Vacation Diaries - Kauai Day 2

I had to ask my fiance what we did on the second day we were in Kauai. It was the least eventful of the set because we spent much of it (a) relaxing, and (b) figuring out what the rest of the week would hold. None the less, I have deemed it blog worthy.

On day 2 we woke up and decided that we would just hang out on the beach. Last year we packed our schedule so full that we spent our final days wishing we had swam more and sat on the beach with books in hand. We didn't want the same regret this year (but strangely--ended up with it).

I spent the morning making phone calls: Helicopter company (what? you want our weights? let me go in another room to tell you that....), Catamaran company, Hindu Temple (tours booked 'till late August? sad panda...), local garden, and resort spa. After throwing down a ton of money to hold reservations, we showered and grabbed coffee @ the resort. So began day 1 of my island conviction: "I'm drinking a coconut mocha every single day that we're here."

By the way, I gained somewhere between 3-4 lbs on this vacay. Good thing I had lost over 10 before going on it...

We headed to Hanalei from Princeville to rent snorkel gear before hitting the beach. Paul, my friend's husband, made his position of refusal to ride in my Jeep known to all ("she's going to tip it, those things aren't safe...") and so we took 2 cars. I somehow convinced my friend to ride in the Jeep. She struggled to get in--in the most unlady-like fashion. There were underwear and arms, and there was laughter and shame at modesty foregone. Kat is probably one of the most modest people I know, and so it became my mission to get her to ride in the Jeep as much as possible. Last year it was my mission to get her to pee in the ocean...she had gone her entire life without urinating in open water (who does that)??

We got to Hanalei and believed that the boys (save my fiance, who was with us) would follow us into the parking lot. They didn't. We later discovered that they had followed another white Jeep, and that Paul had spent the trip marveling at how safely I was driving until he watched the Jeep park and observed an overweight and rather burly man in his early-50's got out.

We rented snorkel gear and PS bought an incredible "tourist hat" for our hike (Napali coastline) later in the week. Then off we went to Tunnel's Beach for our first snorkling adventure of the trip.

We couldn't swim without first having Shave Ice at the stand...I opted for Coconut and Passion Fruit, PS went for the banana coconut smoothie. We all sat in the shade and watched tanned tourists of all sizes mozey by.



(The sun through palm trees at Tunnels Beach)

The beach was beautiful but there were "high tide--danger" signs everywhere. I recklessly jumped in and swam out until the waves weren't pushing me around so violently. I looked back to see that the rest of my party had abandoned the quest, so I decided to just stay out for a few minutes...or until I saw a turtle.

30-45 minutes and 1 turtle later I returned to a party who were reportedly "starving to death" and very bored. They asked if I had found Atlantis and insisted that we come back to the beach when the wind was down and visibility was better. Admittidly, it was the worst visibility I've ever encountered at Tunnels.



We headed back to Hanalei where we made our first of 2 stops at Tahiti Nui to eat what all of us have determined is the Best Pizza We've Ever Had. EVER. Fresh pineapple, sweet and smoky ham, a sweet crust dripping with flavorful sauce and cheese that melts and slips around (as opposed to whatever stationary cheese product it is that they put on pizza's these days). We chased it with Mai Tai's and Passion Fruit Martinis before heading back to the resort.

I don't remember what we did that first night...chances is that it was Carcassone on the 2 I-pads & smart-phone, followed by swimming. That was the routine for much of the trip. I do remember that we all went to bed relatively "early" so that we could be refreshed for our helicopter tour the next day. And that we slept like babies.

Sweet Dreams?

For 2 nights during the past week I've dreamed about losing my wallet. Not necessarily losing it, even--having it taken by people that I know and trust. My dreams are always fairly transparent that way. I'm fairly certain that it's a reflection of my angst over being back on 6-month review. If I make it through 6 months with a happy boss, I'm in my position for the long run (honestly--this shouldn't be hard...I do a great job & my employer likes me). But on the off chance that I didn't pull it off, I would be out of work.

But last night after writing my vacation diary I dreamed of Kauai.



I dreamed that I was back on the catamaran with a fine layer of salt covering my skin and that the ocean breeze was gently balancing the heat of the day on my skin. I dreamed that I was sitting on our patio--feet on the railing and drink in hand--chatting with a good friend while we watched the waves lap against the shore.

Of course, I also dreamed a few things that made no sense at all. Another friend appeared and purchased a huge catamaran...then strapped a futon to it with chains and cut off the railing to the front of the catamaran. They already had 13 people on board but asked us to join. We declined and they sped off--waves coming over the bow and the girls laughing gleefully as they crested (and lived through) each one.

I also dreamed that someone or something came to take me away from the island. I never saw its face, but I spent portions of my dream evading it. Once I hid in a small closet but we were "outed" because someone in my party was humming to keep themselves calm & "it" followed the sound. Once while working to squeak out through a window (back to the beach) I ended up in the suite of a retired couple who didn't seem to find my presence in their room strange at all. They didn't seem to understand the need to evade "it" & smiled at me in a knowing way...

Today I've brought work home from the office. Tonight I'll accompany my fiance to a drag show (he bounces). I need to get my work done before we leave for the show, so I have no further time to think about or interpret this dream. It will be shoved to the back of my consciousness.

