Travelogue Travel Blog: May 2026

Avatar joedaytoday Badge image. Hawaii 2026 - The Long Flight Home

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Left around 5 pm Hawaii time.

Eight hour flight home. We crossed 4 time zones so that got us back to Minneapolis on Thursday at 5 am.

We didn't fly 1st class so things were a little bit tighter than I'm used to.

Dale and I assumed that since we were in coach we'd have to pay for drinks and food. Turns out we didn't have to. Maybe if the flight takes you out of the continental US it's different. I drank Bloody Marys.

Hawaii 2026 - Time to Say Goodbye

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

On the way to the airport we stopped at a gas station so Gary could top off the tank before returning the rental car. This is were I saw the above rooster. I'm not gonna say they're everywhere but they turn up more than you might think.

Once I was settled into my seat on the puddle jumper to Oahu I looked up and was startled to see what looked like a pin head. What I saw didn't register as a child's head because it was up a little high to be a kid. On closer inspection I realized the person ahead of me was a woman with a big hair bun. She was looking down reading a magazine.

The boarding process for the plan began around 10:30 am and it didn't take long. Still sitting on the runway at 11:30 am when they were starting up the engines. Not sure what the delay was but there was a screaming baby a couple rows ahead of us that wailed the whole time until just before take off and was quiet the whole 20 minute flight. They pass out juice or water about halfway through. The four people in first class got canned Mai Tais when seated after boarding. We landed on Oahu at 12 noon sharp.

Had a five hour layover in Hololulu. We got some lunch and then spent our time sitting or wandering around.

One of the gift shops had all their Christmas stuff at half off. Mele Kalikimaka.

The weather was beautiful the whole time there we were there. Rain had been predicted for a good chunk of our visit but that is not what played out. The weather in always Hawai'i reminds me of a gorgeous summer day in Minneapolis - upper 70s, mild (to me) humidity, and a soft breeze. Bracing for ice (and ICE) upon our return home.

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Got up around 5:30 this morning. Spent some time drinking coffee on the balcony even though it was dark outside. Wanted to take advantage of listening to the ocean waves before leaving today. Started to leisurely get ready about 6:30 and then spent more time on the balcony as the sun started coming up. We left the hotel at 8:00 am.

Hawaii 2026 - Tuesday Morning Walk

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

There's a colony of cats that live down by the beach.

Tempting to call them feral although that's not really accurate as there is a staff that manages them. The ones I approached let me get pretty close although they got quite skittish when i reached to pet them.

Hawaii 2026 - The Dinner Cruise That Wasn't

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

More time by the pool this morning and afternoon. I love how Ai turns my flabby gut into washboard abs and gives my arms muscle definition. IF ONLY, HA!!

We headed out for our dinner cruise around 4 pm. The concierge rebooked us for a better cruise with a different company but unfortunately we didn't get the message the the evening of the cruise changed as well. Warren and Gary arranged the cruise through the concierge and felt terrible about the mix up. We told them not to worry and that we'd find a nice restaurant to go to instead.

We decided on Aloha Mixed Plate which is where we got cocktails before the luau a couple nights ago.

We started with cocktails and some fried shrimp. I got the coconut margherita.

For dinner I got the Ali'i plate which consited of kalua pig (The one at the bottom of the plate next to the compote of poi. It's cooked in an underground oven. The poi moistens it and brings out the flavor.), pork lau lau (That's the one wrapped in the taro leaf and is also cooked in an underground oven), fried rice with pork (above the poi sauce, macaroni salad, and lomi lomi salmon (At the top of the plate above the orchid flower. It's a side dish in Hawaiian cuisine containing salted salmon, onions, and tomatoes.) This is traditional luau food and ALL OF IT WAS- DELICIOUS.

Hawaii 2026

Monday, January 12, 2026

On the final drive back to the hotel Dale mentioned how taken he was with the mountains. They really were beautiful.

Hawaii 2026 - Pa'ia

Monday, January 12, 2026

Warren and Gary wanted to take us on a little side trip to Pa'ia. They've been there before and wanted to show us a great place to have lunch. It turned out to be a very charming little town. The above pictures are my own but it doesn't do the place justice.

The photo above was one I swiped from the internet. It provides a better sense of how charming the colorful buildings are.

We ate at a place called The Paia Fish Market and boy was it fantastic. We all had fish sandwiches and they were divine. They probably pulled the fish out of the ocean that morning.

After we ate we stopped off to get some shave ice and then headed back to Lahaina so Dale could make a zoom meeting for church but not before making a quick stop at a farmer's market.