Maui Bound

Hi all!

So we spent about 10 days in Maui (or do you say "on" Maui).  Either way, we were there and it was fabulous! I was nervous about traveling with Esme, I was nervous about getting any relaxation with Esme there, I was nervous about the time change with Esme, etc.  But everything turned out just great!

Esme's first flight went surprisingly well and only took two hours.  We made in all the way from our gate in the airport to another gate further down the concourse.  Yep, you read that right!  We boarded the plane and sat on the tarmac for a couple of hours due to various delays until they finally told us that we had to get off the plane and go back into the terminal.  Turns out that there was engine problems and they couldn't fix the problem outside because it was -8 degrees.  They had to take the plane into the hanger.  So we were supposed to leave at 2:30 pm but we didn't actually leave until 8:30 pm!  But Esme took it all in stride.  We took her car seat with us so luckily she had a chair just her size to sit on while we waited (which she loved).  The airline was nice enough to give us dinner vouchers so we just hung out at MSP for awhile.

When we finally got to LAX we found out that our plane to Maui wouldn't be leaving until the next morning.  They were giving people vouchers for a hotel room.  Unfortunately, we were the last ones off the plane because we had our hands full with the car seat, diaper bag, stroller, etc.  It was close to or after 11pm and there were only two people working so the line was moving very slow.  We didn't get up to the counter until after midnight.  We knew we had to be back early in the morning so we just asked if we could get a toiletry bag and we would just stay at the airport.  Well the very nice lady who was helping us looked at Esme and said "That baby needs to sleep in a bed not an airport!".  So she walked over to another counter and grabbed us a hotel voucher for the Marriott which is where the first class people were staying.  It was the closest hotel to the airport. (They put everyone in hotels starting with the ones closest to the airport and by the time we had gotten up to the counter they were down to hotels which were several miles away.)

So we jumped in the shuttle and away we went.  The next morning we went back to the airport and although we had heard rumors about how awful security could be at LAX we walked up and they saw that we had Esme and a car seat and stroller and they sent us to the front of the line.  It was great!

Esme did so well on each leg of the flight and made a lot of friends with all the people around us.  It took a long time to get to Maui, but as soon as we got off the plane and smelled the ocean air, it was all worth it.  We changed Esme into her summer clothes and the first thing she did was to lounge while waiting for the rental car to pick her up.

Esme and Buddy - we made it!

She relaxed right away.  This further verifies my thoughts that she's going to be a warm weather girl and turn her back on the snow and cold as soon as she's able. :)  At this point I'm sick of the cold myself and I say more power to her!