Kauai
Heaven on Earth, but you should all go to Maui, you'll like it MUCH better.
I have pictures, but none of you can see them.
Unless you beg.
It was good to get back to the United States, if only for a moment.
The miles on my NWA account will come in handy someday.
The best part?
Debby.
I talk to her on a regular basis, but to be able to spend some time with her, without a microphone in my face,
priceless.
I got to hang out with Gavin, Susie, Stuckey, Mike, and Melissa, which had a calming effect on me.
I was glad to get away and experience Sportscenter again.
To drink water from a faucet.
To hear English, albeit, with a Polynesian accent.
To have a beer with my girlfriend and friends.
To be a part of something.
I feel energized and ready to finish out the year.
Although, the time is craaaaaaawling.
We started in Honolulu's airport, where Brad had a bunch of Guinesseseses.
We finished in Honolulu's airport, where security had to tear me apart from Debby, kicking and screaming.
What happened in-between was the best vacation I have ever had in my life.
Bar none.
Better than the trip through The Badlands.
Better than the trips through Montana and Idaho.
Better than going to the Grateful Dead in Cleveland or Chicago.
Better than The Allman Brothers Band in Tinley Park
Better than going to Wrigley Field.
Better than going to the 75th Street Brewery. (Yep, I'm serious)
I have never had a trip like this.
Sunshine.
Debby.
Light rain.
Debby.
Kayaking.
Debby.
Mountains.
Debby.
Waimea Canyon.
Debby.
Beaches.
Debby.
Body surfing (or some resemblance to it).
Debby.
Hiking.
With Debby.
Debby.
Dinners in the condo every night.
Debby.
Red Stripe.
Debby.
See where I am going with this, people?
I had the time of my life (great, another song to get out of my head).
And nobody put Debby in a corner.
We started our vacation by getting lost on the way to the condo.
Poor guy who told us we were in the wrong place.
When we finally did arrive, after beer and grocery shopping, we hit the deck and did Soju shots and caught up with each other, Debby never an arm's length away.
I had TWO Saturdays, I love the International Date Line.
I actually got there before I left.
Sunday was a day of checking out stuff.
Where do we want to go?
What do we want to do?
Did you know 1,200 eggs can last you a week?
Neither did we, until know.
We hit the beach.
We drove around the island.
We had shrimp at a little shack on the west side.
We looked at the ocean.
Jealous?
You should be.
Every night, no matter what was going on, we had dinner together, just like families should.
A round of "What did you do today?"
And "What are we doing tomorrow?"
Just like families used to do.
Only, this time, I got to put my feet on the countertop.
People snorkeled.
People went zip lining.
People went kayaking. (with a cute guide, as far as Susie and Debby were concerned)
People went hiking<--- Debby and I did an eight-mile hike up the Na Poli Coast. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!. If you're ever up there, look for the numerous bamboo trees I etched our initials into. Debby broke her camera, but it was my fault. You see, I made a smart-assed comment (yes, yes, I did. I was shocked, too) and she playfully knocked my shoulder, but missed, hitting the camera. We watched as it slowly went through the air, sunlight shimmering off the gleaming metal, slowly turning and rolling as it struck the rock we were standing on, bouncing into the only water puddle in a ten foot radius. I quickly pulled it out of the water, got the memory card out and saved the battery, however, the LCD screen was damaged beyond comprehension. Sorry, Debby!!!!!! As for the hike, there is nothing on this planet like it. The most beautiful views, foliage beyond your imagination, paths as wide as your foot, with a two hundred foot drop-off on your left. Mud, mud, and more mud. A private beach, where numerous people have died trying to swim. Obviously, we didn't. Swim, that is. We wanted to die at the end of the hike, but the sunset we watched saved us. And BOY-HOWDY!!!!!!!
What a sunset.
Nothing in the way, but a cloud.
And it enhanced it.
A quiet beach, with a hundred of our closest friends (or closest strangers) and the sun diving into the horizon, as the temperature dropped a bit, and the mist from the waves crashing creating little dots of of Angel's tears falling to the fine sandy beach.
All with no shoes on.
Not the hike, the sunset.
If you ever have a chance to go to a luau,
GO.
If not for the food, but the people watching and the scantily clad hula dancers.
The girls said there were almost naked guys, too, but I didn't notice.
Polynesian welcoming dances, hula, screaming, landlubbers getting on stage and dancing with the group, old-timers having the time of their lives, and a group of seven in the back, drinking free booze and walking away when a hula dancer approached our, er, their table, to ask if they wanted to go on stage, fire dancing, and Haupia.
