Exploring Honolulu And Its Surroundings

I’ve already gone over some of the great sights you can see in Honolulu without having to spend much money. There’s so much to see and do in Honolulu that I thought I’d dedicate another post to give you some ideas if you’re making your way to Hawaii. This time we’ll concentrate more on Honolulu’s downtown area but as well a real gem that’s a bit outside the city.

This was the nicest area of Chinatown I could find...

Honolulu’s downtown area (or CBD for the Aussies) is fairly small and a little off the main tourist path but it does offer quite a few sights that are worth checking out. First and foremost I’d like to warn you about the Chinatown area. Normally a chinatown area doubles as a tourist area but Honolulu’s is a dump. If you look around you’ll see plenty of warnings about the area and they’re quite correct. I’ve made my way to the area both in daytime and nighttime and both times I found a very large concentration of homeless. At night it’s worse as the sidewalks were full of people sleeping. There’s really nothing to see here except some discount shops but the quality of the products are dismal.

Iolani Palace

One of the must see activities, Iolani Palace, lies in the east end of the downtown area. Here you can either take a guided tour (only available certain days) or take a self guided audio tour. Here you will learn all about Hawaii’s monarchy and its history. At the time I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it that much but it ended up being one of my favorite sights in the city. The audio tour lasts about an hour to and hour and a half and you’re free to explore all the rooms of the palace. In the same area you’ll find the State Capitol building which has interesting architecture but from the looks of it doesn’t offer tours. Also across from the palace there’s the statue of King Kamehameha I which is quite nicely detailed.

A map of the maze - pretty elaborate!

Lastly I wanna cover another of my favorite sites which was the Dole Pineapple Plantation. To get there is a bit of an adventure by public transit but it’s doable. From Waikiki take any bus going to the Ala Moana Centre and from there get to the bus stop on Ala Moana Blvd and grab the 52 to Wahiawa Heights which is the last stop. From there grab the 55 North Shore Kaneohe and the plantation is the 5th stop right in front of it. The journey takes 2 hours so this makes for a good day trip. The plantation itself is free, but all the activities cost quite little. We spent maybe $20 on activities there. There’s the big Dole shop, the Pineapple Express, a garden, as well as the world’s largest hedge maze. We only did the Pineapple Express and the hedge made. The Pineapple Express is a short 20 min train ride through the plantation while listening to the history behind Dole and Hawaii. It’s all right but nothing to really write home about. The maze was quite fun and where you can put your map reading skills to the test. There are 8 stations in the maze which you need to find and get the stencil on your maze ticket. There’s a time stamp booth at the maze entrance where you can track your start and finish time. Ours was 1hr 10min. Be sure to wear a hat and bring lots of sunscreen and water. I had forgotten my hat and regretted it while I was there as the was barely any shade in the maze.

Don't forget to get a cone of Dole Whip - Fresh  pineapple ice cream!

As you can see, there are plenty of things to do in Honolulu and its surroundings. There’s plenty of reasons to get out of Waikiki and explore the surrounding areas. As mentioned before, so long as you keep away from Chinatown you should be all right. So get out there and explore the amazing island of Oahu!

The Great Ocean Road: Exploring Victoria’s Southern Coastline

Travelling to Melbourne you’ll be able to experience all the great gems that this city has to offer. However no trip to Victoria would be complete without exploring the Great Ocean Road which follows the state’s southern coastline. This makes for a great day trip or even a weekend escape from the city. Many tour companies offer coach tours but be prepared for a long day as they usually leave early in the morning (around 7am) and only come back in the late evening. I’ve done the trip 3 times already, twice with one of my friends and once with my mom where I got behind the wheel. Renting a car is probably the best way to do it, but be warned that it’s not the easiest drive, as well be sure not to get distracted by the scenery. As well being in Victoria be sure to adhere to all speed limits accordingly, speeding by the tiniest margin (under 10k) will net you a fine of $153. These are enforced not only by officers but by speeding cameras which are well hidden.

