Honeymoon: Day 1

Hello everyone! This is my very FIRST blog and I am happy you have decided to read it. Ben and I thought it would be beneficial for us to keep track of our travels and adventures so that we can help others who may be going to the same places we have been to. Our purpose is to offer tips, advice and our opinion on everything from the hotel accommodations, transportation to and from the destination, great restaurants to check out (and not so great ones to avoid), best beaches to visit, reveal local hidden "gems" that the average tourist would not know about etc...

When Ben and I go to a new place we waste no time sitting around the pool...except for the very necessary sunset cocktail ;0) We get some local maps, hop in our rental car and hit the road.

Our first blog will be about our recent trip to Hawaii. We visited Maui and Kauai. This trip will probably go down as one of the most memorable trips of our lives.

Day ONE: Getting to Hawaii

FLIGHTS: If you live on the East Coast, getting to Hawaii is no easy task! Ben and I spent a few days in San Francisco (where his brothers family lives...we will have more info on SanFran in a later blog) before flying Hawaiian Airlines (www.hawaiianair.com) into Honolulu. The flight was very comfortable with lots of room to move around. Unfortunately, I was sick with the flu the whole way there so I didn't really get to enjoy myself! The flight was a little under 5 hours and flew by. We landed in Honolulu and had to catch a smaller plane to Maui. We took Go! Airlines (www.iflygo.com), which was fine except for the 2-hour delay we had to endure in the airport. The flight to Maui only took 30 minutes.

Once in Maui we picked up our rental car from Alamo Car Rental (www.alamo.com). A CONVERTIBLE!!! At first we were only going to rent a tiny car but Ben decided to go for it and get the convertible for only $77 more dollars! What a deal. We do NOT recommend going all the way to Hawaii and renting a normal car.... you MUST get a convertible. There is no better way to experience Hawaii. There really is something about having the wind go through your hair and you drive by the ocean. Once in the car we headed out to find the Ritz-Carlton at Kapalua (www.ritzcarlton.com). The drive from the airport is approximately 1 hour. On our way we went past the most incredible panoramic view of the ocean....breathtaking! It is truly something that cannot be described, the absolute beauty of the water. It was about 25 minutes into our drive that we had our first whale sighting! Now, we live on Nantucket for half the year and not once have we ever seen a whale. They seemed to be a dime a dozen out in the ocean. You knew they were there because of the stream of mist shooting into the air from their blowholes.... it was amazing to watch. Stream after stream shooting up into the sunset, it was almost as if they were welcoming us into their world...that was the exact moment when Ben and I knew we were about to have the trip of a lifetime.

Getting to The Ritz-Carlton:

One word: WOW. This is how Ben and I could describe the feeling of seeing the hotel for the first time. What I first noticed was the underlying scent of pineapple and something else sweet. It was a tropical dream you could say. You walked into the lobby and could immediately see the ocean through the other of the hotel. There was a warm breeze flowing through the lobby. The decorating was outstanding...Hawaiian chic. It had a minimalist style but with bursts of color everywhere you looked. Very tasteful. We were greeted at the front desk with 2 beaded necklaces and a warm ALOHA! A really welcoming young girl led Ben and I to our garden view/ocean view suite. We had no idea what to expect. Then she opened the door and our mouths dropped at the same time...WOW...this was the most gorgeous room we had ever stayed in. It was 900 square feet with a kitchen, living room, 2 flat screen TVS, a huge king size bed, Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, big closet and about 100 square feet of deck overlooking the 10,000 square foot pool. We also had a fantastic view of the ocean. The decorating gave us the same feeling as the lobby...not overdone but totally Hawaiian and relaxed. A little later Ben decided to order room service, I was still not feeling that great, so he went with the turkey club with bacon and avocado and fries. Ben still talks about that meal, he said it was "the best meal turkey club I have ever eaten" and trust me, he has had a lot of turkey clubs.

