Gidget Goes Hawaiian- Kauai & Aulani 8/2012 TR- 5/24 COMPLETE!!

[podsnel]

TICK...TICK....TICK....we are down to about half an hour before we should get in the shower. Damn. Let's hit the hot tub and relax one last time!

I had racked up a nice collection of MOST of my bands on our stay (yes- like a 10 year old, I wouldn't take them off til I got home- LOL!).

Love my baby!

Love these guys, too!

We had the hot tub almost entirely to ourselves....

Except for the nice women who were in there with us and offered to take our pic-

Until...this guy got in, and things got a little busier in the water!

SO COOL that Goofy got in the hot tub! This reminded me of DCL- how when you see the charcters on the ship, it often feels like you are just hangin out with them, you are just on vacation with them instead of meeting them in their celebrity capacity. Aulani is like that, too.

We got to chatting with the women who had taken our pic, and I mentioned that we were literally in our last minutes here...they asked if we had done everything we wanted to while on Hawaii, what we loved, etc, because they had just arrived. Yes, we had really done everything I had my heart set on for us- I mentioned the North Shore, how they must go, even just to see the turtles on Sunset Beach. I mentioned that it was so important to me that we see the turtles, and that I had hoped we would see the other animal Hawaii is famous for- the endangered state animal, the Monk Seal. But I guess we'll have to come back for that one.

Monk seal? Well, she tells us, there has been one down on that other beach past the Marriott all day! Just laying there, sunning herself- a vet had even been summoned to check the animal out, everything was fine, she was just hangin....

You never saw 2 people hustle over to the other beach so fast in your life! Timmy and I couldn't wait to see that seal- Pods and Tyler? They were being lazy, they didn't come. They missed seeing her (or him)-

How beautiful is this seal?

Cont'd next post-

 

[podsnel]

A face EVERY mother could love-

Excuse me...I'm trying to nap here...

Do I know you?

Alright...Thanks for waking me- I'm up!

Dudes- don't you have a plane to catch?

Well...I guess she was right. We DID have a plane to catch.

Don't worry- I'll probably still be here when you come back in x years....because who would ever want to leave this beautiful beach?

The seal makes some good points. C'MON MOM!

It was time for the lovely, convenient, but dreaded by all, Luana Lounge.

Seriously. Everytime I walked by during our stay, my eyes averted this sign, and if I happened to screw up and catch a glimpse, I quickly erased the sight (My EYES! My EYES!) from my memory. Because the ONLY reason to enter the Luana Lounge is to leave Aulani, and who the heck would EVER want to do that?? It's just stupid!

We all went to our respective showers and cleaned up for our flight...then met back out in the lounge to print our boarding passes.

And it occured to me, in my last-minute-don't-MISS-IT! panic, that we had not had the special cupcake from Mama's- so I ran to get one to share....the Mac nut pineapple cupcake-

All four of us said.....YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Seriously, YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....so make sure you don't miss it when you go!

Well...after that last sweet moment, it finally was....time to leave. Parting desperate deprature pics in the next installment- I need a moment. It's always hard to leave Hawaii, even 6 months after you actually did.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I was trying to absorb that 2 years of anticipation was just about finished, and soon we would be leaving all this beauty.

It's never long enough. You could have stayed there 2 years and it still wouldn't be long enough.

Because REALLY, no Disney vacation- whether it's in a park or somewhere else, is complete without one!

Mickey bars rule!

Pods and Timmy decided, muscles or not, he was goin' down!

It was only a matter of time!

and Tyler got his revenge. You know what they say paybacks are!

That was only a matter of time as well.

SO COOL that Goofy got in the hot tub!

Monk seal? Well, she tells us, there has been one down on that other beach past the Marriott all day!

Very cool!

It was time for the lovely, convenient, but dreaded by all, Luana Lounge.

Everytime I walked by during our stay, my eyes averted this sign, and if I happened to screw up and catch a glimpse, I quickly erased the sight (My EYES! My EYES!) from my memory. Because the ONLY reason to enter the Luana Lounge is to leave Aulani, and who the heck would EVER want to do that?? It's just stupid!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

 

[podsnel]

You are so funny Mark! You totally crack me up every time! Thanks!

 

[podsnel]

HEY CAPTAIN OBLIVIOUS-
There is a new show on HGTV- it's called Hawaiian Life. It's about people who live on Hawaii actually buying houses and making a life there.

I kid you not- as I fell asleep watching it last night, all I could think of was how can I get my CPA hubby to agree to THAT?!

I mean, I think I have him talked into spending a winter there when he finally retires, but a year or two? Hmmmmm....how tempting!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

HEY CAPTAIN OBLIVIOUS-
There is a new show on HGTV- it's called Hawaiian Life. It's about people who live on Hawaii actually buying houses and making a life there.

I kid you not- as I fell asleep watching it last night, all I could think of was how can I get my CPA hubby to agree to THAT?!

I mean, I think I have him talked into spending a winter there when he finally retires, but a year or two? Hmmmmm....how tempting!

I've seen that show in the listings, but haven't actually watched it. I'm pretty sure if I sold my house and put all of the money into one account I could buy a broom closet in Hawaii.

It would be pretty awesome, though. It's fun to dream!

 

[rentayenta]

Great updates.

The last day is always bittersweet; so grateful to have had a such an amazing vacation but obviously sad to go. But you shouldn't be so sad, you vacation monthly girl if not more.

The seal is precious. I love that.

Pods salad does look amazing. Your lunch looks HUGE. How much did you leave? It did look incredible and I would have stuffed myself silly for sure.

That cupcake looks pretty damn worth every calorie as well. I love a good cupcake.

