Day One – Report

Some quick impressions from the two flights today:

First of all, the flight from Maui to Honolulu was spectacular. A gorgeous, clear day with what can only be described as breathtaking views of Moloka’i enroute to Honolulu.

Sitting in the Honolulu airport, waiting to board my Hawaiian Airlines flight to Los Angeles, I was again struck by how people dress for travel these days: tank tops stretched over beer bellies, rubber slippers, baseball caps worn throughout the flight, and on backwards, of course. I guess being turned off by that makes me an old geezer, but it’s just low class.

As an aside, I clearly remember my folks putting me on a train in Hartford, CT, when I was 10 or 12 … sending me off by myself on a two-hour ride from Hartford to Darien for a weekend visit with my cousin. They put me in my Sunday best for that trip: white shirt, tie, my one and only sports jacket, and shoes shined. For a two-hour train ride!

Another mind-boggler: The guy going through security ahead of me at the Maui airport, was pulled out of the line because he had — ready for this? — a boxcutter in his carry-on bag.
The TSA person said, “Do you want to give it up?” He said, “OK” and that was the end of it.
A boxcutter, for God’s sake!!

Once again, Hawaiian Airlines did a great job getting us to LA. Smooth flight on my favoriye airplane — a 767 — friendly crew, small but tasty meal, and really excellent in-flight video, produced exclusively for Hawaiian. And thus endeth my commercial for Hawaiian Airlines.

Comfortably ensconced now at the LA Marriot, about to tie into a BLT and a Carona, then off to bed.

Tomorrow, it’s Amtrak’s Sunset Limited. Hooray!

More to come.