A little overdue-Kauai

So, this one's been a long time coming! Just thought that I'd share the story of our R&R trip to the island of Kauai! Kauai is known as The Garden Isle, and for good reason. That place was so green and luscious. I understand that things on the islands are laid back & at a slower pace, but, to me, Kauai was just that & more. It was less tourist-y to me than Oahu. And, there are roosters everywhere!

My husband (the brave soul that he is) decided that while we were in Kauai, we should go on a hiking/kayaking tour. I just want you to know, prior to his brilliant decision, I had never been hiking before. And, now that I have been hiking, I think my husband would say he is never taking me hiking again.

It all started with a guide & about 12 other people. The guide was nice, and it's a good thing that he's a guide, because he sure did like to talk. Maybe that's what I should do one day, be a tour guide. I can talk the paint off the walls, just a thought.

Anyway, we learned about how to kayak (how to paddle pretty much), and then we headed off in a van where the hike would begin towards the Wailua River. Talk about awkward, I felt bad for the guide! He had to just ramble on & on while the rest of the van sat quietly and stared out the windows in opposite directions. Whew, this is gonna be good, somebody speak up. Of course, that somebody had to be me.

Turns out, all the folks on the tour were all coupled off & a family of 4 with 8 &10 year old kids.

One couple, I'd like to call "Canada." Yep, you guessed it, that's where these folks were from. They both had to comment on my husband's & my accent. I understand I'm from the South, and just because I talk slow doesn't mean I'm an idiot, so, stop looking at me like I am, okay, ol' Canada. You have an accent, too. Have I said anything about yours?

I felt so bad for the kids kayaking down the river, a 10 year old with his father, and an 8 year old with her mother. I'm not saying the kids couldn't kayak, they did all right. The mother complained the whole time about it all. Lady, #1, you brought your little kids with short arms, so, it's gonna be a little hard to paddle, #2, there's gonna be mosquitoes, we're walking through a river valley. Duh! Where's that bug repellant? Okay, I don't have any room to talk about bug repellant, because I didn't bring any either (see picture below), but I did have sense enough to borrow some & for the record, I didn't whine! Just sayin'.

There was also a couple from Tennessee, that appeared to be so in love, they were in their own little world. But, hey, good for them. Also, there was another couple that was extremely nice, but I can't remember where they're from. The husband was in the Navy (back in the day), and he & my husband were able to talk military. His wife was so positive & encouraging (I'll call Ms. Optimism), as we're walking through mud (up to our ankles & in our shoes, I'm not whining, by the way), she said, "Embrace the Mud, people in California pay for these mud baths, just embrace the mud." Oh, believe me, lady, I'll embrace the mud, all right. Maybe ten minutes into the hike, I fell on my face, and yes, you guessed it, into the mud. I'm not the most graceful of all people.

I only had one other fall whenever we crossed some water, and that was a great thing, because it took alot of the mud off of me from the first fall on the hike. What can I say, Ms. Optimism was rubbing off on me!

We got to Wailua Falls & that was the prettiest sight I have ever seen. My husband decided to go swimming under the falls. I can barely doggie paddle, so, I watch from a distance (i.e. where the water is shallow or nonexistent). I tried to take my husband's picture with the falls, but the whining mother made the shot.

Here are a few more pictures from the hike. It really was alot of fun. This place was beautiful, oh yeah, and here is where royalty took baths.

And, speaking of bathing, if you care, here's an awapuhi plant (used in some shampoos).

The group!

Here is my favorite picture from the trip!

If you ever have a chance to visit Kauai, I would do it! Until then, you can live vicariously through me!