Maui Vacation 2019 - Days 9 and 10/Travel Home

We got up on Day 9 and it was a perfect day. Made it really difficult to want to leave.

Bri wanted to feed the Koi before we left the hotel...

The drive to the airport was easy. We had an early afternoon flight. We said goodbye to our comfortable SUV that got us all around the island...

We got to the gate. We board the plane easily (which was very uncomfortably warm). And that is when things went in the pooper.

We were told there was a problem with some sensor on the plane. Because the plane was so warm, we were asked to deplane (without our carry-on luggage) so they could fix the issue. We were all told it wouldn't be a hard fix. I was nervous because we had a connecting flight in LAX, but hopefully we would still have time to make it. Doug and I were still nervous about leaving our luggage on the plane, so we asked if we could go back on and grab it and they said ok. So we did.

Then the pilot came over the loud speaker and told us the fix would not be easy and we weren't going home that day (there are only two flights out of Maui on Delta and the 8PM one was full). 

We kind of freaked. Doug started calling other airlines, but luckily the pilot came on again and said they were going to give us a different plane so we could leave that day, but it would take several more hours (thank goodness we had gotten our carry-ons off the other plane already). So we were going to miss our red eye flight and have to spend the night in Los Angeles. Doug got us a new flight out of LA at 1:30PM the next day.

We waited 4 hours in the Maui airport...

We finally boarded the second plane and it was much cooler. And I got a well deserved drink...

When we arrived in LA in the middle of the night, we were supposed to be given a voucher for a free hotel stay and we were told we'd be picked up by a shuttle bus.

And this is when things went downhill even more. To make a long story short...

We got the voucher to the Hilton hotel in LA (it's like 2AM)

Grabbed our checked luggage in the baggage area

Waited for the shuttle bus for over 30 minutes and which never showed (Doug called Hilton and they said grab a taxi)

We tried to get a cab who turned us down because the drive was too short (the driver circled around and realized there were no freaking passengers in the middle of the night - duh - and then tried to offer us a ride - we told the loser to get lost)

We got an Uber to come to the shuttle area (thank goodness because Uber isn't supposed to pick up there)

Got to the Hilton to see the shuttle bus unloading a bunch of people (grrrr)

Got up to the desk to be told that last room was given away 3 hours before (not sure who screwed that one up)

I lose it and yell at the Hilton desk guy who had not been helpful at all

Thank goodness Bri remained so calm and never complained (unlike her mother)

Doug remembered passing a Marriott (next door) and called to see if they had a room - yes thank goodness

D, B and I walked in the middle of the night with heavy bags over to the Marriott (who were super nice and helpful - shame on you crappy Hilton)

We get in a small, clean room around 3:30AM, take quick showers and plop into bed for a few hours

What. A. Day.

Luckily, this all happened on the way home and not on the way to Hawaii.

We did sleep a few hours, composed ourselves and got back to LAX.

That travel day (Day 10) was MUCH smoother than the day before.

We skipped breakfast to get to the airport and found a yummy, quick Asian place for lunch there...

Then we headed to the Delta lounge for a while (happy she was smiling)...

Finally boarded for the 4.5 hour flight home.

Instead of landing at 7 in the morning on Day 10, we landed around 7 in the evening.

I was so happy to get home around 9PM and hug my cat.

Despite the rough return home, it was an AMAZING trip. I'm so happy we were able to go on this dream vacation.

My look back next...