Hawaii

Now is the time to talk about the best place on earth...

... Hawaii :) :) :)...More specifically, the island of Kauai.

For anyone that has the financial means, I HIGHLY recommend going. It is a fabulous place that has PERFECT weather (not too hot, a little rain every day, but it's not intrusive like the rain in Saskatchewan, it's a nice misty rain that mostly happens at night). The main reason I think people would choose to go to a place like Mexico or the Dominican Republic over Hawaii is the cost. It is way more expensive to go to Hawaii, and more specifially Kauai because there are not any all inclusive resorts. There's no need. The crime rate is low (seriously, their jail is a joke, driving by you see the inmates playing volleyball on the opposite side of an 8' chain link fence. Talk about low security), the water is delicious (I think I've heard the volcanic rock serves as a natural filtration system), everywhere has public beaches, there are no private ones. So who needs a resort? On Kauai you also NEED to rent a car. There is no public transit, cabs are few and far between, and everything is really far apart. But it is SOOOO worth it!

For those that know me (which may be all of you), you already know I am obsessed with the place. The first time I remember going to Hawaii was in April of 2009, just after I graduated from University. I can't even discribe in words how fabulous that trip was for me. I went with my Dad and my Brother and we had an absolute blast. My brother, being 20 years old at the time, was reminded on our first night there that the drinking age in the States is 21. Not old enough to drink in the United States, we needed to concoct a plan so that he would not be under direct scrutiny. So I took on the noble cause of becoming the "designated distraction" during our evening outings. This consisted of getting rediculously drunk and drawing attention away from the gentleman that isn't old enough to drink. It worked perfectly. My bro was never asked for ID again on the rest of the trip. Who knew that drinking with your brother and dad could be so fun? And yes, drinking was a requirement of this trip, as my dad is quite fond of Mai Tais, and I discovered my weakness for Peach Blossom Mojitos.

I've also been told by my parents several times that I learned to walk in Hawaii. Not on Kauai, mind you, but on Kona (otherwise known as the Big Island). Apparently when I was a year old, I had trained my older sister to do everything for me with just a grunt or a point. But when we went to Hawaii, there was a little boy staying in a condo near ours that was the same age as me, but could walk. My sister found this WAY more entertaining, so she ditched me. I think I learned a hard lesson that day. Anywhoo, I started walking within days, once I realized that she wasn't coming back otherwise. So Hawaii has a special part of my heart for teaching me to walk.

In December of 2010, Roland and I were married in Hawaii, back on Kauai this time. Roland had never even been on a plane at that point in time, and being from Saskatchewan that also meant he had never been to the Ocean. So it was quite a big deal for him, and I think for that reason, I think it will hold a special part in his heart as well... ya know... and the whole wedding thing and such. We had an amazing time, and we didn't really want to leave. Roland and I jokingly say that we will move there when they build an Audi Dealership on Kauai (we won't hold our breath though)

~*~

If you ever get the chance to go to Kauai, and I hope you all do, I can't stress enough how much you should go to the National Botanical Gardens there. These botanical gardens don't get nearly enough support and there are some of the rarest plants ever there, and it's absolutely beautiful. Go on the Allerton Garden tour, it's totally worth it. 


Lucinda Fleeson wrote this amazing book after working at these Botanical Gardens for several years. It is a great representation of life on Kauai, and was a "Recommended Read" for those attending my wedding (I think the only person that considered reading it was Erin, and she didn't finish it before going. I should be more strict like my University Professors. lol)

After years as a reporter, Lucinda Fleeson decides to chuck it all -- her pretty house with the English garden , her high-powered job at the big-city newspaper -- to live on the edge of a rainforest in Kauai. At first barely habitable, her no-frills cottage sits amid mango and octopus trees and bamboo groves. Geckos, roosters, and wild pigs roam freely. Sparkling oceans, lush green mountains, and rocky coves are just down the dirt road. Working at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, she learns that native plants are dying at an astonishing rate in Hawaii -- known as the extinction capital of the world -- and invasive species have taken over much of the island. With Fleeson as our guide, we meet plant hunters and propagators trying to save endangered flora and scientists studying plant evolution and ecology, and we're offered a rare glimpse behind the scenes of a botanical garden on a mission to reverse the devastation of a natural paradise. And as Fleeson learns about efforts to preserve our planet, she also awakens to a deeper, more satisfying life.


This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves Hawaii, Horticulture, Journalism, or Armchair Travel reading.

It tells the great story of Lucinda Fleeson and her escape from her traditional Journalism job and life in mainland American to become a fundraising guru at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens on the island on Kauai.