Strangely, when I began this blog I remembered my dream only as a beautiful one (e.g., paragraph one)! As I end this blog, I'm adding a question mark to the blog title. I guess there was a fair amount of uncertainty and tension in the dream, after all. Funny that what I woke up with was a sense of bliss at having been in Kauai in my dream.

A final thought: It was so real to me that in my disoriented wakeful state I wondered if we had really gone to Kauai this year, or if it was still something I could look forward to.

Vacation Diaries - Kauai Day 1

I'm doing it. A play-by-play, day-by-day review of our trip to Kauai. Skip my next 7ish blogs if you don't want to hear about it. This is totally for me. I want to savor every single memory for as long as I can.

So it begins.

We woke up in our friend's basement guest room with a warm Shiba Mo (Bella) next sandwiched between us. I was present through much of Bella's early days and consequently, she pees every time she sees me. She dropped this habit for everyone else in her life, but when I walk up to their house she just looses it. There is nothing quite like the unconditional love of a Shiba Mo.

Our party of 4 piled into a Honda Accord with a driver, 4 suitcases, and 4 carry-on's. We did not pack light and I'm sure the car was riding low. It was warm enough in Portland that our arms stuck together in the back seat, but we were on our way to Kauai so really didn't care. A quick stop at the Beaverton Bakery in the airport & we were on our way.

The flights were totally uneventful, and it was great to sit only a few rows away from our friends. When I saw a photo of the carry-on meal I started laughing so hard I cried. My fiance (PS) sat next to me making the same "throw-up" motion that our cat makes when he gags up grass. I walked up a few aisle and got the same response from our friends. One ham sandwich later and we all had gas. Thanks, Hawiian Airlines.

We made it to Kauai & parted ways to pick up our rental cars. At the rental car terminal we saw a lot of people being total assholes to the employees. We were both talking about how terrible it was that people would treat others so poorly...I think it was good karma. When we exited to pick up our car we flashed the Hawiian dude big smiles and asked him how our day was. He upgraded us immediately to the car of our choice: Some luxary sedan or a brand new 2011 soft-top Jeep Wrangler. He showed us how to flip back the roof and take off the side windows. We slipped him a $10 (hey, we're not rich, but the guy did us a huge favor) and were on our way.



Kauai isn't very big and this was our 2nd trip there in 2 years, so we know our way around. We took of from Lihue to Princeville, to settle in at the Westin. On the way we stopped at Walmart (b/c we're high-class like that) and picked up groceries for the week. We learned a few lessons last year: More practical food (breakfast items, a few dinners to BBQ) and less booze (why have it in your room when you can have great drinks w/fresh pineapple anywhere on the island)?

The 2nd part of our party was beat, so went directly to the resort. They had met our final party-member (my friend's brother) at the airport and shared a car. My fiance & I stopped at a few fruit stands on the way to the resort to pick up fresh pineapple, guava, papaya, mango, and mini bananas.

It was evening by the time we made it to the resort. Even though the time-share belongs to our friend (and her brother) they had graciously offered us the 2nd room, with her brother sleeping on the pull out couch in our common area. We unpacked and got dressed for dinner at the resort. It was my first time eating Blue Marlin and it was WONDERFUL. We ordered the first round of drinks of the trip and headed to the swimming pools and hot tubs after dinner. Then we all went to bed and slept like babies. It is impossible to not sleep well in Kauai...the place is just downright good for the soul.

Life Is Great

My fiance and I try to get some quality time in every day, but some days it looks like me laying in bed with him for 20 minutes before he has to go to sleep--and then returning to my living room lair for another several hours before I get tired. Our work schedules don't overlap so well...he goes to work before I'm even barely conscious.

Yesterday was his birthday. Tonight he looked at me while we were chatting and said, "You know what I was thinking today?" And I..."...what, love?" And he, "I was thinking, I am loved."

Lately that is the sentiment I've had. I've been absent in blog land for a month because I vacationed to Kauai with 3 of my favorite people (future blogs to come - I'm thinking of doing a day-by-day recount while it is still relatively fresh). I also was surprised by a visit from my best friend from college. I joined my best friend from grad school for her 30th birthday and we laughed until our faces hurt. I went to watch Brandi Carlile in concert and bumped into another friend from grad school who I haven't seen in years. She was as beautiful and fun as I remember her and I was kicking myself for getting so wrapped up in internship/postdoc that I haven't visited people I really care about.

I have been reminded over the past month how many great people I have in my life. Yesterday my fiance & I celebrated his birthday and he gushed over the gifts I purchased for him. This week I've been to Ashtanga twice and just feel so thankful that I have a healthy body that is so flexible and strong.

It's an understatement to say that I needed a vacation. It was so good for my soul. Because it was so good--I scheduled a 4-day Mindfulness/DBT conference with a friend in October. I'll also be joining her family for Thanksgiving (and hopefully mine for Christmas, perhaps staying with my best bud from undergrad). And again at an Oregon Coast beachhouse next summer. In between all of these things, I hope to pencil in all of the other people in my life who I care about. Or at least--make room in my life for them to pop by any time.

A month ago I would've told you I couldn't imagine another straight year of work. I just needed to recharge. I'm really excited for the rush of my work to begin again. A new psychologist starts at our center on Monday & she's rad. I hope that she can be my friend, even though I'm technically her boss. Oh yes, I'm a boss! This is sinking in. I'm so glad to have more diversity in my days. This week I was given paperwork for my UW clinical faculty position. Long story, but in short--SWEET.

I am loved. Life is great. That is all.