1/29
The funny thing about Kauai, Hi, is that just when I think I had my best day, it only gets better. I could swear that yesterday was my best day. Day before that it was that day. Ditto day before that. Anyhow, I was up till 2am looking over photos, shrinking them down and blogging it all. It felt good to have it up on line and done. By 6am, maybe earlier I was up brewing STARBUCKS coffee in my room - thrilled to be where I was.
I was going to start off with cleaning out the rental van, but when I saw Pilate's on the morning schedule starting off in 20 min, I could hardly stop myself. I'd made breakfast, done the necessities and even made the housekeeping trade for fresh linens. Pilate's was on the lawn in front of the ocean. It was lovely stretching there with the class.
After that we sat at the ocean for a while. I made the amazing discovery that if I laid on my paddle board with goggles on, I could coast all over the coral reef where others couldn't go. In those rocky waters was every imaginable fish. I was just overjoyed to see them all. Every color, size and shape were down there along with all kinds of crazy looking plants and animals. It was just like "Finding Nemo" but in real life. I just couldn't get over it. After a long while, I finally got our snorkel gear and persuaded Kevin to come out there with me. He instructed me on how to snorkel. That was alot of fun except for breathing in occasional salty water.
After that, we sat at the pool and drank our free maitais (complete with slice of pineapple in them). Oh the fun!! The sun got REALLY HOT overhead and I honestly felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. Beautiful flowing pools of water, palm trees swaying in warm breezes, the ocean crashing ahead, oh it was truly unforgettable.
I swam around the pool a bit and we went back to the room to get some packing and cleaning in order. Its so much fun to give things away. I borrowed a broom from my housekeeper to sweep out the minivan and gave her my folding chairs. She was so excited that she told me she loved me :-)
That evening, I dressed up in my nicest black dress with black pearl necklace and we went to the restaurant to have our free bottle of champagne. There was some confusion over the events and we ended up leaving hungry and having had to drink the whole bottle there. I won't say anymore about that except that in the end even though I had dressed up for a nice dinner, Kevin said he would buy me one because "you're worth it". He looked at me seriously, treating me like I was valuable to him and worth spending a lot of money on. I wasn't happy with the the way they'd treated us and I really didn't want to spend anymore money there, so I told him I'd rather just go someplace else. Since we'd had the champagne, by the time we got back to our room, I suggested just ordering a pizza so he wouldn't have to drive. The evening was full on and flames lept out of poles around the property. A beautiful pink sunset was upon the ocean. My husband loved me and felt I was worth his expenses. Pizza was just fine with me. I had everything I wanted in the motel room right there. There was no further need in me to "go out". It was a crazy romantic evening and I enjoyed the pizza as much or more than I would have anything money could have bought. I was proud of myself for seeing what was what. Just calling up and ordering the pizza with champagne on board was hilarious. Euphoria had fully set in.
1/30
I woke up around 3:30 am ready to start the day with a HOT BATH. It was my last day and I really REALLY wanted to make the most of it. I gave a good story to the front desk lady who had informed me that our late checkout was not approved. She promised she'd try. Unsuccessful at printing boarding passes. Cooked breakfast. Convinced hub to take a walk with me along the oceanfront before it got hot. We saw a BIG sea turtle and a really cool tree by a small rushing creek.
On my way out to the ocean, I was stopped by a worker in the lobby wanting to give me a complimentary massage (GOTTA LOVE THAT). I couldn't resist taking them up on that one and sat at her special table for an INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. I also couldn't resist the complimentary frozen yogurts and other treats that the workers brought around through out the stay. All of them smile and say "aloha" - all of them. Ahhh the life of the privileged....
I got in the ocean with my paddle board and stayed in there at least 1/2 an hour looking at sea creatures. I knew I needed to give the board away and so I stayed in until I was so chilled I knew I had to get out. After that I got in the hot tub and tried to warm up. There were kids playing in nearby pool with their mom. I got in with the board and swam over to them. I asked the mom if I could give it to them. She was extremely grateful. The kids couldn't believe it at all. They were so excited over that silly $15 paddle board I didn't even pay for. They thanked me and for the next 2 hours or more every time I went by, I saw the little girl playing with it. That made me feel really good.
After that was hula class. I decided to go for a class a day and felt EXTREMELY PAMPERED doing so . Zumba was my fav of course, but the idea of "taking a hula class" just seemed like hilarious luxury that some pampered rich person would do. Turns out I was the only student of a short, stubby Hawaiian man who looked ALOT like Mr. Roarks assistant on Fantasy Island. It was kind of a silly "class", but fun none the less. It was right on the lawn at the pool. I loved feeling the hot sunshine.
Finally I coaxed hubby out doors for a short bit, but he didn't stay long. I knew I was at the end and I couldn't help but want to enjoy every last second. After I got HOT laying in that beautiful sunlight, and meeting a nice lady from Minnesota, I headed for the ocean.
Knowing "this was it", I lingered in that beautiful ocean as I long as I could. Goggles on and with pure abandonment, I swam a long ways. I knew I'd soon be cramped up and figured that the harder I swam the better I'd sleep later. Gone was the girl terrified of every crashing wave. I had learned to work with the waves, swimming down low as they came. Gorgeous marine life swam around me and I felt like I was one with the ocean - just another one of the swimming creatures. Words can hardly do justice to the experience. I knew my time was short, "this was it", and I lived the last moments in that underwater tropical paradise to its fullest extent. I really really didn't want to get out of the water, but I knew my time was short to getting to the airport. "Just one more fish" I kept telling myself, but that fish came and went and then the next one I just had to catch a glimpse of. Oh the struggle it was getting out of those heavenly tropical waters.
Back on the beach I was chilled beyond measure so I plodded slowly toward the hot tub to get warmed up quick. The clock was ticking and of course two lovely ladies were chatty in there. In the end, I kneeled down, right there at that rich man's pool area, lifted my hands in the air and thanked God for the beautiful time I'd had there. I had 45 minutes to shower, pack up and get out of there. Hub was not impressed with my "last min" mentality as there was a bit of confusion over the time we were actually going to leave.
We had at least 6 packages and 3 post cards to mail. There was no taking them on that airplane and we knew NO ONE on the island. It seemed to take FOREVER to find a parking spot and in the end, the post office was "just closed". This didn't help my "last min thinking". A post man was waiting for the people in the back to let him in so I went and talked to him about my dilemma. He was kind and directed me to wait in the shade with him until they opened it up for him. He explained my problem and they got the manager. When she came I begged her thoroughly to take my packages and she reluctantly did. I was overjoyed thanking God for His favor. She wasn't thrilled, but after handing her $95 in cash, we walked away without them.
Then it was off to turn in the car and to the airport. I looked out every second not wanting to miss a bit of the last glimpses of island beauty. Our trip home was uneventful for the most part. Sad as I was to leave, I was overjoyed to see my babies again.
I stopped at Walmart to get some of the kids each their own fish - with the idea I would be silly and tell them I brought them one back from Hawaii :-) The beautiful mahogany ukulele we bought Saphira came on the airplane with us. Archer would be getting a few other things. I hadn't wanted to waste money on silly souvenir's that would be of no use. The fish would be fun :-)
There was nothing that could compare to scooping up my baby in my arms and holding her. For the next several days we were mostly inseparable. Giving all my kids big hugs and kisses and seeing their smiling faces.....priceless. I've been all over the world, but the best view, as Lonestar says is "my front porch looking in".
