POTD 4-2-2021 (Patreon)

I was given cheap tickets to Kauai. 

I am not complaining but it's important to this story. I had to take 4 different planes just to get from Texas to Kauai and it took me 20+ hours.

From Texas to somewhere, somewhere to LA, LA to Honolulu, Honolulu to Kauai.

I was apprehensive about the trip because I was going alone. I had never taken a full trip by myself. I've flown by myself, I've spent days by myself - people coming late or leaving early but I had never done a trip from start to finish by myself.  Not to mention that fact that I wasn't in the best shape emotionally and was super unsure that being alone on an island was going to be a good thing?

But, I packed. I showed up at the airport. I checked in, and I boarded the plane. I got excited because it got down to the wire and the seat next to me was empty.....until....

Two last minute passengers boarded the plane. A kid about 12 and his mom who had a baby.

She sat next to me. Her son sat in the same row but beside the opposite window.

I panicked.

That flight was only 2 hours and a bit but it was the longest 2 hours of my life. I sat there pretty much off my seat leaning into the aisle. I did not look at her the entire time and I turned my headphones all the way up.

I held everything inside to the point where I was shaking off and on but I did not cry.

When the plane landed I was the first person up and out. I found a bathroom near my next gate and cried my eyes out. When I had a handle on things, I went out and sat down to wait for my next plane. The mom and her son were on that flight too - they have me dirty looks from across the waiting area until they opened for boarding. Thankfully we were sat no where near one another on our next flight.

It was a super long day of traveling. I left early morning and got to Kauai early morning (but they are a couple hours behind Texas). There is nothing like stepping outside for the first time when you get there. The air is fucking magical.