I often find myself wondering when exactly it will be before I start feeling like an actual adult. Oh, I have my moments when I can act like a grown-up…I’m usually pretty mature at work, and I can carry on a pretty serious conversation when I have to….but in general, I’m sort of kid-like. This trip has proven that over and over again. For instance, I’ve found a new love for the candy NERDS (how many adults do you know that carry around a handful of colorful sugar specks with them on a regular basis??). I also like to wear my hooded sweatshirt over top of my nice going out dress, I have been known to suck red wine through a twizzler, and phrases such as, “race you up that rock face,” and “come on Jess, let’s do handstands on this mountain just to say we did it” often come out of my mouth. In general I would say that the “non-adult” way of living life is much more fun, but sometimes I worry that I should be different by now…that I should give up the hot chocolate and order a black coffee if you know what I mean.

Well this past Friday, I had a break through, a little hint of adultness if you will, that told me that in spite of all my weird childish quarks, I’m still a 30 year old.

We arrived at our Hostel, the Banana Bungalow Friday evening. Up until then, we’d spent a good portion of the day complaining about leaving Kauai. We made a final stop at Tunnels beach to get sand for Leisyl (which later caused me to be stopped in the airport and searched….thanks a lot Leisyl :)) and also Bubba’s to get a burger for Jessica. We said goodbye to Tahiti Nui, and drove one more time down highway 580 to the airport. By the time our plane took off though, I was feeling excited about exploring a new island, although a little nervous about our hostel. Jessica and I both had experience in hostel accommodations, but had read some dodgy reviews the night before about this particular one, and felt just a bit uneasy. Our plane landed, we grabbed a taxi, and the driver proceeded to tell us in his own blunt way that the BB wasn’t a very good choice, and that we should have gone to Lahaina instead. Thanks, that was very helpful Mr. I obviously don’t like my job, minivan driving taxi guy- Things were not looking good.

Once at the hostel though, I felt much better. From at least the safety perspective, everything seemed to be on the up and up. The staff was very friendly, and all the people we ran into were very nice and asked us to join them for hot-tubing. That’s when the 30 year old Sarah showed up.

It was in the moments of getting the tour of the place, seeing the closet, I mean room where I would be staying, observing the shared bathrooms, and labeling my food in a kitchen shared by 45 other people, it was during this time that I realized, I’ve already done the college dorm- life thing- I’ve already had my fun on a top bunk, and I’ve already experienced staying up until 3am with friends, just talking and drinking, and that life was a blast….but I’m not 21 anymore. I want to go to bed at a reasonable hour, I want my own bathroom, I want a bed with more than a pathetic little white sheet, and I NEED A CLOSET, ( and apparently some shower shoes…gross:)).

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Banana Bungalow, it was all me. Somewhere along the way of life, I apparently turned into a grown-up, and it showed. If only for this short amount of time, I was happy to be a 30 year old professional with a salary- I wanted adult stuff- like a condo or a charming Bed and Breakfast.

Clearly Jessica was feeling the same way…10 minutes after unloading our things, we both proceeded to take our laptops outside and look for a new place. We sat together in mostly darkness around a plastic circular piece of patio furniture. We were undoubtedly out of place, surrounded by a few dozen people in bathing suits, beers in hand, talking, laughing, having a great time…I wondered at that moment, “what is wrong with me, why do I feel so out of place here?”..but now I know….I’m a grown-up…or at least part grown-up…and as I type this from my comfortable couch in my spacious condo complete with a view of the ocean, I have to think that being an adult definitely has it’s perks! :)

For the record, we did stay 2 nights at the Banana Bungalow, and had an amazing trip to a volcano that I will fill you in on later…so I don’t feel like we completely sold out. Also we met some really nice people- I don’t want you to think it was all bad :)

Well, today is my last day in Kauai and I must say, I'm pretty sad about it. I've had an absolutely great time here on the Garden Island. It was the perfect combination of thrilling adventure and laid back restfulness that I wanted. Yesterday Jessica and I went to a local beach (I can't remember the name off hand....starts with a K....everything seems to start with a k here :)) It was beautiful. I asked Jess if she wanted to swim out to this rock with me....thinking her answer would be that of many of my friends when I ask them to do something such as this...,"heck no" "that's stupid" "go for it- but don't come crying to me when a shark bites off your leg" you know, the usual responses....but she surprised me and said "sure"! So we took two boogie boards and started out...not really going at a very fast pace, but still making progress. We were pretty far out...just floating in the middle of the Pacific....I think we were both thinking we should turn back....just feeling a little uneasy...out of our element...but my stuborness kept me from saying anything...I forced Jessica to make the call....She wisely said we should head back...I agreed. When we got back to the beach, one of the locals (who ironically was the pineapple farmer I met at the market..small world), told us we probably shouldn't have been out so far with our black-bottomed boogie boards because the tiger sharks he often sees swimming right where we were, would mistake us for sea turtles and eat us for lunch...well, he didn't say that last part, but that's what he meant. So I guess we lucked out....oh, and Jessica nearly ate a gecko that was sitting in her brownie batter..on her spoon...it was a pretty stressful day! :)

Side note- met up with friends Tiffany and Adrian at Tahit Nue last night- we talked "teacher" with them- They were super fun.

