Last year I had a vacation that was less (way less) than perfect. My husband and I had to contend with two hurricanes. We were a day late getting to Aruba and almost didn’t make it home because of a hurricane. So this year I decided to go to a beach not in the Caribbean. We went to Lanai in Hawaii and had a great time. Our flights both ways were on time. In fact on the return we arrived home twenty minutes early. That hardly ever happens.
In Lanai which is so laid back we had perfect weather (used to be owned by Dole Pineapple and the whole island had fields and fields of pineapples). There was no rain and the days were usually in the 80s with a nice breeze. We got to swim with the spinner dolphins and didn’t have to pay a cent to do it. They were out in the bay one day while we were there and we went out in the water. They came up to us. A pod of about eight dolphins swam toward me then about six feet away went under the water. I saw them with my snorkeling equipment swim under me about five feet below me and then they resurfaced. I have never been that close to dolphins in the wild. It was wonderful!!!!
My husband and I went horseback riding one day and got to see Lanai in a different way (though, later my aches and pains made me wonder why I had chosen that way). We rode through a forest of Australian pines (ironwoods) and it was so peaceful. The breeze blowing through it made it sound like waves crashing against the shore. Then on top of the ridge we saw Molokai and Maui across the way.
The next day we got adventurous and rented a Jeep so we could take the back roads that required a four wheel drive (again I wondered why I decided to see Lanai that way–the jarring ride over less than perfect roads left my body feeling like it had been put into a blender and turned on high). We went to one beach where we saw a monk seal just lying on the sand. She was at least six feet long and she tolerated us being on her beach. That was a thrill along with the sea turtles swimming off shore.
But I think the best part of the vacation was getting up early and sitting on the patio outside my room. We had a garden (with tons of flowering bushes and trees–their fragrance scenting the air) right outside our room and a waterfall that was wonderful to listen to. So relaxing and inspiring. I told my husband I wish I could take our view home with us and transport the garden to my backyard. Boy could I write in that atmosphere.
Anyway now I’m back to the real world and I have a book to get in before going to RWA conference in two weeks. Oh, well, all good things have to come to an end. I do have my memories.
