My Bonus Island: Five Days in Kauai

Originally, Maui was supposed to be my final Hawaiian destination, but then I changed my ticket so I could hang out a little longer at the Banana Bungalow. Around the time all my plans were changing, I saw on Facebook that my blogging buddy Angie was in Kauai. Up until this point, our friendship was strictly virtual. But when I saw her uploading stunning Hawaii pictures on Facebook, I sent her a message. Our exchange went a little something like this:

Alex: Angie! We’re both in Hawaii! Why don’t you come to Maui and we can meet in person and hang out!
Angie: Hey girl! Sounds awesome but my brother and I have this great condo here in Kauai and so we’re probably just going to hang out ’round these parts. You should really come visit us though!
(Ten minute pause)
Alex: I hope you were serious, because I just bought a ticket. 

And that’s how I found myself flying to Kauai, an island I had no intention of visiting when I first landed in Hawaii. I admit I had some butterflies at the thought of crashing for five days with two people I had never actually met in person before — what if they hated me? What if they thought I was boring? What if Angie’s adorably charming online persona was a FARCE?!

Well. I worried for nothing, because within moments of Angie and Alex (yes, this was a two Alex trip) picking me up at the airport we were fast friends. Angie was even more adorable and charming than she comes off online, although I did confess to her that I pictured her voice sounding more like Minnie Mouse’s (isn’t it weird how we make up voices in our heads when reading books and blogs? No, that’s just me?)

With only a few days to see all that Hawaii’s reportedly most beautiful island had to offer, we set off straight from the airport for Waimea Canyon. At approximately ten miles long and up to 3,000 feet deep, Waimea Canyon has pretty fair claim to its reputation as Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Having now seen the real thing as well, I can vouch that Kauai’s version stands up pretty well — if only for its location on a pristine tropical island.

And never ones to waste a Hawaiian day without lapping up any sunshine, we spent the afternoon napping and gossiping on the beach. Alex was a great sport about feigning interest when Angie and I went on rants about contracts, conferences, Klout scores, and other intricacies of blogging and travel writing.

That first morning aside, the rest of my time in Kauai was dedicated to the North Shore, and most specifically Angie and Alex’s fantastic Princeville condo. You can forgive us for not going much further afield when views like this were practically in the backyard though, can’t you?

I did manage to get a sweat on twice in Kauai — by hiking the Kalalau Trail and by paddleboarding in Hanalei Bay — but those deserve posts of their own, coming up this week. But in general, my days in Hawaii were numbered, and they were flying by fast. It was a very bittersweet aloha when it was finally time to go.

And a very special thanks again to Angie and Alex for having me. I feel that I made two wonderful new friends, and what a better place than paradise. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to Hawaii, a place that will always hold an incredibly special piece of my heart. After all — Hawaii brought me back to life.

Have you ever been to Kauai? Do you agree that its the most beautiful Hawaiian island?

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