Don't Turn Around. . .

So today I left on my trip to Hawaii.  My flight was at 8:56 am out of SFO on United.  I had a grand master plan of parking at my company's office in San Bruno and then taking a cab over to the airport.  The office is only about five minutes away from the airport.

Everything was going well until I got inside the terminal and discovered a line that snaked back and forth across its entire length just to print out boarding passes and check in bags.

It was true chaos.  Customers were yelling at the United employees.  The United employees were yelling at customers.  People were cutting in line.  It became very clear that I was at great risk of missing my flight.  

After spending about thirty minutes in the never ending line I realized that no one was directing customers to the open kiosks to check themselves in.  As I stood two rows deep from the check in area I watched for five minutes as no one used three of the check in kiosks.  It was now or never.  If I wanted to make my flight I was going to have to take matters into my own hands and cut under the stanchions and check myself in on one of the open kiosks.  I cut under two sets of ropes and checked myself in with about five minutes to spare before the checked bag cut off.  When my boarding pass printed it said the plane was already boarding!  

I ran to the security check point and was able to quickly move through that line and then I darted down the corridor to the gate.  I made it!

When we landed in Kona, HI it was very hot and humid.  The sky was overcast.  I soon learned that the Islanders call this "Vog" or Volcanic Fog.  The active volcano on the island has been erupting lately and has apparently caused a constant "Vog" weather pattern that the natives are not to keen on.

At the Kona International Airport, which is really a bunch of hut like structures built on top of volcanic rock, we were greeted by native Hawaiians singing and doing the hula.

I was then off to pick up the rental car and find the condo I had rented for the week.

As I drove down the two lane road in search of the condo I noticed that the car in front of me had a license plate that was meant for me to see.

I took this as a good sign!

I eventually found the condo, was able to get myself into the gated community and find the marked parking spot assigned to the condo I was renting.  Just one problem...there was a car already parked in that space.

Hmmm, I had begun to get a little concerned about my great condo deal a few days earlier when I had emailed the condo owner to ask if there was an ironing board and iron in the condo.  When he replied back to me he asked if I could send him back a copy of my receipt because his computer had crashed and he had lost the records for his rentals.  I now was even more concerned as I stepped out of the car and could see that unit 179 was unlocked, had towels on the patio chairs, and wine bottles on the table.  

I walked toward the patio to see if I could see anyone to talk to.  After a few minutes an older gentleman came walking toward me and said "Can I help you?"

I said, "I think I am supposed to be renting this unit."  

He replied, "Are you Jon?"

I said, "Yes."

He said, "Well, I told you about my computer problems and there was a little mix up.  I am actually going to have you stay in another unit about three doors down.  Follow me I will show you where it is..."

And so my Hawaiian adventure begins.

The Song Of The Day -  Believe by Cher