Kona
February 21 – 25

Gary picked me up early on a chilly, rainy Wednesday morning. It was so cool to take off in winter and land in summertime! I did not realize to what degree I was going along with the chilly wet winter in Portland until I stepped off the plane at the Honolulu airport into balmy, warm sunshine and cool breezes. We flew to Kona on the western side of the big island of Hawaii.

The hotel was situated on the rocky lava western shore. There wasn't a beach but view was very pretty and I liked hearing the constant sound of the surf crashing nearby. We opted for a very low-key vacation. We didn't rent a car or have a plan. It was great.

Each day was another day in paradise, as they say. We got up early in the morning to go running. Gary ran most days. I ran the first day and confirmed that my knees are happier on a cushioned track, so after that I walked. We met at the pool afterward and swam, then walked into the town to this neat breakfast place where we read the paper had fabulous Kona coffee and a hearty breakfast.

Afternoons were spent napping, reading email, or taking a walk through the town. In the evening we had sunset dinners on the hotel terrace overlooking the sea. One night we had drinks and fried food at Bubba Gump's, a restaurant with a Forrest Gump theme. There's a photo of me sitting on Forrest's bench outside, with the running shoes, the suitcase, and the box of chocolates.

Another place we ate was Lulu's, where people had written messages on dollar bills and stapled them to the walls. There were hundreds of dollar bills all over the walls. We got a black sharpie and a staple gun from a reluctant waiter and put up our dollar too. It was fun.

At night we sat on the balcony of our room, drank Drambouie and smoked and talked. Gary likes to have a cigar once or twice a year and so I got a box of Sherman's and joined him.

The day we left we went for a last minute snorkeling adventure right off shore at a beach near the hotel and watched the fish. The taxi driver waited for us and then took us back to our hotel, where he waited again while we dashed upstairs for our baggage. Then he took us to the airport.

What a wonderful time we had! It was such a treat to get away and have time to spend alone. Here's the photo album.

 

Comments

[Julie]

The photo album link doesn't seem to go to an album, darn. I love the pics you posted though, it sounds like a fabulous vacation! I'm terribly jealous.

[Julie]

Thanks for fixing the link! With the sun shining in my front door I can almost feel that balmy Aloha spirit. The yellow hibiscus photo is gorgeous.

[Madame Purl]

You look fantastic and so relaxed. What a wonderful trip. I love the parrot in the pictures.

[Kathy]

You look marvelous! I miss you tons -- we all do.

xoxoxo

[Carrie]

You are making me long to go back to paradise. The pictures are wonderful and you look fantastic :)