From the breathtaking beaches…

to the exotic vegetation…

to the magical rainbows…

to the protected chickens…

to the rugged cliffs and canyons…

to the fruity, refreshing cocktails…

to the crystal blue ocean…

to the breathtaking views…

Everything

is more colorful in Hawaii!

We were fortunate to spend a week on the beautiful Garden Isle of Kuau’i. Our friends Mike and Lisa visit often and invited us to join them this year. Without them, we would have not had this opportunity. We can’t thank them enough!

If you are not familiar with Hawaii {as I wasn’t}, this it the less touristed island of them all and a more accurate portrait of Hawaii in its natural state. {Actually, this is what I am told. I have never been to any of the other islands to compare.}

And let me tell you, we were completely in awe!

I don’t know what I was expecting… A Florida beach? A Caribbean destination? I guess I pictured what I had previously experienced on beaches in warm climates before – sand, water and palm trees. However, Kuau’i was much more exotic.

The Hawaiian Islands are really just little morsels of land set in the ocean over 2500 miles from any mainland. I think this is one of the reasons that makes the vegetation and wildlife so much more exotic to me. As noted above, the colors were extraordinary. I felt very different from what I’ve felt in any other warm-weather destination near the water. I was more aware of my natural surroundings than ever before.

Mike and Lisa secured a condo oceanside. Imagine waking up to this view every morning:

So what did we do?

We hiked. We golfed. We swam.

We explored!

We enjoyed any and everything there is to enjoy about an island this beautiful.

While the guys golfed five days out of seven, I was happy the day we golfed along with them at the little nine-hole Kukuiolono Golf Course. The weather was variable that day, with bouts of rain which drenched my clothing {leaving me feeling like I just went swimming fully clothed} followed by the warming sun that served to dry me completely!

I remember climbing up to the green of Hole #5 and just standing there in awe. I felt almost like I was on top of the island world! There was a gorgeous 180-degree view of the ocean. A view from a $9 nine-hole golf course? Best value in the world. Is there another word for breathtaking? I have a feeling I’m overusing that word in this post. Here’s a better one: Stunning. Absolutely stunning.

We visited the Waimea Canyon, known as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. This place made me nervous. Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m deathly afraid of heights. The narrow roads up through the canyon were enough to make me sweat and act irrationally. I was even more nervous when Mike pointed and told us to check out the view while he was driving. Very nice, except for the fact that he was checking out the view with us as he rounded the dangerous curves! 😉

Despite that extreme fear, I was grateful we did it. {Though, I would have never been able to do one of the helicopter tours. Baby steps, ya know?} If we hadn’t, I would not have captured the essence of these spectacular views!

I’ve got more to share, so check back in the next few days. Not only that, but I’ve also got some great tips for staying healthy on vacation. Considering that I lost two pounds during this week-long trip, it was either just a fluke, or I know a thing or two. 😉

Mahalo,

Carrie