By Dean Sensui, Star-Bulletin
Michael Jackson, greeted with leis on arrival at Honolulu
International Airport today, flashes a 'shaka' to waiting fans.
A few of the heartiest spent the wee hours of the morning outside the closed gates of Air ServiceHawaii off Lagoon Drive, where Jackson's plane arrived at about 10:30 a.m..
Wearing his trademark black quasi-military outfit with gold buttons and braids, black hat, dark glasses, and heavy makeup, Jackson waved to the crowd before being mobbed by a group of children.
The jet, white with red and black stripes, bore the word "Kingdom" in yellow letters.
The superstar signed autographs briefly before climbing into a white mini-van which drove to the Hilton Hawaiian Village escorted by motorcycle police and two film crews.
About 500 fans, meanwhile, awaited Jackson at the Hawaiian Village, where he plans to stay for the weekend.
"It's once in a lifetime you can see him," said Derego.
"He's the king of pop!" said Valenzuela.
A few eager fans were up early today to greet Jackson long before his arrival.
Two of them, Salt Lake residents Susan Anderson-Hill and Kim Katona, in fact showed up at the airport arrival site - Air ServiceHawaii, off Lagoon Drive - at 6 p.m. last night.
Anderson-Hill, 29, said she and her girlfriend initially went "to scope out the place" last night but left when they found nobody there.
They returned to double-check at 10 p.m. before deciding to go home and put their husbands and kids to bed.
But the two fans were back at the airport at 2 a.m. this morning, where they discovered a roadblock put up by private security guards about a mile and a half from the arrival site.
At that point, they parked their cars near a gas station and hiked to the airport arrival site.
"It was really chilly," said Anderson-Hill, who wore a fluorescent pink T-shirt that said "Michael we love you."
Both have tickets for Jackson's sold-out concerts both Friday and Saturday nights.
Arriving a few minutes after her at the roadblock was Waialae-Kahala resident Mike Choi and his 3-year-old, Shane.
According to his father, Shane has been a Michael Jackson fan since he was 2. The Chois also tried to get in earlier this morning but had to park their car at least two miles from the terminal.
Shane was decked out in a white, long-sleeved shirt, black trousers, black shoes, and even a black hat like his idol.
His father said one way he can calm Shane and his 7-year-old sister, Shari, is by playing Michael Jackson videos or CDs.
"He's got all their laser discs and CDs," said Choi, who also has tickets.