Kauai continues to be a magical place to visit. Irma and I thoroughly enjoyed our 2 1/2 weeks, and the feeling of de-stressing was almost tangible, by day two I felt "almost human", instead of "government employee". We kept our schedule light, in fact, we didn't really have a schedule, except for reservations to a luau, and dinner reservations at the Plantation Gardens. We generally decided what to do on any given day over coffee on the lanai.
Our condo had a good view of the ocean from the lanai, we could gauge the surf before we wandered down to the beach. The first five days surf was pretty heavy, on monday the 7th, we had 7-10 foot breakers off shore, and good 5-7 foot surf on the sand. I don't board surf (though there were plenty of newbies getting lessons nearby), but I spent a good part of the morning getting tossed about (okay, hammered), while showing Irma how (not) to take a wave ;-) , and generally acting like a kid. By mid swim, I felt I was up to speed in swimming in the surf (as opposed to getting flattened by the breakers). Irma wisely kept her distance, which isn't to say she didn't enjoy the surf, she just did it with a firm grip on my hand (or whatever part of me she could grab, whenever a wave managed to knock one or both of us down) just outside of the zone where the surf was breaking. The rest of our visit, surf was a more typical 2-4 foot waves, and Irma was more comfortable with swimming in the deeper water. By the end of our trip, we both were 'old hands' again. Next time, I'll introduce her to snorkeling... ;-)
This is the surf on a calmer day about 50 yards from our lanai...
The food was great, we went for a couple of hikes (including one into the Kokee swamp area, which was an experience I'll describe later) and another along a very rugged cliff and beach trail southeast of Poipu. When it came time to return, we were both disappointed to leave, but... Work and family awaited us. We did visit our favorite lighthouse, though, So here we are...
As I'd promised myself, I did no writing, nor did I plot or plan on Imperfect Hope. I did occasionally make mental notes of things to do or include. The Kokee swamp, for example, was a hiking experience difficult to imagine. There were pockets of what I can only describe as "dead air" where the aroma of the swamp was thick and earthy and felt like a warm, soggy blanket dropped on your head, other areas had pockets of air that was considerably hotter than surrounding areas and felt like walking into a sauna, and the rare stretch where a breeze actually penetrated to the forest floor. The trail we followed starts climbing up the ridge surrounding the volcanic caldera, so long extinct that it is filled with real tropical rain forest, then drops down into the depths of the swamp. We didn't go all the way in, in large part due to our desire stay out of the knee deep mud said to exist on parts of the trail. I'll admit, the "dead air zones" were rather daunting in feel, like stepping into a primordial land. I guess I'm just too used to the dry and wide open colorado trails...
I'll travelogue a bit more at a later date. For now, it's back to the FAA. I think my biggest mental challenge upon returning to work was putting on... SHOES. (Imagine Gollum writhing in pain, screaming "It burns... Get it off, it burns...") I wasn't far from reacting in that manner...
As I mentioned, I didn't work on Imperfect Hope, except to consider mental notes. When I got back late last week, I jotted down a bit of what I'd remembered, added that to the background content and thoughts I've compiled over the last 6 weeks of relative writing inactivity, and pawed through it over the weekend. I've a good idea on how I"ll be approaching the rewrite now, and, barring a surprise or three, I"ll start this week. Now to check inventory... Coffee? (Kauai estate reserve, check!) Notes? (check, if wrinkled and disordered) Goldfish? (Check, big dragon sized bowl) Scotch? (Check, but I'd better stock up...) Wish me good writing...
Clear skies,
Jim
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