December 10, 2004

15 The road less traveled, the back paths of Descanso were once not so clear and easy to navigate. The new head Gardener has done wonders in the three years since we were last there and the gardens even in this least "showy" time of year were beautiful. I walked and walked and felt really good. I realized that one day in the not too distant future, I may have my own bit of forest to manage as we are looking at 2-10 acre wooded lots to build a home on in Ohio

You can never go home, for home is always where you are at...

I left Los Angeles feeling like it will be a very long time, if ever, that I return there. I think my destiny is east of the Rockies, and I am looking forward to that even though it will be a huge change for me.

Flying is a necessary evil. Every time I do it I think it gets worse and worse. The seats get closer and closer together and the people get ruder and ruder. I have learned that its best to get on the plane first and be the last off. Ask for the seat belt extender promptly, and pull back the arm rest. If your seat mate has a cow about it act as though you don't speak English. Both way I had great seat mates who were thrilled to learn that the arm rest popped up and said that made sleeping so much more comfortable.

I have learned that luggage is the way that the airlines take out their frustration with us, the flying public, and my poor bag is nearly unusable after this last trip, the metal frame is so banged in. Could be that I packed 10 extra pounds of packaged Indian Sauces and Sees Chocolates... All arrived safely.

We boarded in LAX and sat for 90 minutes then were told that we had a unfixable problem and needed to deplane and wait for a new plane. I groaned as I know that I was on the last flight to Hilo and would miss that connection for sure. The crew said none of us would miss our connections, and there was a chorus of Lair! Liar! That came from first class. The young business, hot shot gal from NYC, that was sitting with me said that this group reminded her of games at Yankee stadium... She wasn't kidding. She was also a great seat mate and was very nice... I was coughing and sneezing furiously, as my cold was full blown by then

For all of the 5 hour flight the couple behind us bounced around yelled and threw things down the aisle. I spoke to them several times and was told that "I would get through life a lot easier if I smiled more.." I told them that if they got in trouble I would sign a affidavit stating that they were a danger to the flight and that Id not be sorry to see them do jail time for their foolishness and to shut up! I then sneezed heartily on them. I hope they have a ripping cold while trying to snorkel on Maui... So much for my Aloha! The crew, which I had flown with the week earlier was surly, and it was a rough go all around.

Then we were told that yes those bound for Lihue, Kauaii, and Hilo were stranded in Honolulu. We got a voucher for a room and two meals. Great just get me off this plane already.

The hotel was the old Holiday Inn and was so nasty dirty that I shudder to tell of it. Many of the older hotels in Hawaii are suffering from deferred maintenance.But I dont understand why so many of them are DIRTY...My bed and the fixtures in the bath were clean but there was black mold on the walls of the bathroom. A number of the other "strandees" that I met at dinner said this was their last trip to Hawaii as the whole airport flying thing is impossible and look at the conditions... I think its a tragedy in the making for the islands if we dont improve this...

By the end of dinner, I was so sick that I didn't complain but finished eating and went to bed. The next morning I felt better and was able to get to the airport and home to Hilo OK...