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Mar 26, 2010

The Garden Isle

I love the island of Kauai. The lifestyle on the entire island is so laid-back and easy going. It is, in my eyes, the most relaxing vacation.
Sure there are the tourist areas such as the Catamaran, the lighthouse that can be seen for miles offshore, or the helicopter ride over the island showing areas where Jurassic Park was filmed. But then you have the beauty of the island.
The Garden Isle.
What a perfect nickname for Kauai! The island is covered with beautiful green life. It rains every night keeping everything fresh and clean.
The “locals” of the island are so kind and welcoming of everyone. They don’t care how you look or act. They could care less whether you are done-up and high class, or laid-back and carefree. All that matters is that you do what you want to do, and be who you want to be.
The beauty and life of the island are the reasons of why I love it so much.
This vacation was a little more relaxed than past vacations. We mainly did everything on our own, without tour guides, with the exception of the Zodiac.
Travelogue
Sunday was arrival, get settled into room, and walk along the beach at night Day. This day happens every time we first arrive in Hawaii. We always take that stroll along the shoreline under the darkened sky speckled with stars and planets giving their light to the life on Earth. Monday was drive around the island on roads we haven’t been before, off-roading to a beach, and Puka-dog Day. We drove around in the Jeep and found this 5 mile long dirt road that led to a massive beach inaccessible by paved roads. However the tide there is always strenuous such that one would not want to swim there. Skyler was in calf-deep water, had his hand and foot planted in the sand to keep him steady, and he got dragged about three feet towards the ocean by the tide. Afterwards we stopped at Puka-dog and ate massive deliciousness. Tuesday was hang out at the beach and attend a luau Day. The weather was perfect on Tuesday. It was sunny, warm, and the water felt so nice. The luau was a lot of fun. I have been to two luaus before this and this one was by far the best. We had great entertainment and unlimited food and drinks. Wednesday was realize how burned we were from falling asleep Tuesday, adventure in Princeville, and check out caves Day. Luckily it wasn’t sunny so there was not temptation to get to the sun and possibly burn ourselves further. A lot of people stay in Princeville and think that is “the place to stay.” HIGHLY MISLEADING!!! It rains almost constantly in Princeville. So if you are reading this and happen to be one of those people who have the pre-conception that Princeville is “the place to stay” on Kauai, well I highly disagree with you. Po’i Pu is the place to go! However, looking at the caves in Princeville was entertaining. Thursday was Zodiac and delicious shaved ice Day. We drove to a small area and snorkeled, then attempted to go other places, but the weather was not on our side. The water was too rough going north so we couldn’t see the Na-Pali, and it was too rough going south so we couldn’t do more snorkeling. However, because we couldn’t go anywhere we got a free short snorkel trip, free whale, turtle, and manta ray watching, a free ride on the ocean, and free lunch! After eating a huge (free) sandwich from Capt. Andy’s we drove to Waimea and got shaved ice at Joe Joe’s. DELICIOUS!!!
Friday was visit Spouting Horn, try finding a place with a cool Tiki Dude, catch some rays as they came scarcely, and watch a seal and a turtle on the beach Day. Spouting Horn is a natural place where the wake hits the rocks, travels beneath the rocks, the rockets into the air. After visiting Spouting Horn which is a Kauai tradition, we drove almost all the way around the island looking for something neat to take home to Rob and Caitie, but we found nothing. It would’ve been a pointless drive, but I enjoyed spending time with my parents. When we got back to the hotel we sat, and sat, and sat. Finally we saw the clouds open and sun came through. So Skyler, my dad, and I booked it to the beach to catch about an hour of good sunlight. While we were down there a seal and a turtle were just chilling on the beach. Chilling isn’t the right word… they were warming up before they got to the water again. Saturday was fly to Oahu, walk around the Swap Meet, drive around Honolulu, and fly home Day. Talk about a depressing day! However, we made it fun by simply being together. Skyler and my dad went to Pearl Harbor while my mom and I walked around the Swap Meet getting gifts and trinkets for Rob, Caitie, and my dad. We found cool Tiki Dudes for Rob and my dad and a pretty pineapple necklace for Caitie. The flight home was actually quite nice. Our stewards were so kind and willing to do anything. I woke up at 5:00 am (Utah time) and asked if they had any extra meals, the steward immediately brought out a delicious sandwich. Yum! It was sad to leave the place I love so much, but it is nice to be back home with the people I love so much. If only the two could be combined! Let’s all just move to Kauai to remedy this conundrum.

