4649 Miles

Having 20 hours, 3 flights and 4267 miles ahead of me I figured I would take the time to write about my experience thus far on this adventure. It hit me this morning that I was actually leaving for Hawaii. I thought it had hit me early in the week, but I was sooo wrong. When I was driving to the airport this morning, all the nerves I had been experiencing the last week, like will I miss my flight, will it get delayed or canceled, were in full gear, but the moment that first plane took off all the nervousness left me. I was filled with this rush of excitement, unlike any I have ever felt before. This adventure had finally begun. Now I am currently around 15 hours into this trip and am sitting on the plane to Hilo. I have met so many interesting people from all over the country. The first individual I met was on the plane from Charleston to Chicago. She was heading back home to San Francisco after having visited New York and Charleston the last three weeks. We talked for a long time before boarding the airplane and when we got off at O’Hare she waited for me and went with me to my terminal. She even offered to take me into the lounge with the frequent fliers, unfortunately it was closed. But she gave me a hug and wished me the best of luck on my adventure and told me to keep in touch. Tammy, if you are reading this thank you for the help and support! I greatly appreciate it. The second person I met today was a young man on the plane who almost missed the flight. We talked for a few minutes and then he fell asleep. However, before doing that he paid for my direct TV for flight! It was so nice of him. My connection from LAX to HILO was not as smooth as the other ones. This was partially because I didn’t know where I was going, LAX is just a really weird airport, and the fact that we landed behind schedule and I was very close to missing my plane. But anyway, the third person I sat next to was on the plane to Hilo. She was actually from Hilo and told me about different hot spots I should go too. It was also during this flight that Barf Fest 2004 happened all over again (for those who don’t know that story I will gladly tell you the story another time). Barf fest 2017 addition happened basically because there was a lot of turbulence. We hit a storm somewhere over the Pacific and everyone was just throwing up! You can imagine the smell of the plane; there was no way I was sleeping or eating on it. One girl even passed out and they had to call the paramedics for when we landed to take her to the hospital. It was a very interesting plane ride.

In my opinion, planes and airports are one of the greatest inventions and ideas ever created. Any chance I get to fly I take it over driving, hands down no questions asked. The thrill of being in the air and looking out the window to the world below is astonishing and unlike any other. Seeing cars moving, people walking, soft white clouds floating below is beautiful. They make it so easy to day dream and think about what people are doing and it makes me think about what the future holds for me the next couple months; the friends and people I'll meet, the trips I'll get to go on, the things I will learn about in class and the all the different experiences I will have. It makes you realize just how tiny we are in this world and how we have to take advantage of every opportunity presented to us and be thankful for those who have helped us get where we are.

#4649Miles