Well with less than 4 hours sleep I managed to wake up with the alarm, haul my butt out of bed into the shower and complete my packing - still had to sit on my suitcase despite taking out my coat!!!
Managed to leave and get down to the local subway and except that the journey seemed to last an eternity there were no major problems!! Got to the airport easily on the Airtrain and through security relatively quickly, apart from setting off the scanners with the pattern on my T shirt all was cool.
I had a sinking feeling when I got to the gate, there were a least 6 pushchairs and several more toddlers and under 7s, the joys of returning home just before Christmas. We were 30 minutes late taking off and the atmosphere wasn't improved much my the constant (and I mean CONSTANT screaming of the child 3 rows in font of me). To top it off my TV screen is dodgy and since I put it on pause to go to the toilet it no longer plays more than a 5 second clip at a time- deep joy.
Managed to get the TV re-booted, it helped a little!!! Rest of flight went okay and managed to get back to the UK in one piece.
See you all soon and Merry Christmas xx
Venice Beach
Bay watch Beauty!!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Day Twelve Traipsing and Trying around Times Square
An eventful day , again didn't wake until after 8am!! Looked out of the window and it was grey, raining and windy. it fact the building must have been swaying because the light certainly was!! Then checked in online for tomorrow's flight home and spent ages trying to work out how to print out my boarding pass!! Being clever I'd downloaded the App for the printing site but couldn't find the hotel in the list of places to print so I went down to the Business Centre and discovered that they are using a different website than advertised - that's 10 mins of my life I'm not getting back!!!
Boarding Pass printed and dropped off back at my room it was time to hit the streets. I unwittingly jumped on an express train so sailed straight past my stop, I rapidly adapted my plans to start North and work South - rather than the original contrary plan!!
So I hopped off at 72nd street and headed into Central Park, near the Dakota Building (John Lennon's old residence) and walked by Strawberry Fields. I walked slowly through the park but couldn't find any Ice-skating!!
Leaving the Park behind with not a Friends character spotted I headed past several MaccyD's on my way to pick up my theatre tickets for tonight. Didn't stop in any of them!!! Hope you're all proud of me!!!
I picked up my Theatre tickets for tonight from the Box Office and headed for a mosey down to Times Square. Loud and crowded and bursting with life as always!!
I noticed The Bread Bakery Company and stopped there for a lunch of pizza slice and diet Coke. Was thin crust and quite yummy!!!
After lunch which was compact but bijoux I hopped into the Hale and Hearty Soup Store and in order to Spread some warmth at Christmas I bought some tomato, basil and rice soup and a couple of chocolate chip cookies for the homeless man sat outside.
Next I managed to walk around Macy's without falling A over T and Umm and Ahhed about buying another carry on bag. You'll be glad to know there was more Umming than Ahhing so no new luggage today!! I only have 5 suitcases of varying sizes and several duffle bags......
Walked on down past the iconic Flatiron building onto Madison gardens then Union square Christmas markets and purchased the pressies that I saw yesterday -finally succumbed!!
Next stop the Hollister store - I really am getting old, it was like a badly lit night club - too dark, bad music played too loud and then lots of interconnecting rooms with no obvious direction. Had to walk up 2 flights of stairs just to pay!!
Hopped into Bloomingdales on my way past and got my little brown bag wrapped around some more sneaky chrimble pressies!!
Forgot to stop and see the Rockafellor centre and the skating and can't remember where the Christmas tree is but Heigh Ho (or should I say Ho Ho Ho!!!).
Stopped off back at the hotel for a quick shower and change (into a nice girl as my Mum would say!).
Made reservations for Dinner at The View which is a revolving restaurant at the Marriott Marquis.
After a marvellous dinner Gnocchi with chipotle braised ribs, filet mignon and a NY cheesecake I headed downstairs to the Marquis Theatre to see Ricky Martin in Evita (playing Che of course - could he ever complete with sublime Mr David Essex or the not too bad for an actor that can't sing, Señor Banderas???). Only while smuggly thinking I'd arrive 40 mins early and could have a drink, I suddenly realised my bright plan to change my day sack for my handbag was genius except for the part where the theatre ticket was still in the back of my day sack!!!
What followed was a bit like the opening scene of 4 Weddings, except no gorgeous Mr Grant and (thank God) no peach bridesmaids dress with large bow accompaniment!!
