7 hours 45 minutes
In a car. Driving from one side of the Big Island to the other and back again. With grandparents who wanted to stop and look at pretty things like waterfalls and botanical gardens. And know what happened? Not much. The kid was phenomenal. Not a single meltdown, which I’m still finding amazing. He was clearly not thrilled, but the day went extremely well. He hung out in the car pretty calmly on the road to the falls, and was a trooper when we hiked in the rain forest. We celebrated at a playground in Waimea on the way home, and we’re off to the pool yet again. Pretty action-packed day. I’m hoping for an early bedtime with a little boy who sleeps past 4:00 am tomorrow. I can dream, can’t I?
Quiet day on the island
After yesterday’s marathon travel adventure (flight plus drive up coast, drive back down coast and to condo), we decided to take things easy today. Kind of a necessity as we got up at 3:00 this morning, although Oscar and I did manage a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon. So awesome. We hung out at the complex today, walking to the quite crappy beach and then over to the beautiful club house, which has a fabulous keiki pool. Spent a few hours there, napped, went to the grocery store that had a bonus water feature (score! we made quite the spectacle of ourselves) and then came home to watch baby signing time and climb on the furniture. What a great day.
How to eat ice cream on vacation
Step 1 – arrive on island and put pretty flowers in the pretty boy’s hair:
Step 2 – pick up rental jeep and start sight-seeing:
Step 3 – see extraordinarily beautiful sights:
Step 4 – find adorable ice cream shop after a certain little monster starts maniacally signing “ice cream” when his mother utters the word “scream”:
Step 5 – start licking:
Step 5 – rinse and repeat
Such a mom
Grandma and Grandpa are going to Hawaii with us! We’re all very excited, but it’s made me reassess our accommodations and I thought I’d ask your advice. We have three options – all of which are about the same price, surprisingly. The first is a condo just a walk from the beach. It’s really nice looking with a great kitchen (two – one inside and one out) and it has a sliding door that opens the lanai to the living room. Aside from the beach, the bonus is a kids pool at the complex. Downside? It’s a condo and I think it’s not a great value.
The second is an actual house with a pool. Brand new, with an ocean view and nice kitchen (as if I cook – but my dad does, so that’s why it’s on the list). Downside? It has a pool. Love the idea of it, but I have an active toddler. Upside? It has a pool. You understand the dilemma. It’s also a drive to a sandy beach.
The third is a very unique hotel. It’s actually a ranch, with horses and everything. The accommodations are restored cottages, with every amenity (including daily maid service, which I sort of need). Some have plunge pools. Very nice. Downside? While there is a view of the ocean, the ocean is a ways away, which means we would need to drive to the beach. Thoughts?
No white sand beaches
Well, folks, there will be no white sand beaches for Oscar and me. Turns out it will take at least 13 hours each way (and more likely 20 hours on the return) to get to the Caribbean from here. I could have sworn I found flights that were only (ONLY) 10 hours last week when I was daydreaming about this. Alas, that is not the case. No big loss, though. No hurricanes where we’re going, just a big old volcano. And the bonus? Only 5+ hours of Oscar sitting on my lap on our flight paid for with miles. Sweet.
The vacation
I am itching to go on a vacation. Not right now, but probably by sometime in the spring. B.O. (before Oscar), I would go on one or two vacations a year, usually altering between the beach and anywhere else. My last official vacation was last Thanksgiving, when I went to New Zealand. Of course, Oscar and I did spend some time in Bali while we were waiting for his visa. Sadly, though, that part of the trip was anything but a vacation, in that I was obsessed with coming back to the States.
There are three primary contenders, with a whole list of other places I’d like to visit, but am unsure whether it’s the right time to go (either because I’ll be traveling with a toddler (like a safari or hiking in Patagonia) or because of geo-political reasons). The wrinkle is that I’ve already traveled to most places I’d like to see, with the exception of some really remote areas, which of course fall into the don’t think I want to take Oscar yet category.
Vietnam – obviously, I just returned from there six months ago. I really would like to return, though, and see Sapa, Halong Bay (how I didn’t do this while I was in Hanoi for over three weeks is beyond me) and Nha Trang. While there, I would want to do a side trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. Upside – it’s Oscar’s birth country and the people are amazing – oh, and cheap hotels. Downside – 20+ hours on the plane each way.
Paris – I haven’t been back in ten years and would love to return. Just wandering the streets would be fun. Upside – free air with miles, museums, Disney Paris, croissants and only (!) 10′ish hours each way in the air. Downside – obscenely expensive hotels.
Turkey – this is in the quasi-questionable category, given safety issues. I’ve wanted to visit Istanbul for a long time now, and Turkey has amazing antiquities.
Hawaii or Cabo – just returned from a long weekend on Lanai and I’ve been to both places multiple times (I’m old and I live on the west coast). Other downsides – the sun – Oscar’s skin doesn’t love it and I’m pale and prone to freckles. Upsides – playing in the ocean and in the sand are obvious winners and very short flights.
Australia – never been, but have always wanted to visit. Self-evident downside – flights. Upsides – people with super cool accents.
Lanai life
Will write more when the hotel figures out how to get wifi access for my mac, but just wanted to say aloha.
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Etta’s Hats
Where I’ve Been