Today has been uneventful- morning yoga, packing, and laying in the hammock, reading, with a purring cat on my lap....not a bad day so far.

Stay tuned for my next posts though...we're heading to Maui today and staying in a hostel that may or may not be a little shady...keep your fingers crossed...I'm sort of nervous...Should be an experience either way.

Pics are of the lighthouse here in town and some more flowers for battles to identify for me.

I have a confession, don’t judge me, but I really like the show, “The Bachelorette.” I never thought I’d be one to watch this stupid show, but I’ve gotten sucked into the reality drama, and just can’t wait to see who Jillian will choose to be her husband. Luckily, Jessica likes it too….infact, she’s the one that got me hooked in the first place (sorry to rat you out Jess). So it’s been pretty hilarious…the two of us in the Gazebo at the farm- the only place where there’s wireless, sitting in our plastic anorondak chairs, feet propped up, with an “internet box” between us. Of course, no good TV show is complete without the proper TV watching snacks….yesterday it was Diet Coke with brownie batter ( gotta love the just add water college way). It’s just sort of silly and inconsistent to be in Hawaii, on a beautiful organic farm, surrounded by nature, and watching ABC TV…but I suppose I’m on vacation, so anything goes. Today should be a beach day. We’re trying out a new spot. And I need to work on my tan…this always wearing sunscreen thing, is really cutting into my bronze goddess goal :)

Jessica and I hiked a trail called Sleeping Giant Today. It was a decent hike (3.5 miles round trip- 1,000 ft. incline). The trail is named after the way the mountain looks from the road…the Giant’s head in the town of Wailua and his feet in the town of Kapaa. We were able to hike all the way to the very top….the giant’s cliff chin…it offered a complete 360 degree view of the Wailua Valley and the Pacific Ocean. When we came down a couple asked us if we went to the very top…she then told us what she read in her guide book about the last part of the climb….”those attempting the final trek to the chin must either be stupid, crazy, or have really great insurance." Glad we didn’t know that before we started. Ignorance is bliss!

Whenever I’m on vacation, and doing amazing things, I always find myself thinking of all my friends and family, and wishing they were experiencing the same things with me. This vacation is no different. I wish all of you could be here….and I so appreciate how gracious all of you have been in letting me share my experience with you whether through this blog, or on the phone, or through email….no one has shown any sign of real annoyance or jealousy…at least not to my face:) and I can’t say that I would be so kind…I would probably be like, “shut up already about your stupid trip…I hate the fact that you’re having all this fun, and I’m stuck in boring Ohio going to work…I hate all teachers” Ok, maybe I wouldn’t be saying that, but I might be thinking it….and you might be too but I can’t tell, so keep up the good work….you’re doing great! :)

Ok, so on to my title….Of course you’re all on my mind, but I have three guys in my life that I keep thinking would love it here…if not Kauai (which, lets face it…I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t like this island), then of course North Country Farms.

First, my friend Adam- Babs would be like a kid in a candy shop here….He’s a Jack of all trades: engineer, chef, Mr. Fixit (especially my car and lawnmower), husband, father, and also a great gardener. He may even be at this moment turning my backyard into a vegetable paradise- or at least planting some tomatoes. Babs, this place has any vegetable you could want…..even weird stuff that I’ve never heard of before…Carrie, you could have salads everyday…fresh ( unfortunately for me, no iceburg :)) I actually have been picking stuff, and just eating it raw…tomatoes, beans, and even basil (kind of strange to just be chewing on a leaf, but hey….what the heck, it’s Hawaii…it just feels like the thing to do) Oh, and not just vegetables…there’s an orchard too. I’ve been picking oranges right off the trees and eating them, along with limes (for my Diet Coke), and bananas. There are avocado trees, and pineapples…yep, never saw a pineapple growing before…it really looks like a science fiction thing…very weird…they just look like they’ve spouted like little cabbage patch kids, to use Jess’s quote. Anyhow, Bab’s just thought you’d like to know….it’s a good time:).

Ryan Battles is my snorkel friend, he even gave me an in-pool lesson when I was visiting him and Heather in Columbus. It’s been nice to be able to tell him all about my fish-seeing experiences and to hear his genuine excitement for me. He didn’t even doubt me when I claimed to have found two new species (one which I have named the Jessica fish, because of it’s laid back swim (remind me to tell you more about this sometime). I think it would be so fun having him along to share in my snorkeling experiences because he knows so much, and really just loves it…..but not just fish….Ryan is also very knowledgeable about plants. He especially likes tropical plants, and could probably tell me the names of all the flowers I’ve been seeing…and Ryan, you would go nuts over the banana trees…with actual bananas growing and everything…..they have a banana grove here! (is that what you call it??- sounded right) I took some pictures for you. (Ryan just recently planted his own banana tree in his backyard). Ryan you would love this place- don’t worry Heath- you know you’re my first choice for all the adventure stuff- I pretty much think how much you would love it here daily, because of all the hiking and sporty stuff- just thought I would give your husband a shout out on this blog :).