After much muttering and swearing under my breath (mainly 4 letters of the F variety) there followed a mad taxi dash, 66 blocks later I got to my Hotel in 15 minutes, paid the driver and begged him to wait on a double yellow equivalent while I ran up stairs (not literally as its 49 floors for goodness sake!!!), grabbed the offending tickets and grabbed the cab again back from whence I'd come. I arrived about 5 mins late but then couldn't actually find the damned theatre!! I knew where the box office was but hadn't looked for the theatre earlier - after running back and forth I went back into the Hotel and asked - it was on the 3rd floor!! I got to my seat stepping on only 2 other people's toes and had only missed the first 2 songs!!! Bloody miraculous!!!!
Sadly the rest of the first half was slightly marred by firstly missing my favourite song (Oh What a Circus) and secondly by the over full bladder caused by a litre of fizzy water and half a bottle of Sav Blanc!!!! Needless to say after a visit to the restroom the second half went almost without event (I did get told off for taking a photo on my phone during Don't Cry for Me Argentina!!!). Waste of a good telling off coz it's a rubbish photo!!!
Performance over and I have to say Ricky wasn't half bad, undecided about the Argentinian playing Evita, she sounded a little shrill (and she speaks so highly of me..... Yeah I know, pot, kettle, black!!).
Metro ride back was great didn't get lost once - maybe with 9 hours left in New York I've finally got the hang of it!!! Am now having a cheeky cocktail before some late night packing. Have to leave at 5am so will actually have to set an alarm for the first time in 2 weeks!!!
PS it was a Caramel Appletini in case you were wondering - Grey Goose vodka, apple cider and lemon juice with a dash of caramel - absopositively Dee-Lish!!!
So it's good night from me and....... Well just me really xx
Boarding Pass printed and dropped off back at my room it was time to hit the streets. I unwittingly jumped on an express train so sailed straight past my stop, I rapidly adapted my plans to start North and work South - rather than the original contrary plan!!
So I hopped off at 72nd street and headed into Central Park, near the Dakota Building (John Lennon's old residence) and walked by Strawberry Fields. I walked slowly through the park but couldn't find any Ice-skating!!
Leaving the Park behind with not a Friends character spotted I headed past several MaccyD's on my way to pick up my theatre tickets for tonight. Didn't stop in any of them!!! Hope you're all proud of me!!!
I picked up my Theatre tickets for tonight from the Box Office and headed for a mosey down to Times Square. Loud and crowded and bursting with life as always!!
I noticed The Bread Bakery Company and stopped there for a lunch of pizza slice and diet Coke. Was thin crust and quite yummy!!!
After lunch which was compact but bijoux I hopped into the Hale and Hearty Soup Store and in order to Spread some warmth at Christmas I bought some tomato, basil and rice soup and a couple of chocolate chip cookies for the homeless man sat outside.
Next I managed to walk around Macy's without falling A over T and Umm and Ahhed about buying another carry on bag. You'll be glad to know there was more Umming than Ahhing so no new luggage today!! I only have 5 suitcases of varying sizes and several duffle bags......
Walked on down past the iconic Flatiron building onto Madison gardens then Union square Christmas markets and purchased the pressies that I saw yesterday -finally succumbed!!
Next stop the Hollister store - I really am getting old, it was like a badly lit night club - too dark, bad music played too loud and then lots of interconnecting rooms with no obvious direction. Had to walk up 2 flights of stairs just to pay!!
Hopped into Bloomingdales on my way past and got my little brown bag wrapped around some more sneaky chrimble pressies!!
Forgot to stop and see the Rockafellor centre and the skating and can't remember where the Christmas tree is but Heigh Ho (or should I say Ho Ho Ho!!!).
Stopped off back at the hotel for a quick shower and change (into a nice girl as my Mum would say!).
Made reservations for Dinner at The View which is a revolving restaurant at the Marriott Marquis.
After a marvellous dinner Gnocchi with chipotle braised ribs, filet mignon and a NY cheesecake I headed downstairs to the Marquis Theatre to see Ricky Martin in Evita (playing Che of course - could he ever complete with sublime Mr David Essex or the not too bad for an actor that can't sing, Señor Banderas???). Only while smuggly thinking I'd arrive 40 mins early and could have a drink, I suddenly realised my bright plan to change my day sack for my handbag was genius except for the part where the theatre ticket was still in the back of my day sack!!!
What followed was a bit like the opening scene of 4 Weddings, except no gorgeous Mr Grant and (thank God) no peach bridesmaids dress with large bow accompaniment!!
