So much to share already, we were lucky enough to get upgraded on the way to Honolulu. The flight was fine. We had to pay a small premium for luggage because we both had 2 bags, but after all it is everything we own, so what can you do.
Our Air BnB (booked a couple of months in advance) was right in the middle of Waikiki, about a block from the beach. We did some research comparing the costs of transportation from the airport, and finally decided on just using UBER as opposed to a rental car. About the same costs with no hassle for parking gas, and somebody else gets to drive. The ride from the airport was about $35 one way. Mind you, if we had been staying longer or wanted to go anywhere far away, like the memorial site than a car would have been a better deal.
Our Air BnB looked a little dodgy from the outside but once we got in we realized we had gotten a great deal, for a clean well appointed flat at $130 per night.
We wandered around a little bit in the evening after we arrived but we made an early night of it. The next morning we followed instructions from our friends Tom and Yawen and went straight to Eggs and Things for breakfast. The food was excellent and reasonably priced, the servings were huge and neither one of us could finish our servings. George had a local dish called Loco Moco, which we learned comes in several variations. The Hawaiin version includes a bed of rice, with a beef patty covered in grilled mushrooms and onions in a thick brown sauce, and topped with a fried egg.
A trip to Wakiki would not have been complete without a trip to Dukes, so we walked down the beach to have a mimosa after breakfast. I do agree with Jimmy Buffett, that Sunday is the day to go to Dukes, preferably about 10:00am. The people are friendly, the vibe is great and champagne is half price before 11:00, 
After wandering around for a while we grabbed some take away noodles and headed back the flat for some lunch and a little nap.
We have set a goal of getting away from the most common tourist areas, so about 6:00 we jumped into an UBER and headed over to the La Mariana Sailing Club, which is on the Sand Island access road in the middle of very industrial area. The locals we chatted with said that this is the last authentic Tiki bar in Honululu. 
Our bartender Wayne made us the best Mai Tais that we had ever had. We dined on local Poke so fresh it was amazing. Live music, women Hula dancing and a class from the university singing their alma mater made the evening perfect!! Thanks Alysa for the tip.
We closed the place down at 9:00 and headed back to our flat, to get some rest for long day of flying ahead of us the next day.