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[#1]

I’d never expect that when my daughter approached 16 years of age we’d share the same favorite in this category, but we do. Travel! The two of us absolutely live for new experiences in beautiful places near and far. And occasionally, there’s a place that imprints itself on our souls and we just have to return. One of those places: Kauai. We returned a trip there just a few days ago, so I wanted to share a few pics and memories!

My dad navigated this trip as he’s been there a half dozen times (!!). And I feel awful that you won’t see him in the pics since he took most of them (thanks Dad!)!! But thanks to him we were also able to see areas of this more remote part of Hawaii that I would never find otherwise.

As soon as we arrived (after a looooong flight from PA) it was straight to bed, but when I woke up and went for a run I was awestruck by the view of Hanalei Bay near our condo. It amazes me that people get to wake to this view every day. 

We got straight to shopping (of course) and playing tourist in Princeville. As you can see, we kept it low-key and serious

A short hike to the “Queen’s Bath” that hiking stick became my best friend on later hikes too! 

This is as close as we got to Queen’s Bath…I’m told it’s sometimes calm enough to swim in. Clearly this was not one of those times:

No trip to Hawaii is complete without going to a Luau! Our one opportunity to dress up and get extra girly..thank you Gabby for the side braid or I’d be lost in that humidity! 

Gab and I tried to keep it healthy on this trip..and I gotta say we did a pretty good job! Fresh coconut water vendors and yoga classes by the beach made it easy.

(at least that balanced out the coconut cake and mai tai I had at the luau, right??)

Maybe one of the reasons we love this place so much is the vibe. Positive, upbeat, relaxed. It’s easy to see why. And the evidence is everywhere.

Our last hike of the trip was to Waimea Canyon, and a remote waterfall that looks like it’s straight from a movie set! 

And the icing on the cake: a sunset cruise along the Napali Coast. Whale sightings, dolphins, and stunning sights. My favorite sight: the smile you see on Gabby’s face in all these pics. 

We are already working on our next trip...I think part of the reason we are so hooked on travel is because we grow closer on each journey. As I approach the moment she leaves to go to college I feel the urgency more than ever to share as much time with her as I can. And these trips help infinitely. Thank you for letting me share it with you. And Aloha!