Archway welcoming you to the Great Ocean Road

One of my trips was a fishing trip down in Apollo Bay. This is a great stop along the Great Ocean Road which offers plenty of restaurants and accommodation (including hostels for us budget travellers. If you’re fortunate to be in possession of a boat - as we were, there is a sheltered harbour here which is a great launching point for a fishing trip. I was able to catch a few flatheads as well as a gum shark. Just be careful as we did come across a stone fish which is quite poisonous, be sure to handle with care. Waters here are rough so be sure to check the forecasts as the weather can change in a heartbeat. Apollo Bay is about 3hrs away from Melbourne.

Johanna Beach

My last trip on the Great Ocean Road was for my mom’s visit. We rented a car through Budget as they were one of the few locations in my area open on a Sunday which cost us about $130 for two days. I took the wheel as I’d already been several times, as well as the fact that we drive on the left here which I’m more used to having been here long enough. The biggest frustration for me was the fact that I kept putting the damn wipers on instead of the turn signal! (The levers are reversed here.) We made our way all across the Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles which is a definite must see if you’re doing the Great Ocean Road. It’s quite a drive to get there, plan about 6 hrs to get there which includes time for lunch and the occasional photo/bathroom stop. Originally we were planning on spending the night out there but came to the conclusion that being the off season there wasn’t much to do so we drove into Warrnambool for dinner and took the Princes Highway back which takes about 4 hrs. It was a long day of driving but definitely worth it!

View of the Twelve Apostles from the lookout

If you are in the Melbourne area for at least a week, I highly recommend getting out of the city and checking out the Great Ocean Road. It’s a bit of a drive, and can be expensive if you’re caught speeding, but the sights and scenery definitely make up for it. Especially in the summertime this road brings you along some very stunning beaches. So be sure to get out there and explore Victoria’s countryside.

Maui On A Budget...Um...No...

When planning a trip to Hawaii you’ll probably want to visit at least one more island than Oahu. This is where careful research comes in and where careful choices have to be made. You’ll probably research Maui which is probably the second most popular island after Oahu. I did glance at it and from my research there was cheaper accommodation as well as some activities, perfect for a 3 night venture. Unfortunately while everything on paper was true regarding activities and cheaper accommodation I did screw up a very important factor which is logistics.

Maui is a popular place for honeymooners. As a result, most of the facilities on the island are catered to them. Most of the accommodation on the island is resorts which pretty much have everything you could want. As well, since most people visiting are on a honeymoon or an anniversary etc, usually their budgets are a lot higher than say ours. Shops and restaurants will have higher prices than say in Waikiki. 

Panoramic view from Lahaina Village

Getting from the airport to your hotel is quite expensive. Most likely you’ll either be on the south or west coast of the island which is FAR from the airport. The airport shuttle company had quoted us separately at $90 per person round trip to Lahaina which is outrageous. If you book as a group you can get a significant discount as it was $116 round trip if booked together. If that’s the price for an airport shuttle I’d hate to imagine the price of a taxi...

Lahaina Village

We opted to stay in Lahaina village which is an old whaling village on the west coast of the island. It’s a gorgeous village and our accommodation at the Lahaina Inn was great for the price. This is a tourist village as all the shops and restaurants are catered to tourists. You’ll find all sorts of restaurants which will satisfy anyone's taste. There’s also nightlife in Lahaina with a few bars/clubs BUT the village empties out at about 10pm when all the resort busses leave - so don’t expect it to be busy...

Luau at the Royal Lahaina Resort

Part of the deal we had with our hotel was that we had access to all the facilities at the Royal Lahaina Resort. Unfortunately public transport on the island isn’t the greatest and you’re looking at busses that depart every hour. Having to take a public bus and a free resort shuttle meant that getting to the resort would take over an hour in some cases as the bus and shuttle would just miss each other. We did however opt to do the resort luau which was great but a bit pricey at $70 per person. This however included a buffet meal and open bar. The show was great and showcased dances from many polynesian islands and finished with some fire dancing.

