airbnb – ThE DeNTal AeStHetic Clinic

10 days in Waikiki (day 1) Airbnb

October 15,2018

It was a long flight from Jeddah to London to Chicago to Los Angeles and finally to Hawaii. How many hours?

From Jeddah to Heathrow (5 hrs) to Chicago (9hrs) to LA (5hrs) to Honolulu (5hrs) total= 24 hrs plus lay over , roughly a total of 36 hrs! WOW:-)

I arrived around 12 noon in Honolulu, I decided to take a shuttle bus (USD 16) instead of Uber taxi (USD 32), it was an easy ride to airbnb. Yep! I got airbnb at Hawaiian Monarch Hotel (USD 85/day) not bad, the photos in the app looks exactly as it is. It is only a 10-15 min walk to Hawaiian Convention Center – venue for the ADA (American Dental Association) annual meeting, the reason why I flew 36 hrs from Jeddah. Omg!

I familiarized myself around the area checking how long it will take me to the venue, shall I wear high heels or flat shoes? Trying to gauge my pace and at the same time looking where is the nearest grocery stores etc. It is a good location after all, there is 7/11, Abc store, restaurants, hotel, spa and shopping malls. I don’t have to take a taxi, everything I need is just around the corner. Good choice!

The place is also secured with a lock key card, no one can get in the elevator without it. There is security guard 24/7 a small gym a coffee shop and a small breakfast resto at the lobby. The studio is good for two people, it’s clean but I found the floor sticky so I texted the owner and she did address my concern immediately, cleaning the floor twice. Pretty neat huh! The studio is equipped with a small Fridge, microwave, iron and ironing board, towels ,basic kitchen wares and a lot more!

Ala wai canal – is an artificial waterway in Honolulu. Hawaiian monarch Hotel is just adjacent to it. A lot of people walk and jog along the area. There is a rowing team that practice almost every afternoon, though the water may not be as clear, it’s a good place to just sit for a while, instead of staying inside the hotel.

After an hour walk, I decided just to stay in bed and tried to sleep to regained my energy. I wish! but I couldn’t, it’s an emotional roller coaster first day for me.

Ladies, stay tuned for the next nine days 🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Mermaid’s Secret Haven – airbnb

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Photo credit: Edge Suarez

AirbnB – stands for airbed and breakfast, but that was then …today you can actually rent the whole place and make your own breakfast. 🙂

I heard about airbnb from my two sons, the first time I was going to visit them in Los Angeles. It’s cheaper than hotel and it feels like your home, but I want to feel like I’m on vacation… I don’t want to cook my own meal, clean my place, I like to stay in a hotel.

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Photo Credit: Edge Suarez

Try mom!

Alright! We stayed one week in Sta. Monica, the host is kind and the place is neat and clean, though I still think , hotel is way better but if you’re thinking to save some money for shopping 🙂 airbnb is a choice!

This is the second time I tried airbnb, this time in Hawaii for two weeks. My children would like to feel local, ok ladies, I am not rolling my eyes but my kind of holiday is like..staying in the hotel, spa,guided tours and shopping, I guess that’s my definition of a tourist. (in my own vocabulary)

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Photo Credit: Edge Suarez

What is like being a tourist and a local at the same time?

One thing is to rent a house far away from where the tourist usually crowds. I rented “Mermaid’s Secret Haven” in Kaneohe,Hi. Indeed, the place is far from the airport and a car is a necessity . If you have used the airbnb app, the pictures are exactly what you can find at Katrina’s place. I find her very charming and polite host.

It’s a one bedroom/bathroom apartment which is attached to the main house but has a separate entrance. It is complete with all the things you need while on vacation, plenty of different kinds of towels, even picnic basket,cooler and snorkelling gears are available.

Though the place is far from the centre, it is a few minutes drive from the malls and nice beaches around the island. Nearer to the North shore and Kailua beach.As the days passed, I really didn’t feel that was a far place.

I love the serenity of the place, the garden …though it was raining every now and then, I had the chance to enjoy my coffee outside and taste the sweetness of the freshly pick papaya every morning, it was heaven to my palate. Thanks Katrina!

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Photo credit: Edge Suarez

This is our family photo on rainy days inside the Maiden’s secret haven. I love it!

I’m looking forward to another family holiday,another adventure.

Will I use another airbnb?

Hmmm… maybe yes..maybe no!

Cheers,

jamilamimi

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California Dream: Los Angeles to Santa Monica (Part 2)

One of the highlights of my visit to California besides visiting my two sons was the excitement of meeting my uncle family and the arrival of my best friend from Arkansa who I haven’t seen for 32 years. Hence, we won’t be able to fit in at my eldest son apartment , we decided to rent a one bedroom apartment at Santa Monica.We rented the place using the app”airbnb”. The place was accessible to all the places we would like to go, safe,with parking area and Meenu,the owner, is very friendly.

I would say, this trip was a combination of road trip and food trip..of course! what else? it’s a HOLIDAY 🙂

Check out our food trip 🙂

The Boiling crab at Korean Town – my take? Superb!

Black bear diner at Long beach

Shabu- Shabu at Santa Monica

Korean Barbecue at Korean Town

and a lot more..burp! I know ladies, yes I gained 3 kilos, lol!

I will need a lot of inspiration to exercise and get rid of all the extra fats 🙂

Did I see Hollywood? or any touristic site? Well, I would love to.. but with the time constrained I opted to just go with the flow, wherever and whatever our mind and body takes us.

Griffith Observatory

Sunset at Santa Monica Pier

and another day has ended , another road trip and more food trip to come 🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi