I suppose the best way to start my Mau'i recap is to get the bad part over with before getting to the good parts. By bad part, I mean the actual travel portion of our travels. Here is just a brief list of what went wrong reaching our destination:

• When we checked in, ATA, the carrier included in the vacation package, told us that our confirmed seats weren't so confirmed. They had overbooked the flight. We received our seats only a few minutes before the plane left the gate.
• Since I had brought my hiking backpack, sans work-related items, there were hiking items in my bag, including a Swiss Army knife I had forgotten about. The knife and I parted ways at the security gate.
• Due to heavy winds, our 11:00 flight didn't leave until 12:15.
• Due to trade winds, instead of arriving in Honolulu by 2:30 as scheduled, we arrived at 5:00 and missed our 5:00 connecting flight. Aloha Airlines, our inter-island carrier, placed us on standby for the 6:00 flight.
• The 6:00 flight was full, so we had to wait on standby for the 7:00 flight, the last flight to Mau'i.
• By a miracle, we caught that flight, but our luggage didn't. ATA had supposedly sent it all the way through to Mau'i, but we couldn't find it anywhere in the baggage claim area. Our lost luggage wouldn't arrive at the hotel for another 36 hours.

On this trip, I made dumb mistakes only a novice traveler would make. Here are a few lessons I need to remember:

• Never, under any circumstances, check in baggage. Carry-on can be a hassle, but the hassle is limited to the airport and the plane. Lost luggage will haunt you until it's found, if it's found.
• In my attempt to save money, I had filled my backpack with food, leaving no room for the toiletries and spare set of clothing every smart traveler knows to pack when flying. Forget the food; pack the clothing and toiletries, even if you intend to carry on your bags (you never know if they'll require you to check your bags in anyway).
• In package deals, pay special attention to the carrier. If you have the option, choose the one you like. If it isn't the cheapest, consider the benefits of paying more. Also, check to see how much you really save by booking it as a package.
• If possible, fly direct. Making connections may save money, but paying extra to avoid the stress and headaches is worth it. I might end up changing my mind on this one, but my recent string of bad luck with connecting flights has me convinced that direct flights are better.

The good news is that once we were done with the traveling, the trip took a marked turn for the better.