Scuba Jim
Contributor
This is part one of my report on my trip to Truk & Bikini, you lucky people.
I thought it would be best to break it down into various sections, and these I have done by way of layovers - where ever we had a break in our journey, that is where that section of the trip report ends. I will therefore be able to show you accumulative mileage/airtime, as we did some serious flying to accomplish this trip!
Wednesday 30 April 2003
So part 1 starts in London and finishes in LA. Boring, you say? The trip hadnt even started, and it was already getting interesting! I had arranged for the 11 of us who were doing the same itinerary all the way through to meet up at Heathrow 3 hours prior to departure, so that we could get through check-in smoothly and without any hiccups. This all went according to plan, and we then retired to some Irish theme pub airside and had a few alcoholic refreshments. It was then that one of our group, Ian, came up with scowl on his face like a bear with a sore head. It transpired that while he had remembered all his diving gear, clothes, video camera housing etc etc, he had left his video camera at home.
"If I havent got my camera, there's no point me coming," he said. "I'm going home."
"Well, you wont get your money back, Ian," I replied. "Why not get your mother (who was looking after his house) to courier it to Honolulu?"
"What if it doesnt get there? What if it gets broken?" And other negativities flowed. So, we phoned his Mum, she wrapped it all up, DHL picked up that afternoon, and poor old Ian was wandering round looking all grumpy and moody. "I'm going home" became our catch phrase (directed at Ian) for the trip. So, we had some more beers and boarded the flight to LA. We flew Air New Zealand as it was only £10 more expensive than Virgin and I was guaranteed and upgrade! (There's method in my madness!)
We arrived at LA and had the pleasure of dealing with those charming people who are the US Immigration Department. If any group of people were ever to make one feel as unwelcome as possible, it has to be them.
"What is the purpose of your visit to Los Angeles at this time?" I was asked.
"To go to Hawaii," I responded.
"And what is the purpose of your visit to Honolulu?" I was again asked.
"To go to Truk. Now give me a stamp in my passport, yes, there, page 23, after all it's a new passport with no visas in, so page 23 seems the logical place to stamp it "
All was going smoothly until it transpired that Sharon had entered the US of A in 1996 and her green visa waiver thingy had not been removed on her departure by the immigration/airline/whoever's job it is and so according to US Immigration she had outstayed her visa. She was then hauled into a back room for an hour, grilled by the Gestapo, I mean Dept of Interrogation, I mean Immigration, and finally let through.
We hopped on the shuttle bus and went to the Four Points Sheraton at LAX Airport. Shock Horror! The reservations had been processed correctly! (I know I shouldn't say this, but take it from me, working in the travel industry, you can always rely on the Americans to foul up a hotel reservation! Making a reservation for 7 rooms for 1 night took 3 faxes and 6 emails to this place!) Rooms sorted, we went to the bar and had some drinks and then a snack. Bed beckoned as our body clocks told us it was late at night.
Ian was, by this time, a veritable bundle of irritation, and we all had a pleasant night's sleep dreaming of ways to get rid of him.
FIRST LEG:
Distance: 5442 miles
Air Time: 11hr 15m
Accumulated distance: 5442 miles
Accumulated Air Time: 11hr 15m
Next Installment of our Grande Trippe: To Hawaii and Pearl Harbour!
I thought it would be best to break it down into various sections, and these I have done by way of layovers - where ever we had a break in our journey, that is where that section of the trip report ends. I will therefore be able to show you accumulative mileage/airtime, as we did some serious flying to accomplish this trip!
Wednesday 30 April 2003
So part 1 starts in London and finishes in LA. Boring, you say? The trip hadnt even started, and it was already getting interesting! I had arranged for the 11 of us who were doing the same itinerary all the way through to meet up at Heathrow 3 hours prior to departure, so that we could get through check-in smoothly and without any hiccups. This all went according to plan, and we then retired to some Irish theme pub airside and had a few alcoholic refreshments. It was then that one of our group, Ian, came up with scowl on his face like a bear with a sore head. It transpired that while he had remembered all his diving gear, clothes, video camera housing etc etc, he had left his video camera at home.
"If I havent got my camera, there's no point me coming," he said. "I'm going home."
"Well, you wont get your money back, Ian," I replied. "Why not get your mother (who was looking after his house) to courier it to Honolulu?"
"What if it doesnt get there? What if it gets broken?" And other negativities flowed. So, we phoned his Mum, she wrapped it all up, DHL picked up that afternoon, and poor old Ian was wandering round looking all grumpy and moody. "I'm going home" became our catch phrase (directed at Ian) for the trip. So, we had some more beers and boarded the flight to LA. We flew Air New Zealand as it was only £10 more expensive than Virgin and I was guaranteed and upgrade! (There's method in my madness!)
We arrived at LA and had the pleasure of dealing with those charming people who are the US Immigration Department. If any group of people were ever to make one feel as unwelcome as possible, it has to be them.
"What is the purpose of your visit to Los Angeles at this time?" I was asked.
"To go to Hawaii," I responded.
"And what is the purpose of your visit to Honolulu?" I was again asked.
"To go to Truk. Now give me a stamp in my passport, yes, there, page 23, after all it's a new passport with no visas in, so page 23 seems the logical place to stamp it "
All was going smoothly until it transpired that Sharon had entered the US of A in 1996 and her green visa waiver thingy had not been removed on her departure by the immigration/airline/whoever's job it is and so according to US Immigration she had outstayed her visa. She was then hauled into a back room for an hour, grilled by the Gestapo, I mean Dept of Interrogation, I mean Immigration, and finally let through.
We hopped on the shuttle bus and went to the Four Points Sheraton at LAX Airport. Shock Horror! The reservations had been processed correctly! (I know I shouldn't say this, but take it from me, working in the travel industry, you can always rely on the Americans to foul up a hotel reservation! Making a reservation for 7 rooms for 1 night took 3 faxes and 6 emails to this place!) Rooms sorted, we went to the bar and had some drinks and then a snack. Bed beckoned as our body clocks told us it was late at night.
Ian was, by this time, a veritable bundle of irritation, and we all had a pleasant night's sleep dreaming of ways to get rid of him.
FIRST LEG:
Distance: 5442 miles
Air Time: 11hr 15m
Accumulated distance: 5442 miles
Accumulated Air Time: 11hr 15m
Next Installment of our Grande Trippe: To Hawaii and Pearl Harbour!