Then there was a knock at the door...we were greeted by a nice young man who was carrying a bottle of champagne with 2 glasses and a plate of fresh cheeses, dried fruit and crackers! We couldn't believe it, we felt so special. There was a note from the Ritz Carlton accountant welcoming us to the hotel and wishing us a happy honeymoon. There was also the mention of Justine (who works for Ritz-Carlton as well), who really helped us out with getting such an incredible rate for the room. We worked for Justine and her family on Nantucket last fall. Ben cooked a few dinners for them and she told us that Hawaii was the BEST place to go on a honeymoon…so far, she was right! We decided to put the champagne and food away for later and go to bed...we were too tired to stay up and we wanted to wait for the perfect moment to pop the champagne.

Day 2: Waking up in paradise

After the most relaxing, comfortable sleep ever, Ben and I wake up at 6am. Keep in mind we went to bed at 7pm. Both of us were exhausted from the trip and I still wasn't feeling 100% but the long sleep sure helped. We were up and excited to start our day! First things first, COFFEE. We both really enjoy a great cup of coffee in the morning and our room came with a Cuisinart coffee maker and great coffee. I decided I was feeling well enough to workout and I really wanted to check out the gym facility. Nothing gets me more excited in the morning than knowing a great workout lies ahead in a beautiful gym-I'm a little nuts over working out, I know-so I head down to the lobby and find the INCREDIBLE water stand with ice cold water that has pineapple in it. What a great idea! Everyone should try it sometime; it really adds a refreshing aspect to the water. After guzzling down 3 cups of it I head to the gym. Once inside I see all my fitness dreams coming true...it’s a brand new gym with one side facing the ocean. The treadmills and other cardio equipment have front row seats to the gorgeous ocean and enormous pool. Now this is the type of gym where running on the treadmill doesn't get boring. They also have great weight machines and all the little extras you could expect in a top of the line gym.

While I was working out, Ben decided to venture out and find a grocery store so we could stock up on some food to put in our fridge. We love to be able to make our own lunches in the room and have healthy snacks on hand. He found this great little coffee shop and thought that maybe he should buy some coffee for the room and then he saw the price...$32/lb!!! He couldn't believe it and asked the cashier why it was so expensive. She told him that most coffee you buy in supermarkets/coffee shops has been sitting on the shelf for about 6 months to a year BUT their coffee was picked LAST week! It is probably the freshest coffee you can buy. Needless to say, he did not buy the bag but opted to try a cup when he and I came back together...Ben is pretty thoughtful like that :)

Later that day we decided that a couple’s massage was in order! We were both a little achy and LOVE to try different spa treatments when we go to new places. The massage was a gift from Ben's brothers and their wives (thank you Kim, Emilee, Steve and Dave!!!) We went into the spa an hour early to try out the steam rooms; whirlpool tubs and just plain relax. We walk in and are immediately greeted but a calm woman who makes us feel completely welcome. The Ritz just completed a renovation of the spa and it is perfect! Very earthy and smells terrific. We are led down the bamboo hallway to the co-ed lounge area, which has refreshments, yummy treats and plenty of comfy chairs. Ben and I go are separate ways into the locker rooms. Once inside, I am again greeted by a fabulous employee and shown to my locker where I receive my robe and sandals. *Ben loved the robes so much that he brought one home* I change into my lounging attire and head to the steam room area. As I am about to go in the employee comes back and congratulates me on my wedding and asks if I would like some champagne...of course I would! I am not a girl who turns down a drink. I have a few sips-delicious-and step into the wet sauna that has eucalyptus essence flowing through the mist. I feel completely relaxed and emerge 30 min later feeling like a million bucks!

I get my robe back on and head to the co-ed lounge to meet up with Ben. We sit and relax for a little while and then we are taken to an outdoors room to have our first couples massage. It was such a peaceful setting. We could hear the birds, the ocean and the breeze. How could you NOT relax in a place like this?!?! When it was over we realized that the week had only begun and the feeling of euphoria was going to stay with us until we left. If only we could feel like this everyday.

