So it’s 5:00AM local time here in Hawaii. I thought we’d have no problem adjusting to the time difference given that we didn’t get settled down and to bed last night until what equated to 5:00AM East Coast time. But a rude phone call from a 785 area code got my heart pumping and now Alex is sitting in my lap, helping me compose this post.
The flights were long and relatively unexciting, which is always good when you’re on an airplane. We had no problem with our luggage, thank God, and the rental car acquisition was straight forward. We’re sporting a gold Hyundai Sonata. And baby, let me tell you, I’m going to get one of these things. Okay, not so much.
We had one hell of a time getting from the airport to our hotel. As much as you plan for a trip like this, the one oversight we made was not getting directions from the airport to the hotel. So without a navigation system in this brilliant rental car, we had to rely on the ole trusty iPhone. Big mistake. Not that the iPhone was wrong, but driving in an unfamiliar city trying to navigate with a cell phone is not a good plan. The directions were too accurate we couldn’t figure out which roads it was telling us to take. And all of the road names look the same here! Add an extra “L” or “ai” or “ha” and I swear every Hawaiian word could be the same.
As we finally found our way after a few “look kids, Big Ben. Parliament” episodes, the roads started turning into what I imagined as the five-lane highway merged into four, then to three, then to two and then to one. The city lights and the street lights on the mountains fade and complete darkness surrounds you. It was hard to determine where we were or what direction we were going, but it felt quaint. We rolled down the windows to take in the fresh Hawaiian air. It’s different. Maybe it was me that was different, but it smelled pure and sweet.
We arrived at the Turtle Bay Resort and were greeted by a dude who, ironically, was from Siesta Key, Sarasota. His grandfather has a house just north of the public beach. What we could see of the resort is very nice.
We’re anxious—well Alex and I are, Lisa is still sleeping (man, that girl can sleep)—to see the sunrise. I know there’s water just outside our window, but I’m not sure which direction we are facing…