After much muttering and swearing under my breath (mainly 4 letters of the F variety) there followed a mad taxi dash, 66 blocks later I got to my Hotel in 15 minutes, paid the driver and begged him to wait on a double yellow equivalent while I ran up stairs (not literally as its 49 floors for goodness sake!!!), grabbed the offending tickets and grabbed the cab again back from whence I'd come. I arrived about 5 mins late but then couldn't actually find the damned theatre!! I knew where the box office was but hadn't looked for the theatre earlier - after running back and forth I went back into the Hotel and asked - it was on the 3rd floor!! I got to my seat stepping on only 2 other people's toes and had only missed the first 2 songs!!! Bloody miraculous!!!!
Sadly the rest of the first half was slightly marred by firstly missing my favourite song (Oh What a Circus) and secondly by the over full bladder caused by a litre of fizzy water and half a bottle of Sav Blanc!!!! Needless to say after a visit to the restroom the second half went almost without event (I did get told off for taking a photo on my phone during Don't Cry for Me Argentina!!!). Waste of a good telling off coz it's a rubbish photo!!!
Performance over and I have to say Ricky wasn't half bad, undecided about the Argentinian playing Evita, she sounded a little shrill (and she speaks so highly of me..... Yeah I know, pot, kettle, black!!).
Metro ride back was great didn't get lost once - maybe with 9 hours left in New York I've finally got the hang of it!!! Am now having a cheeky cocktail before some late night packing. Have to leave at 5am so will actually have to set an alarm for the first time in 2 weeks!!!
PS it was a Caramel Appletini in case you were wondering - Grey Goose vodka, apple cider and lemon juice with a dash of caramel - absopositively Dee-Lish!!!
So it's good night from me and....... Well just me really xx
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Day Eleven No Sense of Direction Around New York
Well, I didn't wake up til 8:30am - that's a turn up for the books!!! Got up and out and headed towards the World Trade Centre, as was. I went back in the late 1990's and stood up on the observation deck and thought I should go back and check out "ground zero". I signed up for the walking tour and had a mooch around the Tribute museum there for half an hour. It's quite emotional and touching even for a cold hearted English girl like me!!
Then I lined up outside for the tour, at this point I was starting to wish I'd put my coat on this morning when I left the hotel, but put on my scarf, hat and gloves and did up my hoodie zip to keep out the biting chill of the Downtown wind. The tours are run from the Tribute Centre which was started up to support the families and survivors. Each tour is guided by two people who have a special connection to 9/11, either a family member, WTC worker, survivor, local resident. Each tells you about the history and future of the site and also shares their stories. It's very touching and must be quite cathartic for them. My guides today were JeanMarie whose brother worked on the 101st floor of the North Tower which was hit first and Joe who worked for Morgan Stanley on the 72nd Floor of the South Tower and also was there during the 1993 bombing of the South Tower.
Quite an emotional morning and freezing cold to boot!!! I left Downtown and headed towards Uptown Manhattan I took the Subway to Union Station and wondered along looking at market stalls there, probably fortunately I had very little cash in my wallet at this point!!!! I carried on and wondered up Broadway towards 5th Avenue and looked in the windows of all the really expensive shops, no chance of going inside as they can spot a poor chick at 20 paces!!!
Now one of the main shop windows to look at out here is Macy's - it's a bit like Harrods at Christmas. While merrily looking at the windows and trying to dodge other foot traffic and BANG!! I stacked it right outside Macy's and fell on all fours in the road!! Stunningly athletic I'm not and this is about the third time I've done this although before it was when I was running! No major injuries fortunately mainly bruised ego and knees!!!
Stopped at Maccas had a crappy late lunch but mainly went in for the Internet access, to catch up on emails and such like!! Set up a Skype date with my lovely man and so headed back to the hotel. Now this should have been easy but as always I had a confusing subway ride back and managed to get lost coming out to the hotel AGAIN!!
Nice Skype and some Internet surfing for tomorrow's fun packed schedule and I a managed to book a treat for tomorrow night!! Last day in NYC tomorrow so have to make it count! So In Room Dinner and TV and an early night for me!!!
Night night xxx
Then I lined up outside for the tour, at this point I was starting to wish I'd put my coat on this morning when I left the hotel, but put on my scarf, hat and gloves and did up my hoodie zip to keep out the biting chill of the Downtown wind. The tours are run from the Tribute Centre which was started up to support the families and survivors. Each tour is guided by two people who have a special connection to 9/11, either a family member, WTC worker, survivor, local resident. Each tells you about the history and future of the site and also shares their stories. It's very touching and must be quite cathartic for them. My guides today were JeanMarie whose brother worked on the 101st floor of the North Tower which was hit first and Joe who worked for Morgan Stanley on the 72nd Floor of the South Tower and also was there during the 1993 bombing of the South Tower.
