Upon leaving the Lihue airport in the small rental car, I headed toward Waimea on the south coast of Kauai. There I stopped for a few essentails I would need since I had only my carry-on items, and then at 10:30pm local time headed up into Waimea Canyon, the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", to find the rustic cabin in Kokee State Park where I could get some sleep. When Nelda and I visited Kauai 17 years ago, we had visited this park and said it would be fun to stay for a day or two if we ever got the chance. Or at least, I said that and Nelda didn't object, not expecting that it would ever happen. But when this trip came up months ago, I saw the perfect opportunity to stay in the cabins high in the Kauai central mountains overlooking the canyons and rugged coastline.
After 20 miles of switchbacks in the dark, I found the cabin and the late-checkin key as planned. It was everything I had expected: simple, authentic, quiet, cool sleeping weather. There is no cell phone service (don't even think about wireless internet), television, radio, telephone, or heating. But it does have electicity and basic bathroom and kitchen. I used blankets instead of working with the wood-burning stove and fell asleep quickly. I awoke at 1:00am -- 6:00am Nashville time -- and was tired enough to go back to sleep with no problem. That's a great way way to get over jet lag quickly.
As I was expecting, there are many feral roosters nearby. I think they were on Nashville time, too, because they began to crow hours before daylight. But this did not keep me from getting refreshing sleep.
The next morning, I gathered a bit of firewood and headed down the canyon road to get some cell phone service to check on Nelda. If things go as planned, I will pick her up at the airport late this afternoon and we will head to the cabin together. I made a shopping list for a few items that may let Nelda enjoy the experience more. Part of the reason for me coming a day early was to scout out the territory and get things ready so that she can sleep well after her tiring trip.
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2 comments:
Thanks for taking the time to blog. The internet a wonderful thing! I'll be checking the blog everyday. Post lot's of pictures!
Have fun at Waimea and then come on home cause it will be time for ya'll to become grandparents!
Dad, this sounds like just your kind of adventure! For Mom's sake, I hope things calmed down by the time she got there. It doesn't sound as much like her kind of adventure, and I'm sure flying with 2 (albiet sweet) little kids is tiring!
Have fun, and don't worry about us . . . bedrest has slowed the contractions down quite a bit. Joshua, Laini, and the Hollands are taking good care of us!
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