Monday, January 18, 2010

American Airlines raises baggage fees $5 on Feb 1, 2010

 Changes To Domestic Checked Bag Charges Effective February 1
Before you head to the airport, please familiarize yourself with changes affecting international and domestic checked bag charges.

Domestic Travel
Within And Between the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
For customers who purchase domestic Economy Class tickets, please see the chart below for applicable charges for checking a first and/or second bag.

Some passengers are exempt from paying any checked bag charges such as: 

  • AAdvantage Gold®, AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Executive Platinum® as well as oneworld® Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby members
  • Those who purchase tickets in First and Business Class as well as those who purchase full-fare tickets in Economy Class
  • Active U.S. Military personnel traveling on orders or personal travel and active U.S. Military dependents traveling on orders
  • View a complete list of exceptions
The changes apply for travel on American Airlines, America Eagle and AmericanConnection® flights within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Tickets purchased
before August 14, 2009
Tickets purchased
on or after August 14, 2009
Tickets purchased
on or after February 1, 2010
1st Checked Bag Charge
$15
$20
$25
2nd Checked Bag Charge
$25
$30
$35

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Leaving Hawaii

The wild chickens woke me up at 5AM so I surfed on the Internet for 3 hours until it was time for breakfast. We ate breakfast/brunch and finished cleaning and packing to go home. We went in two groups, my brother and mom was dropped off first at the airport with most of the bags. We had to fill up our gas tank since I did not pay for their convenience of $3.72 times 20 gallons regardless of how much fuel would be left. I ended up paying $50 to fill 13 gallons and saved about $25 by not going with the Hertz offer. Then I went back to grab my brother-in-law and sister for their journey to the airport. After dropping them off, I headed back to Hertz to drop off the rental. It was quick and painless since the gas tank was full and they did a quick once over around the exterior. I hopped on the shuttle to the airport.

We checked in at Hawaiian Airlines and had to pay $30 for 3 checked bags. My sister and her husband checked in at American for their flight. We waited around at the gate until it was time to leave for Honolulu for our flight to the mainland. We did grab a quick bite at the nasty airport restaurant with rude service. They have a monopoly at the small airport so there was no alternative for those who did not bring food and were sitting in coach.

We left Maui at 4:15PM and arrived at 4:45. My brother and I headed down to the interisland baggage claim to get our three bags. Then we dragged the luggage to the main terminal to check them in at the American Airlines counter. We had to have the luggage screened through USDA scan again even though one was done in Maui. We went through security again and met my mom on the other side with our carry on bags. We had big dinner at sit down cafeteria style restaurant and went through our trip photos while waiting to board the plane. I did manage to get a crew seat in aisle 17 that fully reclines, but I gave it to my mom since she needed the good sleep more than me. The flight was bumpy initially for the first third and I slept for 2 hours after that. We had 1 beverage service after departing and a package of OJ in the morning. They had water and sodas for self service in the galley overnight.

Overall, it was a good trip for spending time with family and doing fun stuff. We went to the beach, surfed, whale watched, sailed on a catamaran, enjoyed a luau, went to the Dole plantation, went on train tour rides, rode a horse, saw the sun rise on a (sleeping) active volcano, Oahu island tour, drove to Hana and back, went 3 islands, went in a submarine, went to the aquarium, went to nature center, visited Iao valley, attempted to ride a moped, went to pearl harbor, went to the outlet mall, got tan, and snorkeled twice. On to the next trip...

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Day 13 Wednesday - Maui

It was our last full day in Maui and we took it slow. We left at about 9 AM to the Nature Center in Iao Valley. The 30 minute ride there was fast and we went to the interactive museum where they had many exhibits for us to play with and experience the natural aspect of the islands.

We then went to the Iao Valley state park to walk, take photos and enjoy the tranquility of the brook running through and the peacefulness of the jungle. The trees/vines provided much shade for us. It was a beautiful sight to see and experience. After that, we headed back to Kahului to eat lunch at another Japanese restaurant where we had our last meal out as a family. We went back to the condo to rest and pack for our journey home. It took me about 10 minutes to get my bags together. It would be our last home cooked dinner in Hawaii followed by American Idol watching party. I went to bed early to get a head start on the next day.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Day 12 Tuesday - Maui

Since our submarine ride did not start until 10AM, we had a late breakfast and sleep in a bit as well. We got to Lahaina Harbor to get on the ferry to the sub. We were one of the last ones on but we got in there on time for check in. The tour guide was not that funny but he was trying real hard to be cheesy with his jokes. We got in on an actual submarine. We dove all the way down to about 120 feet near the bottom with the coral.

