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It was such a beautiful day that I thought I would walk from The Rocks back to my hotel in Potts Point. At the
bottom of Argyle Street I turned right on George and stopped in for a quick VB at Sydney's oldest pub, Fortune of
War. Having been established in 1828, this place hasn't just seen a lot of years, but has seen a great number of
changes to the neighborhood that surrounds it. For the large portion of it's history The Rocks area was known as
the roughest of the rough neighborhoods in Sydney. It was originally an area designated as the district for holding
convicts and served as an open gaol. Later it developed into a haven for gangs, the roughest of sailors, and every
variety of  troublemaker. Well, things couldn't be more different for The Rocks in the present day. With some of
Sydney's most stylish boutiques, restaurants, and bars, it's often hard to imagine that those days of crime, vice,
and violence wasn't all that long ago. The Fortune of War pub sits in the heart of this vibrant and tourist filled
area, but seems to be the one place that still wants to cling to it's more suspect passed. It's a perfectly clean and
safe spot to stop off for a beer, but as compared to the businesses that surround it, the Fortune of War definitely
has a grittier feel and attracts a very different type of patron when compared to other watering holes such as the
Occidental Hotel or The Argyle only a few paces away. I must admit that I kind of like that about this place, though
I can't understand for the life of me why the beer prices are as high as they are given that there can't be all that
many tourists choosing the Fortune of War over the neighboring options.
Fortune of War
From The Rocks I walked through the throngs of people at Circular Quay and up Macquarie Street to the Botanical
Gardens. It was a perfect day for a stroll around the gardens, so I veered from my path a bit and had a good look
around. From there I crossed over to The Domain and walked down the stairs to Woolloomoolo. As soon as I saw
Harry's pie cart I just had to stop and have another Tiger Pie while sitting in the sun. Then I climbed the stairs up to
Victoria Street, checked out of the hotel, and hopped a shuttle to the airport.

Check-in at the airport went smoothly, but I was disappointed that there were no upgrades available like there had
been on the way down from Hawaii. I looked around some of the shops, went through immigration, and found a cool
observation deck that I had never known of before. There were only a couple of other people there and it was a great
spot to relax and mediate on my time in Sydney while waiting for my flight. The other option I had for burning time
as I waited for my flight was to watch the AFL Grand Final, but as I checked the score late in the game I saw that it
was a blowout. The game finally ended just as we were ready to board. The final score was Geelong 163 to Port
Adelaide's 44; the most lopsided score in Grand Final history.

The sight I enjoyed from my window seat as we flew out of Sydney was the most moving and beautiful I had
experienced from the air since flying into Phuket, Thailand from Malaysia in 2000. Our flight path took us well over
Sydney's western suburbs as the sun was sinking. The city glimmered and the harbor shimmered as the sky
continued to change from one spectacular hue to another. It was an emotionally charged moment for me when we
finally circled around to finally leave the coast at the heads of the harbor. I thought of how much I loved, respected,
and treasured this town, and how much I was going to miss it. My hope is that it won't be too long until I can visit
again, but regardless, it won't happen soon enough.

I was optimistic about my situation on the plane initially, but that changed fairly quickly. The guy that came to
occupy the seat next to me looked to be a pretty normal looking guy, but soon it was apparent that he was an
oddball. He was young, about 25, fit, and dressed normally, but I noticed right away that he smelled like he had
imbibed more than a couple of drinks before the flight. Fortunately he didn't talk to me, and instead he fell asleep.
Was he really sleeping though? His mouth fell open and he was snoring a bit, but his eyes also stayed partially
open! It was freaking me out a bit. That was fine I suppose, but HIS BREATH!! Unbelievable! I honestly thought I
was undergoing some sort of questionable interrogation technique at Guantanamo Bay! I had to rig a mask and
turn toward the window throughout the flight. The other thing that freaked me out is that I waited patiently for this
guy to take a bathroom break so I could conveniently take one at the same time, but this freak of nature didn't go to
the bathroom for the ENTIRE 10 HOUR FLIGHT! Needless to say I kicked him out of his seat a couple of times in
order to properly take care of my comparatively normal urinary system.

