Trip journal - day 1
1 September 2005
Stayed at the Inn at Temple Square after getting in late and getting to bed around midnight. Up at 5:30 am. Mom and Mindy had gathered yogurt, fruit, rolls, and bottled water for breakfast. Our Delta plane was broken so we got off late. We arrived in Las Vegas with about 30 minutes to make our Hawaiian Air flight. We had to race on foot between terminals. We were going up the escalator when we heard the last call for boarding flight 7 to Honolulu.
Uncle Bob was already there with Linda and they had told the gate people we were coming (Mom had called him on her cell when we got on the ground). Nevertheless, they refused to let us board the airplane even though it was still at the jetway. Mom cried and cajoled, but the supervisor at the gate refused. We went to the Delta gate (since Delta’s delay had created the situation). A wonderful ticket agent named Shauna Williams (turns out, from Utah) helped us get booked on an ATA Airlines flight.
We are scheduled to arrive in Honolulu at 5:15 pm. Our flight to Pago Pago (pronounced "Pongo Pongo") is scheduled to leave at 5:05 pm. Mom’s trying to pull strings with Hawaiian Air to get them to hold the plane so we can board. If we miss that connection, we miss the temple dedication (at least, live). Dear friend Charlyn Fantasia gave me the number of Phil Pili (father of former BYU football player Ifo Pili and Priscilla, also Church public communications director for Samoa, has deep roots in the Samoa – his grandfather was first Samoan missionary from the island). If we can’t make it, we can call him to ensure someone gets our seats for the dedication.
Mom has Sini’s ticket (we were going to meet him in Honolulu for the flight to Pago Pago). (Sini (pronounced "See-nee") is the grandson of one of Bapa’s (Barnard Johnson Nicholl’s) first contacts on his mission in Samoa (1921-25)). He has been a friend of the family for 50 years, but we first learned of his connection to Bapa about 5 years ago. Hopefully Sini has gotten the word about our late arrival, and hopefully he’ll be able to get to Samoa for the dedication.
Later… As we were landing, we saw a beautiful raindow. When we arrived in Honolulu, the flight attendant announced that there was a family of 12 that needed to get off the airplane first to make a connecting flight. Mom had talked to a flight attendant who had talked to the pilot who had apparently radioed ahead. We scrambled to grab our bags and get off. As soon as the door opened, we ran up the jetway. The other passengers clapped as we raced off. There were Hawaiian Airline personnel asking, “Are you the Madsens?” One was holding a sign with our names. They gave us temporary security badges and led us to two waiting vans, bypassing security. Mom wept. (It was tender that 4 or 5 employees were there just to help us). We met Sini who was waiting for us at the gate. He said that in the next couple of days he would have a story to tell us.
We got on the plane (the last to board), and the flight attendant thanked everyone for their patience. Apparently the flight had already been delayed arriving in Honolulu, so the wait wasn’t very long. We had a mechanical problem after we pulled away from the gate (we had prayed for one that might delay the plane so we could make it – not one after we got on!), so we had to pull back to the gate. Ultimately, they put a part on the aircraft for installation in Pago Pago, and we got away about 40 minutes late.
The sun just started setting over the Pacific. I saw Diamond Head out the window as we turned down the main runway for takeoff. I can’t say I’ve never been to Hawaii now (although the stay was rather brief – not that I’m bitter… :-) ). Emily and I sat on either side of a Samoan woman who lives in American Samoa. She owns a flower shop, and imports most of her flowers from South America, but also from San Diego and elsewhere. She said one of her old friends provides fresh flower arrangements every day inside the temple. She was returning from Los Angeles. She said when she saw our children hurriedly boarding the plane, she thought, “They don’t have any Samoan in them. Why are they going to Pago Pago?” We explained the purpose of our trip, and I showed her some of Bapa’s memorabilia from the packet Mom gave us last night (manifests of his ship voyage from San Francisco to Pago Pago, a menu from a meal, several photographs, extracts from his journal). She knows Sini. She also knows Phil Pili. I joked about how she was a “haole sandwich” (stuck between two Caucasians).
We’re in seats scattered throughout the plane. But this is the only plane this week from Honolulu to Pago Pago. Had we missed it, we would have missed the chance of getting to the temple dedication in the temple. Mindy said she was telling her kids to keep their boarding passes – because they were evidence of a miracle.
There were several Samoan soldiers on the plane in Army desert camouflage uniforms returning from Iraq. When we landed in Pago Pago, a flight attendant said “we would like to thank our military heroes returning to Samoa from Iraq.” There was also a banner as we entered the airport with the seal of each of the services saying “Welcome Home to Samoa’s Heroes in the Armed Forces.”
My sister Emily said she had checked the weather forecast for the week before we left: highs 82, lows 79, humidity in the high 80’s. Not much of a range in temperature or humidity. When we got off the plane, we all immediately felt the wet heat.
The flights to Apia today were all cancelled so we are in the Clarion Tradewinds Hotel overnight and will hopefully fly to Apia tomorrow.
Sini’s luggage didn’t arrive (including a cooler). Hopefully it will arrive via Tahiti Air tomorrow. Caroline was so exhausted she threw up. But we’re now in air-conditioned comfort with free Internet access. Cindy and Caroline are asleep. We’ve been going for just over 24 hours, with bits of sleep along the way. More tomorrow.
Stayed at the Inn at Temple Square after getting in late and getting to bed around midnight. Up at 5:30 am. Mom and Mindy had gathered yogurt, fruit, rolls, and bottled water for breakfast. Our Delta plane was broken so we got off late. We arrived in Las Vegas with about 30 minutes to make our Hawaiian Air flight. We had to race on foot between terminals. We were going up the escalator when we heard the last call for boarding flight 7 to Honolulu.
