DAY 1 - Traveling to Hawaii

Gathering at 5:45AM was wonderful, but a bit tiring. Making through the longest line of security I have been in, we departed from Grand Rapids with a broken generator on engine 1. This caused a bit of delay - about an hour. No problem, because Calvin Travel is so super smart knowing we might have problems with weather related incidents our connecting flight to LAX from Minnesota was 4 hours after touchdown.

Our long layover in Minneapolis was uneventful so we had just a little lunch.

The urban geography literature often calls Los Angeles the ‘Post-Modern City’ for its interesting architecture, sprawling nature, and eclectic organization. Flying over the city today, I was struck by the immense sprawl that was before me. The sheer size was breathtaking juxtaposed to the mountain massif that surrounds its northern edges. Seeing the Pasadena Rose Bowl, the Forum, the downtown buildings that so often fill our visuals from movies, and the famous HOLLYWOOOD sign set on the northern hills was a special treat as the atmosphere was clear in the City of Angels.

Equally wonderful were the mountains that fill the scene from the airplane window, with their cut formations of ridge after ridge and those famous sand beaches up and down the coast of California. Here is quick snapshot of one of the views:

Malibu, California, just north of Los Angeles

Landing in Kona at sunset was beautiful. Even more beautiful was the open air airport. The uniqueness of hibiscus smell with grass covered outdoor sitting areas gives such a wonderful feel to this special place in the world. Everyone walks to and from their plane. 

After dinner in Kona we headed to Captain Cook and stayed at the hostel along the coastal town.


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