Hawaii, Day 1, Post Flight
Off Tony and I head in our little Ford Fusion to the Harley Davidson dealer in Lihue -- btw, we will be unable to pronounce anything on this trip in terms of road signs, cities, etc.
While the driving directions are OK, getting out of the airport isn't particularly well marked, but once we get out of there, we don't have many problems. We need a couple of shirts to mark this trip and both of us have "shopping lists" while dreading the $60 HD shirt. That is not the case at Kauai Harley -- not a particularly big dealership, but we manage to find the sale rack to make up our lists and the woman who rang us up recommended the Safeway in some city with a K on the way to Princeville to stop for groceries/beer
http://www.kauaiharley.com/
Sorry, Anthony Bourdain. Know your disdain for guidebooks, but I bought one (for the maps...) and they said the same thing. That Princeville is expensive so stop on the way -- and get a Safeway savings card if you don't have one to save even more! We know why it's going to take an hour to get there -- two lane road, with quite a bit of traffic. Get to Safeway (on the left) and pull in.
First adventure: chickens in the parking lot. Chickens almost in the store. Tony gets a pic. I get a Safeway value card and we save $30 on our breakfast staples and booze for the stay. Happy that you can buy liquor at a grocery store so we don't have to make multiple stops on this trip. Note to first time visitors to Kauai if you go to the Safeway -- go to the desk and get the value savings card. It take little to no time, and you can save $$$ that would better be spent on a tshirt, or a golf hat.
Back on the road. Reminds me of Puerto Rico, but the water is closer to the road and the mountains are closer to the water. Surprised that it seems much more modest than I thought it would be. But, maybe Princeville will be different -- the guidebook (sorry Anthony Bourdain) said gawking would be involved.
Before we get to the hotel, we decide to check out a beach and turn right. Another car turns right before us (you see where this may be heading...). Car stops in road. We stop in road. Car starts slowly backing up. I start honking. Car continues slowly backing up. I keep honking. Before I can put car into reverse, car hits our car (not hard). Clearly the driver should have seen us? "Kid" gets out of the car. Didn't see us. Didn't hear us. Was backing up to get a machete out of the road (yes, there was a machete -- and this would be better documented in pictures, but at this time, was not thinking about my blog). Kept thinking to myself -- if you're going to stop and then back up IN THE ROAD wouldn't you look behind you for traffic??? Obviously not. We pull over. He tries to unbend the license plate on our car, and wipe off the scuff on his bumper. And tell us that we should just turn in the car -- without telling anyone. You know how that goes with me. We call roadside assistance. Make a claim. Exchange information. He still is trying to convince us not to tell. Yep, first adventure in Hawaii. At least not much damage and not trying to see what it's like to get a tow or a new rental on this short trip.
Off we go to the Westin only a few miles down the road. Check and and upgrade to a one bedroom apartment -- gets us a hot tub and King size bed and better view. Decline maid service to save $10 per day on food at the resort (oh, and save the environment). Get our free gift from the Concierge (a beach bag). Walk to our room in building 7 next to the "bluffs" with an ocean view.
http://www.starwoodvacationownership.com/westin_princeville_ocean_resort_villas/welcome.html
They bring our stuff up (clever that they have Rubbermaid cartons to put groceries in -- not their first rodeo). Unpack, unwind a bit from the long trip, have a beer. We're not hungry, but we head to see if there is something "bar foody" -- end up with salad and sandwich that we bring back to the room. It's been a long day traveling and we're in bed by 730. Hoping not to wake up at midnight, ready to get up because of the time change.
Day 2 is The Prince. Don't know what else. We'll base it on when we get up.
Note to newbies to my blog: I am not a photographer. I hire photographers in my business. Many of these photos are from Tony's iPhone (also not a photographer). These photos are more for documentation than for composition, color, lighting. Occasionally you might see one that is "photo worthy." Get over the amateur nature of the photos. We're on vacation.
While the driving directions are OK, getting out of the airport isn't particularly well marked, but once we get out of there, we don't have many problems. We need a couple of shirts to mark this trip and both of us have "shopping lists" while dreading the $60 HD shirt. That is not the case at Kauai Harley -- not a particularly big dealership, but we manage to find the sale rack to make up our lists and the woman who rang us up recommended the Safeway in some city with a K on the way to Princeville to stop for groceries/beer
http://www.kauaiharley.com/
Sorry, Anthony Bourdain. Know your disdain for guidebooks, but I bought one (for the maps...) and they said the same thing. That Princeville is expensive so stop on the way -- and get a Safeway savings card if you don't have one to save even more! We know why it's going to take an hour to get there -- two lane road, with quite a bit of traffic. Get to Safeway (on the left) and pull in.
Back on the road. Reminds me of Puerto Rico, but the water is closer to the road and the mountains are closer to the water. Surprised that it seems much more modest than I thought it would be. But, maybe Princeville will be different -- the guidebook (sorry Anthony Bourdain) said gawking would be involved.
Before we get to the hotel, we decide to check out a beach and turn right. Another car turns right before us (you see where this may be heading...). Car stops in road. We stop in road. Car starts slowly backing up. I start honking. Car continues slowly backing up. I keep honking. Before I can put car into reverse, car hits our car (not hard). Clearly the driver should have seen us? "Kid" gets out of the car. Didn't see us. Didn't hear us. Was backing up to get a machete out of the road (yes, there was a machete -- and this would be better documented in pictures, but at this time, was not thinking about my blog). Kept thinking to myself -- if you're going to stop and then back up IN THE ROAD wouldn't you look behind you for traffic??? Obviously not. We pull over. He tries to unbend the license plate on our car, and wipe off the scuff on his bumper. And tell us that we should just turn in the car -- without telling anyone. You know how that goes with me. We call roadside assistance. Make a claim. Exchange information. He still is trying to convince us not to tell. Yep, first adventure in Hawaii. At least not much damage and not trying to see what it's like to get a tow or a new rental on this short trip.
Off we go to the Westin only a few miles down the road. Check and and upgrade to a one bedroom apartment -- gets us a hot tub and King size bed and better view. Decline maid service to save $10 per day on food at the resort (oh, and save the environment). Get our free gift from the Concierge (a beach bag). Walk to our room in building 7 next to the "bluffs" with an ocean view.
http://www.starwoodvacationownership.com/westin_princeville_ocean_resort_villas/welcome.html
They bring our stuff up (clever that they have Rubbermaid cartons to put groceries in -- not their first rodeo). Unpack, unwind a bit from the long trip, have a beer. We're not hungry, but we head to see if there is something "bar foody" -- end up with salad and sandwich that we bring back to the room. It's been a long day traveling and we're in bed by 730. Hoping not to wake up at midnight, ready to get up because of the time change.
Note to newbies to my blog: I am not a photographer. I hire photographers in my business. Many of these photos are from Tony's iPhone (also not a photographer). These photos are more for documentation than for composition, color, lighting. Occasionally you might see one that is "photo worthy." Get over the amateur nature of the photos. We're on vacation.
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