Getting on Island Time

I'll spare you all the description of the process of wrangling ourselves to LAX on time in the throes of rush hour, but suffice to say we made it in plenty of time for our 10:30am flight-- Brad, Nika and the girls having preceded us on the 8:00am.  Once Jordan heard that Brad & Nika shared their flight with at least 100 Trojan weekenders and the USC Marching Band, he swore that he would never again allow me to make the airline reservations.  Our flight had a smattering of cheerful, but staid, white-haired Trojans who failed to answer his calls of "Fight On!"  Once he was settled into his center seat next to his grandmother, he repeated his vow that he would make his own reservations from now on.  Have at it, young man.  Once you've stared at a computer screen for hours attempting to find seats for 11 people  to a popular resort destination for a major event, if you get everyone's behind in a seat for less than your entire life savings, it's a triumph, and I'll take no guff about it, thankyouverymuch.

We managed to get out of the airport with all our bags and belongings, thanks to Mark & Jake making it back to the gate just in time to ask to retrieve Jake's phone and wallet from the seat pocket before they finished completely locking the plane and the jetway.  Getting a taxi that would fit 7 people, 8 suitcases and various carry-ons meant an airport limo taxi.  It felt glamorous for the first couple minutes, especially being Agathe's very first limo ride, until we realized the vents masquerading as an AC system were really just a couple noisemakers that did no better at cooling off the sweltering interior than if we all just flapped our maxi dresses.  

We took the necessary time required to check into the hotel, get settled, gather our wits and break open Agathe's culinary offerings from southern France (sausage, goat cheese, crackers, chocolate and nougat candies).   Brad & Jordan ran down to the beach and had a short swim.  Then we all headed out for the walk to the Royal Hawaiian (aka "The Pink Palace"), for the official Pep Rally at the "Weekender" headquarters.

The band sections and cheer & song squads were practicing on the lawn in the middle of the hotel, with Tommy Trojan himself mingling among the faithful.  When the band was sufficiently warmed up and in tune, we marched behind them into the party.  OOPS!  There we were, standing outside the ropes of what looked like the most incredible (and sold out) Trojan luau/beach party/pep rally EVER, sprawling from the patio onto the golden sand, with a breathtaking view of the southern Oahu shore.  Fire dancers, food, drinks, and cardinal & gold everywhere, along with 3 crestfallen little kids, 1 extremely miffed young adult, and the rest of us just alternating between gazing longingly and mustering chin-up smiles.  

We decided our best bet was just to accept our fate and head to our dinner reservation a little earlier than planned.  We had a nice long walk along Kalakaua, down to the Hula Grill in the Outrigger.  We were all hoping aloud that it wouldn't go the way of most tourist-driven restaurants and would be good compensation for missing what looked to be an epic party (the word "epic" is used in honor of my nephew Cade).  They were able to seat us early, at a table perfectly situated between the refreshing AC of the inside tables and the dazzling view of the outside tables.  God made sunsets beautiful everywhere, but I think he put an extra reflection of heaven in Hawaiian sunsets.  The intensity of the coral sky above the aqua water is not like I've seen anywhere else.

In a very welcome turn of circumstances, the food not only pleased us all, but there was more than one of us that it declared our meals among the best we've ever eaten.  Even the 3 and 5 yr old girls, when they were crashing hard from it being 11:30pm PT and having been up since 5:00am PT with no nap, didn't whine, cry or fuss a bit; they just laid down on their parent's laps, closed their eyes and fell asleep.  The rest of us were ready to join them before our food hit the table, but none of us fell onto our plates and we all made it back to the hotel at the end of the first day, feeling happy to be here.