Despite the trying nature of the flight it actually went by fairly quickly, and when I saw the sun coming up over the
Hawaiian Islands as we made our approach I was again hit with a wave of emotion and a feeling of gratitude for
being able to be witness to that life-affirming sight. The customs and immigration process when quickly and I was
soon in a taxi heading back into Waikiki. This time I would be staying at the W Hotel Honolulu, which is removed by
a few blocks from the heart of Waikiki. I was really excited to be staying in what was sure to be the most luxurious
of my hotel rooms on this trip. I also felt like there was a good chance of getting a particularly good room because of
my friend Lyle being the hotel's General Manager. It was still early in the morning (8:30?) when I arrived and
therefore I wasn't able to check in right away. So I dropped my bags and asked if there was a place where I could
change. Now, I've not only worked in high end hotels around the world, but I've stayed in a lot of hotels in my life.
My normal assumption was that I would be offered some sort of "courtesy room" or something in order to change in
privacy and comfort. I've been to many a W Hotel around the world and know their reputation for indulging the
customer with high quality service. I was also sure I had been noted as having some kind of status via my visit with
Lyle two weeks prior. But to my surprise I was told to change in the public bathroom near the restaurant (which
was serving breakfast). I asked if there wasn't a better option and was told that there was not. This concerned me,
not merely for the issue at hand but in regards to what this might mean for me throughout my stay. It was not a
good sign of things to come, and little did I know just how right my initial instincts would be! I asked about Lyle and
was told that he had weekends off (this was Saturday morning). Without complaint I went and changed in the
public bathroom from long pants and dress shoes into shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers.

From the hotel I took a leisurely walk down the sidewalk fronting the beach into the heart of Waikiki. The scene was
beautiful and peaceful. I even stopped a couple of times in order to merely sit and take it all in. There were a few
people playing about in the water and some joggers along the pathways, but otherwise there were few others out
and about. I was happy to see more people as I neared the Moana only because a large number of them were pretty
girls in small bikinis. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that Honolulu was still enduring the extraordinary
humidity that it had when I was there two weeks earlier.
Walking Waikiki Beach in the early morning
My destination was Big Kahuna motorcycle rentals, the place where I had rented such a great moped before. I
unwittingly timed my arrival at the shop perfectly. When I got there Larry was talking to a couple of guys who
couldn't make up there minds about which bike to rent. There was only one of the type I wanted left, and I waited
with my fingers crossed as the two guys discussed their options. Finally they told Larry that they would have to
think about it a little longer and that's when I hurried to claim the last Sym moped. Larry gave me a wink and a
smile knowing I had been sweating it out as I waited for the other two customers to make a decision. Within 5
minutes I was buzzing down Ala Wai Avenue on the Sym with a big grin on my face.

I was tempted to again go to the Like Like Diner for my breakfast but then thought of an equally good option,
Zippy's. There really isn't a more quintessential place to go for affordable comfort food in Hawaiian than to one of the
many Zippy's family restaurants scattered throughout the islands. The one that I always knew best is located on
King Street, and just east of Piikoi Street. I flew down Beretainia St., wrapped around on Pensacola by our old
neighborhood Italian place, Auntie Pastos, and our old grocery store, and parked in a shady spot of the Zippy's lot.

Although the restaurant is large it was crowded. I only had to wait in line about 5 minutes before being shown to a
booth in the center of the main room however. I ordered almost exactly the same Hawaiian style breakfast I had at
Like Like two weeks prior; Spam, two eggs up, rice, and papaya. It was a beautiful thing and just what I needed to
begin another couple of days in Honolulu. Again I noticed that I was only one of about 3 haoles in this very busy and
bustling restaurant, and I felt I was again in on some great local secret.
Zippy's at King and Piikoi
From Zippy's I drove over to the Ala Moana Shopping Center in order to find a cheap aloha shirt to wear to dinner
that night. Most people think of a "Hawaiian" shirt as being typically loud, flashy, and floral, but the truth is that
the type of Hawaiian shirt commonly worn on a daily basis by most locals is a far more subdued number whose
patterns and designs are often very subtle and plain. These types of shirts are referred to as "aloha shirts," and
serve almost as a default uniform for workers and businessmen throughout the islands. It was specifically this type
of shirt that I was going to feel most comfortable wearing to dinner that night at Alan Wong's, and the Sears store at
the Ala Moana Shopping Center was the perfect place to find one cheap.

