Outbound Travel day

 I feel like the departure process was a much bigger ordeal than it should have been.  

Here are my gripes- Yes I know these are first world problems, feel free to scroll past them

1. We got to SEA-Tac parking and it said there were a grand total of 8 parking spots left.  It's an 8 floor mega structure. 8 total spots.  WTF.  Also several of the things they said were spots were long gone by the time we got there.  We got a spot on the ROOF.  That's nuts.  I think airlines should be responsible for notify passengers if the lot is nearing capacity. 

2. An extra check in for Hawaii.  Given the restrictions and rules for getting into Hawaii at the moment, we had to do paperwork online and submit our vax information only to stand in a 20 minute line to get a wrist band- yes a wrist band to prove I properly submitted everything and don't need to quarantine for 10 days.  They only had 1 line for all flights to Hawaii.  

Flight- Meh

We tried to use our upgrade passes, they were rejected.  I'm frustrated because they're going to expire because Delta wont let us use them. This resulted in being in comfort+. I realize there are worse places to be, but those seats actually had better technology.  For some reason the row we were in is the 1 row where screens weren't upgraded- the are from the 90s and useless on a 5+ hour flight. The seat of the person in front of me was broken so he was basically in my lap the whole flight. I think it's rude to recline, but I had to for any comfort.  What are your thoughts on reclining on an airplane? 

Snacks were okay- Glad I brought my own from home.  Always good to have a backup.  Should have gotten a soda though. Pressure really does me in on a flight. The Tip Top Cocktail in a can was great.  I had the margarita and it was by far the best canned cocktail I've ever had. They were right it is very well balanced. The Cocktail was free in Comfort+ which is the only saving grace of this seat, but I would happily pay $10 for it at an Arena.  

Not too much turbulence.  It was a little unsettling at times, but what long haul flight isn't?  As a kid and even into my 20s I loved the window seat, however the older I get, unless I'm next to my husband on a flight I think I'd much rather have an aisle. 

It's been over a year since I've been on a plane. It's been 3 years since I traveled with any regularity by plane.  This whole pandemic I've thought I missed flying.  I can confirm I did not miss this.  I miss where we get when we fly, I miss seeing new places, but I most certainly did not miss this.  After my road trip last summer right now I miss being able to stretch my legs walking across a field of sunflowers.  I miss detours and small town surprises. I miss taking my time and not being in a rush.  The end of this flight couldn't come fast enough.  I miss taking my time.  But unfortunately you cannot drive to Hawaii.  

Once we landed it was smooth sailing.  No check in lines as we'd done all that on the main land.  Bag came out quick and it was an easy tram ride over to the car rental spot (much easier than on the Big Island). First they wanted to give us a dodge charger, and while those can be fun, we were in need of something a little more capable on uneven terrain.  Thankfully we ended up with a beautiful Jeep which is far better suited for some of our planned activities. 

For Dinner we had decided on a place from Diners Drive-ins & Dives called Down the Hatch after a few wrong turns we found parking and headed over.  Be prepared to wait in line- but its worth it.  20ish minute wait in line to order at the counter you're given a number and food is brought to you. Thankfully you can get drinks from the bar at any point. Food was running about 40 minutes but its okay because I had a cocktail. 

For food we got the Ahi Samurai which was featured on the show as an appetizer.  Honestly I could have gotten it was a meal- it was delicious. J got fish tacos- Each taco had a serving size piece of fish in it; and I got the Lava Lava Chicken Sandwich.  I don't travel well- see above, and I wanted something familiar.  This was and if you're not a seafood person, it's a great option.  It's not overwhelmingly spicy, the chicken is still moist and the bread is thick and sweet.  

As for drinks, I started with a Summer Sandia (Cucumber Vodka, lime and watermelon juice), my second drink was a classic pina colada in a tiki glass, certainly kept me in the spirits as we were waiting for food.  J had a Maui Island Brewing Big Swell and a Pacifico. 

Checking into our Airbnb was easy, there was a night staff to help us get our parking pass for the week and we quickly got to our unit.  We were exhausted. Way past our bedtime. We brushed our teeth and got into bed. 

We did learn an important lesson about portable air conditioners.  They can be REALLY loud and even if you are super tired they may need to be turned off to sleep. 

Happy to be in Hawaii and looking forward to the adventures to come. 

Claire