Day #8 - New week, new island, new adventures...

Day #8 We have arrived in Maui; whew, what a day. This is why we like cruising – unpack once and be done with it. There was a lot of drama this morning getting all repacked and getting out the door before 9:30 a.m. to catch the shuttle from the resort to the airport. Jeannie had a nice side adventure; I went down to the koi pond one last time to take a picture of the white swans and lo and behold, I arrived just in time for the koi feeding. There were probably 100 people there. A man from the resort first gave us a history lesson about the resort – it has passed through several hands before Marriott took it over in ‘95. I also learned about the grounds, some Kauai history and how the koi came to be. Then, he began the feeding – imagine hundreds of fish swimming with all their might to converge on one area. I have never seen anything like it. Then we each were given a small container of food to feed them ourselves. They would eat right out of your hand. It was a wonderful experience and was a sweet memory to me as we said our goodbyes to this lovely place.
Our flights here (in two segments; one to Honolulu and one to Maui) were so quick in the time you settled into the flight you were landing. Each segment was just 100 miles. I had a window seat both legs so I got some good pictures, especially of the neighboring islands. Once we landed we loaded the car (a silver Cadillac) which was no easy feat. Our best memory? We decided to try to bring the two lime green noodles with us for the pool. Believe it or not they made it through every security checkpoint onto the plane. It was quite a sight! Another not so fond memory? Two of the four checked bags were over the weight limit so Craig and I were reshuffling luggage contents faster than you can imagine. I will let the guilty bags go nameless.
Our first stop was…Costco, located right by the airport. Provisions were obtained and a hot dog lunch was enjoyed by all. Then, one more stop to the Krispy Kreme. Gotta love Maui. If you could have seen us loaded down in that car. A full trunk and each of us with various bags on our laps. It was a beautiful 45 minute drive over to where we are staying, the Sands of Kahana on the west side of the island. Not a Marriott, no amenities, but the view more than makes up for it. You can stand on the balcony (we are on the 8th floor) and literally throw a stone into the ocean. I am not kidding. Craig and I have enjoyed introducing John & Doris to this island that they have never been to before. Even for Craig and me it is fun to be reacquainted; we have not been here since November 2003. And a special treat for all of us – many whale sightings! Most of which we have seen right from the comfort of our balcony. Who needs to pay for a whale watching expedition?
Afternoon was spent unpacking and then we headed out for the evening. We drove through Lahaina which is an artsy, touristy small town bustling with restaurants and shops. We had dinner at Outback – okay not original but it was substantial. Now that we are back at the resort some are doing laundry, relaxing and whatever they want. I think we all are tired after our busy day.
One item of note we didn’t think about; the only internet connection here you have to pay for so I am using Craig’s computer with his wireless card but when it comes to adding pictures to the blog or Facebook, I’m going to have to go off-site. We were told about a coffee shop near here so I guess I’ll have to sit in there every few days to get my pictures posted. So, sorry there may be days without a picture of the day. But it is only temporary. So, today's picture is courtesy of Craig's blackberry...

Day #7 - Pineapple Princess

Day #7 Up early for Craig and me…Craig working and I spent my morning updating the blog and uploading pictures to Facebook (I can hear the cheers of Hallelujah now). I also cut up a fresh pineapple we bought at the store the other day. Yummo! We have enjoyed eating it throughout the day.
Morning activities included last visits to the pool and time to relax and read. Speaking of reading, I have finished two of the five books I brought, all by author Richard Paul Evans. I cannot recommend his books highly enough. Great writer, wonderful old-fashioned love stories and short enough you can finish one book in two days. I am already sad at the thought that one of these days I will have finished reading all he has written.
Lunch consisted of left-overs from the week as we try to finish as many of our provisions as possible before we pack up in the morning. By 1:00 p.m. we left for our last Kauai outing…a trip to both Opaekaa Falls as well as Waialua Falls, famous as the falls featured in the Fantasy Island series of the 70’s. Then back into Lihue for shopping – at Hawaii’s famous Hilo Hattie’s and one final trip to Walmart for those bargain tee-shirts! Once back at the resort we cleaned out the car and Craig left to turn our faithful rental car back in. He has a nice run from the airport car rental facility back to the resort. It wasn’t too far he says!
We planned for our last dinner to eat at Duke’s Canoe Club Restaurant here on the premises of the resort. It is right on the promenade by the ocean and with all the tiki torches lit for the evening it was a festive fitting end to our time here. The best part?...3 ladies with ukuleles go from table to table singing the Hawaiian song of your choice. When they came to our table Craig requested, “Pineapple Princess” which is my favorite song from the islands and one he will sing to me privately from time to time. It was a wonderful memory. After dinner, we walked the promenade and took in the final sights and sounds of the resort and our time here. We don’t want to leave.
Tomorrow morning we eat breakfast and head out for our flight to Maui via Honolulu. Posts from the next island for our second week to follow. Maybe we can get Craig to write one of these days. Til then, Aloha from Kauai!