Thankfully the beaches are free and there are 2 nice beaches near Lahaina village, to the north and south. Apart from that a car would be required to visit most other tourist sites on the island. While I enjoyed Maui, it did present quite a few difficulties. I would highly recommend renting a car if planning on travelling here. Otherwise I’d also recommend maybe looking at some of the other islands.

My New Love Of Footy

There’s no way I could do this sport justice in a single blog post. My choice of city to settle here in Australia was Melbourne which is also known as the capital of sport. The sheer number of stadiums here is astounding. The biggest passion here however is AFL footy - or maybe some of you may know it as Aussie Rules. Honestly it’s a fast paced sport that has all the hard hits like hockey but the constant action and scoring of basketball. Many of whom know me from back home probably wouldn’t describe me as the biggest sports fan - maybe I’d follow my home team in hockey, or an NFL team but not to the point of being a die hard fan. Boy did I ever get sucked into this!

Panorama of the Saints vs. Richmond Tigers June 1st

There are currently 18 teams in the AFL - but unlike in North America where teams are based out of a certain city, here most are based out of Melbourne’s different neighborhoods. What really got me into the sport is the die hard following each team has. Here you don’t necessarily pick who you support as families usually support teams through several generations (they even have baby jerseys and fan gear!). Each team also has a song which is then played whenever they win.

Melbourne Demons coming onto the field

I was in quite a predicament when I got here as everyone was trying to get me to support their respective team. The buddy of mine who introduced me to footy supports Melbourne and wanted to get me on his side. I soon found out they’re one of the worst teams, and quite frankly wasn’t drawn to them. Another close friend tried to get me on the Essendon Bombers but still it just didn’t feel right. My office had a strong Collingwood following - but you either love ‘em lots or hate them with a passion... too divisive! Finally I made my choice - the team that shared my Ottawa Sens’ colors and a catchy theme song - the Saint Kilda Saints. I get no love for my choice in teams, nobody I know supports them! But in all fun I can now shit talk my friends and co-workers after the barrage of jokes I get for my choice.

GWS Giants have a monks cheering squad - probably the most dedicated fanbase!

I’ve been to 3 live matches so far at both Etihad Stadium (seats about 53 000) and the MCG (seats 100 000) and spent countless weekends watching the matches on TV. The live experience is electric as fans from both teams show up decked out in their team’s colors - cheering and sometimes yelling at the umps or players. The best experience is when your team wins and you song comes on and all the supporters sing and clap along. Obviously it sucks when you lose - but hey you win some you lose some.

The season is now over - and it’s been a real nail biter! Sadly my team didn't make the playoffs, but hell I can still say it - GO SAINTS!

Honolulu On A Budget

Hawaii is an amazing place with sun, sand, beaches and palm trees. But interestingly enough a lot of people seem to be under the impression that it’s an expensive place to vacation. To be honest, from my experience I can tell you that this assumption is dead wrong. Hawaii is a place where the cost really depends on how you choose to travel. There are heaps of 5-star gated resorts which can go for upwards of $700/night, as well as shopping malls chock full of stores you can’t even afford to set foot in. Thankfully there are also options for budget-minded travellers like us who might not want to blow their whole budget in a night or two. So let me go over a few options that you might want to consider.

Getting Around:

If you’re going to Honolulu, you’re 99% likely to be staying in Waikiki. This is THE tourist area - most if not all people walking around you will be tourists. Walking around you’ll notice trolleys, LOTS of trolleys. Many cater solely to the Japanese tourists which make up a large portion of the tourists. This seems like a great option as they go to all the tourist sites, make life simpler for you. Well folks so does TheBus, Oahu’s public transit system. Trolley prices range from $19 for a day pass to $49 for a 7-day pass. Fares for TheBus are $2.50 which includes one transfer. Think about it, you’ll most likely be visiting one site per day, two at most (but that’s pushing it) that require getting around the island. Two round trips on TheBus - $10, day pass on the trolley - $19. The math is simple really, suck it up and take TheBus. 4-day passes are available in Waikiki at any ABC Store for $25 if you plan on extensively exploring the island.

