If possible, I never want to take a morning flight. I am allergic to it! It’s already super difficult for me to wake up early, let alone fly early!

Today, my flight to Honolulu from Phoenix was scheduled to take off at 8:15 am, boarding time was 7:30 am. I did my check in online and planned to stroll to the airport at 5:45 am.

Learning from my experience last week that taxi could be very unreliable, I had a backup plan. A friend of mine would stand by with his cellphone on, if I didn’t get a taxi.

This morning my phone alarm woke up at 5:20. Silly me, I only woke up for less than one minute then I went back to sleep. The second alarm was set for 5:27. It didn’t work, or it worked but I didn’t hear it! Repeated sounds of the first alarm were also unheard. I only woke up when a friend of mine called at 6 am. I jumped out of the bed and finally rolled on the road to the airport at 6:20 am.

The Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu counter was crowded. Hundreds people queued for checking-in. My eyes scanned for something different. “Web check-in bag drop”! Yes, that’s my line. Luckily most passengers didn’t check in online! Perhaps because they are mostly elderly. Only one person queued on web check-in line. I checked my bag in less than 5 minutes and went through security gate quickly too.

I arrived safely at the gate with ample time before boarding. I sat down and fell asleep nicely there until I heard,”Number 25 and higher…”! My number was 39G so I quickly jumped and walked and, for unknown reasons — perhaps gravitational disruption — I didn’t walk straight and banged the wall (pillar)!!! Ouch!!!!

Grandmas and grandpas around me tried to be nice by giving me “Are you OK?” question. But they smiled, smirked, and even laughed!! Double OUCH.

I tried to stand straight with a straight face — pretended that nothing happened — said “Hmm… I am…. I am fine” and walked straight to the gate!

Apparently airport is a dangerous place to me. Though, banging the wall enabled me to wake up entirely!!!

m, safely arrived in HNL