That night we only wanted something light. Our appetites still were not normal and we didn’t want to waste a good meal on our sickly selves. We drove to a little town called Lahaina that was only 15min from the Ritz. It was right on the water and had tons of cool shops and restaurants. It was slightly touristy but had many options. We decided on a beach restaurant called the “Mixed Plate” (www.alohamixedplate.com). It was a casual place with a very relaxed vibe. They served the dishes on paper plates that also gave it a BBQ style. I had the mixed plate that came with BBQ chicken, teriyaki steak and grilled Mahi Mahi. It was great! Ben had a chicken and Mahi Mahi stir-fry with rice. His had a little too much sauce but a good flavor.
We headed home for another early nights rest. We knew by the next day we would be rejuvenated and ready to go!

Day 3: Road to Hana

On the 3rd day we decided to drive the “road to Hana.” This is a famous 54-mile trek with switchback and hairpin turns to the central east coast of Maui. We heard many great things about the drive and also of the “best banana bread in the world” that is sold alongside the road on the way. I had to find out if this was true! Up until that point my Nanny (my dad’s mother) made the BEST banana bread in my mind and it was time to challenge that notion. The weather was perfect and we set out, with the top down of course. Ben had told me about the coffee shop with the $30 coffee and we wanted to taste it to see if we could tell the difference in freshness. So we bought 2 cups, one regular and one hazelnut. It was pretty good coffee I must say! Normally I don’t finish a cup but I drank the whole thing. It did taste a lot more fresh. On our way we stopped at a market to pick up some fruit for the road. The local strawberries were so sweet and the apples very crisp. You can’t forget about the pineapple from Maui. It is sooo incredibly tasty and sweet. I ate it every single day! They are grown on the island, so freshness is always guaranteed.

We came upon a town that caught both our eyes. It was called Apia (www.paiamaui.com) Ben and I have both been to Australia before and it reminded us some of the hippy towns we saw there. We loved it. It had very unique restaurants and people. We wanted to stop but decided to wait until the way home. We wanted to get to Hana. As we enter to what I call “the beginning of the really windy roads” it becomes very dense with greenery. We had the sense that this was the land that time forgot. The road kissed the sides mountains and hugged every curve. It was hard for Ben to take his eyes off the road because they were SO narrow. About half way to Hana we came to a roadside stand that had banana bread and my mouth started to water in anticipation. Ben came back to the car with a freshly baked, still warm loaf of banana bread and we ripped it open and ate the whole thing! I don’ we think we have ever tasted anything so out of this world delicious. It was buttery, smooth and perfectly baked. We were in heaven. Sorry Nanny but this one may just beat you out. We continued on with full bellies but didn’t quite make it all the way to the end. I tend to get motion sickness a lot quicker these days. The roads were just too curvy for me and I was beginning to feel nauseas. So we headed back towards our hotel. We stopped in Paia on our way back to check it out. We really enjoyed the vibe and hung out for about an hour. We looked in the stores and read the menus at different restaurants.

When we got back to the Ritz Ben and I made our own cocktails in the room and headed down to the pool to relax a little. The pool is such a great people watching spot. We sat back on lounge chairs and enjoyed the afternoon with beverages in hand. That night we wanted to check out the hotel restaurant “Kai” which is the Ritz-Carlton signature sushi restaurant. Before we sat at a table we sat up at the bar in the lounge for a drink. It had a very soothing vibe. Ben ordered a Bikini Blonde beer (made in Maui) and I had a glass of red wine. The bar snacks were to die for! Sesame seed coated pecans, sweet and salty almonds and marinated olives. I could have just eaten that as my dinner. As we were about to pay for the drinks and move into Kai a VERY generous man sitting at the bar offered to pay for our drinks! Out of the blue! We hadn’t even been talking with him. I didn’t even notice he was there. It was such a nice gesture, something that Ben and I will never forget. He said it looked as if we were on our honeymoon and then he said something we will never forget “it is so rare to see two people so much in love.” And he is right; we are so much in love!

