Finally the photos are here

Sunday update:

We flew at the crack of dawn yesterday - OK, 9:39 - but got here to seamlessly pick up our Mustang and be on our way by lunchtime. Stopped at the coconut grove shopping plaza to buy gloves for our feet - more on those as the week goes on.

The hotel/villa is great - timeshare kinda place but our 1 bedroom is huge and will be great for the week. Walked round the property, said Hi to the geese (they, of course, have chickens too) then had dinner at the hotel restaurant. Our waitress had lived in SF until a year ago - small world. Going to make an effort to try a lot of fish this week - especially Monchong, which may have been the fish of honeymoon fame. Had duck last night - well it is close to fish - Kim had more tuna than was possible to eat. Nice atmosphere, perfect for the no muss meals.

Off to a slow start today but a headache in Kaua’i is better than anywhere else - have some bad news for Disney - this maybe my happiest place on earth - but DL is a close second - I am a lucky boy - Aloha

Monday morning update:

Spent yesterday driving west from the hotel, ending at the end of the road but spending a chunk of the afternoon walking along Tunnels beach - where we got married. The house and gardens look just the same but the beach was quite different due to the winter swell which was making the normally peaceful snorkeling seem like a surfers paradise. Some of the young and brave were body surfing and getting pounded but seemingly loving every minute. We shopped the organic store in Hanalei and the Princeville center grocery store, so we are covered for breakfast for a while (how long are we staying for?) - dinner at CJ’s steakhouse - no muss kinda place but great staff and decent food - their wine list is nice - CSJ Cab for $28, Ravenswood Shiraz for $23 - that’s basically retail. No plans for today, or tomorrow, or the day after that - at least that is the plan. Aloha

Tuesday update:

Active morning, walked down to Anini beach by the dirt road - think Great Highway with red dirt. Feet gloves did great, very grippy and comfortable. Walked all the way from the end of the road to the Anini park campgrounds and back - because we were in that kind of mood - and then back up the hill - Kim’s calves and Gordon’s knees were bitching by the end of that little 2 hour trek. Which was just the excuse Kim needed for Spa session at the St Regis and Gordon took that as an excuse to read, nap, bathe and... well nap some more. Had dinner at the St Regis on the Makana terrace. The meal was fine and the Flora Springs merlot was excellent but the desert was out of this world - had the chocolate sabotage - which comes with chai tea ice cream - all the floral scented taste of chai in ice cream form - totally amazing.

This morning we drove back to Anini and snorked - visibility not great but some nice fish on the shallow coral. Saw a Humuhumunukunukuapua’a so the time was well spent. Coffee and shower, then off to the Plantation and general Nawiliwili-ness.

Wednesday update:

Well, yesterday afternoon was fun. We headed down to the Plantation and had lunch - they have changed the “tone” of the restaurant;  now much more casual as 22 degrees north and totally focused on sustainable and local - they even make their own water glasses from old champagne bottles. Very cool - food pretty decent too. After lunch we went jewelry shopping. Same place as Kim bought her flower earrings, we found a very nice 10th wedding anniversary ring - don’t think she’ll be taking it off any time soon. Tried to find me a temporary ring - my wedding ring is now to big - seems my ring finger is a 9 and that is somewhat rare - so “no ring for you”. We finished the afternoon wandering around the Marriott and Nawiliwili harbor - a silly big ship was leaving while we were there - I mean big with a capital F.

This morning was also interesting - we joined the Starwood Vacation Ownership - Yes, we own 1/50th of 173rd of this place :) Actually seemed like a good fit for the way we vacation and we have room for friends. Parting with money seemed to upset my joints and even the no hitter didn’t help (Go Phils), so lazy afternoon. Postcards for dinner we think - maybe Monchong for me.

Aloha

Thursday update:

We had a very lazy evening last night. We didn’t go to Postcards, we had our staff at Nanea prepare dinner for us. Seems like 1/50 of 1/173 does come in useful for something. The staff at Nanea is great; they were a little busy but their reaction to us being easy with it was to treat us to desert - pineapple upside down cake - Mmmmm. Gonna have to get back on the program on Monday.

