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

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by franandaj

Loving the report! Can't wait to see Aulani, but I guess that means we'll have to wait for the conclusion since you're in single digits!




So now you have me curious. I had to google Groveland, never been to Yosemite. What Hampton Inn are you staying in on the way to DL? Will you be coming down the I5 or 101? Listen to me! Ha! I'm more concerned with your PTR for this trip than your Aulani trip....

Ok back to Aulani!

I think we're going to try to go to the one in Bakersfield- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...alifornia.html
I guess that means we're coming down 99? Is that bad? We picked Groveland because we want to do a white water rafting day and after that head closer to Yosemite- the Charlotte had good reviews on TA. Plus, it's across the street from CA's oldest bar, so I figure that's a MUST do!

And i will update about Aulani a few times before I go, I hope!

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by papertraveller

Okay, so I'm just going to ignore the single digit dance.

I'm a little concerned that this is supposed to be an "anniversary" trip but there's not much podsnel time, if you know what I mean.

So spice it up! Just how did you two sweethearts meet, anyway?

Yes- well, not much podsnel time in Kauai, more podsnel time at Aulani...

How did we meet? Hmmmm...in High School I was dating a guy at Rider College in NJ (near Princeton). His sophomore year, Pods was a freshman in the same dorm (I was 16). I actually remember the first time I ever saw him- he was shirtless, wearing gym shorts- he had LONG BLONDE HAIR and the most athletic body (did I mention he was shirtless?) and he was throwing a football.

I think I might have actually drooled.... just a little.

Anyway, when I look back on this, and all the other times I saw him that year whenever I visited my boyfriend, I think God was doing His best to smack me in the head and say, "Not THIS idiot you're dating!!! THAT idiot is the one for you!!!"

So the following year, when I went to Rider myself, I was eating lunch in the cafeteria with my roomate- and Pods walked by. And my roomate said, "oh yea, that's Pods, he's the President of the ZBT pledge class, and that's his girlfriend walking with him." We were pledging a sorority, DZ, and eventually I met him because of that. We became really good friends....I broke up with my boyfriend later that year, and Pods & I were still just good friends.

Fast forward to his Senior year- the ZBT seniors were going out for drinks, and he saw me and threw me in the car with all those guys- and when we came back on campus, he walked me home. Since I figured I would never see him again, I confessed I had Always had a crush on him (just like every other girl at Rider) and could I get a kiss before he left?

Well...I didn't see him again until that fall (although he tried to find me down in LBI where I lived for the summer, but he got lost!), when he showed up for a ZBT Luau- which I was not at. Which when my girlfriend saw he was there alone, told him to call me to come- which I did, with the help of a LOT of women who dressed me and fixed me up and drove me over to the Ramada Inn...and then the same thing happened again for another event...then my friend, Craig, made me invite him to one of MY dances....and...that was it.

You wanted the long version, right? Because I could just say we met in college- but I love our story, because it makes me believe everything happens for a reason, and that there are no coincidences. I can't think of any person other than him that I remember SEEING for the first time. Not even meeting (actually, neither of us remember that!)- just seeing
him (shirtless and in gym shorts!) was all it took!

Sorry you asked?

A couple of pics from our wedding day- June 21, 1986-





I am editing one more time to include one more photo...it is of me, age 5, Kindergarten Graduation, circa 1968. My school, St Paul's in Perth Amboy, NJ, had a show at graduation every year- we all sang songs. One song was "Milk comes in a carton". I know...it's very exciting....hang in there...so it was milk comes in a carton, cereal comes in a box, peas come in a POD....

Guess which part I got?



Man, God has been smackin me silly since I was 5! Good thing I listened and married the right guy!

[franandaj]

Originally Posted by podsnel

I think we're going to try to go to the one in Bakersfield- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...alifornia.html
I guess that means we're coming down 99? Is that bad? We picked Groveland because we want to do a white water rafting day and after that head closer to Yosemite- the Charlotte had good reviews on TA.

And i will update about Aulani a few times before I go, I hope!

There's nothing wrong with Bakersfield other then it's Bakersfield. Did you ever watch Johnny Carson? Most people take I5 because you can go 75mph and there is no local traffic. Hwy 99 hits several cities along the way. It will be about 110 degrees when you're there, but as the locals tell you, "It's a 'dry' heat." As if that's supposed to make it OK.

There's a greasy spoon on the north end of town just off the highway calked Zingos. We like to stop there for a burger or sandwich and they have these awesome cinnamon rolls the size of your head!

Personally though unless you have another plan that requires you to go through the central valley, I would go back to the 101 (assuming that's how you got from SF to Yosemite) and drive to DL via the coast route. If we don't have to make the drive in one day (my parents live south of SF), we prefer the coast route over the valley. It's much more beautiful and substantially cooler (by about 20-30 degrees). I'm not sure if you stay on points at the Hampton, but I think they just built one in SLO. I know there is an Embassy Suites there. I've stayed at that one. Whatever you do, I'm looking forward to the TR from your trip in my backyard!

[podsnel]

I thought we were so smart- flying late in the day, landing on Oahu at 9pm, definitely, we would miss the traffic I had heard so much about.

Besides- I'm from NJ. Right near NYC. I am pretty well versed in TRAFFIC, and I couldn't believe that HAWAII of all places had anything even close to what I can get without a 10 1/2 hour flight for free at home.



We picked up the rental car from Alamo, and drove under the highway to find...hey wait. Did I say UNDER the highway? Like in the Bronx?

Did we just leave the airport, or did we just leave a Yankee game?