Our sushi dinner at Kai was fabulous. We had edamame, spicy tuna roll, caterpillar roll and a vegetable roll. They were superbly rolled and the presentation was crisp and elegant. We really enjoyed it! But the best part was dessert. It was simple homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream in an edible caramel bowl. It was so simple and tasty!!! The bowl was pretty much made from brown sugar and butter and you would take a bite of it with each ice cream bite. We almost licked the plate. We were both tired and decided to go to bed early so we could wake up feeling ready for the next day.

**This was the night that our blog idea came to life** I feel bad that we did not start something like this earlier. We now vow to record and keep track of all the travels we go on. Good night!

Day 4: Hiking Day

On this day Ben and I woke up at 7am, which was considered sleeping in to us because we had been getting up around 6am the previous days. It felt good to get a little more shuteye and we were anxious to get out and start exploring the grounds around the Ritz. We headed up to the “Adventure Lodge” on the property, which helps guests plan different adventures around the island. A very helpful employee told us of the old golf course that had now been turned into a walking trail. It sounded perfect. It was only 3 miles and Ben could check out the old course. We took a map and headed out. First we walked towards the water to see the lava rocks along the coast. Beautiful. It was a good way to see the ruggedness of coastline. Then we headed up towards to old golf course for our hike. It was neat to walk around an abandoned course. It felt like a ghost town! It had a LOT of hills that were good for me but for the average walker it was pretty steep but the views from the top were so unexpected! You could see sooo far. Ben and I stopped just to take it all in. The walk took us about 1.5 hours and by the time we had finished we were ready for lunch. We stopped into the Ritz general store and picked up a few things to make lunch in our room. The rest of the day was going to be spent doing absolutely nothing but relaxing by the pool and ocean. Because we had such a good food experience at Kai we decided to try another meal at the hotel. We really loved the bar/lounge atmosphere so we kept it casual with dinner that night. The dinner was anything but ordinary though! We shared a chicken Caesar salad and a burger trio plate with fries. There were 3 mini burgers with cheese and bacon…YUMMY! We pretty much devoured that dinner. For dessert we had ice cream again with cookies instead of the bowl. Good stuff. Once again, we called it a night and went to bed for a good night sleep.

Day 5: Meeting new friends

Today we woke up at 5am! I don’t know what it was but we couldn’t sleep. So I decided to get up and go to the gym for an early morning workout. There was only one other person in the gym with me and she was the employee! I welcomed the silence and got to work. It was probably one of the best workouts of my life. I had so much energy and before I knew it an hour and a half had flown by. I headed back to the room to plan the day with Ben. Since we really liked the town of Paia we got in the car and went back for lunch. We weren’t sure which restaurant we wanted to eat at and figured we would just decide when we got there. We actually ended up buying sandwiches from the local grocery store! From the outside it looked like nothing but when you went in it is like a hippy Whole Foods. It was my dream store! All organic and with products and foods you don’t normally see at regular stores. They had a fabulous sandwich/salad bar section so Ben and I picked up some vegan sandwiches. Who says you need meat on a sandwich?!?!? These had so many flavors that we didn’t miss the usual chicken or turkey. They were so good we went back and bought another.

That afternoon was devoted to relaxing (again). Before we knew it was time for cocktails. But this wasn’t just any night. This was the night we were going out with our new friend Mike (who was an employee at the Ritz who worked at the pool) and his girlfriend Amber. We met Mike a few days earlier and he was the coolest guy. He was so helpful and easygoing. The conversation just seemed to flow freely and before we knew it we were talking with him every time we went to the pool. Ben and I told him about our plan to go over to Kauai Island from Sunday until Tuesday and the strangest coincidence happened…he told us that he was going to Kauai on the EXACT same dates with Amber!!! Can you believe that?!? If that isn’t fate, I don’t know what is. We arranged to have drinks later on that night to get to know them better and just hang out. Mike and Amber the first “young” people we had met on our trip. So we were pretty excited to go out with them.