It was an awesome experience to see all of the fishes swimming in schools. There was also a sunken ship that cost them $250,000 to intentionally sink with no ecological impact. The ride was about 45 minutes and it proved to be a bit entertaining. We got out to the ferry boat with a new crew of people to go into the sub. After that, we went to the Maui Ocean Center which has the largest coral reef in a museum. We stayed for about 90 minutes going through the exhibits.

Lunch at Ichiban and the service was ok. They charged us for a side of salted cabbage. The prices were decent and the portion was big. I got the teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu, and teriyaki beef. We visited the Maui Tropical Plantation and took some pictures around the place. We hopped on the tram for a 45 minute tour that included a show on how to open coconuts. Our tour guide was funny and she seemed a bit ditzy as well. We had dinner at the condo that night followed by the American Idol premiere watching party that we had.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Day 11 Monday - Maui

I got up pretty early from being rested from the weekend. We had breakfast and left for Lahaina to our day trip to Lanai. We were greeted by the crew and a cup of pineapple juice. We sailed off when the crew raised the sails and the ride was about two hours. We got homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, and deli wraps on our journey. I lost my right flip-flop on the way there.

We got to the beach to snorkel on Hupoloe Beach. I saw coral and fishes in my 45 minutes in the water. We left for a guided van tour of the island for an hour. Here are some facts I learned:
  • Lanai has 3200 residents on the island with 75% being Pilipino and only 300 are Hawaiian/mixed (Hapa).
  • Niihau is privately owned by the Robinson family with 200 people and need invitation to visit.
  • Hawaii big island is the biggest and youngest out of the 132 island chain. There a new one forming currently but we will not see it in this lifetime.
  • 1990 was the last time to ship out Pineapple from Lanai after 71 years on the island. It is cheaper to grow them in Thailand from labor costs. They are big on tourism and real estate now. 98% is owned by Robert Murdock and 2% is owned by resident.
  • Lanai does not have coconuts or palm trees but have Cook Island pine tree instead and weeds.
  • There's only one beach on Lanai and the other side is cliffs. There is only two highways so no confusion on how to get anywhere.
  • There are 2 Four Seasons resorts on the island and 1000 people work for the resorts. The Lodge at Hoele that is $295 to $1500 per night and the Manele beachside resort goes up to $7000 a night.
  • About 40% of the people on Lanai are unemployed since the main industry is the resorts.
  • There are three family owned general stores. The Richards family store got sold to Richard Murdock.
  • There is a culture and heritage center set to be opened on January 16th.
  • They have a community college that is distanced learning from Maui with instructors teaching all local islands.
  • Hospital has 10 rooms with two practitioners. They now have dialysis machines there now.
  • Lanai is only 3371 feet and gets 30 inches of rain a year.
We got to the one gas station in town to get drinks and snacks. They had $27 flip flops and our tour guide was really nice as she took me to a general store and I got a pair for $3.50. We headed back to the beach for a BBQ dinner. We had salad, teriyaki chicken, Yaki soba, and peas. They did a really great job on the food as I did not shy from a second serving. We left at about 4 PM and the waves were heavy. I got tired and slept on a bench until we got back to Maui. It was dark when we got back and we went straight to bed. I enjoyed our excursion as the crew took real good care of us and were professional. I would highly recommend them to everyone. I left my left flip-flop on the Catamaran… so they both live in Hawai’i now.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Day 10 Sunday - Maui

We woke up late since we had nothing formally planned. I made breakfast for everyone and we had gusts over later. Jess and Mary Pfleger spent two hours from us and we ready some chapters in the Bible. After lunch, we dropped my mom and brother off at the beach and the rest of us went to Walmart to get groceries and souvenirs. We relaxed for the rest of the day and enjoyed our day of peace.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Day 9 Saturday - Maui

My sister and I made a morning trip to the grocery store to pick up a few more grocery items for the rest of our time here in Maui. It was a short fifteen minute drive to the local Foodland and a Starbucks run was made. I accidently mistook another lady's basket as my own and put or groceries in it.

