From winter to summer in 14 crowded hours

On our group ski trip to Steamboat we scored a big one -- a TSA pre-screening pass which let us get though security without taking off our shoes or jackets, and we could leave our computer and liquids in the suitcase.  We went though a fast line.  It was a delight.  I was excited to discover that the TSA prescreen was on our boarding pass and as such did not pack so very carefully to save time at security.  Well at 6 am in Minneapolis there was no security line for TSA pre on our end of the airport,  So I was one of the folks you hate who struggled with my luggage in security.  Arghhh!

Our flight to Phoenix was full, aren't they all these days?  Our seats were at athe front of the plane which loads last and we were told that there would be no space for carry on luggage by the time we got on the plane and should check it.  Na uh.  I had my good new camera and lenses in this bag and I was not going to send it to the thieves at the airport luggage handlers after tumbling down the luggage conveyer to the cart.  I got special dispensation to keep my bag with me.  I think they recognized me as someone who had not had coffee yet.  Since we had to de-ice the plane we all had to get on very early and I got three bites of a muffin and a quarter cup of coffee before we got on our meal free plane.  

We got to Phoenix in time to hit the midday rush at the airport and had to run from one end of the airport to the other where we found that several plane delays had filled the area so full that the floor was the only place to sit.  We got loaded and started a long and turbulent flight.  We got in to Kona about 45 minutes late but enjoyed the 80 degrees of sunshine.  Ahhh!  It took over an hour to unload the luggage, but it did arrive and then we were on our way to our condo by the ocean.  

We are both exhausted but so happy to be here listening to the pounding waves just a stones throw from our lanai.  Aloha!