It has been said many times, especially by authors of the UNDERCURRENT
dive mag, that "Getting There is Half the Fun".

We DEFINITELY had lots of fun already, and we're not even HALF way to
Papeete.  :-)   Haven't even gotten out of LAX yet.

It's exactly for the reason that "Shit happens;  especially at the
LAX airport" that I suggested that we leave the hotel THREE hours
before flight time (even though it's only a 5-minute ride on the
hotel shuttle.  The International flights require a check-in TWO
hours before departure time.

Sue was dragging her feet, mildly complaining about our early start.
So, while she was about ready, I told her I would check out and meet
her at the shuttle.

When the shuttle was about to leave, I tried to call her on the cell
phone.  It would only take messages (she was on the elevator, she
said later).  So, I left without her, telling her to find me at the
airport terminal.  :-)   I also left her a message to call me.

So, while my shuttle bus was on the way to the airport, she was
already on the next shuttle waiting to leave.  Everything seemed
back to normal ... until we stood in line for the airline CHECK-IN
and she realized that she had left her backpack and purse on the
Hilton Shuttle bus!!

Near panic sets in.   It was a nice Luis Vuitton backpack, with
her passport, money, credit card and everything valuable in it,
inbluding my 12 oz gold bracelet -- which would trigger off
security alarms so I left it with her.

To make a LONG story short, the good news was that she was VERY
lucky to have the Princess Cruise personel with its own shuttle to
get into the act, to have found the Hilton shuttles and her bag
and retrieved it for her while she waited 30 minutes for that
shuttle to come.

I STILL shudder to think what would happen if some quick hands
grab the small backpack and left.  I would be a repeat of Honolulu
where our car was broken into, and she lost her purse, passport,
credit card and EVERYTHING, and we lost ALL of our luggage.  :-)


She has just joined me at the Delta Crown Club where I've been for
over an hour already, waiting for our START to Papeete, Tahiti.  :-)

Can't wait to see what OTHER exciting events are waiging for us
at the other end.  :-))

-- Bob.