We got back at about 8AM and had pancakes for breakfast with coconut syrup. We left shortly for Lahaina for the day activities and it took about an hour. We passed the city of Ma'alaea the way. The harbor was close to the city entrance and I had to parallel park in one of the spots. We went aboard the Reefdancer, a glass bottom boat to see fishes for about an hour. We saw an octopus, sea urchin, fishes and coral reef. The crew was scuba diving to bring us the creatures right up the window for a close look. The ride was short back to the shore as there are so many fishes one can see.

We walked a bit around town to go window shopping/browsing. I got a "I survived Hana highway" Survivor style shirt to commemorate my 52 mile journey yesterday. We drove to the Whaler's Village to get some Haagen-Dazs sundaes. Then straight to Lahaina Station to get on board the sugar cane train that went 70 minutes to Ka'anapali and P stations. We learned about the history of the sugar cane and had a slow drive through the coastal cities.

There was a Pizza Hut near the train station so we grabbed lunch there. After lunch, I made my way to the Maui Hard Rock Cafe to get my collectible t-shirt (#10). The drive home took about 75 minutes over 60 miles. I got back and relaxed before dinner.

Friday, January 08, 2010

Day 8 Friday - Maui

Today's morning was by far the earliest that I have gotten up while on vacation at 5:30AM. We had an hour and a half journey to the top of Mount Haleakaea which is still an active volcano. There was not any lights out yet and the road was long and winding. The 37 mile drive up the mountain was beautiful as it went through three different types of ecosystems: desert, forest, and grassland. I had to keep a careful eye as some places were without guard rails. Once we got to the park center to pay admission, it was 10 minutes to sunrise and we were late about 10 minutes so we did not see the actual sun coming out.

It was a cool 44 degrees at the summit and I brought several layers of clothing and hat/gloves. We were 10,000 feet high and in the clouds. We took some breathtaking pictures along the way and made out way down eventually. I tried to find the horse riding place but had problems finding it since the sign was so small. I drove all the way down and then half way up before locating the site. We were 30 minutes early for out 11AM appointment. After the liability paperwork was filled out, we each got on our horse. Mine was called Hapa (‘mixed’) and he was the hungry one out of the group. He would grab a bite of grass every time we stopped somewhere. There was some hesitance from me at first but I got more comfortable along the way. My sister got the slow horse that did not want to move and passed gas several times along with going to the bathroom every few minutes. We walked through trees and the meadows for a good while. Our tour guide Melissa was entertaining and took good care of us. The ride was fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

We started on our tour of east Maui shortly after with a lunch break at a park. The 80 mile ride took us 5 hours to complete as the roads were winding, narrow, treacherous and sometimes unpaved. There were several instances where only one car could pass down the road. We saw amazing views ranging from the raging ocean, to the clouds on the mountain to tropical jungles. It was a good tour but long and I will never make that drive again as it took a while and the roads are narrow. We got back right when it was turning dark. I made us a spaghetti dinner and we watched a bit of AFV until it was time for bed. We also reviewed the photos taken from through out the day.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Day 7 Thursday - Maui

We had to get up pretty early for our drive the Ma'alaea for the snorkel and whale watch cruise. The rain started right as we were leaving and the sun slowly greeted us as we drove south from Makawao. Despite not knowing where to go exactly since the harbor is not a location in the GPS, we were able to make it with ten minutes to spare for the check-in.

Once we got onboard, a briefing was given for the snorkeling gear usage. We rented a wet suit for use in the water and to stay warm. Breakfast consisted of pastries, muffins and fresh fruit. On our way to the snorkel location, we passed by some North Pacific whales. Apparently Maui has 60% of the world's whale population during the winter and spring. 10% go to Japan and 30% go to Baja California. They all come here to mate and give birth. They head back to Alaska during the summer as food is more plentiful there. They lose 1/3 of their body wait while in Maui.

We got off the boat and went snorkeling with schools of fishes. The water was very salty and once I got enough of it, I went back to the boat to rest. Lunch began shortly with burgers, chicken and hot dogs. It was pretty awesome coming straight off the grill. We were not able to make it tithe Molokini crater due to the heavy waves that picked up through out the day. We went to a different site instead to see turtles while snorkeling. The bar opened as well along with cookies for dessert. We headed back to the docks after an hour and saw more whales along the way. The weather improved as the sun came out.

