the morning on Friday, we're off to the airport for Australia, for which we land at 6pm Sat - go date line! I did learn an important lesson about Jetstar airlines. Though they're cheaper, they charge through the nose for checked bags, and don't care if you're on orders. Boo. A little sweet talking at the airport and at least they let me pay the fee it would be if I had paid up front ($80!! They charge per 5kg, and an exorbitant amount). The first leg to Sydney went pretty smoothly. We had great seats, far from the screening baby (seriously, about 5 of the 9 hrs), and watched 9 hours of free movies.
The real fun began when we got to Sydney. We grabbed my checked bag and went through customs, no problem. From there we saw not a single sign about where to go. Hit number one. After asking an agent where we were supposed to check in for the second leg of our flight, we stood in a line for
Giant clematis!!
Holy cow that's a huge clematis. 20 min, at which time we learned it was the wrong terminal. We had to go out the doors and purchase a bus ticket to transfer to the other terminal. Seriously?! What freakin planet are you on that you charge for the terminal shuttle. Hit number two.
At the new terminal there was a line for check in that snaked all the way around and to the back of the check in area. So not only did we get to wait in a really long check in line once, we got to do it twice. Thanks Sydney. Hit number three.
At the counter, we apparently got the douchiest agent possible who decided to flex his muscle. There's some rule here about not being able to carry on more than 7kg in all your carry ons combined. No option to pay for extra, you have to check something. There went Rachel's roller bag. Also a frantic shuffle for me because I had 2 computers and all valuables in my carry on, which came to 11kg. Despite the heat I put on boots, sweatshirt, and wanted to brain the guy at the counter. Interestingly, this is apparently intermittently enforced, as
you can clearly look around the airport and see much bigger bags (and the lovely people we met said no one weighed any of their stuff). We lucked out and got the douchey guy, so Rachel had to pay $50 for a 15kg roller bag. F u Jetstar.
So by this point, after being directed to yet another line to pay for the bag, we were cutting it close for the plane. While waiting in that line (which is still outside security) we were told our gate was the farthest one. Seriously?! Who did we piss off today? We made it through security and literally ran to our gate and made it just in time- without food which we were banking on.
Moral of this story: avoid layovers in Sydney airport, or better yet avoid that airport altogether, and avoid Jetstar. Now to try to figure out how to cancel my return Jetstar flight without eating the entire cost. If I described to someone my experience on the phone I think they'd give me the flight for free- if they gave a crap, which clearly they don't.
I'm finishing this blog entry from Brisbane in our apt,
Leptospirosis
This is where we briefly risked our health - but so nice! but more details to follow in the next post. 😊
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Ladies in paradise
Sounds like a wonderful start to your trip except for the Jetstar hassle. They should fire that guy. In the states it's actually illegal to apply the law differently. If they weigh bags they have to weigh all, not select whoever they want to hassle. But the Hawaii part sounded wonderful and the pictures are awesome. Hope the rest of the Australia part makes up for the bad start. Looking forward to more pics and news. Enjoy!