Day # 6 - Enjoying God's beautiful creation

Day #6 Well, I am writing the next morning rather than the day of. Not enough time last night to write AND catch an episode of LOST AND get to bed in time for Craig to wake at 4:00 a.m. for a work call. Vacation priorities you know. We’ve already had one inquiring mind looking for the blog post!
Yesterday was another day to be out and about and yes, I know, if I don’t get some pictures posted somewhere soon, folks are going to doubt we really are here in Kauai. Morning breakfast was the usual fare and then folks had until 12:30 p.m. time to spend their time doing what they wanted to do – either pool/lounging time or back at the room reading time. I think you know by now who does what. Craig spent most of the morning on work calls and his big excitement was seeing the Golden Princess cruise ship come in! We have been on that one. Wow, combine Hawaii AND a cruise and you would have one fantastic vacation! The best of both worlds!
For lunch we headed out to Taco Bell and filled our tummies before heading off to Waimea Canyon. Without a doubt, this is the attraction (if you can call a natural wonder an attraction) to see on Kauai. This was our 3rd time up there and it never grows old. My only frustration is that I know the pictures I take will never do it justice; the reds of the dirt, the greens of the vegetation, the dramatic cliffs and feeling of being on top of the world. The drive up into the canyon and back took most of the afternoon. The only disappointment was as we approached the lookout at the end of the road where you have an incredible view of the Na’pali cliffs and coastline was complete shrouded as we found ourselves in the middle of a cloud with a fine mist moving through. So we had to use our memory to recall the beauty of it. Felt sorry for first –time visitors who kept looking through the fog and asking us, “What are we looking at?” Sadly though, no rainbow appeared. In fact, we have yet to see a rainbow all week. Other memories from our trip up there… another tourist pointed out some goats on the cliffs (never seen wildlife up there except for the roosters and chickens) and we saw the most spectacular waterfall. I know – prove it - show us the pictures!!!
On our way back we stopped for a light dinner at a Sunset Bar & Grill near Hanapepe and sat outside to watch, quite appropriately, the sunset. Then back to the Marriott and the end to our day. The cruise ship had left port by then. Our time on Kauai is winding to a close…

P.S. I have now posted a picture of the day for both Monday and Tuesday...

Day #5 - Out and about on Kauai

Day #5 – we emerge from our cocoon. I am writing this at 8:30 p.m. our time and I am so tired but want to get something posted about our day. We left by 9:00 a.m. partly because this was the mid-week cleaning day for the rooms and we wanted to be out of their way. We had breakfast at a local place here in Lihue called Oki Diner famous for their pancakes. They still had their Christmas tree up with lights! The food was very good; this place came as another recommendation for local cuisine. After breakfast we headed up north to drive along the highway that winds along the east side of the island, all the way up north until the road goes no more. Along the way we spent some time at the Kilauea lighthouse and nearby bird sanctuary. The views from here are spectacular. Everyone was looking for whales and we did spot a few spouts and some fin slaps on the water but not a full breach. We then drove to Ke’e Beach, that marks the end of the road and then drove back through the town of Hanalei. We have a favorite old church there we like to visit with its beautiful stained glass windows. For lunch, we drove to the outskirts of Princeville and ate at CJ’s Steak & Seafood; hard to believe we could be hungry again! Again it was a very yummy place with a waitress we really enjoyed. The food was American type-fare, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Our drive back included a quick stop at a Radio Shack & Verizon Wireless store for Craig and John and then a quick run through Costco to replenish supplies. Once back at the resort, Doris and Jeannie took some much needs naps and the men headed off for the pool where they reported it was cold so they wrapped towels around themselves. They also took in a wedding on the beach. Craig served wine coolers and popcorn for dinner.
We’ve laid low this evening, watching TV in our own rooms and now off to sleep. Sorry for the short post but that’s about all the energy I have! Who knew driving around in the backseat of a Cadillac and sightseeing could be so draining.

