070 – The Big Island, Hawai’i – Aloha!

What was billed to be the most difficult leg of our journey (a 10-hour overnight flight to Honolulu followed by a 3-hour layover before our hop to Kona on the Big Island), took a surprise turn when we boarded in Sydney to discover the plane was slightly underbooked...

...by about 200 people!  

I think the flight attendant said it had something to do with Australia Day, but we were too busy picking which of our 16 exclusive rows we’d stretch out in to care. Meanwhile the other 94 passengers were inexplicably relegated to the back section for “weight and balance”…possibly to counteract the heft of Taz’s thighs.

Regardless, we arrived in Kona jonesing to trade in our crocodile vests for grass skirts.

“Let’s get this luau started!”

First off, we picked up our soccer-mom-mobile and circled around the airport searching for Grandma and Poppa who arrived on a flight from Maui.  They were easy enough to find as Poppa was scurrying in and out of traffic flagging down every passing vehicle, while Grandma zigzagged back and forth struggling to keep up with their 800 kilos of luggage, and her usual, “Bill! Bill! BILL!"

After some long overdue snuggles,

And a quick stop for some essentials,

(There’s always room for beer and potato chips)

We arrived at our new mountainside abode.

As usual Britt picked another place with lacklustre vistas.

But we’ve toughed it out and settled in,

Making acquaintances with the groundskeepers,

(Don’t tell Grandma about the one Poppa and I squashed in their bathroom…)

And wasting no time putting the minions to work.

Barbequing,

 And babysitting.

Only thing left to do now is hang loose,

And enjoy the view.

Aloha!