Already when the Kona Choral Society concert did not start until 4:06, and especially, when it was not until 4:45 when Susan McCreary Duprey gave the downbeat of Handel Messiah, I was worried about getting to the airport for my 6:53 pm flight, knowing that the airport was a half hour drive away.

Getting out of the parking lot and just crawling up to the traffic light following a whole line of cars was the first hurdle. The concert was absolutely THE place to be in Kona—with the room PACKED to the gills with perhaps 700+ people in the audience, 105 choristers and 23 instrumentalists!

We arrived at the airport at 6:39 pm after making one false turn, and just as I got to the TSA checkpoint, I heard my flight announced with “LAST CALL!”

“Aaaurgh! That’s my flight!”

“Let her go first!” The people in front of me offered.

As my carry-on bag was in the X-ray machine, I heard another public announcement: Passenger Crosier, please report to Gate 10.

Yikes!

I ran to Gate 10 as soon as my bag was released, and showed them my phone where I had saved my mobile boarding pass. But it was stuck on my desktop image!

Both of the agents smiled and I soon showed them the boarding pass.

The flight attendants were waiting for me and took my bag. “What is your seat number?”

“8D.”

No sooner had they put my bag in the overhead compartment, and I sat down and fastened my seatbelt, the plane backed out of the gate! That was close (!) although I looked at my phone for the time and it was now 6:44 pm, ahead of our scheduled departure.

I am happy to report that I felt this year’s Messiah performance went well, and I was especially pleased with Susan McCreary Duprey’s lighter and faster tempos from previous years.

I want to also thank Susan Mangubat for another wonderful homestay in Kona. Here is the beautiful view from the lanai where we had a delicious breakfast.