Well you know that Laura is feeling 100% better because she wants to go to Hawaii… soon! Late last year she kept talking about how she’d like to revisit some special travel destinations: vacation in Hawaii and see friends and family in California and Arkansas and Virginia. New Zealand would also be nice but not realistic. Before last week’s surgery she was sure it was too late for any of it. Now it all seems to be a real possibility again.
Laura and I went to Hawaii together in 1997 when I was a graduate student attending a conference at the Ritz in Kapalua, Maui. My advisor paid for our room at the resort, but we couldn’t afford to stay there after the conference. So we showed up at this posh hotel looking scruffy with backpacks strapped on and after we left the resort 3 days later spent the rest of the week at a hostel and camping in a state park by the ocean in Hana. It was a very memorable week. I think the luxury of the resort was particularly fun for Laura. She and I have traveled to many remote parts of the world on shoestring budgets — hitchhiking, backpacking, eating street food, crammed on minibuses, and that sort of thing. It’s part of what defines us. But a luxury resort was a nice treat.
So Laura wants to go back and splurge at a high end spot. (Volunteers to be the lucky nanny?) If you have any suggestions from experience, let me know. We have no interest in shopping or night life. We do want a fun place for our very young kids, a nice location for lounging, fine dining, pampering (not the diaper kind, although I’d enjoy not doing any of that, too!), and easy access to scenic day trips.
Deciding when to go is becoming a major decision. Should she restart radiation in a week and be stuck in Massachusetts for another two or three weeks? Or grab the iron while it’s hot and wait until later for more treatment? Nobody can say how rapidly cancer is progressing, whether it’s encroaching on her brain, when the shunt will fail or when symptoms will return. Conventional practice among oncologists is to treat aggressively as early as possible, but whole brain radiation treatment is a one-time option, so using it now would make it unavailable later when symptoms could be worse. Who wants to make decisions under such uncertainty?
Anyway, feel free to leave a comment here or send me email.
Hawaii recommendations?
Tue, Feb 12th, 2008 2:42pm by dkulp
Tags: Uncategorized
15 responses so far ↓
1 Angela // Feb 12, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Yay, Laura’s feeling better!
My colleague (who owns a house in Hawaii) says:
The Manele Bay on the island of Lanai is usually thought to be the best hotel in the state (site of the [Bill] Gates wedding). Hana Ranch at the remote end of Maui is really great. On the Big Island I’d rank ‘em Four Seasons then the Mauna Lani.
2 Rebecca // Feb 12, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hi…you don’t know me, I’m a friend of PJ’s, but I’ve been following closely, and am so glad Laura is feeling better. I’ve been to Hawaii twice, once to Oahu and once to Maui…and I can wholeheartedly recommend another Maui visit. I’m sure I’m butchering the spelling, but Kanapaali beach is amazing for kids…lots of open space, close to make tons of bathroom runs back to the hotels, lots to do in the area, from little restaurants to just lounging. All of the hotels have pools, you’re very close to Lahaina, which has tons of stuff to do, and there are a ton of hotels from which to choose. Although we stayed in a condo in Kahana, so I can’t recommend any of the hotels, I’m sure there are sites online — just search Kanapaali beach. I hope you make it soon…as I’m sure you know, it’s whale season, and the girls, I’m sure, will be amazed that they’ll be able to see them so close…I’m 31, and I know I was! You’re in my prayers. Rebecca
3 Heather // Feb 12, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Mark & I went to Oahu, and I really liked the luau at The Royal Hawaiian (a.k.a. “The Pink Palace”) in Waikiki. We also did a short Volksmarch in Honolulu, past the Iolani Palace, which is a nice place to walk around. Near the State Capital Building, there is a really cool statue of Blessed Damien of Molokai (he was a missionary who minnistered to people with leprosy in Kalaupapa, Molokai, HI. I also liked the hot stone massage I had at the Mandara Spa, which is in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Diamond Head was amazing to see, as was Pearl Harbor. You might want to check out http://www.visit-oahu.com/travelpink/; it features special Hawaiian tourism promotions that benefit the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure.