I parked my moped near the stairs fronting Longs Drug Store and went straight for the sale rack in Sears. Sure
enough there were literally thousands of aloha shirts for sale in that one section. It didn't take me more than 5
minutes to find just the one, a quality shirt with a very unique pattern for $12. I then asked the girl at the cash
register if Sears sold any University of Hawaii gear. She told me they had a whole section and I ended up finding
both a perfect t-shirt featuring a big "H" on front as well as a light-weight collared shirt similar to what coaching
staff might wear. I was still planning on visiting the UH bookstore the following day, but very happy to have already
purchased two great UH items.

Next on my agenda was to drive back out to Kahala and collect the golf jacket I had purchased for Tee two weeks
ago at the Waialae Country Club. There was a big function happening there (I later found out it was the national
Toyota dealers convention) which included a big BBQ lunch. I was tempted to try and crash it for a minute but it
seemed just slightly too difficult so I passed on that. Instead I decided to stop by the old Kahala Hilton Hotel, now
called the Kahala Hotel for a drink and a look around. I put my shopping bags under the seat of my moped and
walked the 1/4 mile up the street to the front entrance.

The Kahala (I habitually still call it "Hilton") is considered the best hotel on the island, and is a real oasis from the
majority of other nice hotels on Oahu which are stuck in the whirlwind of Waikiki. This hotel is 5-star and is the
destination of many celebrities and dignitaries who come to the island. It also just happens to be a peaceful spot to
have a drink and relax. I walked directly downstairs to the pool/beach area and took a seat at the Seaside Grill. A
beautiful mid-western blond waited on me with a friendliness that betrayed any consciousness she may have had
about just how good looking she was. It didn't take me long to order. With Koko Head staring down at us and the
menu highlighting the Koko Head Colada as the hotel's signature drink I felt I had little choice. Turned out to be a
fantastic (and generously portioned) drink despite the somewhat cheesy fact it was served in a coconut shell.

I spent almost two hours reading my book and making my way through two drinks. I took breaks every 30 minutes
or so to walk out to the water or around the hotel for a few minutes. By the time I left I was truly feeling like I was
on a Hawaiian vacation. Just what I wanted.
The Seaside Grill at the Kahala Hotel
Drinking my Koko Head Colada
at the Seaside Grill
From Kahala I drove back to the W Hotel in order to officially check in. I went to check into my room on they had
given me on the 7th floor and I was immediately disappointed. The room was fairly spacious but it had no view of the
ocean and looked more than a little worn. The fact that I didn't have an ocean view surprised me because I would
have thought that Lyle would have given me an upgrade. The worn and dated look of the room shocked me because
W Hotels are known first and foremost for their modern and edgy style. I was confused and called down to the front
desk to tell them I was disappointed and wanted another room. They explained to me that there were no views of the
ocean from any of their rooms. I craned my neck to look around from my lanai and sure enough there were buildings
between us and the beach! (?) This was a W for hell sakes! Turns out that I HAD been upgraded to a level containing
more posh rooms than those on lower floors (but not necessarily compared to those above)! It also turns out that
there is no pool, only one bar/restaurant, no concierge desk, stained carpets, broken lamp shades, furniture from
the Jack Lord era, and bad service all around. I truly was shocked by it all. It was terribly disappointing and quite
hard to believe that this hotel had somehow found a way to meet the W standard. I was also diappointed, and a bit
embarrassed for Lyle in his position as General Manager at what was clearly the worst W Hotel in the world.