Day #4 - Rainy days and Mondays...

End of day #4. And would you all shoot me if I said, “I’m cold!?” We just got back from our evening out and it is cool and rainy (66 degrees I believe) and I am COLD! Okay, I’ll get no sympathy from this crowd. Especially those in Maryland who I hear are expecting SNOW on Tuesday.
We’ve had another nice day though the pace of today was a bit different. Craig “worked” today so he was on conference calls from 5 a.m. til after noon. So we were all on our own for breakfast. I spent most of the morning with severe abdominal pains after taking my antibiotic on an empty stomach (like I’m supposed to but I’ve learned I can’t take it!) I felt better by later in the morning so I headed out on my own to get a much needed pedicure. It was wonderful and relaxing and my toes are a nice shade of pink with white plumaria flowers painted on the big toe nails. Then I walked around the mall – there was a Sears and a Macys but not much else. And then onto Subway; my turn to pick up lunch.
We had our traditional lunch outside in the covered area by the pool. Then to the lounge chairs and pool for the 3 of us and Doris to the balcony in the room to read. Actually, I went off on my own to find a shady spot – I am feeling a little overdone by the sun already. But by late afternoon it was clear a storm was moving in and not just a passing shower. We made it inside in time before the heavens opened. Wow – what a rain! And it is still coming down hours later.
Craig and I headed out to turn in our rental car and trade it in for something “better.” We got a Cadillac now and all report it is much more comfy than the Buick we had before. We asked around for dinner recommendations and got a few. So back to the Marriott to pick up John & Doris. Then we headed up to Kapa’a – about 15 minutes north of where we are. Dinner was wonderful – let us tell you about Wahooo!
Wahooo (yes, 3 o’s) is a seafood restaurant and came highly recommended. It was a great find. They had several entrée’s in the $15-$20 range and the portions were very generous. I wish I had my camera with me to take a picture of the plate presentations. Doris and her grilled salmon salad contained the biggest mound of greens you have ever seen. John has a seafood platter, Craig had sea-bass and I had a petite sirloin steak. We were all very happy with our choices. We thought about some after dinner shopping but honestly, it is too cold and rainy to be out and about so we came back to the room and are currently watching TV. Oh my, Craig just announced that there is a flood advisory for our area!!
Craig and I will probably finish the evening with “Lost.” We have never watched this series and it comes so highly recommended by several friends we figure there must be something to it. Our PC friends the Hansens lent us Season 1 & 2 for our trip so we could see if we like it. Wow – it’s intense, that’s for sure. I’m not sure I’d suggest it to others who are FLYING long distances over TROPICAL lands but hey, it is entertaining!
Sorry but I don’t have any pictures of the actual island yet but that should change after tomorrow; we hope to go out and about for the day!

Day #3 - Fun had by all!

