The Hawaiian Adventure Begins

Tuesday the 15th I Hillary took me to the Salt Lake Airport where I caught the first of my 3 flights on my way to Hawaii. The first two flights were gratefully normal and uneventful. The third flight ended up like this.

The plane left L.A. at 5:00 pm and headed out over the Pacific. After an hour we started banking to the left and the Captain came on to tell us they were having problems with one of the hydrolics systems and we would need to turn back to L.A.

As we arrived (around 7:30 pm) the runway was lined with emergency vehicles with their lights on. We pulled up to the gate and as the engines stopped their was a very strong smell of diesel fuel and just then the fire trucks rolled up on either side of the plane.

The flight was cancelled and I was put up in a very nice hotel and rebooked to fly out at 8:45 the next morning. My flight, however, took me to Maui before catching an Island shuttle to Honolulu. 32 hours after starting on my adventure Skye and Ryan picked me up at the airport and my vacation got started for real. Although it was a little inconvenient for me I was cool and relaxed with the whole thing. I still have 21 days of paradise ahead. I made friends with some of the passengers. Sashi and her husband, from India, who were on their honeymoon, missed one of their nights at the Wiakiki Hilton. One young woman missed a very important test in Honolulu, which was the reason for her visit. And one family was very grateful that they decided to fly into Hawaii 2 days before their daughters wedding.

Skye and Ryan's cute litte apartment is a one room affair. I am standing at the back of the apartment in the doorway of the bathroom. My two bags are taking up a lot of space for them but they don't seem to mind. Every night they put a very comfortable ( I mean that seriously) cot up for me in the kitchen. They have to climb over me if they need to use the potty in the middle of the night. :-) It's all good. We're in Paradise!

They live a block from the beach and we have enjoyed the waves and the sand every day.

*****

This morning I ventured out at 6:30 to get some pictures of the sunrise. Skye was sitting at the computer with a Jacket on because she was cold. It was 72 degrees. :-)

The moon was high in the sky to the west as I neared the eastern shoreline.

I arrived about 20 minutes early and was quite the curiosity for these little "ghost" crabs.

Another beautiful day begins in paradise.

I will post more pictures in a day or two.

Mahalo and Aloha!