I finally resigned myself to staying in the room and tried to appreciate the fact that at least it was comfortable, had a
nice view of Kaulani Park and Diamond Head, and was supplied with the wonderful "Pure" toiletry products like every
other W. I then settled in and took to my bed for a nap. When I woke up it was raining quite hard, but made for a
beautiful scene out the  window. I now had to consider not having the option of taking my moped to dinner that
night. This wasn't going to be a problem however, due to the fact that I wasn't necessarily going to be comfortable
taking the moped to arguably the best restaurant in all of Hawaii anyway.
W Honolulu front placard
View from my room at the W Honolulu
This nights dinner was one I had planned weeks earlier. Tonight was my chance to eat at what is widely considered
to be Hawaii's best restaurant, Alan Wong's. It's held this distinction since the early 90's and is still at the top of the
heap. Tee and I had never had the chance to eat at Alan Wong's while we were living in Hawaii, although we did
once take their discreet elevator to have a look around. I was wishing I had a dinning partner to share the nights
experience, but at the same time I was feeling fortunate to be going at all. I had pre-ordered the 7-course chef's
tasting menu with pairings and I was really looking forward to it.

I put on my new aloha shirt and some dress shoes and went down to the front of the hotel to get a cab. There was
already another couple waiting at the valet parking podium. The valet then put in another call to the cab company
for me. We all waited and waited. It seemed strange to have to wait so long in that we were at a well known hotel and
not far at all from the heavy traffic of central Waikiki. Finally a cab came for the other couple. The valet insisted it
would only be another minute, but after another 5 I went out to the street myself and flagged down my own cab
within a minute or so.

I arrived at Alan Wong's to find the same unremarkable building with subdued signboard. The small and very
ordinary feel of the elevator lobby belies the wonderfully comfortable and classy dinning space on the 3rd floor that
is Alan Wong's. The hostess showed me to the chef's counter with a big smile and classy aloha. I had a seat at a
fairly busy part of the counter, which looks directly on and into the the kitchen and all of it's chefs. I thought I
might be uncomfortable in that spot initially, but the place-setting next to me was removed, I slid over a bit, and I
was able to settle in. I actually ended up really enjoying the opportunity of interacting a bit more with the staff as
they would come up next to me to collect outgoing plates or to ring up chits.

The service was absolutely top-notch! The food was also terrific, if not quite as wonderful as Marque in Sydney. The
pairings, starting with champagne, came out quickly, served by the house sommelier. Of all the seven courses, my
favorite was a mushroom/abalone dish. My favorite pairing was the Reisling with a little fois gras sandwich and
tomato soup. They also surprised me pleasantly by pairing a Rihaku Junmai Ginjo sake with a charamushi (seafood
custard) instead of a sashimi-type dish as I had anticipated.

The chefs chatted me up a couple of times. I was either looking like an easy guy to talk to or I appeared a sort of
pathetic figure dinning alone. I asked them were they go after they close the restaurant, and they told me the name
(Anasaia ?) of a tiny little local sports bar on Beretainia St.. The next day I would happen to drive by it and take note
of exactly were it is.

The entire dinning room was to my back, but it was easy to see that the room had a good vibe from anywhere you
might be seated. It was Hawaiian in design and very relaxed in mood despite being busy. The atmosphere is also
coupled with a sophisticated and professional essence of higher dinning that is not common in many of Honolulu's
restaurants. I enjoyed my meal thoroughly, and left with a sense of complete satisfaction and gratitude.
It took me a while to get a taxi, but it gave me a chance to walk around the block a bit. When I finally did get a taxi
I was simply intended to head straight back to the hotel to spend an early night in my room, but when I arrived I
saw that the hotel was doing what is typical of W Hotels all over the world, turning out a big, hip crowd to it's club
on the weekend. They had roped off the front entrance and had a couple of security guys posted. There were a lot
of people queued up and I could hear the thumping of the club on the 2nd floor. I sort of felt VIP as I was ushered
right through due to being an actual guest of the hotel.

The crowd was interesting. Not quite like any other crowd I had seen in Honolulu before. Most were 20 something,
local, mixed race, upper, and upper-middle class. The number of truly great looking girls was really impressive,
while many of the guys looked plain, nerdy, clueless, or thugish. Shame that. Again, I had never really seen this
demographic in action on this scale in Hawaii before, and it was interesting. The girls and women, most being
Asian and mixed race, were almost universally dressed in classy, sexy dresses. The guys were all over the board. I
went straight up to my room and quickly changed into something a bit more hip and youthful before heading into
the club and up onto a stool at the bar.

