|
- Where do I really want to
stay? The answer to that depends
on what you are looking for. (1)Hotel, (2)Condo or
(3)Vacation Rental? Each has advantages and
disadvantages. Door #1- Hotel. Oh yeh, the
Hyatt. Living in the lap of luxury. Smiling desk
clerks to meet your every need. Walk to fine dining,
have a drink in the bar, ask the consierge what you should
do tomorrow. A very safe way to travel but costs big
$$$ and somtimes can feel a bit plastic. Lots of
people here, hundreds of your closest friends to mingle
with. Almost always the choice of first time,
inexperienced travelers wanting a guaranteed vacation along
the road more traveled. Door #2- Condo. Now
we're talking. Cook some meals, more room to relax,
stock your own fridge. If you need to get up in
the morning and walk to the beach, this could be your
choice. A stepping stone to....Door #3- Vacation
Rental. Get away from the Hotel crowds and the "milk
the tourist" mentality. To some this choice seems
risky and unknown, no corporate name to insure your
stay. Not so. Reality is you can hang out
at a resort all day if you want and not stay there
(just don't use the pool). We do it sometimes
too. Go to brunch, talk to the parrots, enjoy the
view etc. but do you really want to live there?
You can't beat the private, comfortable feel of a nice
vacation rental. The Hyatt houses 1000 people in an
area the size of our neighborhood that is home to
25.
- Do I need to rent a car and what are the driving
conditions like? The vast
majority of people that visit Kauai rent a car. This
is not an easy place to get around without one.
Taxis are available though. Our roads are almost
exclusively 1 lane. Traffic can be a problem in Lihue and
Kapaa during typical work and school transit
times/days. Avoid it if possible. Leave any
aggressive driving patterns at home. By and large,
most people can not afford fancy cars here and have nothing
to prove on the road. There is almost no safe place to
pass another car on our roads. Don't do it.
Tailgating is unsafe driving. People here will stop to
let their friend or Auntie into traffic in front of
them. Observe speed limits and wear your seat belt, as
police are all over it since there is not alot of bad stuff
here for them to take care of. Use your turn signals
and don't let a fear of getting lost make you drive too
slow. Locals know where they are going and dislike it
when tourists brake suddenly to look at a road
map. Look around you and mimic the average driver
is a safe bet. Know how to work your wipers and always
close your windows when leaving your car as heavy rain
showers can occur seamingly out of nowhere. Rental car
breakins, though not common, can be tempting to young
thieves. Take your valuables with you. Have fun
but don't drink and drive. Remember, the consequences
are just as severe here as they are at home.
- What are the locals
like? It is said that
Hawaii is the "melting pot of the Pacific". Kauai
is a mix of many different ethnic backgrounds which over
time have melded into a unique people. Native
Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Portugese, Haole(caucasion),
Tongan, Samoan and on down the line make up the people
here. As a whole folks here are hard working and
respectful. Family(Ohana) is very important
here. Smiles, waves, shakas, and eye contact are a way
of life. Like other indigenous peoples, Native
Hawaiians were subject to injustices in the Americanization
of Hawaii. These issues remain unsettled to this
day. All and all, there are some wonderful people
on this island. But remember, people here
share the same life issues as do rest of the planet.
Just because the natural beauty makes Kauai seem like
paradise does not mean all is well here. The cost of
living is very high here and pay scales are low. There
are growing pains for the young, bodily pains for the old
and breaking up is hard to do no matter what air you
breathe. Being polite, humble and respectful is a
good idea anywhere you travel.
- What clothes should I bring?
Comfortable and casual. A good pair of hiking shoes
(not boots), shorts, sweat shirt and pants, swimsuit, a
hat, sunglasses and leave the fancy stuff at
home. You can go out to dinner anywhere on the island
in an Aloha shirt that you buy here at any number
of stores. Locals typically wear
slippers(sandals) instead of shoes. Buy some while you
are here and give 'em a try. Remember, any footware is
to be left at the door when entering a home in Hawaii.
- What kind of local food should I try?
Do you know what the diference is between a malasada and a
manju? NOTHING- the're both food. Just try out
new tastes for the experience. That's part of the fun
of going to new places. A few to seek out are 1) Lau
Lau- This ia a definitive Hawaiian dish made of
pork and Taro leaf (Luau leaf) wrapped inside a Ti leaf
which is steamed into tenderness. Think of the
leaf wrapping like the corn husk around a tamale.
Don't try to eat it 2) Poke- If you like
sashimi or sushi you're going to love poke.
Check out any grocery store or fish market for this
treat. Cubed raw tuna mixed with onions, seaweed. salt
, sesame seed etc. and dipped in a wasabe/soy bath makes for
a local favorite. It also can be made with
cooked/sliced octopus, smoked salmon and more. Mm
good. 3) Shave ice- The Hawaiian version
of a snowcone will litrerally melt in your mouth. No
crunch when diving into one of these babies. Very
sweet. 4) Poi- Somewhat of an aquired taste for
most. The root of the Taro plant can be tasted if you
go to a Luau or buy some in the store. Get the
Hanalei Poi which is the freshest and tastes like pureed
sweet potato. For those who can't go there, try the
Taro chips at the market. At least you can say you ate what
they make Poi out of. 5) Fresh fruits and
veggies- The local Sunshine(farmers) markets vary on
days/locale so check there schedule at http://www.kauai.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=214
Print out the schedule and bring it with you. There
are also a scattering of fruit stands around the
island. Some can make you a fresh fruit
smoothie as well. Try a new kind of bean or squash, an
apple banana, a # of different kinds of papaya, or a
small super sweet pineapple. Lychee, in season, is a
special treat. 6) Local products- These can be
hard to find but worth the effort. Local honey and
guava jelly, goat cheese, microbrew beer in the bottle with
Keoki's and on tap with Waimea brewpub, smoked meat and fish
(check the fish markets), Anahola granola, tofu, hawaiian
salsas, and locally baked breads. 7) Spam
musabi- Hawaii has the highest per capita consumption
of Spam in the US. Musabi wraps it with rice in
Nori(seaweed). A favorite with the soccer mom crowd
for after game snack.
- Is the main house owner occupied?
Yes. The owners Ken and Debbie have a combined almost 50
years on the island. Professionally, she splits time
between being a high school math teacher and an underwater
guide as a scuba divemaster. Deb holds a
B.S. in Accounting along with a M.B.A... Ken is a
longtime scuba dive boat captain on the island and also
has a B.S. in Computer Science. On good days they work
together at http://fathomfive.com
|