Day #3 and what fun we have had today. From sun-up to sundown. Since any Harvey diary must always include what was served at each meal, let’s get that out of the way right now…Breakfast and lunch – same as yesterday. Dinner? Well, I’ll get to that.
After breakfast this morning, we were informed by our fearless leader (um, that would be Craig if there were any doubts) that we were going to take a walk to some stores nearby. Figured we all needed an exercise outing. Doris wasn’t sure she wanted to go without knowing how far…until Craig mentioned we would be going to the ABC store (in a nutshell, a local trash and trinket store) and that they have MAGNETS which is always a draw for Doris. So we headed off along the boardwalk by the water. It was actually quite a nice little stroll, not too short, not too far and we found this small shopping area with a few gift-type stores. We visited the ABC store for yes, a magnet, another gift store where we each came away with a coconut bird feeder, the Crazy Shirt store (they already have Obama tee-shirts since he is a considered a Hawaiian son in these parts, but we passed on that), and then we went to a store called “Elephant Walk” which was the best of all. I found new bandanas for Ilio and Kutta and well, they couldn’t be more perfect. If I take a picture of them to post it will explain it all. Craig and John bought Jibbitz for their Crocs and well, that is another picture that needs no explanation and is the feature picture of the top of this post. And for myself I found the prettiest sandals, again, I’ll have to take a picture of them! On our walk back we took some nice pictures of each other by an outrigger canoe. After that, Jeannie went to her spot by the pool, the men folks set Doris up in a nice covered area outside where she could read the Sunday paper and the Harvey men headed out for adventures unknown.
Well, maybe not so unknown. They found the Kmart this time and bought cookies, some large lime green noodles for the pool and wine coolers. The big adventure was that as Craig purchased his alcoholic beverages, believe it or not, he was carded! Guess that made his day. And they stopped by Subway for our now traditional lunch. We ate outside in the covered area where Doris read her paper. Certainly more room at that table than we have indoors. It was delightful.
After lunch Doris came back to the room to rest and read and the men joined me at the pool. They enjoyed exercising on their lime green noodles going around the pool and I just swam along. It was a thoroughly restful time for all. Back to the room to get ready for dinner, which again, Craig gets credit for. We decided to head on over to Costco and get a pizza. Okay, now to tell a story on myself (I want to be an equal opportunity tattler!) Craig went to get the car and gave me the duty of getting the 3 of us from the room to the front of the resort where he would pick us up. Not a hard thing, right? Been here 3 days now…should know where to go. Well first I led us down the hall on the 3rd floor where we are and through a closed door and we ended up in the private section for employees. First mistake. Should have taken the elevator. So we went back to the elevator. Should be easy enough – go up to the 5th floor where the circular driveway is. Nope, I lead us down to the 2nd floor instead. Mistake #2. So we just took the escalator up 3 flights which is kind of long and scary looking but the 3 of us held onto each other and couldn’t stop laughing knowing that Craig would think we were all loony and wouldn’t be able to trust any of us to find our way around anymore. Hey it’s a big place around here and easy to get turned around. Unless you’re under 21 like Craig!
Our dinner at Costco was very nice and the 4 of us were able to polish off one of those pizzas without much of a problem. It is quite amusing to watch the chickens and roosters wander around you while you eat. I took a picture figuring the caption would be something like….”At most Costcos people go INSIDE to find chicken…” Which reminds me, for the person who has never been to Hawaii here is one of the first things you notice…no doors or enclosed areas. The airport, the food courts, even here at the resort. No need. When the weather is perfect year-round, what do you need to keep out? Well, maybe chickens!
We finished up our evening with a return visit to Kmart so the women folks could see what all the fun was about. Actually, since Johnny, Craig’s brother is a Kmart store manager back in Richmond, we figured we should go as a sign of family support. Oh and they still had Christmas items for 90% off. Let me tell you…if we thought we could get a tree and lights back to the mainland with us somehow, we’d have done it. But the luggage space just won’t comply!
So, another day in paradise comes to an end…
P.S. All reputable editors report when they have made an error...in yesterday's post I indicated a "school of whales" were spotted. I have been corrected (by my own mother in fact) that the correct term is "pod of whales." I stand corrected.