The bar itself is a modern, curving one which takes up the majority of the Eva (West) wall. The place was really just
getting going when I entered, but within 30 or 40 minutes it was packed. I felt really lucky to have a seat where I
did, and a bartender who already knew I was a guest charging to my room. The crowd was thick and fun, but I
needed to get a breath of fresh air at one point and stepped out from the main lobby. I could hardly believe it but
the crowd outside the front was now much larger than when I had come in before. The line wrapped around from
the main door at the side, out to the front sidewalk of the hotel, and around again in front. I was impressed by how
nicely dressed everyone was. You just don't see it that often in Hawaii. I again got the VIP treatment by being
waved through even as I'm just approaching the front.

I drank a second lychee martini, but that was it for me. I had had my fill of checking out the crowd and the music.
So I headed back up to my room while it was still reasonably early, stuck some laundry into the bathtub to soak
overnight, then went straight to bed. It had been quite a day.

When I woke up the next morning I thought it to be around 8:00 or 8:30, and was surprised to find that it was
actually 11:00. Still on Sydney time. I got up and watched the Broncos play the Colts as I did my laundry. Once
the laundry was finished and I had showered and dressed I was off to one of the best places to watch football on a
Sunday afternoon in Honolulu, Gordon Biersch at the Aloha Tower Market Place.

I've spent many hours watching football at this brewery/restaurant that overlooks fishing boats, cruise ships, and
sightseeing vessels from it's location on the waterfront side of the shopping complex. I used to also come by
Gordon Bierch to read or join friends for a meal. I took a seat at the familiar outdoor bar area were the T.V.s are
mounted in the corners of the roof. I like all of the Gordon Beirsch beers, but being that it was Octoberfest I
decided on a pint of German style Martzen, a dark amber beer. I also couldn't resist the schnitzel. Halfway through
my meal some crazy young white guy comes and sits next to me and starts talking crazy stuff to the people sitting
around. I was able to ignore him for a while but he eventually turned his attention to me. So, after about 10
minutes of listening to this guy's crazy stories and opinions (He "HATES Hooters!" OK?!) and having the bartender
and the guy I had been talking football with earlier eye me sympathetically I had to cash out and get away. Too
bad, since I had been really enjoying being back at Gordon Beirsch until then.
The signboard at Alan Wong's
The kitchen at Alan Wong's
Gordon Beirsch rooftop sign
Patio bar at Gordon Beirsch
(see Aloha Tower behind)
My book and my "Peter Colada"
At the Banyan Courtyard
The collegiate watering hole
Anna Bannanas
Ono Hawaiian Foods
My combination lunch at Ono
Driving Tantalus "one more time!"
Manoa Valley from the lookout
Manoa Gardens at the University of Hawaii
Hopping back onto my moped, I spent a few minutes buzzing around the streets of Chinatown and downtown. Then
it was once again up and around Tantalus. I turned toward Waikiki and to the Moana Hotel from there. I parked in
my "secret spot" and was lucky enough to get a table right on the beach. The weather was spectacular, if not a bit hot
and humid. I saw Peter was behind the bar, so I ordered a "Peter Colada." When the waitress brought it by she also
brought the overspill, which was more than half the amount of the drink itself, and told me my drink was on the
house. I leisurely drank my cocktail and visited a bit with the party-hardy middle aged couples at the neighboring
tables. I also took notice of a cute family several tables away. The father and mother were young and happy looking.
They had one son and a daughter who looked to be young teenagers. Looking at them so relaxed and happy together
prompted an image of our family in the future, hoping that we would be enjoying a similar situation some day.
Because the weather had been particularly humid, I went from the Moana back to the W in order to shower and
change my clothes. I also took some time to watch some NFL football (Philly vs. N.Y. Giants) before heading out
again. I was planning to have dinner that night at an old standby for Tee and I, Mekong Thai Restaurant, but before
dinner I wanted to stop off to check out another old hangout, Anna Bannanas (no, this isn't mis-spelled). Annas is a
great bar just south-west of the UH campus, and is a very popular watering hole for the students at the university.
It's been around for almost 30 years now and continues to be a legendary place for cold beer, fun people, live music,
sports watching, darts, and pizza.

