We Take Ourselves With Us

Here's a link list of where we stayed, ate and snorkeled while on the Big Island.  Everything listed below is "frosty" in our book, but I've added our newly non-trademarked asterisk-scale of 1-5 for good measure! Sleeping Sheraton Kona  ***** Eating Super J's  ***** Kohala Burgers and Tacos  **** The Fish and the Hog  ***** Bianelli's  **** Buns in the Sun  *** L&L Drive-In  *** Tex Drive-In  **** (5* for malasadas!) Sandy's Drive-In  *** (5* for smoothie and donuts!) Ken's House of Pancakes  *** Punalu'u Bake Shop  *** (5* for sweet bread & donuts, sensing a theme here yet?) Anuenue Shave Ice  ***** Snorkeling Fair Wind Cruises  ***** Sea Paradise  ****

Everything in Kona is outside: the airport terminal, the baggage claim, the L&L Hawaiian BBQ we stopped at on the way to the hotel, the hotel lobby, the hallways, the restaurant. No one needs doors--it's never too hot nor too cold. Always just right! (BTW Gainesvillians, turns out Maui Teriyaki really is Hawaiian fast food!)

When I was little, I watched TV families who lived in exotic places (i.e., not St. Francis) or went on exotic vacations (i.e., not to their Grandma's cottage 40 minutes out of town). I didn't know anyone who lived in New York City like the kids on A Family Affair or stopped off in a real Old West Ghost Town like the Partridge Family. I remember watching specials about Disneyland and Disney World on the Wonderful World of Disney and imagining what sort of magic would need to happen for me to ever go there. (Little knowing I would one day move about 75 min away, making WDW an updated version of my Grandma's cottage--nearby, affordable fun.) I'm now a good deal older than the little girl who watched the world pass by on a condole tv from her perch on harvest gold carpet. I've been so many places that I never thought I'd see. And, somehow I've raised two kids who have seen more of the world before hitting their teens than I had by the time I was 30. Now, ...

I made Ned upgrade his seat so he wouldn't go crazy on the 9 hour flight! We're holding up the rear--he's in the exit row ready to fight for us in case of emergency ... Or so he says :)

Left home at my usual travel hour of 4 am--a clock that is not usually shared by my family. Of course, when one is up at 3:30am and lands at O'Hare around 8am, it might as well be noon. Especially when Frontera is already serving lunch! Yum!