ALOOOOOOOOOHA!

You have to read the title of this post like they would say it at a tourist luau... it makes it much better.

Well, I have arrived in Hawaii. I hope I didn't forget anything, but if I did, it is too late now! The flights were good, not a lot of turbulence or anything. The only hang up was in St Louis when trying to board the plane. Let's just say if I have the option, I will NEVER fly with American Airlines again. I already have my ticket booked for going back or I would say never starting now.

In the 8 or more trips I have made to Hawaii I have done my research and found that you are allowed a carry-on item, a personal item, and if you read the fine print, an additional bag of photography equipment. Those who know me know I own a digital SLR and a bag which it goes in. It is about lunch box size I would say, like 8x12x10 ish. So, when flying I bring my camera bag, my back pack, and my roller carry-on bag. Never have I had problems before. If anything I usually volunteer to plane side check my roller just cause I don't really have to have it with me and it is a squeeze on some air craft to get it in the bin thing. The back pack and camera go at my feet.

This time apparently I was informed that this extra bag of photography equipment is in place of a carry-on, not additional. And also, this has always been the policy. I would like to know how I have done it so many times to be stopped once. So, I ask if I can plane side check my roller bag. All the other airlines slap a tag on it, some send it to baggage claim, others bring it back to the gate, but it has always been free. You plane side check it with the strollers and such.

American Airlines will instead, treat this has another checked bag and will charge you. Mind you, I already checked a bag for $25 and one for $35 so this third one would run me $150. That's right, a bag that will fit in an overhead bin and can be put with the strollers and taken off with the strollers will cost me $150. Obviously that is not an option so I ask about having one bag connected to another, nope. But if I can get one to fit inside another it will work. So, rather than letting me on with three easy to carry and store bags I went on with a roller bag packed to the point of almost sitting on it and a back pack with my camera bag hanging out of because I cannot get it zipped. I might also add that in order for the stuff to fit in the roller I had to expand it... this means it doesn't fit nicely anymore in the bin. Needless to say when I got to my seat I smashed the roller bag into an overhead bin, removed the camera bag from the back pack, zipped the bag shut and stored them both under the seat in front of me. When I transferred flights I clipped my camera bag to my backpack and nobody said a word.

Otherwise, I am as settled in as I will be for the night. I have my own toilet and sink in my room but will be sharing a shower with one of my friends from when I was here. I'll call him B. I am also staying with S and C. S I lived with in my last year of college. I had been friends with B and introduced him to our other roomie and after they started dating, S dated B's roomie, C. If you followed that you get a gold star! More about Hawaii to come, but now I must get some sleep. I have to run to campus tomorrow to do paper work and meetings and such before I start teaching Tuesday.