Close up of the lei I was given yesterday

Honolulu from the plane

Kauai from the plane.

The sound of the ocean, the smell of soft, sweet air, my skin already softer from a swim in the sea – I guess, Toto, we’re not in downtown Toronto any more. Penny and I have landed in heaven. Harriet gets a week a year in this timeshare – the Lawai Beach Resort – and this year, she gave that week to Penny, and Penny is sharing it with me.

We landed, got our car, drove around, had lunch, got groceries, got lost, found our resort, waited for the room to be ready, finally got in about 4.45 and went right away for a swim. Yes. Yes yes yes yes. And then had a glass of wine on the lanai – aka the balcony facing the sea – watching the sunset.

While we watched, hundreds of birds with long tails, like exotic swallows, flew past in huge swirling flocks and settled, squawking, in the palm trees.

Then we wrestled to get the internet for an hour and a half. But no worries – this is vacation time. After a long phone call to the Kauai geek, we are online. This sublime island, and the internet too. Aloha. (Translation in the tourist guide: “Aloha: Hello, goodbye, the feeling or spirit of love, affection or kindness.”)