....and drove under the highway to figure out which way to get to Aulani. I knew it was only 1/2 an hour away, and at 10 pm (which is what it was by now) we would be well past rush hour traffic, right?



So, we were driving on the 10 lane highway (5 lanes in each direction) and stopped behind a sea of red- red brake lights, that is. At 10 pm. Because they were doing roadwork. We looked around us, and the 4 lane road that crossed beneath us- well, that was backed up for miles, too. And surrounding us in every direction were factories, and shopping malls, and traffic jams...

HEY! We wanted to go to HAWAII! How did we end up back in NJ after only a 20 minute flight???

Adding to the joy was the fact that my Aulani directions, mapquest directions and GPS - well, they all said something different.

We were so confused! And, seriously, why were we back in NJ? That was maybe the most confusing thing of all!

So...once the 5 lanes managed to converge into 1 lane....we moved quickly and before long could see Aulani in the distance.

Well, that made things MUCH better, don't ya know! We pulled in, were welcomed by the staff, escorted in to check in (which I had forgotten to do online), and we were all presented with leis, including Tim & Tyler.

As expected, of course, I burst into tears. I was so overwhelmed that we were FINALLY HERE! I had been dreaming of this since they broke ground! I had watched every update on the construction progress on every website as it went up! I had drooled over all the TRs on the DIS! And now...NOW it was OUR turn!

Cue more tears. I am SUCH a sap.

We were escorted to our room, 1058, a 1 bdrm OV Villa- and truly, I think we scored BIG time in the room lottery. Our location was in the first wing off of the lobby, and our room was the first one off of the elevator. Because of the building we were in, we had a HUGE double balcony, as opposed to 2 smaller ones. And we were right above where each night musicians played Hawaiian music on the patio until 10 pm. PERFECT. Here are some room pics-







Where's my bed?



Tim likey!



For those that were wondering about the size of the murphy bed, Timmy is running about 5'9"- today. Probably that day, too. Tomorrow, I am sure it will be 6'4.

















This reminds me of the showers in the spa on the Dream-



Nice toiletries in both bathroom areas-





Cont'd next post-

[podsnel]

This villa was BY FAR the most beautiful DVC villa we had ever seen- it is truly luxurious, absolutely beautiful. We were all happy to have arrived!





Myself included-



There was a nice selection of Kona coffee and hawaiian tea-



But we chose to pour a glass of sauvignon blanc instead while I unpacked, and then enjoyed the evening view-





It left me breathless-

We were in bed soon after that- tomorrow, we were SLEEPING IN! We had a relaxing day at Aulani to look forward to.... followed by a round of golf.

Life is GOOD.

[mckryan]

Beautiful!! I spent the day at the spa at Aulani about a year ago, but we were staying in Honolulu. One day I'd love to go back and stay at Aulani! I loved my day visit there!

[CRdisMom]

ooohhh that the sweetest story of how you met.

[JKSWonder]

Originally Posted by podsnel

Yes- well, not much podsnel time in Kauai, more podsnel time at Aulani...

How did we meet? Hmmmm...

A great how we met story and I'm glad you posted it! I'm a big mush for stuff like this.

Originally Posted by podsnel

This reminds me of the showers in the spa on the Dream-

This shower looks wonderful. The whole thing looks wonderful!

[jenseib]

I'm single digit dancing right there along with you!!

I can't believe there is so much traffic in Hawaii. CRAZY!

[jedijill]

Aulani looks amazing! I so need to save up points and go.

Jill in CO

[franandaj]

What a cute story about the two of you!

The room looks great and a beautiful view! But just wait until you stay at the VGC those room are gorgeous!

Yay for making it to Aulani!

[rentayenta]

Wow wow wow! The room is gorgeous!

[saintstickets]

Originally Posted by podsnel

So, we were driving on the 10 lane highway (5 lanes in each direction) and stopped behind a sea of red- red brake lights, that is. At 10 pm. Because they were doing roadwork. We looked around us, and the 4 lane road that crossed beneath us- well, that was backed up for miles, too. And surrounding us in every direction were factories, and shopping malls, and traffic jams...

Adding to the joy was the fact that my Aulani directions, mapquest directions and GPS - well, they all said something different.

This sounds VERY familiar! I'm glad (not really) that we weren't the only ones that had multiple directions to Aulani.

I love the pics of the room. I can't ever seem to get mine to turn out right. I did notice some differences from ours though. I guess it's the difference between an OV and a Std view?

Glad to see your TR has made it to Aulani. I got to reminisce during your Kauai part about our trip 30 years ago and now I can reminisce during the Aulani part about our trip 7 weeks ago!

[Wicket's Mom]

Loved your meet Pods story, it's funny how things like that happen. The wedding pictures brought back all those 80s weddings & the floral bride's maid dresses!

Aulani looks gorgeous, I need to get there, fast!

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by CRdisMom

ooohhh that the sweetest story of how you met.

Originally Posted by JKSWonder

A great how we met story and I'm glad you posted it! I'm a big mush for stuff like this.



This shower looks wonderful. The whole thing looks wonderful!

Originally Posted by franandaj

What a cute story about the two of you!

The room looks great and a beautiful view! But just wait until you stay at the VGC those room are gorgeous!

Yay for making it to Aulani!

Originally Posted by Wicket's Mom

Loved your meet Pods story, it's funny how things like that happen. The wedding pictures brought back all those 80s weddings & the floral bride's maid dresses!

Aulani looks gorgeous, I need to get there, fast!

I have grouped you all together, just to say- Thanks SO MUCH for liking our story, but, please go back and read it again, I added a few pics and a little more story, and I hope you will like it!