Aloha! Waking up in Kauai during the second day of our trip. This is the view from our room. Note the sea salt-encrusted patio doors! The humidity was intense. I went snorkeling with a pair of cotton shorts on that day and it took them 3 days to dry, hanging off of the room air conditioning unit. I used the unit as a makeshift clothing dryer for the entire week, except the one day I paid 3 bucks to wash/dry a single load of laundry. Who wants to do laundry on vacation? Not moi.

The interior of the room.

A classy bathroom mirror self-portrait! Talk about excited. My hair immediately went into two braids (wind, salt and rain didn’t give me very many options) and stayed that way all week. It’s my tropical vacation hair.

Immediately I ran outside to snap some pictures on the beach.

Wouldn’t you?

I love the feeling of sand beneath my feet.

Our first stop that morning in Kapa’a was Boss Frogs to rent snorkel gear for the week. The woman who helped us couldn’t have been nicer. She told us that the building used to be “something else”, and seemed a little embarrassed by the skate ramps and graffiti outside. We thought it was great. The “beware of dog” sign was a nice touch.

Tree tunnel.

First we went to Poipu Beach to snorkel–it was incredibly windy, so we didn’t last long. We tried out Salt Pond Beach next, and I attempted to “sunbathe”–it was not only still windy, but raining at this time. My self-portrait looks like I’m trying to have fun! Josh snorkeled for a little while at Salt Pond Beach but the conditions were not so great–poor visibility in the water. We took along the underwater cameras (that reminds me–I still need to get those suckers developed).

Post-snorkeling face. My spray-on tan lasted all of 15 minutes in Kauai. No regrets!

Driving back to Waimea.

We had to stop a few times and admire the views.

Marveling at how close the little graves are bunched together.

We stopped on the main street in Waimea for lunch at the Shrimp Station–coconut shrimp for me, garlic shrimp for Josh. We sat next to a couple who had returned to Kauai after getting married there, 29 years ago. They told us it had changed a lot. We believed it.

Strolling around Waimea. This neon muumuu caught my eye.

Joshy trying on a muscle shirt. Hawwwwwt.

Everyone told us we HAD to get shave ice at JoJo’s, not just any old JoJo’s but the ORIGINAL JoJo’s, so we obliged, of course. It was Josh’s favorite shave ice on the island. He ordered haupia flavor (coconut), with macadamia nut ice cream. Mmmmmm.

I enjoyed the art on the walls.

We stopped at a little fruit market to gawk at the exotic fruits. We bought a custard apple, some “apple bananas” (one of my patients had recommended them to me before we left), a papaya, and some cut-up pineapple. Delicious.

Gorgeous hibiscus flowers everywhere.

Stay tuned for more day 2! Coconut lattes, checking out a beautiful canyon, and poke! Not the kind you think.