Quite an emotional morning and freezing cold to boot!!! I left Downtown and headed towards Uptown Manhattan I took the Subway to Union Station and wondered along looking at market stalls there, probably fortunately I had very little cash in my wallet at this point!!!! I carried on and wondered up Broadway towards 5th Avenue and looked in the windows of all the really expensive shops, no chance of going inside as they can spot a poor chick at 20 paces!!!
Now one of the main shop windows to look at out here is Macy's - it's a bit like Harrods at Christmas. While merrily looking at the windows and trying to dodge other foot traffic and BANG!! I stacked it right outside Macy's and fell on all fours in the road!! Stunningly athletic I'm not and this is about the third time I've done this although before it was when I was running! No major injuries fortunately mainly bruised ego and knees!!!
Stopped at Maccas had a crappy late lunch but mainly went in for the Internet access, to catch up on emails and such like!! Set up a Skype date with my lovely man and so headed back to the hotel. Now this should have been easy but as always I had a confusing subway ride back and managed to get lost coming out to the hotel AGAIN!!
Nice Skype and some Internet surfing for tomorrow's fun packed schedule and I a managed to book a treat for tomorrow night!! Last day in NYC tomorrow so have to make it count! So In Room Dinner and TV and an early night for me!!!
Night night xxx
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Day Ten Airplanes and Arias
Today was a bit of a mental travelling day, I overnighted from Hawaii to LA and then milled around for an hour at LAX looking for some breakfast, the queues were lengthy and the choice limited. In the end I opted for a "breakfast muffin" from. Pizza place and a large coffee. Not bad and at least kept my ribs apart.
Realised I've travelled further today than I have to travel to get back to the UK!!! Finally got to JFK at 3:30pm and decided to brave the Subway. Within an hour I was strolls into the hotel in Downtown Manhattan!!! Quick shower and change and straight out the door back onto the Subway again, this time looking a little more dolled up!!!
I had hoped to get Uptown with time to spare to get some food (the Breakfast Muffin being a mighty long time ago!). Unfortunately, I took too long putting my slap on so no time for food, just headed straight for the Lincoln Centre and Aida at The Met.
Had time for a quick glass of pink bubbly stuff before taking my seat in a box and three hours of warbling and wailing!! Actually it was fab! Shared my box with a family of three and a grandmother and her slightly precocious 10 year old grandson! Actually he did pretty well, but fell asleep and was snoring gently through Act IV!!
I high tailed it back to the Subway and managed to avoid some of the crazies on the station - one woman repeatedly drawing in the air with her hand and touching the platform. Hop on the train and was entertained by. Homeless guy with a drum and quite an imaginative rap, gave him my last two dollars and jumped off within one block of the hotel. Walked round and round and took ages to find the hotel. Finally lopped down on the bed ready to order room service because that Muffin was a mighty long time ago.......... Room service finished five minutes ago............ Aghhhhhh!!!!!!!
So, it happens I'm writing to you drinking a Corona and washing down my dinner - a packet of Maltesers. Boy do I feel sick now!!!! Tomorrow is another day and it's past the witching hour so I better get some sleep!!!
Night happy people xx
Realised I've travelled further today than I have to travel to get back to the UK!!! Finally got to JFK at 3:30pm and decided to brave the Subway. Within an hour I was strolls into the hotel in Downtown Manhattan!!! Quick shower and change and straight out the door back onto the Subway again, this time looking a little more dolled up!!!
I had hoped to get Uptown with time to spare to get some food (the Breakfast Muffin being a mighty long time ago!). Unfortunately, I took too long putting my slap on so no time for food, just headed straight for the Lincoln Centre and Aida at The Met.
Had time for a quick glass of pink bubbly stuff before taking my seat in a box and three hours of warbling and wailing!! Actually it was fab! Shared my box with a family of three and a grandmother and her slightly precocious 10 year old grandson! Actually he did pretty well, but fell asleep and was snoring gently through Act IV!!
I high tailed it back to the Subway and managed to avoid some of the crazies on the station - one woman repeatedly drawing in the air with her hand and touching the platform. Hop on the train and was entertained by. Homeless guy with a drum and quite an imaginative rap, gave him my last two dollars and jumped off within one block of the hotel. Walked round and round and took ages to find the hotel. Finally lopped down on the bed ready to order room service because that Muffin was a mighty long time ago.......... Room service finished five minutes ago............ Aghhhhhh!!!!!!!
So, it happens I'm writing to you drinking a Corona and washing down my dinner - a packet of Maltesers. Boy do I feel sick now!!!! Tomorrow is another day and it's past the witching hour so I better get some sleep!!!