Uncle Bob was already there with Linda and they had told the gate people we were coming (Mom had called him on her cell when we got on the ground). Nevertheless, they refused to let us board the airplane even though it was still at the jetway. Mom cried and cajoled, but the supervisor at the gate refused. We went to the Delta gate (since Delta’s delay had created the situation). A wonderful ticket agent named Shauna Williams (turns out, from Utah) helped us get booked on an ATA Airlines flight.
We are scheduled to arrive in Honolulu at 5:15 pm. Our flight to Pago Pago (pronounced "Pongo Pongo") is scheduled to leave at 5:05 pm. Mom’s trying to pull strings with Hawaiian Air to get them to hold the plane so we can board. If we miss that connection, we miss the temple dedication (at least, live). Dear friend Charlyn Fantasia gave me the number of Phil Pili (father of former BYU football player Ifo Pili and Priscilla, also Church public communications director for Samoa, has deep roots in the Samoa – his grandfather was first Samoan missionary from the island). If we can’t make it, we can call him to ensure someone gets our seats for the dedication.
Mom has Sini’s ticket (we were going to meet him in Honolulu for the flight to Pago Pago). (Sini (pronounced "See-nee") is the grandson of one of Bapa’s (Barnard Johnson Nicholl’s) first contacts on his mission in Samoa (1921-25)). He has been a friend of the family for 50 years, but we first learned of his connection to Bapa about 5 years ago. Hopefully Sini has gotten the word about our late arrival, and hopefully he’ll be able to get to Samoa for the dedication.
Later… As we were landing, we saw a beautiful raindow. When we arrived in Honolulu, the flight attendant announced that there was a family of 12 that needed to get off the airplane first to make a connecting flight. Mom had talked to a flight attendant who had talked to the pilot who had apparently radioed ahead. We scrambled to grab our bags and get off. As soon as the door opened, we ran up the jetway. The other passengers clapped as we raced off. There were Hawaiian Airline personnel asking, “Are you the Madsens?” One was holding a sign with our names. They gave us temporary security badges and led us to two waiting vans, bypassing security. Mom wept. (It was tender that 4 or 5 employees were there just to help us). We met Sini who was waiting for us at the gate. He said that in the next couple of days he would have a story to tell us.
We got on the plane (the last to board), and the flight attendant thanked everyone for their patience. Apparently the flight had already been delayed arriving in Honolulu, so the wait wasn’t very long. We had a mechanical problem after we pulled away from the gate (we had prayed for one that might delay the plane so we could make it – not one after we got on!), so we had to pull back to the gate. Ultimately, they put a part on the aircraft for installation in Pago Pago, and we got away about 40 minutes late.
The sun just started setting over the Pacific. I saw Diamond Head out the window as we turned down the main runway for takeoff. I can’t say I’ve never been to Hawaii now (although the stay was rather brief – not that I’m bitter… :-) ). Emily and I sat on either side of a Samoan woman who lives in American Samoa. She owns a flower shop, and imports most of her flowers from South America, but also from San Diego and elsewhere. She said one of her old friends provides fresh flower arrangements every day inside the temple. She was returning from Los Angeles. She said when she saw our children hurriedly boarding the plane, she thought, “They don’t have any Samoan in them. Why are they going to Pago Pago?” We explained the purpose of our trip, and I showed her some of Bapa’s memorabilia from the packet Mom gave us last night (manifests of his ship voyage from San Francisco to Pago Pago, a menu from a meal, several photographs, extracts from his journal). She knows Sini. She also knows Phil Pili. I joked about how she was a “haole sandwich” (stuck between two Caucasians).
We’re in seats scattered throughout the plane. But this is the only plane this week from Honolulu to Pago Pago. Had we missed it, we would have missed the chance of getting to the temple dedication in the temple. Mindy said she was telling her kids to keep their boarding passes – because they were evidence of a miracle.
There were several Samoan soldiers on the plane in Army desert camouflage uniforms returning from Iraq. When we landed in Pago Pago, a flight attendant said “we would like to thank our military heroes returning to Samoa from Iraq.” There was also a banner as we entered the airport with the seal of each of the services saying “Welcome Home to Samoa’s Heroes in the Armed Forces.”
My sister Emily said she had checked the weather forecast for the week before we left: highs 82, lows 79, humidity in the high 80’s. Not much of a range in temperature or humidity. When we got off the plane, we all immediately felt the wet heat.
The flights to Apia today were all cancelled so we are in the Clarion Tradewinds Hotel overnight and will hopefully fly to Apia tomorrow.
Sini’s luggage didn’t arrive (including a cooler). Hopefully it will arrive via Tahiti Air tomorrow. Caroline was so exhausted she threw up. But we’re now in air-conditioned comfort with free Internet access. Cindy and Caroline are asleep. We’ve been going for just over 24 hours, with bits of sleep along the way. More tomorrow.
posted by Barney at 11:10 AM
1 Comments:
Interesting story, and I agree that it contains elements of the miraculous. The people who helped you make the connecting flight also evidenced the better side of human nature, which is especially welcome to see now in view of what is going on in New Orleans. Glad to hear you are all there safely, and I will make sure Vanessa reads your posts and follows the trip. After all, it does involve part of her background and heritage. (I've enjoyed the Flickr posts, too.)
BTW, as you perhaps know, Vanessa was born in Pago Pago, at the Lyndon B. Johnson Medical Center there. I tease her about LBJ, although I'm not really sure how that little routine developed. But I know she wonders why the very hospital in which she was born had to be named after him, of all people.
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