The Aloha Tower:

Free! Also not overly crowded - or in our case deserted.

This tower was built in 1926 and is one of the most iconic structures on the island of Oahu. The tower is located on the edge of the CBD along the harbor and is attached to a small shopping centre which for the time being is quite bare. The tower offers amazing views of the harbor and Honolulu’s CBD. The best part about this site is that it’s 100% free. I was pleasantly surprised when the security guard said the site was free. I was even more shocked at the fact that there was NOBODY around. We were seriously the only people in the whole building, I couldn’t believe it. While downtown Honolulu I highly suggest stopping in here - why not? It’s free right?

Diamond Head Crater

Isn't this view worth the $1?

Diamond Head is the second most iconic site on Oahu. You’ll see it on any postcard of Waikiki was the big brown cliffside in the distance. Diamond Head is an old volcanic crater but obviously no longer active. During WW2 machine gun posts were installed at the top. You can hike up a donkey trail to get yourself up to the machine-gun post which offers some of the best views of Waikiki and Honolulu. The hike itself should take about 45 minutes but keep in mind that it’s all uphill and the last 20% of it is extremely steep. At one point you do get the choice of either continuing the donkey trail or using the stairs. The trail is a lot easier but will take longer whereas the stairs will go faster but are extremely steep. Admission to the park is $1. Bring lots of water, sunscreen and a hat.

Pearl Harbor:

USS Arizona Memorial

Obviously when you think of Hawaii, Pearl Harbor comes to mind. Now it was definitely not the happiest place to be, but its historical significance makes it a definite must see while in Honolulu. Now walking around in Waikiki you’ll see a bunch of touts offering you tours of Pearl Harbor usually averaging $25-$30. Well if you do your research you’ll find that visiting Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial is actually FREE, but you do have to reserve or else you risk getting there and it being booked up. Reservations can be done online through the National Parks Service at recreation.gov and costs $1.50 per ticket. We also opted for an audio tour which cost $7.50 per person but is quite informative and well narrated. TheBus will take you right to the visitor centre. For two people doing it the smart way it cost us $23 rather than the $50-$60 we could have paid the tout offering tours.

As you can see, you don’t need bags of money to enjoy Honolulu. Quite frankly I wouldn’t even describe this as being on a budget - but really just travelling smart and doing research. A lot of activities are surprisingly available at a minimal cost or even free, you just have to do a bit of research. Hopefully this helps you as Hawaii is an amazing place that I would definitely go back to in a heartbeat.

Jetstar No-Frills Experience - My Jetstar Review (Part 2)

If you’re just joining this program you’ve missed out on my excruciating booking experience, Amazing Race dash and my encounter with some special needs passengers. I highly suggest you go check out Part 1 to get the full story on my Jetstar Experience.

Long-Haul Experience:

Well, short flight done, time for the big one! For some reason I had to go through security again which is fine and then just my luck I got “randomly” selected for an explosives test. After a basic rubdown and pat down, which was NOWHERE as intimate as the Canadians do back home, I got through to Sydney’s International Terminal. Having gone through immigration and customs in Melbourne, I technically couldn’t leave the airport without officially re-entering the country. Now I had 7 hours to kill inside the airport... Thankfully the airport in Sydney is pretty much like a shopping centre loaded with shops, cafes, different food outlets. Sat at Mc’D’s for breakfast and lunch while talking with folks online, and reading the newspaper. Explored the shops but unfortunately Coach, Burberry, and Armani weren’t on my shopping list. I also couldn’t help but notice the abundance of condom selection in the airport men’s rooms. Seriously... ribbed, glow in the dark, flavoured! Can't help but wonder why they're there. Anyways I spent a lot of my time reading and wandering but then realized that my phone’s battery was dying and as my sole source of entertainment for my long-haul flight this CANNOT happen.