After the trip, we headed down south to see the lava rocks in Makena. On the way, a stop was made at ABC to get fresh batteries for the digital camera. A pit stop was made at Wailea beach for taking pictures and enjoying the view. Makena was the south most point on the island made via the roads. The lava rocks were abundant near the shore and then we went through fields on lava rocks. The end was a monument to Le Perouse who came to Hawai'i back in the 1700's. We were pretty tired from getting up early and from the previous day of traveling so we headed back to the condo.

After a quick shower, dinner and watching the rose bowl, we headed off to bed for an early rest. It was a great day in Maui although we did not get to see Molokini crater.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Day 6 Wednesday - Honolulu Oahu to Maui

I got up this morning to grab breakfast for everyone. I went to McDonalds, but the price and menu made me do a second take and I went to subway instead. They only have four sandwiches on their $6 list which was pretty skimpy. I got a meatball sub and a Italian sub as well. I had to stop by ABC store to get a bag if Maui chips.

I hustled to the Hard Rock Cafe to get my classic shirt before checking out of the hotel. The coach bus picked us up and dropped us off at the commuter terminal. We had about a 2 hour wait before our 21 minute ride to Kahului, Maui. We even got a quick juice service before landing. The $10 per bag luggage fee was outrageous. As we landed, I could see the blue and green crystal clear water glistening in the sun.

We made it to the Hertz rental and I got to check in quickly at the #1 Gold member line. We ended up getting a 2009 Nissan Altima and went about our way. We quickly got to our condo and unpacked. There was no air conditioning but the air was clean from the ocean breeze. We headed to Makawao to grab lunch and get some grocery for the week ahead. I got a cheese steak at Stopwatch Sports Grill. We went grocery shopping at Foodland and the prices of everything are so much more than the mainland. We save a few bucks by not eating out.

We headed back to the condo and unpacked/doing laundry from the week before now that we have laundry machines. At night, I drove back to Kahului to pick up our Go Maui passes for the attractions and picked up the sister/brother-in-law from the airport. We got back to the condo and had a quick dinner before going to sleep.

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Day 5 Tuesday - Honolulu, Oahu

We got up really early to attend the tour to Pearl Harbor. I dozed off on our way there and the driver had to get our tickets for the entire bus. We had a 8:20 tour that consisted of a twenty minute movie and 55 minute tour to the memorial on top of USS Arizona. While we waited to enter the theatre, I made reservations for the shuttle bus pickup in the following morning to the airport. I also made reservations for the Catamaran lunch cruise for us. After the tour, we went by the national cemetery, government buildings and Iolani palace. We were dropped off at about noon, 2 hours earlier than the printed time.

We went to eat lunch at the Chinese buffet and the service was again lacking. They did not refill our drinks and did not take away our dirty plates. After lunch, we walked to the beach and rented surf boards. It was hard to get away from the shore with the strong winds pushing me back. I gave it a good effort but got tired of being pulled back.

We walked back to the hotel to get ready for the dinner luau. We had to call for bath and had towels as it seems that they have a towel shortage. We got them freshly laundered and warm. For the luau pick up, we had to walk to another hotel and wait for a bus. The 27 mile ride took about an hour in rush hour traffic.

We were the first of six buses to arrive at the luau so we all took family pictures. The sunset had just occurred, making it the perfect moment for pictures. I dashed to the bar to use our drink coupons. I had a Mai Tai and a Pina Colada that came with the ticket admission. I also took advantage of the unlimited soft drinks (diet Pepsi for me). They welcomed everyone once the rest of the crowd arrived. The 'king &queen' came for the opening ceremony and the conch shell was blown to signal that the Kalua pig was ready. Dinner was pretty good with the pig, but could have been better. The fried chicken and fried mahi mahi were plain. There was pineapple coleslaw that I dared not try since coleslaw is something I always pass on. I was not adventurous enough to try the poi.

The show was awesome with all the types of hula dancers ranging from Tahitian to Samoa to New Zealand. The highlight was the fire swordsman who touched the torches with his bare hands and feet. Some of the ladies really knew how to shake their hips. There was a men's hula contest and a hula lesson open to everyone. There were also singers and a band that entertained us through out the night. Everyone seemed to have had a great time at the luau. Before we left, we had the option of purchasing a commemorative photo package from the sunset. The ride back was not as bad but there was construction on the highway. It was a great fun evening.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Day 4 Monday - Honolulu, Oahu

We got on the Circle Island tour that will last all day after 156 miles. We had a very entertaining tour guide and made the trip enjoyable. We went from small vans onto a larger tour bus. We went through Waikiki to the Diamond Head community (very expensive property). We passed by a Hello Kitty house that was pink and also Bill Gate's house as well off of Kahala St. We stopped by Hanauna Bay and Hanaola to take pictures. I saw some turtles swimming in the water. We had a quick rest stop at a gift shop that was overpriced. The bathroom was clean and we got some juice and coffee. We learned that there was some government housing on the east side for those at least 50% Hawaiian. We got off at Nu'uanu Pali to take in the mountain view. There was fire and policemen when we got there and someone felled over the a cliff.

