Despite late hour of my arrival, I was greeted with a smile at reception desk of Ohana Waikiki West hotel, and "island hospitality" extended to me during those first few moments continued through extent of my visit.

The Ohana and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts' brand new tagline: "Where fun is fundamental" was proven true as fun started as soon as I arrived and was welcomed at check-in with an Ohana Instant Win card. Each card is a winner, with prizes from beach balls to t-shirts to free dinners. I was happy with my Ohana Hotels beach ball, with its smiling yellow face. The Ohana Waikiki West lobby was airy and bright, decorated with overstuffed island-print furniture, and, like rest of hotel, was clean and comfortable. I was checked-in in a timely manner, and my luggage was brought to my room by a kind hotel employee who bestowed upon me a brief education about Waikiki Beach area, and suggested several local attractions that might be of interest to me during my visit.

My room, which was large and trade winds breezy and decorated with a simple island theme, featuring two bedrooms separated by a partition, but offering plenty of comfort. A kitchenette, a standard feature of many rooms at this hotel, was more than adequate for meals I hoped to prepare. A four-burner range, a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a full supply of pots, pans, and everything needed to set a modest table equipped kitchen area. The bathroom was large and featured separate rooms for showering and washing up. An especially lovely asset to room were two lanais, one with a lovely view of Koolalau mountains, other with a view of Waikiki Beach. Did you know that lanai is a Hawaiian word for "balcony?"

Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/cruise02/columbia/columbia.html

he standard means of transportation for world travelers to Portland, Oregon is by air, land and sea — but that's not how first white men came to great Northwest Territory. CruiseWest offers a stylistic version of exploration of waters that Louisiana Purchase surveyors Lewis and Clark plied almost 200 years ago.

Portland is a primary port facility for west coast shipping, but sits inland from Pacific Ocean, along Columbia River. The local economy isn't based just on shipping trade - you'll find thriving communities dealing in everything from ship repair and fishing canneries to agricultural, and of course ever present tourist market. ' Along Lewis and Clark CruiseWest journey, you'll hear naturalists relate stories about first settlers, Indians who inhabited territory, and developers arriving later into this great countryside.

My travel arrangements were made through CruiseWest. I flew into Portland via Alaska Air and even Sacajawea didn't have to pathfind way to baggage carousel. Shuttles whisk from gate to gate, and are for all passengers, not just disabled. I found out about this a little too late, as I entered into my own self-appointed walking marathon. CruiseWest has it's own baggage handlers and shuttle from airport to Marriott Portland Downtown Hotel, jumping-off point for adventure on Columbia.

I met my first fellow explorers — a couple from Seattle, who had sailed previously on this very vessel, Spirit of Discovery — up in Alaska, now joining CruiseWest flotilla after tendered through Inside Passage; I learned ship was capable of voyage up Columbia and Snake Rivers.

It started to rain and it continued in its Pacific Northwest infamy throughout afternoon. This was no damper on my plans — after all, I just came from dry climate of Las Vegas, and a little rain was enjoyable.

At Marriott our bags were immediately banded and prepared for boarding. Passengers gathered in hospitality room awaiting an introductory presentation from crew. With a couple of hours to kill I joined a lively crowd in sports pub, featuring racks of TVs blasting out golf to football to baseball playoffs. My arrival coincided with annual Portland marathon, scheduled next day. The bartender told me that this was first rainy day in months and that it never rains on marathon. After a light lunch, I found my way back to hospitality suite in time for crew's Coast Guard safety instructions.

I decided to walk famous Portland park-like river walk to dockside, rather than shuttle. Even though it was drizzling, it is a short distance, with trail meandering onward for miles. I discovered hundreds of Canadian geese resting like decoys in park. Once aboard ship, crew guided me to my respective cabin. My bags had already arrived. Dinner was served shortly thereafter and camaraderie began.