sniff, sniff

Our last day in Hawaii. When we awoke in the morning, the weather fit our mood. Overcast, dreary, the blue sky and sun of previous days were nowhere in sight.
After packing up and saying good-bye to our wonderful condo in Princeville, we set out for our last few hours on Kauai. Our flight wasn't until 9:00 p.m., so we had all day to enjoy taking in everything we could. The clouds cleared, the sun shone, but the wind persisted. The forecast was for high surf warnings, so the surfers were out in force. We stopped by one beach and watched them for a while.

Before long, it was time to eat, and we hit a fabulous little BBQ spot called Scotty's Beachside BBQ. So yummy! Wish we had discovered it sooner so we could've gotten more than one meal in at that place. They had this cool set-up with garage doors that faced the shore, and every seat in the place had an amazing view of the beach.

Bob waits patiently for his BBQ on the deck at Scotty's

We took our food to go, which was probably a mistake. Eating sloppy BBQ in the car is an interesting task!

Off again, this time to one last visit to, yep, Lappert's Ice Cream.
We strolled along the boardwalk in Poi'pu and did some window shopping.
And one last stop at Poi'pu beach. Didn't have time for a swim, but happened upon this big guy cooling off in the sand. Bob estimated that he weighed around 300 pounds! I was really hoping to see him shuffle his way back to sea, but he was pretty content where he was. Hmmmm. So was I.
On our way back toward Lihue and the airport, we took some back roads and discovered some more amazing vistas. This is an ancient fish pond that legend says was built by the Menehune (basically, Hawaii's version of the leprechaun).
Our last stop was the Marriott resort in Lihue. I laughed at this sign on the beach. So thankful the coconut wasn't gone!
I haven't been able to upload videos for some reason, and I really wish I could here. As we walked the beach, we heard drums playing at the far end. We walked to that area and came upon what I guess was a dance troupe for young kids through teens, and they performed traditional Hawaiian dances. There weren't very many people around, so we got a great view of the performance right on the beach. It was such a fantastic way to end our time on Kauai.

But, alas, all good things must come to an end. It was a strange feeling to know it was time to head for the airport and leave this amazing island, when everything in me wanted to figure out a way to stay! If only someone in Colorado Springs could've put my kids on a plane headed for Kauai, everything would've been perfect. But, instead, Bob and I reluctantly waved good-bye to all that is Hawaii as we lifted off the ground. There is a good chance we will never be back. The thought makes me sad. But, oh so thankful! Thankful for the 10 days we were there. Thankful for a time of rest. Thankful for the opportunity to see more of my Creator and to give praise back to Him.

And thankful for this...Spent with this man...

This time on Kauai was fabulous for so many reasons, but the greatest was the realization that, yes, I do love my husband more today than I have ever before. I love the way he loves me, anticipates my needs and meets them before I know I have the need. The way he rubs my feet when I am tired, and the way I fit so perfectly in his arms. I love being fully known by him, and that there is no fear in that. And I love that we have so much FUN together. Our kids will be leaving home before long. Seven years is a very short time. This week has shown me that when the day comes, we will shed tears together, remember together, and laugh together.

And then, he will grab my hand, and we will walk together. Forward. Toward our next adventure. Hand-in-hand. Always.

Hiking the Na Pali Coast

OK, we didn't exactly hike the Na Pali Coast. That is a 22-mile hike that is very treacherous in places. But we did hike the first 2-miles to a beautiful "secluded" beach only accessible by kayak or foot. We drove to the far north side of the island, where the road comes to an end. From there, we headed out on foot up a rocky trail.

It rained on and off for a good part of the trip there. The rain on Kauai is so different from the rain at home. It comes straight down, and because it isn't falling from very high, the drops are very soft and small. If feels like you are standing under the sprinklers.

As a result of the soft rain, the trail became VERY muddy. We were slip-sliding all over the rocks and roots. At times, the trail was really narrow with pretty good drop-offs on one side. Many people gave up and turned around, but Bob and I were up for the adventure!


Our view to our right looked like this a lot of the way:
The beach came into view, and we knew the hike was worth it.
Then it would start to rain again...
We passed a couple of interesting signs along the way.
And then we reached the beach. This wasn't a beach for swimming (see above sign!), but it was great for walking and exploring.
We went to the far end of the beach where very few people went, and found this cave.
It was so neat inside, and Bob found an exit in the back, so we went all the way through. We decided it was the perfect, cool spot for a secluded picnic.

We finished the hike and stopped in Hanalei at Java Kai for an iced coffee and smoothie. Yummy.
Back to the condo for some relaxation. Oh, reading nook. How I love you. How I miss you...

Showered and headed back to Hanalei for our last dinner out. We ate at a Brazilian restaurant called Neide's. Such a bittersweet evening. Our time in Hawaii was amazing; knowing it was quickly coming to an end was almost painful.

North Shore

The North Shore of Kauai is known for it's strong ocean waves and breathtaking beauty. It is also known for being wet, so we weren't sure if the weather would cooperate while we were here or not. But when we woke up Tuesday morning, we were in for an incredible trip. We had driven to our condo in the dark the night before, so we couldn't really tell exactly what our view would be, but THIS is what we saw when we woke up...The sunrise was magnificent, and all without leaving the comfort of our own deck. Not a bad spot for a morning cup of coffee...
Here is the view from our little condo. I didn't photoshop the background, I promise. And, no, Bob and I did not share the twin bed in the picture. :) This was an extra bed that we turned against the window; it became my reading nook.
This was our bedroom...
After the sunrise and breakfast on the deck, we took the 10 minute hike down to the beach below us. This was a little spot right outside our condo that felt like the perfect little piece of heaven.
The hike down to the beach was through a beautiful jungle. Well, not sure if they call it a jungle, but it sure felt like one to me. What is the difference between a jungle and a forest, anyway??
The beach at the bottom was secluded and beautiful. There were about 4 other people there while we were there. It is only accessible by foot and kayak. It had more fun tide pools to explore, and we even got to watch what I think was an eel, up close and personal!
I got to have fun driving the Jeep, too! We spent the rest of the day driving all around the North Shore and sight-seeing.
Overlooking the taro fields...
We stopped at this beautiful church and walked around taking pictures. The white building in the background is the oldest church building on the island of Kauai. It was built by missionaries from Boston that came in the early 1800s.
We spent more time at a couple beaches along the way, but made sure we were at the Hanalei Farmer's Market by 2:00 p.m. People come from all over for this farmers' market, and they all line up waiting for the 2:00 opening, then everyone runs in for the first pickin's.
Yum! Fresh tropical fruit everywhere! I had to get one of these cool coconuts. It was really hot this afternoon, so the cool coconut water was super thirst-quenching. And, besides that, I looked cool carrying it around!
Stopped at another church along the way.
Went to see the Kilauea Lighthouse. It was closed by the time we got there, but we got to look at it from a distance.
We ended our day by heading to the Hanalei Bay (the birthplace of Puff, the Magic Dragon!) to enjoy the sunset. How can there be so many breathtaking beaches on one island??
The sunset did not disappoint us!
Perfect ending to a wonderful day. We didn't realize how blessed we were by this day! Since then the weather has been more finicky, and there have been too many clouds for a pretty sunrise or sunset. So thankful we got to see BOTH on this day!