My Out of Office Message is On…

Day 1

After a 9 hour flight, we finally arrived today at about 3 ish in the afternoon at Honolulu International airport, greeted with balmy 80 degree weather, the faint smell of salty ocean and a nice breeze. After picking up our luggage we maneuvered our way to Hertz and rented a car to get around. At first we were given a nice red Ford Mustang, however, as we placed our bags in the trunk and looking around and seeing several other cars that were available, we opted for upgrading to a convertible. What better way to get around on an island than a car without a roof right?

Soon we were off and travellling on H1 heading towards Waikiki. The weather was warm and it was the first time I think that either of us had put on sunglasses in a long time. We definitely did not miss Chicago’s weather. After about 10 minutes of driving we pulled into our hotel for the next 2 days, the Hilton Hawaiian Village. We checked in and found that we would be staying in the Lagoon tower. Our room was studio style, but contained everything we needed, a refrigerator, microwave oven, and even a dvd player.

By the time we had settled in, it was around 4 o’clock (9 pm chicago time) and we were famished, so we headed to Irifune. We got there before it had even opened, but already there was a line forming at the door. That’s always a good sign right? From the outside, this restaurant didn’t look like much (although that’s not really a bad thing), more like a neighborhood restaurant that smacked of mom and pop shop goodness. Soon the doors opened and we, along with the group of people that had amassed outside, shuffled in.

My first impression was that this place was similar to a lot of restaurants I remember going to in the Philippines on street corners. Almost a cafe like feel, with numerous knick knacks decorating the walls on makeshift shelves with posters of random images, and a giant fish net covering the ceiling. In this net were dollar bills strewn across, supposedly to bring good luck to the restaurant. On the walls were 2 giant blackboards that gave the specials of the day. The place once filled bustles with activity with light chatter and the wait staff continuously walking back and forth to the kitchen. A quick look around and you’ll see that most of the people here are locals and a few out of towners, although, while this restaurant isn’t that far off the beaten path, doesn’t seem to be too filled with tourists.

After a quick look at the menu, I decided to go with the choose any 2 special on the blackboard, choosing garlic ahi and garlic crab. Rosey, my travel partner for this trip, chose garlic ahi and spicy teriyaki chicken. This particular dish was $14 but it also came with miso soup, rice, salad, and some tofu. For a drink, I ordered the island juice for $2 (be sure to ask what they have as the flavor changes day to day. Today it was guava!) and was pleasantly surprised that it was free refills! The food came soon enough and it was delicious! If you like seafood, and garlic, this is the place for you. The spicy chicken teriyaki was great as well and had some kick to it. The service was great, even though the place is super busy. We quickly decided that for the amount of food you get, along with the taste, that this was already going to be one of our favorite stops.

Not wanting to stop there, we decided to top off dinner with some dessert. So we made our way to Bubbies. Bubbies is a Hawai’ian ice cream parlor known for its island made ice cream and its mochi. Basically its a half globe of ice cream wrapped in sweet rice dough. It was featured on Oprah’s O magazine. We each got three (runs about a dollar each), and I picked guava, lychee, and raspberry for my flavors. Absolutely amazing.

By the time we had finished, it was about 7pm at night (midnight in Chicago) and we were exhausted. We went back to the hotel, popped in Beowulf on the dvd player, and dozed off mid movie…

Traveler Tips:

• Anything longer than 4 hours is a long flight. Make sure to pack not only snacks but things to do as well. I packed a PSP, loaded my Iphone up with podcasts and brought a computer to watch DVD’s on. Also when packing food, be cognizant of the fact that you wil have to declare any fruits/vegetables that you bring in to Hawai’i as they don’t want to introduce mainland organisms into their ecosystem. As an example, pack dried trail mix with dried fruits, instead of bringing fresh apples/oranges.
• Rent a car! Oahu is a small island and having a car is not only convenient but also cuts down on some costs. For example, taking tours often tags a transportation fee. You can bypass this fee by simply going to the site yourself and joining your tour group there (be sure to clear this up with whichever tour company you are setting up with however). Also, if this isn’t an option don’t fret! The public transportation in Hawai’i seems to be fairly reliant, as we saw numerous buses and cabs heading to different parts of the island during our trip as far as North Shore.
• For Japanese fare, try Irifune located at 563 Kapahulu Avenue! Arrive early and bring your appetite. Also, unlike many restaurants on the mainland where you tell a hostess how many are in your party and they call your name, you must instead go to the front desk and write down both your name and the number in your party. The wait staff will then call your name when your table is ready.
• If ice cream is your desire, definitely go to Bubbies at 1010 University Avenue. The address is a bit tricky however as we found that the actual storefront is located on Coyne street which runs perpendicular to University. With quirky names for its ice cream pies and cakes along with its massive selection of mochi, its a great way to top off a dinner or go for a snack to cool off from the sun.