Hawaii 2009 - Day 1 & 2

Hello everyone – time for our first Hawaii update. We are loving Kauai and the chance to be together as a family and to RELAX in the SUN! The picture here is of Craig's parents, John & Doris Harvey showing how you tell the weather here in beautiful Hawaii.
Our flights here were uneventful, but boy is it long! Especially when you fly coach class! But hey, we are grateful to have the frequent flyer miles to use. Craig was able to get upgraded to United Economy Plus for 5” more legroom than the rest of us on the LA to Kauai leg of the trip. He enjoyed boasting to the rest of us from his left side, window seat that he was the first to see the mountains of the islands peeking up above the clouds though he didn’t see the school of whales that our pilot pointed out as we approached Kauai. All of our luggage arrived safe and sound (many may remember the tale last time of Doris’ missing bag!) We landed at 5:30 p.m. Hawaii time last night and after about 14 hours of travel to get here, we were ready to get on solid ground. And thanks to all who kept me in their thoughts and prayers as I flew with my recently diagnosed case of pneumonia; I did very well and my coughing was greatly reduced from what I had recently experienced. In fact, I am already feeling better. Note for the future; this gal needs a warm, sunny climate in the winter.
After picking up our rental car, the first order of business was the short trip to the Marriott Kauai Beach Club where we are staying. We love that the airport is so close to the resort. We stayed long enough to drop off our luggage, look around the room and we were out the door again. We had not seen this part of the resort before with the one bedroom villas; Craig’s parents have their own bedroom and bathroom and balcony. Craig and I are on the other side of the door with a small kitchenette, our own bathroom and balcony and small living area. At night our couch disappears as we pull down the murphy bed from the wall. After one night we can report it is actually pretty comfy all things considered. So, soon we were out the door and on our way to…Costco. Of course, if you know us, you know that is always the first order of business. Dinner precluded shopping…you will all be glad to know the hot dog and soda tastes the same here as at home. We did some shopping but not as much as normal – remember, we only have a kitchenette – a tiny frig, tiny dishwasher, microwave and sink. Oh…and a toaster. But we have enough provisions to have breakfast here…and some yummy snacks. Gotta love a Hawaiian Costco – one row devoted entirely to Macadamia nuts and anything you can put a macadamia nut in!
Back to the resort, provisions sent to the room and put away and most of us were ready for sleep – at 8:30 p.m.! Yes, but our bodies tell us it’s 1:30 a.m. so don’t fight it! We all slept well. But sleeping in later than normal is not an option – the local roosters who wander the grounds will make sure they announce the morning bright and early. And they did! Because we are only one floor up from the ground their sound was so loud we thought they might fly right into the room!
We had a wonderful breakfast fixed by Craig…Honey Nut cheerios, cinnamon raisin bagels with cream cheese, coffee and orange juice. We are “cozy” for meal times at our little card table size dining room table, but hey, no complaints. I won’t repeat the breakfast menu each day; mainly because it will probably be the same! After breakfast we roamed the outside of the resort, around the gargantuan pool area. It is one of the best features of this resort. The beauty of this place is amazing. So nice to have the option of pool or beach; sun or shade. And there were surfers out there though the lagoon is somewhat protected which makes it nice for the average person who doesn’t want to stare down a 20 foot wave. Craig and his folks walked on to the car to go for an outing; I found the lounge chair of my choice and settled in to a wonderful day of relaxation with a good book and ipod. Time to heal my body.
Craig and his folks found their way to a WalMart and did some shopping for various sundries. If you are a Harvey or with a Harvey, shopping will always be involved in the plans! And then I hear they searched high and low for the local Subway restaurant and finally stumbled upon it by accident. I met them back at the room for yummy 6” subs, chips, diet coke and sliced apples. It was so good I think we could do this every day and just might. The afternoon was spent back at the pool, this time Craig and his father joining me. Doris stayed back to take a nap. Ah, the joys of individual decision making.
So now everyone is showered, rested and we are ready to venture out for dinner. I’ll be back with a report on that later…okay I’m back! We all remembered a place where we had dinner 3 years ago that was a local place and were so proud that we ate somewhere that was not a fast food chain. We set out tonight to find something and lo and behold, there it was! The Garden Island Barbeque & Chinese Restaurant. Kind of like Chinese but other stuff too. When you get your Chinese entrée it comes with two scoops of white rice and a scoop of macaroni salad, heavy on the mayo. I kid you not. A little much. Like starch with a side of starch. But we all enjoyed finding a familiar place and having something other than a hamburger or hot dog. We will probably venture back there again this week. After dinner, believe it or not, we headed back out to WalMart for some items that were forgotten in the earlier shopping trip of the morning. Okay, not very original but we think we have all we need now. Craig got a $5 tourist tee-shirt. I got a blow up raft for the pool. Yeah, like my lungs are going to be able to blow that up.
Well, that’s a recap of our first two days. More fun to follow.