Night happy people xx
Day Nine Mai Tais, Massage and Mahalo
Yeah, slept until 6am this morning!!! Did some penultimate packing and a last Big Island Breakfast overlooking the lagoon before a few serious hours sun baking!! Managed to score myself a spot by a quiet pool and apart from the odd kid who jumped in for 5 minutes and another woman who took up another sunbed for about the last hour, I was pretty much on my own reading and worshipping the sun god!!
Managed to score a slightly later check out so after 3 hrs or so I nipped back for a quick shower and a final pack, remembering to grab the coffee from the fridge before I left. Hopped on the super slow monorail tram contraption to the main lobby, lazy I know but it was air conditioned and no sense of getting too hot and sweaty!!
Checked out and sent all my postcards, seeing as I had an hour to waste before my appointment at the Spa I sat and had a non alcoholic cocktail - a slushy by any other name but apart from the ice cream headache it gave me, it was glorious sitting in the sun watching the dolphins play in the lagoon
I booked in to the Spa for my Massage, then wished I spent the last hour there as there's a hot tub, sauna, showers, hair dryers - you name it the had it. Didn't even have my bathers with me for the spare 5 minutes I did have! So I changed ready for my Lomo Lomo massage (uses hands, arms and elbows and is a Hawaiian traditional massage). the question always arises in these situations, do you keep on your undies or go native, I ummed and ahhed but in the end kept the undies firmly in place - there were no paper knickers that Spas sometimes furnish you with. I was met by my diminutive masseur Marnie, she may have been little but she was quite deadly and certainly got rid of a few knots and kinks and finally made my neck crack - suddenly thought maybe this was a chiropractic session rather than a massage!!
As I was trying to "relax and clear my mind", I couldn't and suddenly realised although I'd cleverly remembered the coffee in the fridge I realised I had checked out and left my togs on the balcony of my room!! Oh we'll, will email them and see if they can send them on but suspect I will have to accept they're gone for good!! No time to spare to enquire at reception.
I sprinted from the Spa to get my bags back (had checked them into storage) and got out into the lower lobby just in time for the shuttle to the airport. i them i waited..... and waited....... 20 minutes plus of waiting in the end which would have given me plenty of time to nip back up to the main lobby (or even back to my room to grab my togs, if I'd only known). During the delay for the speedishuttle, I was joined my an Odd but friendly family from Georgia. they had just arrived that morning and were off back to the airport to get a hire car. Turned out the wife had lots of pommie rellies and had been to the UK a few times. it also transpired they were quite racist, especially not big lovers of travellers of the Tokyo persuasion, not that racism is quite a southern american trait or anything....... Also I have wondered how especially after Pearl Harbour our Japanese cousins would be received here, but I guess it's no different to German tourists in London!
Managed to get to the airport with three hours to flight time, probably as well because I haven't been able to do any on line check in of my internal flights so far as American Airlines don't or won't recognise my e-ticket number. Got o the check in desk after scan my bag through the agricultural X-ray machine and then their machine wouldn't print my boarding tickets, i also had to pay $25 not sure what for - can't tell if my bag is overweight because they don't use kilos over here and I can't convert from pounds hat easily!! Doesn't have a label to say it's a heavy bag so suspect it may just be for daring to have carry-on baggage which I'm pretty sure I'd already paid for with my ticket. Something else to sort out!!!
The airport is pretty small but there is a Restaurant, it was serving either hot dog or cheeseburger, I wish I'd had neither but as I won't get fed on this cheapo flight and I last ate at breakfast, needs must! Pretty greasy burger though!!!
After "dinner" I got changed into my flight clothes from my beach attire but whilst I was in the Loos I suddenly realised that I have red stripes around my neck presumably from reading a book and having chin tucked down onto my chest. I look a bit like one of the Christmas Candy Canes!!!! Awesome and sophisticated look for tomorrow nights soirée!!
I am now aWaiting the LAX flight and have now (hopefully) gone through the last X-ray inspection machine and am hoping for a quick turnover to NYC and also hoping that my bags are booked all the way through......
Time to say Howdy to Hawaii and Nice to see ya New York!!!!
Hooped Necked Hussey xx
Managed to score a slightly later check out so after 3 hrs or so I nipped back for a quick shower and a final pack, remembering to grab the coffee from the fridge before I left. Hopped on the super slow monorail tram contraption to the main lobby, lazy I know but it was air conditioned and no sense of getting too hot and sweaty!!
