I'm Flying!! (Hawaii #1, July 20, 2013)

No matter how many times I get to fly, I love it!  I never tire of peeping out of the small oval window next to me at the geometric fields, the mountains, the clouds, the rivers, and especially the vast, green-blue ocean.  Today I started out traveling from Lexington, Kentucky, USA, to Charlotte, North Carolina.  The flight was delayed one-half hour due to a WASP!  Somehow it had drifted into the small plane's cabin and settled on the top of an overhead storage compartment.  The flight attendant asked everyone to de-plane so a crew could come and  "do some pest control.  We have to take care of it.  Someone could get stung and be highly allergic."

As it turned out, one of the last to leave the plane, a tall young gentleman, could see over the top of the overhead compartment and squashed the Beast!  As quickly as we left the plane, we turned around, got back one it, and found our seats. I always say a short prayer for our safety as we take off.

If I had previously flown into the Charlotte airport, I don't remember it.  I was enchanted by the many waterways, the abundant dark green forested areas, and the wispy clouds. The gray-roofed houses and apartment buildings seemed to be identical and were neatly in rows like those on a Monopoly game board. There were several dozen tall white oil tanks dominating the horizon.  Cars and semi-trucks on the highways looked like my boys' Matchbox cars.

Not that long ago, luggage (at least the first bag) was free and so were snacks.  Now we have to pay extra, a small aggravation. My daughter #4, Theresa, and I are making this trip.  We've been excited for months!  The flight's duration was one hour. After landing in Charlotte, we hurried through the terminal from one gate to another and immediately took our places in line for the Charlotte to Phoenix flight.

The plane from Charlotte to Phoenix, Arizona, was larger and much quieter.  The three and one-half hour flight was pleasant and uneventful.  From the air, the city of Phoenix appears flat, in an immense valley, surrounded by treeless hills and mountains, dry, very dry.  We passed so close to the skyscrapers of the central city, it looked as if one wing would clip the buildings!  I know this was only an illusion.  As we descended closer to the ground, palm trees appeared - everywhere.  Since we had only a short wait before our flight to Honolulu, we grabbed sandwiches.

We had only finished half our sandwiches and chips when the very large plane - a 757 - started slowly boarding.  There were over 200 passengers and, since we knew our place was reserved, we ate and were one of the last to board.  This flight lasted six and one-half hours. This is a long time over mostly ocean and clouds but we were distracted by two in-flight movies.  The passengers comprised every race, nationality, and age group.  They were quiet and content.  Who wouldn't be knowing Hawaii was at the end of the trip!  Even the crew were jovial.

At last, the islands appeared!  Beaches and large waves everywhere!  More palm trees and beautiful flowers than I've ever seen before in one place!  We rented a car and found our hotel, The Royal Hawaaian.  This is the same hotel my father, Reuben, stayed in during the Second World War.  I had to say a prayer in his memory.  It didn't take long to check in, drop off our luggage in our ninth-floor room, and head for the beach.

A festive welcome at the Honolulu airport!

Theresa, on our ocean-side balcony.

Sunset, Waikiki Beach, from our hotel balcony.

No photo, movie, or image does justice to this part of our wonderful world.  The full moon shimmering on the ocean as waves rhythmically curl up on the shore is a fairytale dream.  The tall hotels, the highlighted palm trees, the randomly placed torches all added to the relaxed resort atmosphere.  Sand under our feet!  We've never seen ocean ships at night.  They're lit up very colorfully, each one different.  Even in the darkness, a few folks were trying out their surfboards.

Jan, resplendent with a fresh lei, amidst beach torches.

Alas, it is 3:43 a.m., Kentucky time, and we admit to being tired.  Tomorrow is another day in paradise!  Goodnight!