**Where to find power outlets**:
There are little to no power outlets to charge your toys in the international terminal. Look for the massage chairs as the few available can usually be found there. I found mine by the massage chairs near gates 8 and 9. There are only 2 so be prepared to wait for them.

Anyways my flight was approaching and I knew that I had to go grab a meal for my flight. I found a sandwich shop and then ducked into a newsstand for a couple of bags of chips and a bottle of coke. Here I thought I’d be saving money but food is actually cheaper on the plane... $17

$17 something for all of this, what a deal...

The flight was fine for the most part. What you would expect out of any long haul flight. While it’s nice to have a leather seat for the flight, there was little to no padding in the lower back area so I constantly had some guy’s knees jabbing into my back. There are no screens on the backs of the chairs so Jetstar offers you the option to pre-book an Ipad loaded with movies, TV shows and games for your flight for $12. I know that next time I will go for this as I saw a guy playing GTA on the Ipad in contrast to my Angry Birds... I was damn envious. Oh and if you didn’t pre-book one you’re screwed, as unless there’s some spare ones you’re not getting one. Thankfully there’s always sleep right? For this overnight flight unfortunately sleep was not an option as I was serenaded by a symphony of screaming and crying children. It was agonizing as at any point where my body would go into sleep mode I’d be jolted awake by a shriek from the seat behind me. I’d take pizza-face and her boyfriend any day as they can be tuned out with earphones...

We got to Hawaii on time and breezed through customs and immigration. No complaints.

Coming back was a breeze. Arrived at the airport 2hrs before my flight, breezed through security and had the chance to do all my duty-free shopping and enjoy an amazing BK Breakfast. I also had the chance to grab myself a meal for my long-haul flight back which was so much better than the one coming here but just as outrageously priced...

The flight coming back was pleasant. After noticing that I was completely surrounded by small children I was expecting the worst. Thankfully these parents were in control of their kids and the screaming and crying was kept to a bare minimum of takeoff and landing. I enjoyed many episodes of GI Joe, read my newspapers and enjoyed my CPK sandwich.

A truly awesome sandwich - people were envious. Too bad the sandwich itself was $11.50

Overall, I can’t necessarily complain too much about Jetstar. Both my baggage and I made it to and from our destination in one piece. Being a no-frills airline they certainly lived up to it offering nothing. Would I fly them again? Well if I had the choice - no. But if the price was right, or there was no other option then the answer is not yes but - fine I’ll do it.

Jetstar No-Frills Experience - My Jetstar Review (Part 1)

Oh how the mighty have fallen! Having gone from flying business class to cattle class was absolutely terrible. Sadly this was the most economical way of getting from Melbourne to Honolulu as I had just missed out on a special from Hawaiian Airlines which would have been MUCH better. As the title would have it, Jetstar is a no-frills airline. I had to forgo my cookies baked for me on the plane, or eating my sumptuous filet mignon steak for well... nothing! Anyways lets start off at the very beginning with booking your flight.

Booking your flight:

When it comes to booking flights I generally like to go to the source, unless there’s a deal out there that I just can’t refuse. So I logged onto Jetstar’s website and set up an account and searched for my flights. MEL to HNL round trip totalled around $1400 which is not exactly ideal but it was the best price I could get. You choose your flights and pre-pay your luggage as it’s way higher paying for it at the gate. Everything was good up until I was bombarded with so-called add-ons for your flight. Do I want to upgrade to business class for $300 each way? NO. Do I want to choose my seat for $7 per flight (4 flights total)? NO. Do I want to pre-book a meal with my flight for $12-15 per flight? NO. Do I want an entertainment system/Ipad for my flight for $12/flight? NO. Do I need to get a hotel at my destination? NO. Do I want to rent a car at my destination? NO. Do I want to donate to charity? NO. OMG SERIOUSLY I JUST WANT MY F!@#ING CONFIRMATION ALREADY! I was very successful in booking my flight for the original price quoted with NO ADD ONS.