We met up Amber and Mike at a sushi restaurant called “Sansei” (www.sanseihawaii.com) around 8pm. Sansei was located right on Ritz-Carlton property. It was an immediate connection between all of us. It was as if we were meeting up with old friends. There was no awkwardness, we just all immersed ourselves in great conversation and before we knew it 10:30pm rolled around. During our talk we planned to meet up in Kauai and explore the island together because they had never been either. Ben and I didn’t think twice about meeting up with them, we couldn’t wait to!!! Honestly, I am still in shock that we all planned to be in Kauai on the exact same dates. Some signs are just too obvious to ignore.

Day 6: Our final day on Maui

I couldn’t believe how much we were dreading leaving Maui. We were up at 6am again and pretty anxious to start our day. We knew we couldn’t afford to waste ANY time lazing around the hotel room. We put on our hiking outfits and headed off to a 7-mile hike. The trail we went on was called the Mahana Ridge Trail. Our first stop was at the general store to get some coffee, fruit and water. We were told it can take 3 hours to complete the 7-mile trail and we wanted to make sure that we had some refreshments in case we got lost! They assured us that not one person has ever gotten lost on the trail. Phew! Next, we walked to the Adventure Lodge to wait for a shuttle. They have a shuttle that comes 5 times a day and takes guests to the top of the mountain. It’s about 3000ft above sea level. The drive takes approximately 15min. It was 8am and Ben and I were the only ones at the shuttle stop. I don’t know if this is a good sign or a bad sign!?! We hopped in and rode to the top. Along the way you pass this ultra exclusive neighborhood with house that seem to have a 360-degree view of the island. Incredible.

The driver dropped us at the entrance to the path and we both just looked at each other, both not really sure what to think. It looked the opening to Jurassic Park. Not kidding. I was thinking we were about to go into a dinosaur feeding ground. It looked wild, lush, green and utterly intriguing. I did feel a little nervousness but I was assured that there are no snakes, no dangerous spiders, and no real “pests.” Not only is Hawaii amazing but also you can also go hiking in the jungle and not get eaten alive by anything! It reinforces my love for this place.

Here are some cool pictures of the views we had. The little flowers were so dainty and pretty. Ben even managed to spot coffee bean trees! The hike took us about 2 ½ hours. We had a fabulous time and were famished when we came back. Time for lunch! Mike had told us about some cool shops and restaurants in Kaanapali, which was just down the road from the Ritz. So we thought we would go take a walk around there and see if there were any good food places for lunch. We walked the boardwalk in front of many hotels for a little while looking at the different menus. Ben has taught me to never a make a food choice hastily and that every meal should be the best meal you have ever had. I take my time now when choosing what to eat. We picked a beach bar called “Leilani's” (www.leilanis.com). As we walked in the waitress greeted us and told us to pick any seat. As we were walking Ben whispered in my ear that he thought he knew the waitress. No way! I thought. How could we be on the other side of the world and see someone we know? It turns out she is a girl who works in Nantucket every summer, just like us!!! It was crazy…I couldn’t believe it. Her name is Holly and she is a bar tender on Nantucket in the summertime. She served us our incredible lunch and we had a chance to catch up and talk. Every winter she find s cool new place to work for the season. I love that! She didn’t have any idea where she was going to work next winter and I thought that was pretty awesome. She had a contagious lust for life that was hard to miss. Our meal was perfect! I had a tuna salad with strawberries, walnuts, feta, oranges and a strawberry dressing. Great flavor! Ben had a fish sandwich made with grilled swordfish and fries. One of us will ALWAYS order fries to share. We like to have fry taste tests when we eat out. We are always looking for the perfect French fry. We asked for the check and she had a surprise for us. She brought us the BIGGEST piece of ice cream cake I had ever seen. The signature dessert called the HULA PIE is worth every single calorie. It is vanilla macadamias nut ice cream with an Oreo butter crust with a layer of chocolate fudge and then it is topped with hot fudge and crushed macadamia nuts….OMG. We were in HEAVEN. I have never witnessed 2 people eat a dessert so fast. Ben and I waste no time on great food. We exchanged numbers with Holly and agreed to meet up with her and her boyfriend Scott who was from New Zealand around 9pm at Sansei, the place we went the night before.