Jan 23, 2010

A Few Fantastic Fantasies

Let us face the facts, everyone fantasizes about dreams, possessions, talents, and superpowers in their own lives. I figured I would show my bravery and exploit a few of my own fantasies.
My Dream Vehicles
Dream Luxury Car: Aston Martin V12 Vantage

This car is the sexiest car I have ever had the privilege of looking upon. Its features are gorgeous, just take a look.


http://www.astonmartin.com/eng/thecars/v12vantage/design

For those who have seen 007 Casino Royale you know the greatness in performance from any Aston Martin car.

Dream Sports Car: Lamborghini Gallardo

The Lamborghini became my favorite car when I saw the butterfly doors years ago. I fall in love with each new car as they improve and become more intricate. Just a side note for you movie lovers, Christian Bale had the privilege of driving a Lamborghini in the movie Batman: The Dark Knight.

For more pictures and information, please see:

http://www.lamborghini.com/2006/lamboSitenormal.asp?lang=eng

Dream SUV: BMW X5 xDrive 35d

I have been a huge BMW fan since I got my BMW 330xi in December of 2007. I really love the safety of BMW. I know this vehicle would be the perfect "Mom-mobile" because it has all wheel drive, airbags all over the vehicle, and a lot of space for fidgety little children and teenagers.

(For more information on the BMW X5, click here)

Dream Truck: Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD

For those of you who know me know that I have a very strong bias for Chevy trucks. But come on, they are beautiful, tough, mean, and awesome. This picture isn't so great, my dad's truck could put it to shame, but it still beats many Ford trucks and all Dodge trucks. Toyota trucks are the children of Chevrolet, they have yet to mature.

My Dream Place of Living

Hawai'i

Specifically in the city of Poi'pu on the island of Kaua'i. The people on this island are so kind and willing to help any person they come in contact with. It is also a very nice place for children to be raised in. Hawai'i is beautiful. It is everything I could ever dream of.

Jan 13, 2010

My Sunny Winter Day






It was such a sunny day today, I couldn't keep my camera locked up in its case! So I grabbed one of my best friends and started snapping photos.

Dec 2, 2009

Top Smile Savers and Spoilers

This article was taken from an article posted on MSN.
Top Smile Savers and Spoilers
What to eat—and avoid—to keep your smile stunning. You may be surprised!
From RealAge

Somewhere in America, right now, a student's science fair project is demonstrating cola's ability to eat through tooth enamel. It's not pretty. But soda isn't the only food that does a number on your grin. Here are some of your smile's worst enemies—and best friends.

The Enemies List

Soda, fruit juice and sports drinks: They're not only sugary but also acidic, and that creates a perfect home for the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease—especially if you tend to sip all day on one or another of these drinks. Acid-neutralizing saliva just can't keep up.
The realistic fix: Nobody's saying you have to go cold turkey, but for all-day swigging, choose water. Reserve the pick-me-ups for once-a-day use. And buy some straws—sipping through them reduces the amount of time your teeth are exposed to a drink.
Sticky stuff: We're not just talking gooey caramels or fruit roll-ups. Bread, crackers, chips, sweet rolls and other refined carbohydrates are nearly as likely as a Tootsie Roll to cling to teeth—and they hang on for at least 20 minutes. Not good.
The realistic fix: Try to say no to sticky sweets and carbs when you can't brush afterward. Alternatively, slosh some water around in your mouth or chew a stick of sugarless gum that's sweetened with xylitol. The gum helps remove sticky food particles from your teeth, and xylitol curbs cavity causers and increases healthy saliva.

Your Smile's Best Friends

Cheese, please: Eating a bit of cheddar (or whatever) at the end of a meal helps protect teeth. It stimulates the production of cleansing saliva, and the calcium in cheese helps harden teeth.
Crunchy things: Crisp apples, celery and carrots are nature's little toothbrush alternatives. Not only do they help rid your mouth of food particles, but also their rough, fibrous texture actually scrubs away as you chew, slightly brightening your smile.
Have a cuppa: Drinking tea after eating can help destroy the germs that cause cavities, gum disease and less-than-fresh breath. That goes for both green and black teas. Note from Shay: or you could just swish some mouthwash or brush your teeth.
Shiitake mushrooms: These delicate, delicious flavor boosters contain lentinan, a plant substance that's anything but a lightweight: It fights both tooth plaque and the bacteria that live in it.