 

[lisaviolet]

And also for taking more toe pics,

]

OMG Ellen - what a GREAT SHOT!!! Love it.

 

[ACDSNY]

How cool that Goofy visited you guys in the hot tub! I love the monk seal shots, which direction is that beach, left or right from Aulani?

I still remember this shot I took on our last few minutes.

 

[anewmac]

caught up and yet all i remember is the food.. YUM! LOL so glad you were able to pack it all in right up intill the last moments! I love that they have an area to shower and wait so that if youve already checked out of your room your still able to be active then clean up before your long flight back

 

[englishrose47]

How cool was that seal !!!! Great shots of him/her !!!I share your sadness in leaving , it was a beautiful resort !! One day, one day!!!!

 

[jenseib]

What an awesome last day! You did so much and how wonderful to end it with seeing the seal. It has the cutest expressions too.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Wow! What an amazing adventure -- all of it. I haven't posted much (at all?) but I've really enjoyed following along. I really hope to visit Aulani someday... as you said, those points make it pretty easy! Now I just need more of them.

I've watched that show Hawaiian Life and it is very fun to dream about packing up my east coast life and heading out there.

So happy you guys finally saw a seal at the end and how adorable is he/she??? Glad to hear a vet visited and he/she was in good health... just lazing on the beach like the tourists!

I always enjoy your TRs but this one is bookmarked for Hawaii tips that hopefully I will be able to put to good use!

 

[rndmr2]

So sad that your trip is ending! But what a great bonus getting to see that seal!! So neat to see those pics!

 

[podsnel]

I've seen that show in the listings, but haven't actually watched it. I'm pretty sure if I sold my house and put all of the money into one account I could buy a broom closet in Hawaii.

It would be pretty awesome, though. It's fun to dream!

It is fun to dream. The first one I saw was a pro-surfer, his wife, and their 4 kids- buying a house for over 1 million. I smacked Pods and said Why can't you be a better surfer! You had a lesson! Start rakin in the cash already!

Great updates.

The last day is always bittersweet; so grateful to have had a such an amazing vacation but obviously sad to go. But you shouldn't be so sad, you vacation monthly girl if not more.

No complaints here- I just am not very good at saying goodbye- it's a skill I completely lack!

The seal is precious. I love that.

That seal was BEAUTIFUL, and I couldn't believe how lucky we were to see her/him!

Pods salad does look amazing. Your lunch looks HUGE. How much did you leave? It did look incredible and I would have stuffed myself silly for sure.

We did leave some- I wish I had known it was going to be like that, we would have just split it. But it was soooooo soooo yummy! Also very hard to say good bye to! HA!

That cupcake looks pretty damn worth every calorie as well. I love a good cupcake.

I had about 1 bite of that cupcake. And Pods said it was a good thing I didn't get it until the last minute- if I had had one the first day, we would have had one every day- it was THAT good- it had a pineapple filling. YUM. They devoured it- it just kind of was there one second, and eveaporated the next.

OMG Ellen - what a GREAT SHOT!!! Love it.

I must have been channeling you!

How cool that Goofy visited you guys in the hot tub! I love the monk seal shots, which direction is that beach, left or right from Aulani?

It was (if you are facing the ocean) to the right, down the little path after the grass at the Marriott.

I still remember this shot I took on our last few minutes.

Nice! Where was that?

caught up and yet all i remember is the food.. YUM! LOL so glad you were able to pack it all in right up intill the last moments! I love that they have an area to shower and wait so that if youve already checked out of your room your still able to be active then clean up before your long flight back

That really is a wonderful convenience, that room- especially because most people are not leaving Hawaii early in the day- a night time flight is more common.

 

[podsnel]

How cool was that seal !!!! Great shots of him/her !!!I share your sadness in leaving , it was a beautiful resort !! One day, one day!!!!

It is sooo worth the trip, Rosie! But you have something just as amazing coming up- the Dream cruise! I am SO excited for you!!!!

What an awesome last day! You did so much and how wonderful to end it with seeing the seal. It has the cutest expressions too.

That seal was the best icing on the best cake EVER.

Wow! What an amazing adventure -- all of it. I haven't posted much (at all?) but I've really enjoyed following along. I really hope to visit Aulani someday... as you said, those points make it pretty easy! Now I just need more of them.

Yea-the points make it very hard NOT to go- I love our DVC!

I've watched that show Hawaiian Life and it is very fun to dream about packing up my east coast life and heading out there.

Really! Like we were saying before, it IS so fun to dream....

So happy you guys finally saw a seal at the end and how adorable is he/she??? Glad to hear a vet visited and he/she was in good health... just lazing on the beach like the tourists!

I always enjoy your TRs but this one is bookmarked for Hawaii tips that hopefully I will be able to put to good use!

Thank you! I feel honored to be bookmarked!

So sad that your trip is ending! But what a great bonus getting to see that seal!! So neat to see those pics!

And so, so neat to see that seal in person!

 

[thebyrdwoman]

The other day at work there were leftover almond croissants in the cafeteria and I kept thinking about you and your TR!

 

[eandesmom]

Oh that seal! I'd have been running down the beach too. What a wonderful, last magical moment.

 

[franandaj]

I can't believe I read the end of your TR and didn't comment!

You had a wonderful trip and I was so glad to share in it with you! I can't wait until your next one and to hear all about that and meet you too!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Read it all, and tortured myself with every single video. WHAT AN AMAZING VACATION!!!!! I will be bookmarking this baby for notes when it's my turn.

And I'm very excited for you about the baseball tickets, that will be a fun surprise for Timmy! I hope our paths do cross in a couple weeks!