In the afternoon we drove to Lahaina to look at a few art stores. We wanted to buy something the remind us of Maui but most paintings where way out of our price range and we knew we would find something on Kauai.

We had a few hours until sunset and a full bottle of champagne from the first night! Ben was so adorable; he came into the room all excited and told me to get ready. I didn’t know where we were going but I saw the champagne and strawberries and followed closely. He led me down to the beach for a romantic picnic on the beach. It was perfect. We drank the whole bottle and talked about how much we would miss Maui and how much fun we had had in the past 5 days. These are the moments I will never forget.

As for dinner, we wanted to make it best meal yet! We really LOVED the food at the bar in the Ritz and opted to stay there and have a casual meal but go all out and forget about healthy. We were having turkey clubs and fries and pizza! As for dessert, we knew we had to trying somewhere else. I wanted chocolate so we headed the Banyan Tree restaurant down by the pool. This is the restaurant to go to at the Ritz. We didn’t have enough time in our week to eat dinner there so I thought we should at least try the dessert. We ordered the chocolate tasting menu, which was unreal! It had chocolate cheesecake, chocolate mousse and chocolate ice cream. I ate pretty the whole thing.

At 9pm we met Holly and Scott. Let me just say I haven’t laughed that much in a long time. Holly was so funny! We really loved talking and getting to know both of them more. Scott was a real sweetheart and had many cool ideas and opinions of New Zealand. It was interesting to listen. He moved to Maui with Holly for a year from New Zealand. They met while Holly was touring around NZ. How cute!

Well this was our last night and we had mixed feelings. On one hand we were sad to leave and on the other we were about to venture into unchartered territory. We had no clue what lay ahead of us but we were eager to find out.

Kauai-the most incredible place we have ever seen...

During our last 2 1/2 days on our Honeymoon we decided to head over to another island called Kauai. We had heard how beautiful it was but we were really excited to see it for ourselves. Our new friends, Mike and Amber, were also there at the same time. We still couldn't get over the fact that our trips landed on the EXACT same days. I have always believed in fate and all that "stuff" but this coincidence was truly surprising and shocking at the same time. I guess everything really does happen for a reason.

The airplane ride over was quick and easy. It took a little less than an hour from Maui. We flew on GO! Airlines again. Once we landed it was a seamless transition to our rental car, which was another convertible by the way. This time it only took about 10 minutes to get to our beach hotel. The moment we started driving we could feel the difference in this island compared to Maui. There was something more rustic about the place…it felt more primal. It was a LOT less developed and had a cool, hippy vibe to it. The mountains were more pronounced with really sharp and jagged looking ridges and edges. It was very cool to see. We stayed at "Resort Quest: The Beach Islander"
(www.resortquesthawaii.com) Which was right on the beach. It was much different than the Ritz, that's for sure! But there was something inside me that liked this place much better...it felt like the way an island should feel like. We walked into the entrance and it was open all the way through. You could see the ocean as you walked in. Gorgeous. We felt instantly relaxed and knew we had a few exciting days ahead. Our room was on the top floor with views of the pool and ocean. The room was perfect for us! Clean, all the basic amenities and a great deck...perfect for cocktails. We didn't waste much time in the room and headed out to explore the new roads. Our first little town we came to was Kapaa. It was a funky, eclectic place with tons of unique stores and many different styles of restaurants to choose from. We decided not to stop yet and keep driving. As we drove along the highway towards Hanalei we were in complete awe of the lushness that seemed to hug the highways. The trees were covered with huge green vines and leaves and winding branches. It felt as if we had stepped into another place in time. We half expected to see dinosaurs roaming the sides of the road. That's how primitive it felt! There was a waterfall along the side of the highway that appeared from nowhere and if you blinked you missed it...here's the picture that I caught, thankfully. It really was something to see looking up from a convertible.

