This is a joint post. First portion written by Maggie. I’ll never forget the very first time I arrived in Hawaii, (1980 ‘something’) as soon as I departed the plane I spotted a whole row of brightly dressed happy people holding lei’s. So naturally I figured it was a special welcome for some other lucky person. Imagine my surprise when two of the lei holding people came over to me, welcomed me with a hug and two lei’s! Wow!