Originally Posted by
daniel82
The first time I came to Maui (Nov 29 '88), they rolled steps up to the plane at Kahului airport (OGG). I felt that warm humid tropical air, took a deep breath and said, "I'm home!"
Baggage claim was a long bench with a triangular longitudinal divider ramp. Baggage handlers drove up on the other side pulling a train of flat carts piled high with luggage, tossed it over none too gently (as is traditional). Nearly missed our connecting flight to Hana because we had no idea we were meant to be waiting in the commuter-flight terminal. I was on crutches at the time (long story having to do with my mother forbidding me having a motorcycle until I turned 18, then going to Mexico for 6 weeks...) so we ended up barely making it onto the little puddle-jumper to Hana airport, which closed up shop immediately after we landed: I mean, doors locked, shutters shutted, every employee vanishing like a magic trick. My brother and I stood there, sort of turning in circles, going 'Wait...but...where...?' Numerous calls on a pay phone ('member those?) to the guy who was supposed to meet us to drive us the 12 miles out to our final destination in Kipahulu (no electricity out there...) went unanswered, so we shrugged, picked up a fallen coconut, knocked a papaya out of a tree with a crutch, feasted on those (thank God for pre-TSA Swiss Army Knives!) and spent the night on a pair of luggage carts, swaddled in my brother's sleeping bag and blanket, battling mosquitos and listening to the barking geckos. There's MUCH more to that story, but I gotta go to Easter Brunch with a bunch of magicians...and that's another story altogether!
BTW, still here on Maui, 33+ years later...
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