Then without knowing what to expect when we headed into Hanalei Bay something magical seemed to come over us. The place was just out of this world. We had never seen anything like it. As you come down the hill in preparation to turn onto the road leading into Hanalei you feel different somehow. All you see is endless fields of green that seem to collide with the bases of these extraordinary mountains. The mountains appear to be "standing guard" over the town. It is as if this place is sheltered and protected from everything else. Ben and I just look at each other and without having to speak; we clairvoyantly know that we have found THE PLACE where we want to be.

It is a small town with a lot going on. There seems to be a vastly diverse population. A mix-match of people from all over the world who just couldn't leave. Despite appear "simple" on the surface, the town had many things to do and offer. It had all things you would expect to find in a functional town. The focus was on fresh, local food...we LOVED that. Most of everything you ate was grown there or in the area. We talked to many locals and they all say the same thing. They claim that there is something in the air that just grabs a hold of you and won't let you go. And they are right. There IS something magical going on there. The underlying current of mystery is everywhere.

FUN TIMES WITH AMBER AND MIKE:

I don't think we could have found better people to explore Kauai with. Truly and honestly. Amber and Mike are such cool people and they really enhanced our trip. We met up with them on Sunday night (our first night there) for dinner and fun. They were staying at the Marriott Hotel (www.marriott.com), which was phenomenal! It was such a huge resort with a great pool and an astonishing beach area. It was on a little bay that protected the beach from wind, so it was nice and calm. So that night we went to their hotel for sunset cocktails. We had such a blast. Who knew Mai Tai's could be so perfect! We had a few of those and decided to go find a good restaurant for dinner. We ended up at Pizzetta (www.pizzettarestaurant.com) that was a cozy and comfortable place to eat. They had fantastic pizza! I would recommend it. After pizza, Amber and I knew it was time for ice cream. I love this girl! She can eat like man, just like me. Two peas in a pod! We giddily run like schools girl up to the counter...there is something about ice cream that makes you feel like you are 5 years old again. We head to the local ice cream place called Lappets Ice Cream (www.lappertshawaii.com) where they are dedicated to making all their own ice cream and it sure does show! It was heavenly. I had the macadamia nut vanilla and peanut butter cup. I have never tasted anything so good.... but then again, I usually say that about every meal I eat. We say our goodbyes and goodnights to Amber and Mike and head back to our hotel where I have the BEST sleep of my life.

The next day all of us (Ben and I, Mike and Amber) head out on the open road for our first ever double date road trip. We were all SO excited. We kept joking that it felt like we had all known each other forever when it had only been 4 days! Our plan was to drive as far as we could around the island. Part of the island does not allow for cars. So we set out to find adventure and good food! For the next 6 hours we explore just about every part of Kauai. Our first goal was to head to the area known as “The Grand Canyon of the West” it was this HUGE canyon in the middle of the island. I have never seen anything so vast and utterly breathtaking! It made me feel very small. It was as if all my “problems” that I thought I had in my life disappeared. I came to realize that we are such a small part of the Universe and it is up to ourselves to appreciate the true beauty that lies all around us. Our next stop was at a local outdoor market in Poipu. There were local vendors from all over selling their freshest produce and products. We all dug in to the BEST grapefruits and oranges we had all ever eaten. I have never tasted anything so real and delicious! We continued on to the town of Kapaa for lunch. We had been driving almost 4 hours and we were all ready to taste come local food. We found this cool restaurant call “Mermaid” (www.mermaidcafe.com) they had really awesome savory dishes with local flair. I had chicken satay wrap with peanut sauce…SOO GOOD. Ben had fish tacos made with Mahi-Mahi that had a nice light, refreshing flavor.

After lunch we all got back in the car and headed to Hanalei Bay. Amber and Mike hadn’t been there yet; this was their first time to Kauai too. So Ben and I took them to our magical land and they felt the same way about it. We drove through the little town and decided to drive all the way until the end of the road. Ben and I had not gone that far yet and we were really interested to see more. The road only went about 20 more miles until the end. You come to this lush, fragrant opening leading to the beach. On one side is this giant mountain that towers over you and on the other is gorgeous beach. It was truly outstanding. There was a hiking path but we got there too late and it was starting to get dark. Anyways, we all agreed cocktail time was in order and headed back to the Marriott for some Mai Tai’s and munchies.