We made a pit stop for lunch called coral kingdom where the merchandise were all overpriced. We had lunch at the diner. I got the BBQ chicken plate with rice and salad. My family got Mahi Mahi with rice and macaroni salad. We took some pictures out in the back while waiting for the rest of the group to finish their meal. Afterwards, we went by a local shop and sampled Kona coffee and various macadamia nuts (onion & garlic, caramel, cinnamon, honey roasted, wasabi, salted and with caramel popcorn). We went northward from the east point of the island to La'ie near the Polynesian Cultural Center and BYU-Hawaii campus.

Our tour guide made a quick stop near the Bonzai pipeline for us to go see turtles on the beach. We went to the Dole plantation for a quick 45 minute visit. We used the facilities and went to the garden area to take some pictures again. We also stopped by the koi pond to snag some fish photos. We headed back to Waikiki and dropped off in front of the Hilton Village hotel. We had dinner at Wailana coffee house again. Mom got the teriyaki chicken/fried rice/corn and salad bar while I got the same with short ribs. We went to bed early since our morning tour would require us to be ready by 5:30 AM.

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Day 3 Sunday - Honolulu, Oahu

We got up a bite early at 6:30 to get ready for our catamaran ride at 9am. We took the bus to the Wade center. When we got there, we were informed that the waves were too rough and the rides were canceled today. We were unable to reschedule for the rest of the week. We went back to the Wailana cafe again and got the all you can eat pancakes with 2 strips of bacon and eggs. They had delicious coconut syrup in addition to the regular and strawberry. The waitress was subpar and we could have gotten better service.

After lunch, we went back to the hotel to change and then to Waikiki beach and rental umbrellas/chairs and a boogie board. We were there for about two hours with an hour in the he water. The water was salty and the waves were not rough. After that, we laid out in the sun to dry. We found the place to rent mopeds for 4 hours. Since I have not had the foundations of riding a bike, it was hard for me and I did want to pay $1700 for a replacement so I decided not do the ride. My mom did not feel comfortable either so my brother went alone to ride around the city.

My mom and I went on our separate ways to the Haagen-Dazs for a quick ice cream break. I had to stop by the Del Sol to see what exclusives they had there. We also took some pictures in front of the beach. We decided to take the city bus to Iolani Palace and get some pictures in the area. They had Christmas decorations still out on display near their city hall. We went back to get trolley tickets with our all inclusive pass. We got back to the hotel to refresh before heading out to dinner. I found some coupons for a Thai restaurant near us and we went to eat dinner there. The place was lightly sparse with a few people. We ordered chicken pad Thai, chicken pepper dish and yellow curry/chicken/potato and green curry/chicken/egg plant. The food was good but not unbelievably good. I would not have paid full price for that food or visit there again. We took the trolley around town and walked along the streets to take in the sights. Caught up on a show and went to bed.

My System Wide Upgrades appeared under my upgrade summary under my profile. Now where to use them before they expire on March 1, 2011?

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Day 2 Saturday - Honolulu, Oahu

We woke up at about 6 AM for a 7AM pick up for our morning tour. We waited in the lobby and I called the agent who said we waited an hour late. I guess that was miscommunication that it was an hour earlier. We were still on for the luau for the night. We walked to the agency and asked them to rebook us for Tuesday the same intineray. They had no problem in doing that for us. We decided to swap the whole day with what we were going to do on Tuesday. We took the bus to the Ala Moana transit center. The bus driver was very nice and gave me directions to the Dole Plantation and marked on the bus on how to get there. While that route was short, the bus to Wahiawa ride was over an hour.

When we got off, we were the only ones visiting Dole Plantation using the bus. We went through the maze which takes 45 minutes but we took about half an hour longer due to a short break. We learned a lot on the history and saw the actual pineapples were grown from the ground.Afterwards, we went aboard the Pineapple Express tour of the fields. We missed the cut off for the next train by about 4 people so we had to wait around for an extra half hour. The next stop was a garden tour which alone was not worth $4 but it was $2.25 when combined with the train ride. The guide went over some of the plants and flowers that could be found locally and where it came originally. We went by the food court and grabbed some pineapple ice cream or "Dole Whip".

