Impending Vacation
15Dec2003 Filed under: Trip OutHave I mentioned that next Tuesday I’m leaving town for a two week vacation? It’s kind of a complicated vacation. See, Andreas’ Dad is flying the whole family out to Hawaii, since Dre’s little sister goes to college there. It’s a very generous and nice gift.
My way of saying thanks was to go online in August and find the cheapest possible tickets. I mean, it’s only courteous, right? He’s being generous and flying us to Hawaii, so I’ll be considerate and order cheapy tix.
So Dre and I got some wacky internet tickets that took us from LA to Maui, with a stop-over in Portland, which makes as much sense as flying from Seattle to Mexico with a stop over in Alaska. But whatever: tickets were cheap!
Then, of course, we moved. Naturally, super cheap web tickets are non-transferable. But no problem! We’ve got a plan! I love plans!
Follow along with me: Tuesday Andreas and I drive to Portland, with my mother driving behind us. We leave our car in Portland, and hop in my mother’s car for the remainder of the drive to San Francisco, where we are hanging out with my auntie and her partner for Christmas.
The day after Christmas, we hop on a quick flight to LA. We hang out in LA and visit with friends until Monday, when we get on a plane to Hawaii, via Portland.
We hang out in Hawaii for 9 days, first with Dre’s family on Maui, and then on Kauai. (Side note: Have you been to Kauai? Do you want to recommend some great hikes, beaches, or camping locales? Leave a comment!)
On the 7th of January, we hop on our returning flight from Hawaii. When we land in Portland and are supposed to run to catch our connecting flight to LA, we will instead run out of the airport, and run to our car, and drive back to Seattle.
The biggest problem? This means only carry-on bags back from Hawaii, since any checked baggage would go all the way to LA without us. We’re going to have to mail some stuff back from Hawaii, which is weird to say the least, but well…that’s the price you pay when you try to be nice and buy a cheap internet ticket, and then move to a different city. WHEE!
Regardless, it should be a nice trip…SF, LA, Hawaii. Three places with three different groups of people to see. And neither Dre or I have been to Hawaii.
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8 Responses to “Impending Vacation”
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Hey there. I'm Ariel Meadow Stallings, a native Seattleite who's written my way up and down the Left Coast. Electrolicious is where I post daily randomata, but I also write for a living. My first book, Offbeat Bride, was published last year.
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leblanc
December 15th, 2003 at 12:25 pm
i think you can probably explain the situation and tell the people at check-in on your way back that you are not going to take the flight from Portland to LA and that you want your bags checked only to Portland and not all the way through. I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t do it, but maybe there’s a security reason or something. still, i would ask.
Ariel
December 15th, 2003 at 12:28 pm
Though of that, but what if we get our bags to the airport, ask, and they say no? THEN what? We’ve got bags that are going to LAX.
Meesha
December 15th, 2003 at 1:58 pm
Ahh, Kauai…I spent a week of blissful outdoorishness there last August. Off the top of my head, I’d say you must see (or hike, or bike) Waimea Canyon, “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Also, snorkel at Tunnels beach–the best snorkeling I had in all of Hawaii. And have a shave ice with mac nut ice cream from the Rainbow shave ice truck in Hanalei. (NOTE: Do NOT forget the ice cream! I was grossed out by the idea of mixing ice with ice cream so I let my boyfriend try that one alone–then proceeded to eat all of his.)
Kayaking abounds, as well, especially up and down the Waimea river.
SER
December 15th, 2003 at 3:02 pm
Good luck: I dread family vacations.
cameron
December 15th, 2003 at 3:44 pm
actually, if you don’t get on the plane to LA and you’ve checked bags, your flight will be delayed and your bags removed. A relic of the days when terrorists were reluctant to fly with their own bombs.
I’m not sure what happens to your bags after that, but I bet it doesn’t improve their longevity, whatever it is.
Ariel
December 15th, 2003 at 3:49 pm
Even BETTER! Yup, it’s clear that there can be NO CHECKED BAGS on the way home.
Ariel
December 15th, 2003 at 3:52 pm
Oh and PS: this is only a half-family vacation. A few days with my family in SF, and then a few days with Dre’s family in Hawaii. They all head home on 1/3, and we’re there for an extra four days just the two of us, to celebrate our 6 year anniversary.
gen
December 15th, 2003 at 10:48 pm
Ariel, if there isnt much moonlight, going stargazing in Hawaii is usually spectacular. It is best on Mauna Kea on the Big Island, as they have a nice visitor’s center at 9000 feet with telescopes Tues-Sun (?) but I bet they have something equivalent on Maui.