Checked out and sent all my postcards, seeing as I had an hour to waste before my appointment at the Spa I sat and had a non alcoholic cocktail - a slushy by any other name but apart from the ice cream headache it gave me, it was glorious sitting in the sun watching the dolphins play in the lagoon
I booked in to the Spa for my Massage, then wished I spent the last hour there as there's a hot tub, sauna, showers, hair dryers - you name it the had it. Didn't even have my bathers with me for the spare 5 minutes I did have! So I changed ready for my Lomo Lomo massage (uses hands, arms and elbows and is a Hawaiian traditional massage). the question always arises in these situations, do you keep on your undies or go native, I ummed and ahhed but in the end kept the undies firmly in place - there were no paper knickers that Spas sometimes furnish you with. I was met by my diminutive masseur Marnie, she may have been little but she was quite deadly and certainly got rid of a few knots and kinks and finally made my neck crack - suddenly thought maybe this was a chiropractic session rather than a massage!!
As I was trying to "relax and clear my mind", I couldn't and suddenly realised although I'd cleverly remembered the coffee in the fridge I realised I had checked out and left my togs on the balcony of my room!! Oh we'll, will email them and see if they can send them on but suspect I will have to accept they're gone for good!! No time to spare to enquire at reception.
I sprinted from the Spa to get my bags back (had checked them into storage) and got out into the lower lobby just in time for the shuttle to the airport. i them i waited..... and waited....... 20 minutes plus of waiting in the end which would have given me plenty of time to nip back up to the main lobby (or even back to my room to grab my togs, if I'd only known). During the delay for the speedishuttle, I was joined my an Odd but friendly family from Georgia. they had just arrived that morning and were off back to the airport to get a hire car. Turned out the wife had lots of pommie rellies and had been to the UK a few times. it also transpired they were quite racist, especially not big lovers of travellers of the Tokyo persuasion, not that racism is quite a southern american trait or anything....... Also I have wondered how especially after Pearl Harbour our Japanese cousins would be received here, but I guess it's no different to German tourists in London!
Managed to get to the airport with three hours to flight time, probably as well because I haven't been able to do any on line check in of my internal flights so far as American Airlines don't or won't recognise my e-ticket number. Got o the check in desk after scan my bag through the agricultural X-ray machine and then their machine wouldn't print my boarding tickets, i also had to pay $25 not sure what for - can't tell if my bag is overweight because they don't use kilos over here and I can't convert from pounds hat easily!! Doesn't have a label to say it's a heavy bag so suspect it may just be for daring to have carry-on baggage which I'm pretty sure I'd already paid for with my ticket. Something else to sort out!!!
The airport is pretty small but there is a Restaurant, it was serving either hot dog or cheeseburger, I wish I'd had neither but as I won't get fed on this cheapo flight and I last ate at breakfast, needs must! Pretty greasy burger though!!!
After "dinner" I got changed into my flight clothes from my beach attire but whilst I was in the Loos I suddenly realised that I have red stripes around my neck presumably from reading a book and having chin tucked down onto my chest. I look a bit like one of the Christmas Candy Canes!!!! Awesome and sophisticated look for tomorrow nights soirée!!
I am now aWaiting the LAX flight and have now (hopefully) gone through the last X-ray inspection machine and am hoping for a quick turnover to NYC and also hoping that my bags are booked all the way through......
Time to say Howdy to Hawaii and Nice to see ya New York!!!!
Hooped Necked Hussey xx
Monday, December 17, 2012
Day Eight It was Written in the Stars ........
As another day dawns in paradise apparently I still find it impossible to sleep!!! I have a full day ahead, some swimming and sunbathing followed by a tour up to Mauna Kea the highest mountain in the island and if you measure it from the sea bed the tallest mountain in the world!! From the sea bed it is over 10,000 metres but forms sea level it's about 4,200m - still pretty damned high and probably liable to make me feel a bit cruddy since I'm going from sea level to 4000m in the space of a couple of hours!! Altitude has never been my thing but it is meant to be the best spot in the world to go stargazing!!
So after another big breakfast at the aptly named Big Island Breakfast I have three hours to kill before I hop on a bus to the local shops to start my evening tour up to the White Mountain (the literal translation of Mauna Kea). Suspect there is a lounger and a towel with my name on it poolside!! Wouldn't want to exert myself after all!!
I feel I was less than enthusiastic whilst writing about the Luau last night. It really was a fun evening and the show was great, although it would have been nice to see more about Hawaii than the other pacific islands. I think mainly I was feeling acutely single again. Think pretty much everyone else there was a couple or a family group. When the hostess got all the newly weds and anniversary couples to stand up I had déjà vu of a wedding where all the singles were made to stand up whilst all the smug couples looked on at the loveless!! I did have to feel sorry for the family in the queue in front of me though, who had actually been playing on the beach all day close to where I was sun baking, they got to the head of the line about to be shown to their seats when their second youngest without warning, unceremoniously threw up all over the path!! The woman behind me got quite a strop on as she wanted to move past me with her child to avert their gaze from the fresh vomitus, I of course wouldn't budge!! A bit of vomit never hurt anyone!