This morning we drove to Tunnels - tried Ha’ena but it was a mob scene. The swell was up again but we walked down to the east end of the beach and the protection of the reef. Lots of fish and decent vis; a little surge but felt safe. We swam for a couple of hours and then made the long trudge to the showers. I decided to throw my shirt in a puddle but a quick shower and I had a very nice wet shirt to ride around in :) Lunch was a Hanalei treat - a double Bubba with cheese (Kim skipped the cheese) - great burger in the world’s best outdoor eating location - don’t get much better than that brah. For sure, Postcards tonight - might go kayak from Hanalei if the swell is up again tomorrow. We are just so loose right now - this is the life - Aloha

Friday morning:

feeling lazy and slow this morning; perhaps all that fish slowed me down? We ate at Postcards last night and I went crazy. I had crab cakes to start - light spicy drizzle over the top and a melange of sauces, all with a hint of fruity and spice with chunky fresh and nicely textured crab. Kim was shocked and not just by the size of her goat cheese salad. For the entree I had Tandoori Opah with curried veggies and brown rice. The Opah, all 4lbs of it (OK but it was huge), was moist and chewy with an outer coat of indian spices grilled to crunchy perfection. ‘Ono loa!

About the only downside is we went for the blue hair special because Postcards doesn’t take reservations and there was a line at 6 but by 7 tables were opening back up - note for next year. Maybe south today for waterfalls and tree tunnels - something casual as someone's pain levels are up again. Aloha

Saturday morning update:

Well, you learn something every day - not always something new. What I learned yesterday was that in the game of rock, paper, scissors that is life, lava rock beats toe every time. We didn’t go kayaking - too much guiding involved. Kim and I like to wander on our own unless it is dangerous and the idea of someone talking all the time while we paddled along seemed counter productive. So we drove around the island again - went up 581 to the falls and this is where I had the encounter with the lava rock. It was actually built into the bottom of the rails on the viewing path and sticking out further than I expected. Because of my feet gloves I managed to pick out my middle toe, which is now a very trendy shade of purple. Hurt like hell, then not much; so didn’t spoil the excursion. Drove all the way up to the forest reserve. Seems like there are some very nice trails up there (for when we come back year after year).

From there we drove down to Poipu for a smoothy and a view of the Spouting Horn - the temp on the south shore was nearly 90 and not much breeze but beautiful all the same. Then a slow drive back, top down all the way. By the time we were past Kapa’a began to notice my shoes weren’t as comfortable but didn’t realize the extent of discomfort until we walked to the villa.

Dinner, after much icing, at the Kaua’i Grill in the St Regis. Before their renovation this was an Italian restaurant. It is now quite “funky” - a sort of 50’s, 60’s elegant feel - booths and concealed lighting - a bit like Maze, the Ramsey place in Grosvenor square. The staff were great - that has been a consistent feature of this week, I know everyone should be nice in Kaua’i but the fact that they are is still nice - and the food was very, very good. Not cheap but as elegant and well done as you could want for a special meal. We did a combined 53rd birthday and delayed 10th wedding anniversary and enjoyed every minute. This was where we did our wedding “breakfast” in 1999 and so will always have a special place in our hearts.

Shopping and beach day planned for today with maybe tapas at “Bar Acuda” - I kid you not.

Aloha

Sunday morning update:

Well, we are all packed and ready to leave the islands - not quite as terrible as it normally is, as we have Max to come home to, but still not as much fun as unpacking.

Yesterday we went to Larson’s beach - which we had been confusing with Secret beach. Larson’s is pretty secret, only a small amount of parking at the bottom of a pretty small road. The water was a mix of swell over a steepish beach, which makes for a very scenic beach. There is a nice swimming area round by the lava rocks - I couldn’t get my foot gloves over my toes, so I just stood in the waves. Kim snorked but didn’t see much, so she painted instead. I walked to the end of the beach which is a jumble of lava rocks and a flat coral ledge out to the break - other than a fight I lost with a patch of coral - just amazing views.

Dinner at Bar Acuda was great - the tapas plates, 5 in total, were a very tasty mix and the staff, again, were great. Note to self, best coffee of this week - shame they don’t do breakfast. Hanalei does an impromptu “drive-in” movie in front of the old school house every other week - this week was Avatar - quite loud but a fun idea.

Which only leaves checking out and coffee at HavaKai before we fly back.

Mahalo Nui Loa Kaua’i - Aloha