The Decompression of a Boomer

What? Again?

Yes, this is our fifth trip to Kauai – five years running! – to visit Steph and Vic at their second home in Princeville, Kauai (and yes, I’ve blogged about all of them – you can read my previous 28 Kauai blogs under category – Kauai). My sister and her husband escape to Kauai for most of the Boston winter. Paradise!

But what’s an experience in Paradise without company? Enter, my brother Eric (a.k.a. ‘Cuddles Cutes’ or ‘Mountain Goat’) and David and I! (Pinch myself)

It’s a bit of an ordeal getting there. First, I arrange companions to stay with Megan (and Rudy) for 11 days. We hit the road from Idaho Falls late afternoon Wednesday (Jan 6), then drive to Salt Lake, stopping for dinner at Red Lobster in Layton, Utah…

Red Lobster – Wed. Jan 6, 2016 – Kauai here we come!

We stay in a motel, and rise at 3:45am for 6am flight to Los Angeles. Of course, we hardly sleep before the flight. And I can’t sleep on the flight. So I take pictures. Here we are above LA – descending for a landing!:

Los Angeles – Beautiful photo!

‘Hey, anyone can take an ugly photo like that!’ You say. Yeah, but do they?

Our flight from LA to Lihue was about 6 hours. Over the Pacific Ocean. I actually paid attention for once, when the stewardess gave her spiel about a crash and how and when to put on oxygen, how to find flotation device, where the nearest exit was and not to inflate my rubber vest until sailing down the slide toward the water. (Okay, so we’re goners at this point.) I allowed myself about 5 seconds to think about that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 with 239 people aboard, that disappeared from radar, went missing, and presumably now lies somewhere on the bottom of the Indian Ocean. (Stop it Jody, you’re on vacation! Try going to sleep!)

45 minutes before scheduled arrival to Lihue, and islands come into view!

Then more islands!

Hawaii!!!

We arrive in Lihue about 2pm, Thursday, January 7, rent a car and head over to Princeville, on the north side of the island. Settle in at Steph and Vic’s.

Our first hike is on Friday – Pila’a Beach in Kilauea.

There was a bit of a hike down to it. Hike would have been slick after a rain but was dry and safe today.

Overlooking Pila’a Beach

Then we cross a stream….

Eric leads the way

Picnic under a giant coconut palm tree

A fallen coconut has sprouted a baby tree

already putting down roots!

Visiting any beach in Kauai usually involves climbing over rocks

Pila’a Beach

Oh look! (Eric noticed it first…)

A mermaid!

A stop at Paco’s Tacos to pick up (local wild caught) fish tacos

Then off to the organic grocer’s to pick up ingredients for Victor’s dinner at home.

Here one day, and we’re already 500 per cent healthier!

Tags: GMO Free Kauai, Kauai, Pila'a Beach

This entry was posted on January 23, 2016 at 1:20 pm and is filed under Kauai, Mermaids, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.