4 PJ Coleman // Feb 12, 2008 at 6:14 pm
If I start building my raft now I can meet you there and can nanny for you guys.
If you treat me nice I will spend the entire trip “in character” as Fran Drescher… accent and all.
5 Tom Hollandsworth // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Whoo hoo! Road trip! (sort of)
so glad you’re feeling back to your adventurous self. I wish I had any recommendations about Hawaii, but all I know is that poi isn’t supposed to be very tasty.
Hope that helps.
6 Elena // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I think Tom H. forgot to mention to beware of Vincent Price look-a-likes and tiki dolls…
7 Jane McCool // Feb 12, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I have never been to Hawaii but have heard it is amazing. How wonderful that Laura is feeling better and wanting to go on a trip – what could be better than going to a warm, sunny, breathtakingly beautiful island with the people you love the most!!!
8 Aunt Cathy // Feb 12, 2008 at 9:17 pm
We went to Hawaii (the big Island) and Maui. Be careful of the rainy season but have a glorious time! We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in both places and they were luxurious!
Aunt Cathy
9 Stanley Karel, Terri and family // Feb 12, 2008 at 10:46 pm
So glad to hear that Laura is feeling better. That is many prayers being answered! I hope she is enjoying the “Arkansas Cousins” being there.
Sorry we can’t recommend anything about Hawaii, but when you come to Arkansas, we’ll be able to help you out!! Having Laura feeling well enough to make the trip would be wonderful!! We hope she will continue to get stronger and your plans to travel will work out. Tell all hello and look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Terri and Stanley Karel
10 Rocky // Feb 13, 2008 at 10:10 am
Hooray for feeling good!!! I will continue to pray for healing for Laura and strength for all of you. Meanwhile,I will ask God to guide you with your decisions regarding treatment and travel.
David,this respite may be a perfect opportunity for all of you to chill out a bit and for you to get much needed rest,mental and physical.Please do this as best you can.
How wonderful it would be if you can accomplish treatment AND go to a beautiful destination.
Sincerely and with MUCH love to ALL of you. Rocky
11 Rocky // Feb 13, 2008 at 10:25 am
I pray that God will guide you in your decisions regarding the respite I spoke of which is SO important to all of you.
Depending,of course,upon whether Laura has the sustained strength in the long haul to take on such a task. If improvement of symptoms continues,all is good; if you are far away and serious problems arise,that’s a real concern.You may also be guided in this regard as to whether she can handle it or whether there can be something fun which is less physically challenging in another closer location. It’s hard to know but I pray that answers will be given to you. Love,Rocky
12 Tom Duesterhaus // Feb 13, 2008 at 10:38 am
I have to agree with Tom H. – and watch out for the bad poi especially.
Glad to hear that your spirits are up.
Peace,
Tom
13 Amber // Feb 13, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Such wonderful news and exciting to be planning a vacation! We may have met briefly at Jackson’s birthday party last August, but I am a friend of Macey’s and I have been checking in here and there. I’m so happy to hear Laura is feeling better and up for a trip to Hawaii. I just thought I would chime in with my recommendation as well.
I was that lucky nanny about 10 years ago. We stayed at Kona Village Resort with a 6 month and 3 year old. I highly recommend you check it out. It was a full package with great food, black and white sand beaches and even a luau! We only left the resort one day. You can snorkel right at the resort and the night stars are absolutely beautiful. May I also recommend a midnight skinny dip in the ocean?…Here’s the sight for more info, http://www.konavillage.com
14 Rocky // Feb 14, 2008 at 8:43 am
ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY!
Rocky
15 Karin Ciano // Feb 17, 2008 at 9:08 am
So glad Laura is feeling better.
It looks like you’ve already got lots of good recommendations, but I’ll throw in my 2 cents anyway. Actually a friend’s 2 cents, I asked asked around because I’ve never been to Hawaii
… My friend went to Kauai back in 2000 and stayed at the Grand Hyatt Resort and Spa. Lots of natural beauty and celebrity sightings.
Recently she returned and stayed at the Sheraton- Kaanapali which is on the
island of Maui. She says the Halleakala volcano on Maui is gorgeous and worth seeing.