About 10 days before my flight (which happened to be my birthday) I got a call from the airline just to “confirm” my itinerary. Everything was going well right up until I noticed that the girl on the other end of the line started going through THE WHOLE DAMN UPSELL SPIEL AGAIN. With my Canadian patience gone but luckily my politeness still intact I advised the girl that I like my booking as-is and don’t wish to make any changes. I might of had to repeat this once as she tried to persist but she got it and ended the call. Whew what an experience...

The Domestic Experience:

Finally the day came where I’d be making my way to Hawaii. Woke up at 5:45am got ready and did a last minute frantic packing check as I normally do. Being a domestic flight I thought I had tons of time between check-in and getting to the gate as any normal person would assume you’d be leaving the country (going through immigration etc.) at the last port before departure. There was a massive traffic jam at Tullamarine Airport so I was a little nervous but got to the check-in counter and there was NOBODY! Safe! Well...not so much. I found out that I had to go through immi and customs HERE as well as go through airport security. Got through everything smoothly but what’s that on the screen?? FINAL BOARDING CALL FOR MATT’S FLIGHT... F!@#. Made an amazing race style dash to my gate only to find out that there’s still 40min or so before leaving... F!@#kers. Of course we also left 30min late... sigh...

The flight to Sydney was about 2hrs total - simple stuff. I planned on listening to a few tunes or play games on my phone (no laptop on this trip). Basically I got nothing to eat on the flight as I refuse to use a credit card on a plane - weird security paranoia. Anyways there was a darling couple sitting next to me composed of a failed jersey shore wannabe who was more flubber than muscle and his trophy pizza-face girlfriend. They spent the whole 2hrs nagging at each other in the form of thanking each other. Thank you so much (guy’s name) for being a condescending prick. Thank you SO MUCH (girl’s name) for being a nag. Thank you so much (guys name) for not moving your legs so I can go to the toilet. And so this went on...and on... My rage was burning but I then realized that these are probably the only four words in the english language they know. It’s never cool to yell at those with special needs.

Anyways we landed in Sydney and here I was pointed to the international transfer checkpoint. There were a few of us headed there. As I walked I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder constantly on the lookout for my two special friends from the earlier flight. No sign of them! Safe...safe for now!

Hiatus Over... For Now...

Well dear readers, I think it’s about time I remove my blog from hiatus and share with you some new material that I’ve come up with. It’s been a long time since my last post so let me bring you up to date on some of the past few months.

I’ve actually been living a very comfortable life here in Melbourne - essentially my life is now the same as it was before I left. I was working the 9-5 grind, well... 9-6 grind, pub on Friday night, watch the footy, and chores on the weekend. It really wasn’t that eventful. Oh what was I doing for work you ask? Well I was in a call centre working for a telecom company - which was a BIG switch from the live entertainment ticketing industry that I was used to. It wasn’t the easiest adaptation but thankfully the crew over there was top notch. Overall the experience I gained out here has boosted my resume, gained me friends for life, and opened up a whole new industry.

A few fans might remember my post on integrating into a foreign society, and I can definitely say that I’ve achieved this here. On the flip side though I have lost touch with a lot of my traveller friends in the process as I’ve been living the 9-5 lifestyle, living in the burbs and not going out on a schoolnight. Thankfully for social networks everyone can still keep track of each other’s movements around the globe.

A lot of you may be wondering where I’m at now? What am I doing? Well I recently had to leave my job due to my 6 month visa restriction. While a lot of my workmates were cursing this restriction, I fully understand it and accept it. And sadly all attempts to find any sort of loophole failed. I took a trip overseas which was a great way to escape the bloody winter here - but winter’s welcomed me back with a vengeance here in Melbourne. So for the time being I’m back at bat when it comes to the job search and living the good life for now.

Stay tuned - lots of entertaining material coming up...