Clay- I thought of you today- Clay is a great cook. He’s always trying new recipes.… most of which I’m too picky to enjoy…but I hear are fantastic…and always at least smell great :). Today Jess and I made dinner with our fresh veggies and some chicken we had around. I must say, Jess did most of the work, and just started throwing things together that might taste good, but I did cut up some stuff, and I got to GRILL!- You’re probably thinking “what do you mean you’ve never grilled”..well, let me tell you, when you grow up with a dad and brother, you’re not usually the first one they ask to flip the burgers for family supper, it’s kind of the same with mowing the lawn…which come to think of it, I really like doing now, and the same with the grilling….it’s kind of fun…and let’s face it not really that difficult, which is probably the second thing you were thinking. But I really liked adding the fresh squeezed oranges to the chicken while it was grilling…it made me feel chef-like. Now, the bad thing- I’m not sure if I cooked the chicken enough- it’s hard to keep the outside from burning while cooking the inside- As I write this, I’m feeling just a bit weird…keep your fingers crossed that I didn’t give Jess and I food poisoning…That would be a bit of a bummer. Oh, and Clay we went out for Sushi…which sounds like something creative and weird food wise that you would like- thought of you then too- I didn’t actually eat any of the sushi, but I think even just having it at the table should count for something…what do you think? It’s a step right? Who knows what kind of interesting stuff I may learn to like after my trip is over- oh, and I ate a strawberry guava on my hike today off the tree- I hated it of course, but let the record show that I tried it!

On Tuesday the four of us got up at 4 am to drive out to Wimea and take our rafting cruise. I must admit when my alarm went off, I wasn’t so pumped to be going on the excursion, but when we loaded the zodiac raft named Sea Biscuit with our two guides Chris and Dan, and about 15 other people, and took off skipping through the water, I was holding on for dear life, hooting and hollering, and loving every minute. During the cruise, we saw the entire breathtaking Naplai Coast line, and got some great historical facts to go along with the scenery. We traveled into sea caves, and were able to see some of the sights that even National Geographic claims to be the most beautiful in the world. We also snorkeled in the crystal clear “windex blue” water, which was fun, but my favorite part was seeing the dolphins. I was skeptical at first when we had been traveling for a while without a single sign of sea life, but then we came upon them. Not just 3 or 4 but close to 30 spinner dolphins, swimming all around us, right beside the boat! They were everywhere, jumping out of the water…..so fantastic! It was definitely a highlight.
We all liked the excursion so much that we chipped in and bought the picture CD from our actual trip complete with videos- (I’ll attempt to post one)- funny how we all said we would never pay for pictures we could take ourselves…but then all decided it was worth it- I guess that says a lot about how much we all liked the trip….Way to Go Napali Rider Tours!

We moved to a new location. It’s called North Country farms. I put a link to the website on the sign on this blog if you want to check it out. We’re still in the same general area as before, just a little more south, in a town called Kilauea. It’s only about 15 minutes from Hanalai. We’re in the garden cottage, and it’s soooo cute, the perfect place for real Hawaii relaxation. I’ll try to give you an idea about what it’s been like in the next few blog entries. I also wanted to use this entry to jot down what we’ve been doing the last few days- the days are starting to all run together….I better write it down before I forget. Enjoy the pictures.

Sunday- July 28th

- Took Leisyl to the airport
- Went to Poipu to try and watch some surfing
- Enjoyed a nap in the shade at tunnels beach and did some snorkeling
- Went Running to the Kalalau trail head and back
- Did yoga on the beach with Jessica- or attempted- it looks picturesque but really isn’t practical especially when it starts to rain- quite laughable
- Evening at Tahiti Nue

Monday- July 29th

- Moved out of Hale Manoa
- Went to Hanalai Beach
- Checked into North Country Farm Cottage
- Explored, Relaxed, and read
- Dressed up to get Sushi in Hanalei

Tuesday- July 30th

- Napali Riders rafting Cruise of the Napali Coast
- Spent the rest of the day being lazy at the cottage- reading in the hammock
- Tahiti Nue- great live music- met some cool people- Loving the My Ties (I know that’s not how you spell it, but it’s late, and I don’t feel like figuring it out :)

Wednesday- July 31st

- Took Wendy and Jay to the Airport
- Hiked Sleeping Giant
- Visited the Kilauau Lighthouse
- Spent a wonderful day at the cottage
- Cooked dinner