I entered from the back and saw that although the obnoxious center wall and booths had been removed to make the
bar one big room, much of the feel of the place was the same as it ever was. Many of the art pieces (most with a
humorously erotic theme), as well as the glass light fixtures are from the original days of Anna's. The place was
surprisingly empty (still too early?). Except for a college couple at a table and another young couple at the bar, there
were no other customers. I watched some baseball and had a chat with an off-duty bartender (I think his name is
Joe). There was a recital of sorts starting upstairs that featured a group of traditional belly dancers. Many of the girls
looked really great with their hair and makeup done up and decked out in their dancing garb. I felt a little sorry for
them because it seemed there was a very light turnout for their event. I briefly considered paying the $6 to go
upstairs and check them out, but I was getting hungry. So, Thai food at Mekong won out over young, exotically
dressed belly dancers. I must be getting old!
Mekong is a place that Tee and I used to rely on regularly to provide a great Thai meal for a reasonable price. It was
rarely, if ever disappointing. I even recall taking my sister Shauna and her husband Brian there for dinner when
they were once in town visiting his parents. The restaurant doesn't have a liquor licence, but they are popular as a
BYOB operation. The routine for Tee and I was always to pick up a few beers (Tsing Tao) at the Times Market across
the street before waiting for a table on the bench in front of the restaurant. However, for tonight, water would
suffice. The interior looked the same as always but I sensed something different. There were no female waitresses
dressed in traditional Thai clothing as there had always been in the past. The male waiters were not Thai, tried to
sell me sticky rice with dinner (Thais only really eat sticky rice as a desert), and served me my curry dish with
chopsticks (Thais eat with spoons, not chopsticks). I asked if there was new ownership and was told "no." They told
me that normally they still have the traditional Thai waitresses, but that it was just by chance that on that
particular night none of them were working. My curry was good and I wolfed it right down, but it wasn't quite as
good as I had always remembered it.
Before I retired to bed that night I called down to request a late check-out. The guy came right out and said "no." I
reminded him of my gold status knowing that I was eligible for a check-out as late as 4:00pm. He said that a late
check-out was granted based on availability and was not guaranteed. This may well be true, but I didn't like the
guys attitude, and coupled with the lousy service I had experienced at the hotel throughout my stay, I was NOT
happy. I hate to resort to name dropping, but I ended the conversation by calmly and confidently saying "I'll talk to
Lyle in the morning." Sure enough, I was awoken the next morning at 9:00 by a call from the front desk saying
that I was welcome to check out as late as I wanted.

I headed out on the moped and looped around Diamond Head and then headed up to the University of Hawaii
campus. I have a lot of memories here. Tee was a graduate student here for 4 years, and many of our friends at the
time taught or studied at UH. It's a beautiful, lazy campus that grows on you. It's in a wonderful area in lower
Manoa Valley and isn't necessarily a campus that is conducive to studying hard and worrying about schoolwork
much. I knew a few places on campus quite well. Tee always had an office as a graduate teaching assistant and I
was a regular visitor. Tee also spent a lot of time working and studying in the libraries, so I got to know those well
too. The place that we and our friends were most likely to meet up however is at the little on campus oasis of cold
beer, umbrella tables, sports monitors, and a French-Vietnamese deli called Manoa Gardens. It also houses a
small barbershop, and that's were I went first.

The barbershop at the Moana Gardens had served as my only barbershop for the years I lived in Hawaii. I needed a
cut and went back via instinct. I was sort of hoping to see the little old Japanese lady who most often used to cut
my hair.  Although it turned out she no longer worked there, I was still called to sit in the same chair that she had
 always used. I was told that she (whose name I now forget) had retired several years before. Other than the
change of staff (the new staff look just like the old ones), the place hasn't changed one bit. I felt as if I was back in
time for a few minutes as I sat for my haircut. That is until I caught a real good look at just how bald I am now!
That quickly brought me back to the present.

The next destination was the student's center next door, specifically the bookstore, in order to buy some more UH
gear. The bookstore had a ton of different UH stuff in it's inventory, and I was really happy to be able to buy a
couple of cool little items, including a car window decal, a UH golf visor for Tee, and a hat for myself. I then realized
how hungry I was and left campus to get some lunch at the most authentic place for local food around, Ono
Hawaiian Food.