Enough said.
Again, as the time before, we were all wanting to make a phone call home, sell our stuff and settle.
I still haven't figured out why we left.
Another question, never to be answered.
Then.
It happened.
It ended.
I have done some hard things in my life.
Too numerous to list, but leaving Debby standing in Honolulu's Airport was, BY FAR, number ONE.
You know the feeling you get when you leave someone for a day or two?
Well.
Add to the fact I am not seeing her until May, when she comes here, and add to that the BEST week EVAH.
Well, you can see how hard it was.
Tears?
Why, yes. From Debby, too.
Plenty.
Heartbreak?
It cracked.
Pain.
Yep?
I didn't listen to my iPod at all on the 11 hour flight home.
I was a ball of nerves heading back over that International Date Line.
I lost part of a Saturday and most of a Sunday.
I hate The International Date Line.
Can I say it was good to get back to Seoul?
I could.
But, I won't.
Don't get me wrong, I like it here, I am enjoying myself, I am learning about myself, I am learning how to teach, I love my kids, I love my job, but the vision locked into my head is Debby standing there, waving is a hard one to let go. But I have it saved and I refer to it when this place gets to be too much.
So.
I got that going for me.
Mahalo.
Thanks for reading.
Pictures to come, forthwith.
Heaven on Earth, but you should all go to Maui, you'll like it MUCH better.
I have pictures, but none of you can see them.
Unless you beg.
It was good to get back to the United States, if only for a moment.
The miles on my NWA account will come in handy someday.
The best part?
Debby.
I talk to her on a regular basis, but to be able to spend some time with her, without a microphone in my face,
priceless.
I got to hang out with Gavin, Susie, Stuckey, Mike, and Melissa, which had a calming effect on me.
I was glad to get away and experience Sportscenter again.
To drink water from a faucet.
To hear English, albeit, with a Polynesian accent.
To have a beer with my girlfriend and friends.
To be a part of something.
I feel energized and ready to finish out the year.
Although, the time is craaaaaaawling.
We started in Honolulu's airport, where Brad had a bunch of Guinesseseses.
We finished in Honolulu's airport, where security had to tear me apart from Debby, kicking and screaming.
What happened in-between was the best vacation I have ever had in my life.
Bar none.
Better than the trip through The Badlands.
Better than the trips through Montana and Idaho.
Better than going to the Grateful Dead in Cleveland or Chicago.
Better than The Allman Brothers Band in Tinley Park
Better than going to Wrigley Field.
Better than going to the 75th Street Brewery. (Yep, I'm serious)
I have never had a trip like this.
Sunshine.
Debby.
Light rain.
Debby.
Kayaking.
Debby.
Mountains.
Debby.
Waimea Canyon.
Debby.
Beaches.
Debby.
Body surfing (or some resemblance to it).
Debby.
Hiking.
With Debby.
Debby.
Dinners in the condo every night.
Debby.
Red Stripe.
Debby.
See where I am going with this, people?
I had the time of my life (great, another song to get out of my head).
And nobody put Debby in a corner.
We started our vacation by getting lost on the way to the condo.
Poor guy who told us we were in the wrong place.
When we finally did arrive, after beer and grocery shopping, we hit the deck and did Soju shots and caught up with each other, Debby never an arm's length away.
I had TWO Saturdays, I love the International Date Line.
I actually got there before I left.
Sunday was a day of checking out stuff.
Where do we want to go?
What do we want to do?
Did you know 1,200 eggs can last you a week?
Neither did we, until know.
We hit the beach.
We drove around the island.
We had shrimp at a little shack on the west side.
We looked at the ocean.
Jealous?
You should be.
Every night, no matter what was going on, we had dinner together, just like families should.
A round of "What did you do today?"
And "What are we doing tomorrow?"
Just like families used to do.
Only, this time, I got to put my feet on the countertop.
People snorkeled.
People went zip lining.
