Into Hawaii A Little Rain and Wind Must Fall

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Last night, I did not sleep well so I went out onto the balcony to get some air; I knew that the wind was strong, but I didn't realize how strong until an especially strong gust hit me in the dark. I could also hear things rattling on the grounds of The Kahala Hotel. Throughout the night, I heard the wind whistling, and I wondered if there had been any structural damage. Apparently, all was intact when Deke and I awoke.

Deke didn't sleep well either, and he awoke not feeling well. I had reserved a place for Vinyasa Yoga at 8:00 a.m., so I went to my class and let Deke rest in hopes that he would feel better. The yoga class was held in a tiki cabana and on the surrounding grass. Very near there is where the Kahala guests breakfast. I felt embarrassed when I realized that it was I who was the closest to the breakfasting guests. Yoga is not my strong suit, as I’m not very flexible. Our instructor, Matt, was very muscular and was a good teacher. As he took us through the different poses and stretches, he reminded us to remember what our senses were picking up on in Hawaii. The wind was not so strong on the ground as it was on the tenth floor, and Matt invited us to feel the wind—understand that it had an invigorating effect. He also told us to smell the sea so close by. He advised us to take these perceptions home with us, which I will attempt to do. We were a bit of a curiosity to the breakfasting crowd, and I felt a little embarrassed because I was sure that the good guests of The Kahala did not want to see my down dog pose. In the end, I was glad that I participated. From what I have gleaned by looking through the prices at the spa and fitness center, the yoga classes are the best value with guests paying $25.00 per lesson. The Kahala also offers what they call SUP yoga—yoga practiced on a paddle board. I decided not to try that as when Deke and I were on our honeymoon, I fell off of one of those things and had the feeling of bruised ribs for weeks following. If you opt to try SUP yoga, I recommend that you have a great sense of balance and are rather far into your practice.

When I returned to our room after yoga, there was a bowl of Valentine candy. I assumed that it had come from The Kahala Hotel, but Deke said it was from him. He just really went all out for this Valentine’s Day, and all this when he did not feel well.

The hotel was very busy with beautiful brides and their entourages. It lifted my spirit to see brides and refined, Asian women in fashionable, tasteful clothing. It certainly seemed apropos to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day.

I took quite a few photos today of the hotel, hotel grounds, and the surrounding area; I just had to wait until after the rain cleared.

As I was taking photos, I stopped by the dolphin lagoon again. The trainers were coaxing the dolphins to jump out of the water. No matter how many times we see dolphins do this, we let out a collective gasp of delight. There is something so free about them, so unencumbered. The Kahala Hotel has dolphins, tropical fish, rays, and sea turtles. Both children and adults enjoy the animals, and watching the animals is a great way to keep children here endlessly entertained. I have tried to get some great shots of the dolphins, but I have not been successful. I think that when I returned home, I will go to one of Travelblog’s forums to get some tips.

The weddings continued throughout the day, and it was a pleasure to see.

When I ventured out past The Kahala, I ran into the Waialae Country Club. It is a beautiful, manicured golf course and it is my understanding that one of the big golf tournaments is held here. One side of The Kahala faces the ocean and the other side faces part of the golf course. The view of the golf course is also beautiful. It is a very exclusive country club, so I was delighted to see that the city and county of Honolulu have set aside some beachfront as a public park right next to the Waialae Country Club. Only a fence separates exclusivity and access for all. Near the hotel and country club is some of the most exclusive real estate in Hawaii. Most of the homes are gated and grand, but some appear ordinary. Our driver informed us that even the ordinary homes are probably worth seven million dollars. I hope that an old grandma or grandpa lives in one of these more ordinary homes, and bought the real estate when they could afford it. What a legacy and home to pass down to loved ones. As humans, we are an envious bunch, but there seems to be something in all of us that wishes the best for all of those who have struggled and worked hard.

When I returned from my photo expedition, Deke was still quite ill so we cancelled our plans for a Valentine’s Day dinner. I felt so bad; he worked so hard to make the trip perfect, and then he suffers. To any of those who have had perfect health on a vacation, enjoy it no matter how many things may go wrong; good health is your greatest asset when travelling.

Here’s to everyone out there who has read a little of my blog; I appreciate it.

Aloha,

Monique

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