Another day in paradise...

Sean and I were so lucky to be able to take an amazing vacation to the island of Kauai in Hawaii a few weeks ago. It was a trip we had wanted to take for a long time and finally just made happen. We chose Kauai because it's known for being less developed than the other islands and a place citizens of the other islands often visit. We were not disappointed by our choice. The three flight odyssey (one being a ten hour flight to Honolulu from DC during which we were not fed) was difficult but well worth it for the amazing weather, scenery, and atmosphere.

 

We spent three days on the south side of the island in Poipu, adjusting to the time change, enjoying our hotel right on the ocean, and hiking in the Waimea canyon, the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Then we drove up to the north side of the island (about a 1.5 hour drive) for six nights. Each side of the island has a different climate, with the south side being dryer, and the north side being more wet and tropical. We were literally in awe as we drove into the north side and saw the mountains and forests and cliffs so it's safe to say it was our favorite side. We were lucky enough to get an amazing view from our hotel room of both the mountains and Hanalei bay.

While on the north shore we explored Hanalei, took a ridiculously wet sail boat trip on the Napali coast, went hiking, and snorkeling. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed snorkeling. It was slightly terrifying but we also saw some amazing fish in the coral reefs and a sea turtle right by us enjoying his breakfast. We also ended up scheduling a last minute helicopter tour after hearing from some Hanalei locals that it was really a must do. I'm so glad we did it because it was one of my favorite parts of our trip.

Sean really enjoyed the hiking and activity aspects of our trip but one of my favorite parts was watching the sunset from the St. Regis bar which boasts a truly amazing view of the ocean and Makana mountain or "Bali Hai" as it was called in South Pacific. I was also able to indulge in excellent local fish and incredible sushi and sashimi. So delicious.

Throughout our trip Sean and I continued to make jokes about how it was literally so beautiful it was making us sick. How many waterfalls, rainbows, and bright blue beaches can you see before it starts to lose it's magic? We never reached that limit and could have happily stayed for another week doing the things we did not have time for like visiting more snorkeling beaches, kayaking, and sitting by the pool enjoying tropical beverages.

 Of course, there were some good lessons learned on this trip. They include:

-Pack your camera in a waterproof bag if you're going to keep it in your pocket on a sail boat.
-If you forget to do that, Walmart has an ok selection of new digital cameras but they will cost you.
-Spray on sunblock. Enough said.
-Bring the hiking backpack. The little backpack won't cut it. 
-Don't take Aleve on an empty stomach.
-Tell your wife when the guidebook says a trail is "fairly rough."
-Come back to Hawaii as soon as you can!

After Sean met a sweet couple celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary (while I was in bed with a migraine thanks to hiking and the too small to fit enough water backpack) we agreed that if we hadn't come back to Hawaii by our 25th wedding anniversary, we would make the trip. I certainly hope we don't have to wait that long!