It all started in L.A and yes I've still to post about my visit to the City of Angels, which I actually really liked. But first let me tell you about leaving L.A. I booked a shuttle bus to pick me up from my hostel and explained my flight was at 3.15pm. They suggested a 1pm pickup, I said that sounds kind of late, so I was booked for a 12.30 pickup. I checked out and waited in the lobby with some other people. After a few frantic phone calls the driver arrived at 1pm. We then had to collect a few more people from the sister hostel around the corner. I explained to the driver I had a 3.15 flight, he told me not to worry I'd make it. He would also drop me off first. However when we got to LAX he somehow forgot this and made a stop at Air New Zealand first. I think I made it to the American Airlines check in for 1.45. Having taken quite a few internal flights in America I know getting through security alone can take two hours.
I reached the check in counter, only to find they had no reservation in my name. This flight was part of my round the world ticket, I have a printed itinerary with the flight details, but apparently that doesn't mean anything. The American Airlines stewardess was really helpful, she phoned Qantas (who are responsible for the Pacific part of my ticket) and passed the phone to me. The Qantas representative sounded like Stephen Hawkins. I seriously thought I was talking to a machine at first, but apparently this lady likes to enunciate every syllable. She told me I only had a flight booked from L.A to Nadi (Fiji), but I explained I had changed these details in June along with my flights in and out of Australia. Although STA charged me for this amendment it seems only the Australian leg of the trip was altered. I still don't know who is at fault, but I ended up having to pay again, before "Stephen Hawkins" would book a seat on the 3.15 flight for me. Finally at 2.35 I had a seat on the 3.15 flight to Honolulu. I was particularly anxious to get on this flight as I had the last connecting flight of the day from Honolulu to Kona on the Big Island. For some reason at LAX you can't simple hand over your luggage, instead they tag it and then you have to carry it to the x-ray area. After this I ran to the security check area, as is usual in airports everywhere there was a huge queue as people stumble in bare feet with belts, laptops and watches in hand.
Considering the size of LAX, the queue was amazingly quick, I couldn't believe it when I made it through security in less than 20 minutes.
All smiles I calmly strolled to my flight gate. Boarding hadn't been announced so I settled down to read for a little while. Later and still no announcement I checked the departure screens to see the flight had been put back to 4pm. I didn't have much time in Honolulu to make it across to Aloha Airlines, so I approached the information desk. I was told the plane had a mechanical failure, so American Airlines are at fault and therefore will do whatever than can to get me on that flight or put me up in Honolulu for the night.
I phoned Tovia my contact on the organic farm and told him not to leave for the airport, instead I'll call him when I know for sure what's happening.
The next update on the departures screen put the flight back to 6pm. I knew I would definitely miss my connection in Honolulu, so I called Aloha Airlines to re-arrange my flight, they told me they would charge for the change, unless I got a code from American Airlines. So I went back to the AA desk and explained the situation, it was then I was told of a 6.40pm direct flight to Kona. I was transferred to this flight, understanding my backpack would still be on the Honolulu flight and wouldn't be transferred to Kona until the following morning. I phoned Tovia arranged the pickup in Kona and boarded the 6.40pm flight. Thankfully it was running on time.
I had always thought of Hawaii as being closer to the mainland than it actually is, in fact the flight was five and a half hours and I'm now 11 hours behind the UK. Finally I was moving the right direction.
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