Kauai, the Garden Isle

I arrived in Kauai November 28th, I have been here almost a month.  Time sure has flown by quickly.  I have been able to get familiar a little with the area.  I have not gone to all the beaches yet, been hiking and a some trail runs.  Now that I am getting familiar with the island and meeting some peeps here and there I hope to go on many more adventures.  I still have yet to go to Waimea Canyon but I have seen the Na Pali Coast via raft and got a little sea sick.  The beach I have been to the most is Shipwreck Beach , the view here is amazing.  I have seen sea turtles, two which I swam next to, as well as a Hawaiian Monk Seal on a few occasions and a few breaching whales.

I was able to go with a friend to an area that is slightly underdeveloped with lots of character.  The grounds are of an old plantation in which the different lots in this property has been passed down from generations to generations.  The houses themselves are rugged and simple, a upgrade from a shack.  Hawaiians are some of the most kind-hearted people I have met.  The picture below is the view from the slightly upgraded shack we went to.  People pay a lot of money to have a few like this but to the residents here it is what they have known and is priceless to them.

It's fun to find little hidden gems here and there but this one is one not many get to see and I will never forget. There is not much of a night life here which is nice at times and not so much at others, especially the nights when I just want to dress up and go dance. The advantage of being here definitely outweighs having a place to go dance.  I like to watch the surfers as they wipe out and fly in the air, I hope to be able to learn to surf in the baby waves soon.  

I am so glad I came out here to Hawaii but with such a strong urge to be back in a busy city when I left NY it has been a little hard to turn life down a notch.  I often think to myself while I am sitting on a beach that I have too much relaxation in my life but is this even a possible thing?  I will stock up on relaxation right now and then if I end up living in a busy city I will reminisce to my days of Kauai.  

Christmas in Kauai 

Last year was my first Christmas away from home when I was living in Key West.  It still is weird to me to not have snow on Christmas but I was a little more immune to it since I had no snow last year.

There is one thing I do not miss about Christmas and that is the craziness that's involved around it. Shopping for material things that the other person probably a) doesn't like b) doesn't need and c) possibly will return it.  If there is a great present that fits someone then get it but getting something just to get something is not fun. 

Anahola Beach 

The holidays are a great time for family and I do miss mine but I also am loving being out on my own experiencing life.

My holiday consisted of going to a beach, watching another amazing Hawaiian sunset and having a good dinner.  Not a typical Christmas but one that I liked. 

Laying out on the beach I know I am very fortunate to be here.  I still need to work on my short tan and I am sure lathering on the sunblock doesn't help but the skin needs protection.  

Hopefully more exploring to come, getting lost in the abyss that is Kauai.