So a great morning by the pool a little breezy but no harm done, had a quick dip in the pool when it got too hot and a swim beneath the waterfall certainly cooled me down. Had a quick shower put on my jeans (which are currently unbearably hot but are needed at 4000m!), grabbed the shopping shuttle and am now sat outside Starbucks (which most of you know is a mortal sin for me) waiting for the your company to take me up to certain mild neurological effects of sudden altitude. I am however hoping that the starry heavens will be ample compensation for the pounding headache, nausea and disorientation!!! Here's hoping anyway!!!
Got on the bus and sat with the daughter of a family from Missouri (somewhere in the States I have actually been!!), she used to live in New Zealand with her Belgian partner and now lives in Belgium so we had a lot to chat about as the day went on. I was slightly worried by the size of one family who were all lovely but pretty close to the BMI top range for the trip (40). First stop 2800m at the Visitors centre and I could already feel the lightheartedness, after a lovely veggie lasagne and part of a far too rich chocolate brownie that I ate at a picnic bench with a Canadian couple from BC, we climbed back in the coach and headed for the summit. Was quite proud not have bought anything at the Visitors centre!!!
The summit at 4280m was certainly thin air, the 13 observatories were a sight to behold and watching the sunset took ones mind off the shortness of breath and disorientation. Most people coped relatively well, the father of the larger family found it a struggle and was feeling quite short of breath but the rest of the coach laughed as his daughter described him as curmudgeonly - a fantastic phrase that I've only ever read from the likes of Conan-Doyle - it was a very Holmesian thing to say but quite apt!!!
We popped back to the Visitors centre for a comfort stop, never a quick thing with only 3 stalls in the women's restrooms the queues were long, but we were soon parked up in a quiet spot for our stargazing experience. I can not tell you how full the sky was of celestial bodies, with no light pollution and at 2800m the view was breath taking!!! We had two GPS guided telescopes so as we'll as seeing with our naked eyes we had the back up of ultimate zoom lens!!! To be able to see the craters on the moon and the gas bands around Jupiter was phenomenal, not to mention the double cluster between Casio Pea and Perseus and the Orion Nebular- just awesome!!!! To top of the evening someone on the second bus on the tour proposed to his girlfriend under the stars - fortunately for him she accepted, unfortunately I'm not sure he'll ever be able to top that one!!!!
Missed my connecting bus but got a lift back from Miss Missouri whose name I don't think I know but I have her card in case I'm in Belgium sometime soon!!! Now some last minute packing, postcard writing and a film before bed. Long day at the beach tomorrow followed by an overnight flight back to LA and then a quick change and off to New York!!!
Mahalo Mateys xxx
So after another big breakfast at the aptly named Big Island Breakfast I have three hours to kill before I hop on a bus to the local shops to start my evening tour up to the White Mountain (the literal translation of Mauna Kea). Suspect there is a lounger and a towel with my name on it poolside!! Wouldn't want to exert myself after all!!
I feel I was less than enthusiastic whilst writing about the Luau last night. It really was a fun evening and the show was great, although it would have been nice to see more about Hawaii than the other pacific islands. I think mainly I was feeling acutely single again. Think pretty much everyone else there was a couple or a family group. When the hostess got all the newly weds and anniversary couples to stand up I had déjà vu of a wedding where all the singles were made to stand up whilst all the smug couples looked on at the loveless!! I did have to feel sorry for the family in the queue in front of me though, who had actually been playing on the beach all day close to where I was sun baking, they got to the head of the line about to be shown to their seats when their second youngest without warning, unceremoniously threw up all over the path!! The woman behind me got quite a strop on as she wanted to move past me with her child to avert their gaze from the fresh vomitus, I of course wouldn't budge!! A bit of vomit never hurt anyone!
So a great morning by the pool a little breezy but no harm done, had a quick dip in the pool when it got too hot and a swim beneath the waterfall certainly cooled me down. Had a quick shower put on my jeans (which are currently unbearably hot but are needed at 4000m!), grabbed the shopping shuttle and am now sat outside Starbucks (which most of you know is a mortal sin for me) waiting for the your company to take me up to certain mild neurological effects of sudden altitude. I am however hoping that the starry heavens will be ample compensation for the pounding headache, nausea and disorientation!!! Here's hoping anyway!!!
