And ... in closing
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Back in the USA
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On day # 68, we “roughed it” in Fiji Airways coach class for the six-hour flight northwest from Nadi, Fiji to Honolulu, Hawaii since we did not have quite enough miles to upgrade to business class. Actually though, it wasn’t that bad since it was mostly daytime AND there was a good selection of movies AND Fiji Airways is a pretty decent ride AND most of all ... we had a row all to ourselves.At 5:30 a.m. the next morning, we were jolted awake in our 22nd floor hotel room by fire alarms and loudspeaker instructions to vacate the building via the stairwell due to a potential fire. So, us and several hundred other pajama-clad hotel guest spent the next few hours on the curb across the street. Fortunately, it was just a blown circuit breaker that shut down the entire electrical system and thus triggered the alarms. Also fortunate was that we had enough time to get back into our room, shower, and Uber over to the Pearl Harbor complex for our 10:45 a.m. reserved tour.
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| Yes, it was early and we were not happy. |
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| CHAOS |
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| Finally, the view from our room |
The main reason for laying over for two days in Honolulu was to visit the Pearl Harbor\U.S.S. Arizona Memorial and we were so glad we finally paid homage to this sacred place. Standing over that mighty, rusting battleship lying on the bottom of the bay and reflecting on the enormity of the day it was sunk there and the thousand-plus brave young sailors forever entombed inside was quite overwhelming. As we have said on each of the three previous around-the-world trips, we are so grateful to enjoy freedom and live in the best country on the planet. Visiting a place like this memorial and being reminded that these American sailors gave their lives so that we could enjoy all that our country represents is humbling to say the least.
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| The front gun turret. |
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Looking towards the bow of the ship, this is the center below us.
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| The anchor from the USS Arizona |
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| Leaving the site very humbled. |
Later, we Uber-ed to the Waikiki Beach Hard Rock Café for the preverbal pin (#74) and a brewski. The following morning at 6:00 a.m. on day #69, we started the long trek home: Honolulu to Los Angeles to Chicago to Charleston by plane to officially complete our around-the-world journey and then ride the final seventy miles with Richie’s Transport Service to our home on Harbor Island.
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| Total of 6 pins collected on this trip and a lifetime of experiences. |
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| Waikiki Beach |
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| That's Diamond Head crater in the background. |
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The crew of the United flight from Honolulu to LA presented us with a sweet card, a bottle of wine and an airline trading card from the captain. Unexpected but totally appreciated!
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As always, we have some observations on traveling that always seem to evolve over the years:
1. Having worldwide phone and data service is imperative. We both had Verizon’s plan for about $3 per day worldwide. The old days of buying SIM cards in each country is just outdated, cumbersome and not cost-effective.
2. This may seem like an insignificant thing, but one of most important and useful purchases in preparing for and executing this trip was a carrying case for each of us to carry all our device cords, plugs and related peripheral items for all our devices. Previously, we would constantly leave a cord or a plug somewhere. This little case was a visual accounting of everything when packing up and was absolutely the most invaluable thing we took on this trip!
3. The days of using ATMs to get local currency is becoming outdated. Apparently, the banks have caught up with tourists using this method and are now adding a huge markdown of 10% to 15% on the exchange rate. It is almost better now to just go to a currency exchange booth and pay the commission.
4. Traveling to any of the former communist countries around the world (e.g. Romania) is fascinating but the reality is that it takesmany years for them to get caught up to the infrastructure and services needed that seasoned travelers are accustomed to expecting.
5. Even though Uber may not be available in every city in the world, there’s always an alternative using a similar smart phone application. It’s almost always cheaper and more trustworthy than a taxi.
6. As post-Covid travel continues to heat up, be sure to get tickets several days beforehand to excursions and attractions you deem tobe must-sees. We found that several times on the day of the event the attraction was sold out.
7. If you need medicines for seventy days, take eighty. Things happen and we were short on some and over on others.
8. Research the local tipping customs. Every country is different and you’ll find that you over-tip on some and under-tip on others.Some are even insulted or embarrassed by the whole matter.
9. Practice using a French press coffee maker. In the hotel rooms, we ran into this method of coffee-making constantly and not only is it a pain in the ass, we never seem to get it right. Alternatively, take a bunch of packets of instant coffee.
10. After a long-haul flight, always arrange for a driver to pick you up at the airport. Even though taxis or ride-share is convenient we saw cases where there were hundreds of people standing in line to use them and after a ten-hour overnight flight, you don’t need that hassle or delay.
And finally, ATW70 by the numbers:
MILES:
fly 40,268
drive 1,388
walk 181
golf cart 3
scuba 1
bus 23
taxi\Uber 75
train 890
boat 284
safari jeep 37
dune buggy 20
kayak 2
subway/metro 73
GRAND TOTAL MILES 43,245
Flights flown 25
Days traveled 70
Countries touched 15
Hotel beds slept 29
Long-haul trains ridden 3
Blog views 3476 (and counting)
And finally ... number of memories: Infinite!
Thanks to each and every one of you for coming along with us on this journey. It really did mean the WORLD to us!
Bill and Andrea
Day #70: Somewhere over the Midwestern U.S.-destination Harbor Island
July 22, 2025