This was our last night with Amber and Mike and we wanted to enjoy it. We had a couple drinks on the beach and then headed over to our hotel for another drink by our pool. I couldn’t help but notice how easily the conversation flowed. Ben and I think of us as very lucky to have met such incredible people. It was close to 9pm and we hurried to find a restaurant that was still open. Many of the restaurants on Kauai don’t stay open past 9pm. We had some trouble finding one but eventually settled on the same pizza place as the night before. The pizza, as usual, was fantastic.

The next day was officially our last day on our Hawaiian adventure and we were totally bummed. I just knew I was going to miss it so much. We wanted to make sure we enjoy every single second of that day. It stared off with a helicopter tour of the island. Now, normally I would never choose to do something so extreme (in my mind, that’s extreme) but this tour was a wedding gift from Ben’s brothers and their wives. Thank you again Steve, Kim, Emilee and Dave!!! I was a little nervous but I knew that it would be well worth the anxiety. Ben and I ended up getting the best seats in the helicopter, right up front with the pilot. I was sitting between Ben and the pilot and four others sat in the back. I don’t think they had the same view as we did. The floor right in front of us was clear so we could see below us too. I don’t think the back had that. As we lifted off any feeling of nervousness I had vanished. I knew this was about to be the ride of a lifetime. I have never been in a helicopter before and I would recommend it to anyone! I normally getting some sort of motion sickness but I had none. He took us to the parts of the island you would NEVER see or experience on foot or by car. I was so taken back to the sight of this place. I was in complete awe of the raw beauty and colossal mountains and valleys. We saw the exact waterfall that was in the opening scenes of Jurassic Park. These pockets of waterfall would just appear, as if out of nowhere from the walls of the cliffs. It was nothing short of astonishing.

After our ride, which was about an hour, we headed over to the Marriott for our last lunch with Amber and Mike before we head home. I was sad we had to leave our new friends. Amber and I, being ladies and all, decided on burgers and fries. Ben and Mike had chicken and pork sandwiched and we all shared hummus and veggies and a BIG basket of fries. Heavenly! We said our goodbyes, exchanged information and vowed to plan a trip sometime in the future where the four of us meet up somewhere. I already know it will happen and Ben and I look at each other and know we have met friends that we will have for life.

For the rest of the day Ben and I decided to head back to Hanalei Bay. We wanted to spend the last few hours we had there. On the way we stopped at the coolest farmers market. Everything was so vibrant! The location of the market was on of the best parts. It was close to the base of some mountains and they were all you could see. The food was all made, baked or grown by the vendors. I ate the most luscious chocolate covered banana. It was an organic banana covered with local, organic dark chocolate. Ben bought some island spices and a cookbook to bring home. This really cool girl who was selling homemade cookies gave us a free bag to take on the plane. Out of nowhere! Just offered me the bag and said, “enjoy”. Now that was a nice gesture because those were the best cookies Ben and I have ever had. They were oatmeal, coconut, white chocolate, dark chocolate, and macadamia nut. Needless to say, the bag almost didn’t make it to the plane. We actually plan on ordering cookies from her and having them shipped to Nantucket for the parties we cater. Yes, they are THAT good.

For our last supper on Kauai we opted for an authentic Brazilian and Mexican restaurant called “Neide’s Salas and Samba” It was to die for! I had the best chicken burrito I have ever had and Ben had some delicious fish tacos made with local Mahi Mahi. Mmmmmmm :)

Then came the moment we were trying avoid all week. It was time to go. I don’t think anything or anyone could have possibility prepared me for the experience I had on our Hawaiian adventure. I feel as if I have come back a changed person, with a new sense of appreciation and wonder for the world and all it has to offer and there is no doubt in my mind that we will be back. Aloha.