Long flights are not something I would call fun, but they
are even less fun when there are delays, missed connections and wayward
baggage! My flight from Chicago
to Honolulu was
delayed by almost 2 hours due to the incoming flight being delayed. And then flights to Honolulu
and Tokyo were boarding at the same time from
neighboring gates, which was apparently too confusing for the Tokyo passengers as they kept coming through
our boarding lines and had to be redirected.
The nice lady who was announcing the boarding groups repeatedly said “Honolulu is now boarding
group 1. Tokyo is gate 16, not 17” but some failed to
listen so that also slowed down our departure.
Once on board, I had a nice aisle seat in the row that backs up to the
bathroom. Actually kind of nice because
there are no little kids sitting behind kicking your seat! But some elderly couple took the seats in
front where some other lady was supposed to be sitting because the old lady’s
knee bothered her. So I nicely moved in
one so she could sit across from her husband and daughter. No aisle for me. And I think this was honestly the smallest
amount of legroom I have ever had on a long flight. United provides no free meals, the movies
were on the big screens scattered throughout the cabin so if you wanted to
watch Step Up Revolution then you were so lucky! The 9 hour flight was very smooth with only a
few bumpy spots. Read 2-1/2 books,
watched the TV shows when they came on and closed my eyes for a bit. Finally landed in Honolulu around 5. The Honolulu
airport is small so it was really easy to figure out where to go next. Flights to the other islands leave from the
Interisland Terminal, which you can walk to or take the Wiki Wiki shuttle. I took the shuttle! Then found the Hawaiian Airlines ticket
counter and got on a flight that was just boarding so no waiting time
there. There was lots of legroom on this
flight, but I think it only lasted 30 minutes at the most. We went up, got a complimentary juice and
then were landing in Hilo. Unfortunately, my bags wanted to spend more
time in Honolulu
then I did. So I picked up my rental car
(a white HHR, which is nice with all power options, cruise control etc, but the
headroom seems low and I’m short!) and went to get something to eat at Jack n
the Box. Then back to the airport where
luckily my bags did make it to the last flight!
The drive to Volcano was easy.
Dark, rainy and not much traffic.
You do need to pay attention to the mile markers and signs for street
crossings as you get to Volcano. My
hotel must be on the outskirts as you were still driving 55 and had to turn off
onto a cross street. I found my hotel
easily enough and my key and directions to my room were waiting in the after
hours box. Carried my stuff up the
stairs and into my room, put on my PJs and went to bed. I believe it was a little before 9 local time
when I finally arrived. When traveling,
you have to learn to go with the flow and I am grateful for Hawaiian Airlines
for re-booking me so quickly and for the baggage lady for being so helpful when
figuring out where my bag might be.
Aloha!
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