Hanalei Colony Resort
I prefer renting a house on this island but second to that is staying at the Hanalei Colony Resort on the North Shore of Kauai. They just did a remodel and the rooms are clean and easy. The location is great since it’s on the more remote side of the island close to glorious beaches like Tunnels and Kee beach. Since it does sit on a point the wind picks up by the afternoon, and swimming isn’t great there. I like to walk from the resort northward to some little quiet beach fronts. The path by the YMCA leads to a beautiful cove.
The Story
I think part of my attraction to Kauai is that it is so familiar to me now that I can navigate the terrain easily, even when alone. On one of the trips here, my older daughter and I came when I was about 8 months pregnant with her younger sister. It was a difficult pregnancy and I just craved to be in the big mother ocean more than anything. I booked us a trip and there we were, me waddling to the beach, and her carrying all the towels. We would walk down the same path to the beach everyday, and I would take in all the lush tropical beauty around. Years later we came back but this time with the baby, and my marriage shattered. This time I was in a haze, and walking down that same path seemed a little less magical. A few years after that I was walking down that same path with the love of my life by my side. And now on this trip I am solo. Sans children, sans love, sans expectations. This time I am trying so hard to just remain present and see the wonder of it all. The tropical birds singing, the smell of the pikaki, and being by myself with myself . .
It just shows you what you see and take in is all about perspective. We have a choice to see the light everywhere or the darkness. As Einstein said “there are two kinds of people. Those who believe nothing is a miracle, and those who believe everything is a miracle.”
Following the path . . .
On this particular day there was a Hawaiian lady walking her goats on the path I like to take. It reminded me of my childhood in Iran when the goats would overtake the roads. I suppose both the country side of Iran and Kauai have the rural charm that I love so much . . .
That picture of Hanalie Colony Resort –LOVE IT. Feel like I am transported there just staring at the picture! That water! Paradise!