Making me smile today.

So it was over a year ago that hubs and I went on a 12 day trip to Hawaii.  Oh, yes, it was amazing.  We stayed in Maui, Kauai, and met up with some friends for a conference in Oahu.

Maui was beautiful and fun and reminded me a little of the artsy beach towns of Southern California, only humid and with hardly any traffic.

Oahu (Honolulu) was so industrial that it just felt like a big city.  (In fact, the office-organized Luau we went to was around the corner from a scrap metal yard.  Ambience, I tell you.)  

But Kauai was different from the minute we got to the car rental place.

First of all, there were wild chickens.  Everywhere. 

There was a hen chasing her chicks across the entry to the Hertz rental place and they almost went inside when the automatic doors opened.  No one seemed to notice or care.  There is reason for the chickens, of course, but the very presence of them was just funny.  As was the fact that Hertz tried to give us a Lincoln Continental.  In Kauai.  Which is the island on which they filmed a lot of Jurassic Park.  Think waterfalls and cliffs and narrow curvy mountain roads.  Yes, it screams Give me a Continental. 

Once we got the vehicle situation fixed, we shooed some chickens out of the way and got into a Montero that had just been turned in.  They hadn't even had time to clean it out yet.  Fine by us. Sunroof, check.  Windows, down. 

We took off in search of our hotel.

But not before we realized that the previous renters had left us the coolest gift.  Over the speakers, Amos Lee began singing in his happy-go-lucky-mellow-beach-guy sound.  Someone had left a copy of his CD and it became the sountrack for the rest of our trip.  It was perfect. 

To this day, I can't hear Amos without thinking about the drive along the Kauai coast, warm breeze flowing, the yummy Hawaiian smell of flowers and pineapple in the air.

So when I heard him just now on my Pandora station (on a Madeleine Peyroux station?  Who knew he'd pop up there?), I was instantly transported.

Thanks, Amos. (And thanks, random traveller. It was such a happy surprise.)

And if you need more Hawaii photos, you can see the lot here.

Comments

[Tasnya]

Great post. Hubby & I got married in Kauai 9 years ago ... and it was the best week of my life! :)

[dana]

Do you wish you were there today? I wish I was! :)
Beautiful pics.

[Joanne (The Simple Wife)]

Oh Kauai, how I love thee.

Let me count the ways...

Beach house just down from Spouting Horn in Poipu.

Glass beach

Brunch at the Hyatt.

Spa at the Hyatt.

Snorkeling every day.

Skittles by the pool.

Dinner at the Beach House at Poipu.

Puka Dog. (Mmmm....!)

Sunsets.

Swinging on the Indiana Jones rope swing.

Swimming under waterfalls.

It's been too many years since we've been. If I was stinkin rich, I'd go for the weekend.

[Mary]

it looks and sounds wonderful!

[Katie]

Wow. that was over a year ago? It seemed like just a couple months ago I got a picture texted to me of that sexy Lincoln Continental! Time flies.

[caroline]

That's awesome.

Love the rooster!

[Amanda]

You are killing me.
Ugh!!

[Lisa]

i haven't been to Hawaii since 1992! wow.. it's been way too long. your pictures have reminded me that i would love to go back.

[Sharon]

Thanks for sharing your story and photos! I'll be returning to Hawaii this summer and you post made me smile. :)

[Elizabeth]

Can I just say, Wow! And you are not moving there, why? I love the beach, I think that will do. When do we leave? Love the pictures. I almost feel like I went, too. Glad you are feeling better. Have a great day! Liz

[Liz]

I would love to visit Hawaii. Your photos are fantastic. I'm wondering why they even have Lincolns there!

[Staci]

OH wow! Your pics are just stunning! I hope to visit HI someday

[molly]

haha WHy did the rooster cross the road?