The trip started off like many Alex adventures. In an almost-crisis.
Right before we left for Tahiti we went to a destination wedding in Pemaquid, Maine. Which meant there was considerable unpacking, laundry, and re-packing to do on the day we left.
The day we left for Tahiti was hectic—just like a Home Alone movie. While our Virgin America flight to LA went off without any problems despite the rush, our 8 hour flight from LAX to Papeete, Tahiti was another story.
(And this is my first travel tip—finish packing and print out all your travel docs AT LEAST the night before you leave!)
We got to LAX with 2.5 hours before our next flight left. I knew we were flying out of Delta, which was on the other side of the airport, so after getting our bags, we spent 15 minutes walking across LAX, carrying all our stuff on our backs (probably some of the only honeymooners every to travel for two weeks with backpacks.)
We got to the Delta terminal and started asking where the International flights left from, and were quickly informed that Delta International was actually being flown out through Air France—which was right next to Virgin America. And which I would have known if I had taken two seconds to SLOW DOWN and look at my flight confirmation.
So we went back over, at a little more frantic of a pace and in a much worse mood. By the time we got to the terminal, I was feeling sorry for whoever had to spend the night next to us on the plane.
We got to the check-in counter with an hour to spare, and were told the flight was closed—that international flights close an hour before take-off. As we stood there, disheveled, sweaty, and tired, I wondered if we would be spending the first night of our honeymoon at LAX. Considering French Polynesia is a ridiculously expensive destination (flights on sale are about the price of flying to Europe) this was not an acceptable option.
But we pulled the “its our honeymoon” card and they let us on the plane.
As we made it onto the giant air bus, and my standard pre-flight valium kicked in, I was put back into the European frame of mind. And we were off - - -