I'm Back from the US!

There haven't been any new posts on this site for a while, mainly because I've spent the last few weeks holidaying in Honolulu and Las Vegas. Computers and the internet were the furthest thing from my mind....but now it's back to reality!

We flew Brisbane-Nadi-Honolulu with Air Pacific. Fiji's international airline probably isn't the world's best by a longshot, but we had nothing to complain about...flights were on time and crew was friendly, attentive and the planes were clean. What more do you want? The only downside was a five hour transit stop at Nadi airport..not the world's most riveting international terminal.

Our accommodation in Waikiki was at the long-established beachfront ResortQuest Waikiki Circle Hotel, a 14-storey circular building which has been accommodating guests at budget prices (by Hawaiian standards) for many decades. Booking on the internet, we paid approximately $180 Australian per night for an oceanfront room with balcony. For the first two nights we scored a third floor room which had reasonable oceanviews, although a large tree opposite did obscure some of the vistas. We returned to the Circle Hotel after a six night stay in Vegas and this time went right to the top...a 14th floor oceanfront room with views 'to die for'....180 degrees of ocean and cityscape views.

The hotel doesn't feature its own swimming pool, but what the heck...across the road is one of the world's best (and biggest) natural pools with warm water and a choice of calm, sheltered water or bigger waves further out (if you're into board riding). The hotel has plenty of blow-up surf mattresses and tyres for guests to use and beach towels are available at reception.

The Circle's rooms are of reasonable quality...'beachy' furniture and fittings, two double beds and a small (but adequate) bathroom. Certainly great value for money and on our next trip to Waikiki we'll definitely stay there again.

At Honolulu we boarded a Hawaiian Airlines direct flight to Las Vegas. Again, the flight was dead on time and we arrived on the glitter strip early morning, as scheduled.

Our abode was dead-centre in Las Vegas Boulevard at Bill's Gambling Hall and Saloon. We opted for this Hotel/Casino after checking various hotel reviews on the internet and finding that this place had a solid following, particularly with regular visitors. After staying there, I can see why this is so. Firstly...position, position, position. You walk out the door and across the road is Bellagio's and Caesar's Palace...next door you'll, find Flamingo...and so on. Secondly, the price...our average nightly room rate was $US100 (including a full weekend, when prices normally double). Thirdly, it's a smaller hotel...you check-in at the entrance and hop straight in the elevator to your guestroom floor. No long walks through the casino halls and endless corridors to get to your long awaited bed in the middle of the night. Once again, we'll return there on our next trip (whenever that will be).

There were countless fellow Australians in both Hawaii and Vegas during our stay. Obviously we Aussies rate those two destinations highly on our holiday enjoyment scale...and rightly so!