People went kayaking. (with a cute guide, as far as Susie and Debby were concerned)
People went hiking<--- Debby and I did an eight-mile hike up the Na Poli Coast. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!. If you're ever up there, look for the numerous bamboo trees I etched our initials into. Debby broke her camera, but it was my fault. You see, I made a smart-assed comment (yes, yes, I did. I was shocked, too) and she playfully knocked my shoulder, but missed, hitting the camera. We watched as it slowly went through the air, sunlight shimmering off the gleaming metal, slowly turning and rolling as it struck the rock we were standing on, bouncing into the only water puddle in a ten foot radius. I quickly pulled it out of the water, got the memory card out and saved the battery, however, the LCD screen was damaged beyond comprehension. Sorry, Debby!!!!!! As for the hike, there is nothing on this planet like it. The most beautiful views, foliage beyond your imagination, paths as wide as your foot, with a two hundred foot drop-off on your left. Mud, mud, and more mud. A private beach, where numerous people have died trying to swim. Obviously, we didn't. Swim, that is. We wanted to die at the end of the hike, but the sunset we watched saved us. And BOY-HOWDY!!!!!!!
What a sunset.
Nothing in the way, but a cloud.
And it enhanced it.
A quiet beach, with a hundred of our closest friends (or closest strangers) and the sun diving into the horizon, as the temperature dropped a bit, and the mist from the waves crashing creating little dots of of Angel's tears falling to the fine sandy beach.
All with no shoes on.
Not the hike, the sunset.
If you ever have a chance to go to a luau,
GO.
If not for the food, but the people watching and the scantily clad hula dancers.
The girls said there were almost naked guys, too, but I didn't notice.
Polynesian welcoming dances, hula, screaming, landlubbers getting on stage and dancing with the group, old-timers having the time of their lives, and a group of seven in the back, drinking free booze and walking away when a hula dancer approached our, er, their table, to ask if they wanted to go on stage, fire dancing, and Haupia.
Enough said.
Again, as the time before, we were all wanting to make a phone call home, sell our stuff and settle.
I still haven't figured out why we left.
Another question, never to be answered.
Then.
It happened.
It ended.
I have done some hard things in my life.
Too numerous to list, but leaving Debby standing in Honolulu's Airport was, BY FAR, number ONE.
You know the feeling you get when you leave someone for a day or two?
Well.
Add to the fact I am not seeing her until May, when she comes here, and add to that the BEST week EVAH.
Well, you can see how hard it was.
Tears?
Why, yes. From Debby, too.
Plenty.
Heartbreak?
It cracked.
Pain.
Yep?
I didn't listen to my iPod at all on the 11 hour flight home.
I was a ball of nerves heading back over that International Date Line.
I lost part of a Saturday and most of a Sunday.
I hate The International Date Line.
Can I say it was good to get back to Seoul?
I could.
But, I won't.
Don't get me wrong, I like it here, I am enjoying myself, I am learning about myself, I am learning how to teach, I love my kids, I love my job, but the vision locked into my head is Debby standing there, waving is a hard one to let go. But I have it saved and I refer to it when this place gets to be too much.
So.
I got that going for me.
Mahalo.
Thanks for reading.
Pictures to come, forthwith.
Labels: Hawai'i
posted by Axton & friends | 2/04/2007 04:13:00 PM
6 Comments:
So, I'm guessing that you kinda liked Hawaii? Glad you had a great line. And, you are right, that International Date Line can be a great thing or a real bitch! Depends on which way you cross it. By the way, just what is "zip lining"? I be unfamiliar with the term (go ahead and laugh). Glad you got back safe and sound, even though it is with a sense of melancholy.
Consider this my begging for pictures (you said that we had to).
Ironically enough I also love sunsets with one cloud that accentuates the moment.
Next time you go to Hawaii, I want to go, too! I went there once, to visit my sister, whose husband was stationed there in the Army for 2 years. I only got to see what SHE wanted me to see, though. She refused to take me to a Hula; said it was too "tourist-y." Um, hello? I AM a tourist!?! She did take me up the eastern edge of the big island to see the mountains and we did go to Honolulu to see where our father was stationed during WWII. (I know -- tough assignment for him, right? AND he was in the Navy BAND for cripes sake...) I did get to be stung by a jellyfish, so my trip wasn't too uneventful.
I loved your description of your trip, Brad. Hell, I love all of your descriptions!
And I'm begging for pictures, too.
Face says, "Add me to the list of those begging for pictures, and to the list of those appalled that we didn't get off our ever-expanding fat arses and join in the trip our danged selves!" OK, so maybe I'm the only one needing to be on that particular list... Also add me to that list of those who have never commented on a blog because it requires that I come up with yet ANOTHER USERNAME and PASSWORD and somehow steals some part of my soul in so-doing (in much the same way that being on a list does).
Wow, thank you, Face, er, anonymous!!! I am honored you replied.
I tried to make it to where you don't have to sign up for the bogging service. Some have done that. I would NEVER want you to give up ANY part of yourself for me.
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