Got on the bus and sat with the daughter of a family from Missouri (somewhere in the States I have actually been!!), she used to live in New Zealand with her Belgian partner and now lives in Belgium so we had a lot to chat about as the day went on. I was slightly worried by the size of one family who were all lovely but pretty close to the BMI top range for the trip (40). First stop 2800m at the Visitors centre and I could already feel the lightheartedness, after a lovely veggie lasagne and part of a far too rich chocolate brownie that I ate at a picnic bench with a Canadian couple from BC, we climbed back in the coach and headed for the summit. Was quite proud not have bought anything at the Visitors centre!!!
The summit at 4280m was certainly thin air, the 13 observatories were a sight to behold and watching the sunset took ones mind off the shortness of breath and disorientation. Most people coped relatively well, the father of the larger family found it a struggle and was feeling quite short of breath but the rest of the coach laughed as his daughter described him as curmudgeonly - a fantastic phrase that I've only ever read from the likes of Conan-Doyle - it was a very Holmesian thing to say but quite apt!!!
We popped back to the Visitors centre for a comfort stop, never a quick thing with only 3 stalls in the women's restrooms the queues were long, but we were soon parked up in a quiet spot for our stargazing experience. I can not tell you how full the sky was of celestial bodies, with no light pollution and at 2800m the view was breath taking!!! We had two GPS guided telescopes so as we'll as seeing with our naked eyes we had the back up of ultimate zoom lens!!! To be able to see the craters on the moon and the gas bands around Jupiter was phenomenal, not to mention the double cluster between Casio Pea and Perseus and the Orion Nebular- just awesome!!!! To top of the evening someone on the second bus on the tour proposed to his girlfriend under the stars - fortunately for him she accepted, unfortunately I'm not sure he'll ever be able to top that one!!!!
Missed my connecting bus but got a lift back from Miss Missouri whose name I don't think I know but I have her card in case I'm in Belgium sometime soon!!! Now some last minute packing, postcard writing and a film before bed. Long day at the beach tomorrow followed by an overnight flight back to LA and then a quick change and off to New York!!!
Mahalo Mateys xxx
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Day Seven Easy Like Sunday Morning
And on the seventh day he rested!! So a cruisey morning, finishing of the DVD I fell asleep during last night followed by a slow breakfast. Have had a quick dip in the lagoon and am now about to laze (in the shade of course - I made sure to grab a spit beneath a thatched umbrella!!) on the beach and listen to the waterfall - all man made of course!! Suspect I may hire a snorkel and find later and stake out the turtles and tropical fish, I did think about bringing mine but figured they'd take up half my suitcase!! Will try not to think too hard about how many other people have used it before me ..............
Chickened out in the end, the thought of all the previous users of the snorkel and mask weirded me out and so I just had a few small swimming forays to cool off in between baking myself lizard style lagoon side. Did see quite a few fish and a glimpse of one of the sea turtles from afar. On the way back to change for this evening festivities I stopped for a quick snifter at the Boat Side Cantina, grabbed a cold refreshing coke and washed it down with a Mango Mojito - Yum!!!
Now must get ready so I can get a good seat for tonight's Luau - dinner and dancing Hula Hula stylie!!!!
Well have had a long and pleasant evening with dinner and a show with dancing from all over the pacific. The warm up act was the audience hula dancing - yes folks I can now do the Hukilau!! Dinner was suckling pig cooked an an Imu ( it's a bit like a Kiwi Hungi). Almost as good as the suckling pig cooked by Billy in Glastonbury!!
The fire dancing from Samoa was especially good to watch! Anyway a fun night over and I've rented a couple of DVDs before bed. Good night y'all!!!!
Chickened out in the end, the thought of all the previous users of the snorkel and mask weirded me out and so I just had a few small swimming forays to cool off in between baking myself lizard style lagoon side. Did see quite a few fish and a glimpse of one of the sea turtles from afar. On the way back to change for this evening festivities I stopped for a quick snifter at the Boat Side Cantina, grabbed a cold refreshing coke and washed it down with a Mango Mojito - Yum!!!
Now must get ready so I can get a good seat for tonight's Luau - dinner and dancing Hula Hula stylie!!!!
Well have had a long and pleasant evening with dinner and a show with dancing from all over the pacific. The warm up act was the audience hula dancing - yes folks I can now do the Hukilau!! Dinner was suckling pig cooked an an Imu ( it's a bit like a Kiwi Hungi). Almost as good as the suckling pig cooked by Billy in Glastonbury!!
The fire dancing from Samoa was especially good to watch! Anyway a fun night over and I've rented a couple of DVDs before bed. Good night y'all!!!!
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