Posts tagged ‘Kaua’i’

Canmore-Vancouver-Lihue

Yiiiiiikes.  So sorry for the lapse in blogging.  I’m so exhausted.  Yiiiikes.

SATURDAY 8/27/11 – CANMORE TO VANCOUVER

We packed for Vancouver.  I don’t know how we got everything into Jeff’s Toyota Matrix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He wanted us to be on the road at 9am.  Fat chance!!!!  I packed up + cleaned the entire cabin while Jeff was running around town doing last minute errands.  I actually fell asleep on the couch which is something I never do.  The car was so packed that there was no space left in it.  Not even 1/2 an inch.  I was surrounded by stuff all around me so that I had to sit with my knees propped up against my chest.

 

 

I don’t know if you can tell, but that coche is full, homies.

 

 

It took us FOREVER to get out of town because we would run into people Jeff knew.  His other Native name is Short-Story-Long.  That’s because he can go onandonandonandonandonandonandon.  I would gaze absently off into the distance when he would tell stories which was nice because it gave my brain a bit of a break.  Here is me with my Native future “sister-in-law” Dolly standing next to the stuffed car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t drive out of Canmore until 6:30pm!!!!  Here is a beautiful view of the mountains that gave me some relief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drive was excruciating.  Repeat.  Excruciating.  We were both so tired.  I couldn’t keep my eyes open.  What freaked me out even more was the fact that Jeff was probably worse off, + he was the driver. We sang very loud renditions of the Grateful Dead + Flight of the Concords to keep ourselves awake.  Here’s Jeff happily singing along to, the Grateful Dead’s, “Box of Rain”.  Thank God he’s such a happy-go-lucky person.  We balance each other out, if you know what I mean.  When the road became dark + desolate, that was when it got really bad.

 

I didn’t want to perish in a car crash before I was about to get married, so we took an hour + a half nap at a rest stop + kept on keeping on.  We didn’t get to Jeff’s brother Tom’s house until 6am.

 

 

 

 

We got up at 10am + I was SO relieved to see Deb, Tom + Jeff’s nephews Matt + Tobin.  I was like, “SAVE ME!!!!!”!  After breakfast we did a bunch of Vancouver related errands + oh, guess what???  Went to Jeff’s storage unit!!!!  Sigh.  I was about to give up.  But the great thing is, Jeff is ready to get rid of things because he’s seen how all of his possessions are weighing my spirit down.  I’m really happy about that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That night, Deb made dinner for us + our fellow interracial couple friends Steve, Liz + their cutie 1/4 Japanese girls Keiko + Hana.  Deb is awesome like that.  Deb is my savior.  Here is Keiko + Hana.  Hana makes the most adorable scrunchy smiles!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point, we hadn’t even started packing for Hawaii!!!  We completely took over Tom + Deb’s entire garage floor + spread out.  It was like blind people packing because we were so out of our minds.  I had to keep Jeff in check to not pack so much.  Especially to leave behind his Blundstones.  Hello!!!!  We’re going to the tropics!!!  GAAAAHHH!!!!

SUNDAY 8/28/11  – VANCOUVER TO LIHUE

I passed out once hitting the bed.  I was woken by bright lights at 3am, a good morning kiss + a, “you’ve got 15min to shower before the cab gets here.”  EXCUUUUUSE ME!!!!!????  Nevertheless, I managed to pull myself together in that amount of time to get to YVR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The customs agent asked Jeff, “So, where’s Magnum headed to today?” and Jeff replied, “Ironically enough, Hawaii.”  How hilarious is that????!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out #10 on our customs forms!!!!  Can you believe it!!!!???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff + I right before touchdown to Lihue, Kaua’i

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got off the plane, Jeff was still in film set mode.  For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s: walking fast, talking fast, demanding things to be done fast…you get the picture.  I kept telling him, “Hey, mon.  We on island time, mon.  You need to chiiiiill, mon.”  Man, was he uptight.  Luckily, my sister Ashley arrived 10 min after us from a flight from Los Angeles.  We got our rental car + where did we head to first????  The thrift stores of course!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After visiting multiple Lihue thrift stores, we headed to Costco.  Another shocker there.  I see a pattern…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Costco we drove north towards the east coast to Wailua + Kapa’a.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me looking a little gnarly at Opaeka’a Falls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View of Wailua River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner at Mermaids Cafe on Kuhio Hwy.  Famous for their Nori Ahi wraps.  Ono!!!  For you haoles that’s pidgin for good!!!  The guy in the kitchen that looked like a Kelly Slater brah (10 time ASP World Champ) asked if we were locals.  Jeff was so psyched.  He loves street cred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelly Slater, bruddah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff + I are staying in an amazing vacation rental in a residential area of Wailua which is a guest house with it’s own private entry.  Their garden is extensive + our room is fully stocked up with a flat screen, dvds, kitchen supplies, etc.  Our host Carol Yasutake has been on the island since the ’70s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONDAY 8/30/11 – LIHUE DAY 2

Jeff posing in Carol’s beautiful garden.  This is what we look at from our bed.  Paradise!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After my run + getting our wits together Jeff, Ashley + I headed out on our errands.  First we stopped by the Kapa’a music shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch at Papaya’s Natural Foods.  Da bomb natural health food store with salad bar, juices, smoothies + some hot items.  When the guy handed me Jeff’s fish taco, he said, “Have a blessed day.”  Ok yeah, we’re in Kaua’i.

Hippie lunch!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want cheap gifts, t-shirts + towels, don’t go to ABC store.  Go to Waipouli Variety.  Cheaper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super cute picture of Ashley.  I’m so lucky my sister is here on the island early with us.  She has been my secretary + research assistant.  I think she is a little scared of Jeff + I because we are so neurotic + intense.  She keeps saying to us, “Man, you guys have to relax!!!!”.  Because she’s actually pretty neurotic herself.  Not a good sign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ho’omana Thrift Store.  Don’t judge!!!  We like to thrift, ok?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unavoidably, we all walked into Wal Mart for the first time in our lives.  What can I say, y’all!!!???  I needed to get some things for the wedding + there was nowhere else to go!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner was Duane’s Ono-Char Burger.  It’s been around for 3 decades.  You all know that burgers + onion rings are on the bride’s diet list, right?!  Heck, yes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After you pick up your order, drive south of Duane’s to eat at Anahola beach.  Otherwise you’ll be eating at Duane’s sad picnic tables with tourists, surrounded by stalker chickens + roosters.  Anahola beach is pretty local, but since Jeff was with two Japanese girls, we were cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After burger consuming, we headed to the North Shore to spy on our wedding rental home on Anini Beach!!!!  It’s GORGEOUS!!!!  I didn’t take a picture of the house because the current renters were hanging out on the porch + I didn’t want to be creepy.  But here’s a tiny preview of the beach!!!!  More to come!!!!  Stay tuned!!!  I miss everyone!!!