We waited a bit for the return bus ride back to Waikiki. Some of the people on the bus did not use deoderant. On the way back, I was able to make plans to meet up with some friends for a late lunch. After a mishap of going too far on the bus, we had to backtrack and finally made it to the Outrigger on the reef for a late buffet. They told us that it ended at 3:30 so we went to PF Changs for a lunch. We chatted and caught up on the happenings. Lunch service was decent but the primary concern was having a tete a tete with each other.

We walked back to the hotel and passed a Ramen noodle house along the way. We were exhausted so we took an hour nap to catch up on energy.I was awoken by my stomach grumbling and got ready to go out for dinner. We walked by Ramen Nakamura (noodle place) and they had about a 30 minute wait. They also did not accept credit cards so we walked across the street to another noodle place which had a shorter wait time. We got the basic noodles with a side of gyoza (fried dumplings). The place was bustling busy and they had a long line of patrons as well that showed up after we got there.

We had to go by a pharmacy for a few items and the closest was an independent that was half a mile from our hotel. We walked around the blahhhh street at night see all the sidewalk  artists and conartists (magicians and such). We bought some souvenirs and got mistaken for Japanese tourists several times. We took a leisure stroll back to the hotel and retired for the night.

My status finally changed to EXP today. My mileage to upgrade counter is gone. I was 294 miles short of my next set of 500 mile upgrades. I will have to call to see if they will give it to me to upgrade companions or myself when I drop below EXP. The 500 mile upgrades never expire for the life of the account.

Friday, January 01, 2010

Day 1 Friday - Honolulu, Oahu

Since it was New Year’s Day, most of the places were closed. We woke up at about 9AM and went to breakfast. The IHOP had a twenty minute wait and having to wait outside in the heat. We found a buffet place instead near it and the cost was only $7 per person. The service was poor but the food was decent.
We walked towards the convention center and stopped by the Hard Rock Cafe to browse and see what I could add to my collection. We stopped by an ABC store to get some souvenirs and witnessed a car that braked a bit too late and swerved onto the curb. The guy was very luck that he did not cause a wreck but his tires are shot. We waited until our other room was ready and we packed up for a quick switcheroo. They promptly brought us a roll away bed so that we all had our own bed.

We took the city bus to Waipahu Outlet mall and it took about 90 minutes. We went by several stores but nothing really caught my eye. We stopped by polo, Armani Exchange, Barney’s, blue Hawaii, banana republic, and some others. I bought a tee shirt from AX. We took the bus back to the hotel and go off near the Hilton.

We decided to stop by the beach as it was getting late but by the time that we got there, it was pretty dark out. We went to the Wailana Cafe and they had a line waiting. Their business was very bustling and we could see why after experiencing the dining there. We had dinner at a cafe that had big portions. Most of the entrees came with a choice of fruit cup, soup or the unlimited salad bar. We all three went for the salad bar.

While the choices were not abundant, the selection was pretty good. My mom got the teriyaki chicken with fried rice and my brother & I each got the meatloaf special. For $11, we got the salad bar, choice of starch (mashed potato, baked potato, white rice, steamed rice, or fries), bread, green beans, 2 pieces of meatloaf, drink, and dessert. My mom got the salad bar option with chicken teriyaki, green beans, and fried rice. We partook of the salad bar twice. They had salad greens, pineapples, jello, alfalfa, coleslaw, Kim chi and 4 selections of dressings. Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary but it did do its job. Our waiter was humorous and made funny remarks like "you'll get full of the salad bar." He was very diligent in refilling our drinks and making sure that we got our food fast. We were full half way through the entree and had to force ourselves to down the dessert. Our waiter was very good so we made sure to tip him for the great attentive service amongst a crazy diner. I went by the salad bar twice. The first was salad with French dressing and the second trip with ranch.

We had a lot of food and the waiter was humorous/efficient. I had to help my brother finish his meatloaf. The sundae was a really good end to the meal. We went by the ABC store to get soy milk for breakfast and on the way out, some kids ran out after shoplifting. We went back and got ready for sleep. The rest of the night was uneventful and we retired early for our next day of exploring Hawaii.