10 Days in Kauai

Happy (belated) New Year friends! 

It finally feels like wintertime around here, just in time for our return from 10 days in Kauai. I know, I know, woe is me. Jet lag is in full force today and I have a serious case of those post-holiday and vacation blues so I figured it was time to share some of my snaps from the trip with you! 

As corny as it sounds, Kauai is a really special place for my family and I've been counting the days until this trip for approximately 7 months (I've never really excelled at the whole 'live in the moment thing...).

So let's take a gander, shall we?

First sunrise out in front of our place! Visiting in the winter meant we didn't have to wake up crazy early to see the sunrise. I was going to say 'at the crack of dawn' but since that literally means sunrise that would have been silly.

My running and walking trail for the week. Flat, sunny and views for days. Now I'm spoiled.

We stumbled upon this otherworldly site on our drive up to Waimea Canyon. Doesn't it look like Mars?! If Mars had waterfalls that is. (Can you tell I was reading The Martian on this trip?)

Waimeia Canyon! This picture doesn't even do it justice. Because guidebooks aren't the most creative, it's often called "The Grand Canyon of Kauai".

Strawberry Guava kombcuha. Aloha indeed.

Not exaggerating when I say we visited Wailua Shave Ice four times. That was probably not enough?

Lava Flow shave ice the size of my head.

Tropical mimosa (with Guava juice) and the best lunchtime view @ Sam's.

Spouting Horn on the South shore! Again, thanks to the inspired authors at the guidebook --> the Old Faithful of Kauai...

We hiked down the Na Pali Coast one day and were rewarded by what may be my favorite view on Earth. It was *muddy* on the trail which made me look very hardcore by the end of the hike (read: clumsy and prone to tripping).

Hiking crew!

And last, but certainly not least, we found a turtle on our last day! I hope it found its way back into the ocean.

I could ramble on and on about our trip and share every photo (123 total) but I'm cutting myself off. I'll just say that I'm so very grateful to have spent this time in my favorite place with my favorite people. When I'm studying for my exams this semester and complaining about the cold, I have lots of sunny memories to harken back to.

And in case you ever find yourself on The Garden Isle, some speedy recommendations for ya:

- Java Kai in Kapaa. Best coffee shop. Try the Acai bowl!

- Kauai Juice Co.

- Sam's Oceanview in Kapaa for any and all meals.

- Wailua Shave Ice

- Kauai Mini Golf and botanical gardens (exactly what it sounds like -- putt putt through a legitimate botanical gardens -- putt putt bar set very high now)

- Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast (we did the 2 mile out and back/4 miles total)

- Talk Story Books in Hanapepe --> the only dedicated bookstore on the island and it's a doozy.

- Kiluaea bakery for cooooookies

- the bike/walking path on the East coast of Kauai. Goes for miles starting in Kapaa.

- Moloaa Beach for an off-the-beaten-path and secluded beach.

And that's all folks! Hope your New Year is off to a wonderful start.