I went out from campus the back way and started down Kapahulu Avenue. I was able to park my moped just off to
the side of the restaurant, and there was only one person waiting for a table. I got in immediately and sat at a
table facing out from the back wall. Ono Hawaiian Food is a no frills food mecca that has been going strong for
almost 40 years now. It's simple and authentic. Family run and immensely popular, Ono is still missing from most
tourist's itinerary. I ordered the combination lunch with Pepsi. The combination lunch consists of both Kalua Pork
and pork Lau Lau, salmon Lomi, Pikpikaula (spicy jerkey), Hapia (a coconut jelly), and a bowl of rice. The other
customers included a local family with "Auntie" in a classic old Hawaiian style hat, a young married couple on
vacation from Japan, and a table of very big, very hungry local boys on lunch break from a nearby construction
site. I liked all the dishes, but could only get about 3/4 the way through it all. Although every diner is in the
constant company of all the smiling portraits and photographs of past and present notable customers that cover
the walls, I again was wishing someone was there to dine with me.
Front entrance of Mekong Thai Restaurant
It was back to the hotel to finalize the packing and to check out. The front desk held my bags and I went back out
on the moped. I once again couldn't help but make another drive up Tantalus/Round Top. The was no one at the
lookout, so drove the moped out to the point of the viewing platform and sat meditating on the scene for about 15
minutes. I snapped a few pictures of the Manoa Valley then drove back out.
There wasn't much time left before I would have to get the moped back, so I decided to spend some time initially at
Manoa Gardens sipping a beer under one of the umbrella tables. When I got there I was surprised by how few
people where out on the big patio. I soon realized why that was when I went inside to order my beer. In one corner
of the bar was a monitor showing the Monday Night Football game between the Bengals and Patriots, while in the
other corner was the end of the season tie breaker between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres. In
addition, there was a cluster of extremely geeky types watching The Simpsons doing Star Wars on the montior at
the bar. As much as I wanted to hang out outside, once I realized what a good game the Rockies/Padres game was I
couldn't stop watching. The game was going into extra innings by the time I had to leave to return the moped. I
scrambled back to the moped shop just in time, then ducked into the nearest place that was showing the game.
That place was the somewhat seedy Tsunami bar on Kuhio Avenue. Once the Padres scored two runs in the 13th
inning I gave up the game assuming they would win the game with that score. Only after back in Salt Lake would I
realize the Rockies eventually came back to win it after all.
The sun was starting to drop and I wanted to go somewhere more meditative than on Kuhio Avenue, so I walked to
the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. I visited the bathrooms in the main lobby then made my way to the central entryway on
the back side (garden side) of the hotel. This used to serve as a uniquely peaceful and beautiful place to relax and
nap for me when I was working at the Surfrider. Things were as serene as ever as the sky went dark this night. It
was the perfect meditative spot to sit and reflect on the incredible experience of this trip now that it was coming to
an end. I felt a wonderful sense of peace and satisfaction as I ducked into a taxi at the hotel's front entrance.

I visited my old friend, the 2nd floor public restroom at the W, in order to change into my clothes for the flight. I
then went straight out front with my bags and took a very comfortable taxi van to the airport. Check in went very
smoothly thanks to the fist class ticket I held. Once into the main terminal I stopped in to a lei shop. I purchased a
really beautiful lei for Tee, candy filled leis for the kids, and an all green men's lei for myself.

The flight was smooth and quick. I even slept solidly for 3 hours! That's something I'm rarely capable of doing on any
flight! When I woke up we were flying over the Nevada desert, and I recognized it immediately. The day was just
dawning and I watched the sun come up as we flew over Wendover and The Great Salt Lake. The air was cold as I
emerged from the airport to wait for Tee and the kids to pick me up from the far west end of the waiting area.

This trip was truly something special for me. It not only fulfilled and satisfied me in every way that I had expected,
but also managed to provide some amazing surprises as well. This was a trip of a lifetime, and yet it's a trip that I
feel with confidence will someday be repeated in a manner. I come away from the whole experience feeling inspired,
happy, satiated, and supremely grateful. As much as I'm grateful for the opportunity and ability to make this trip
happen, it still pales to the appreciation and gratitude I have for the ability to come home to the loving and
welcoming arms of such a great family. Thanks guys!
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