Thanks, Kal. The Westside? I thought you're a Kapa'a guy.

I'll look forward to meeting you, Shar!

Actually, we only got back "home" to Kauai this week. We spent the month from HELL selling, donating, and dumping everything we owned, setting up a base at my mother-in-law's house, and closing out our former home (which will be bulldozed and reincarnated into a mega-mansion) sniff, sniff.

We left behind heat indexes of 110 degree (while we were dragging stuff down our long, steep driveway) and traded them for blissful trade winds, the sound of the waves, a sky full of stars, walks on Hanalei Bay, and views, views, views.

We've been here almost a week and it is gradually beginning to feel more like home. It really is a huge adjustment--but I'm not expecting much sympathy ;-).

Helloooo Songdoc! I just stumbled across this & it's so nice to see you. Your new home sounds fabulous & I wish you both a wonderful new verse in your life song there :)

Sigh, it sounds fabulous. Congratulations. Hubby and I have Kauai in the back of our mind to retire to. Every time we visit we go to a lot of open houses. :) We'll probably be doing the same the beginning of October - we're staying at Pali Ke Kua. Love that place.

On our last visit, we adopted a pup from the KHS and flew her home to Chicago. She was like, what is this frickin' cold white stuff??!! lol

Congratulations! As a nashville resident myself I am curious as to where your home was located. I'm in 12South. Enjoy!

Congratulations--those pictures are amazing.

Thank you all SO much!

cruisin_tigger: I LOVE that you took home a shelter dog!

Bokhara2: <I wish you both a wonderful new verse in your life song there> What a BEAUTIFUL thing to say!!! Thank you.

Skiergirl: My house was in Green Hills on a little side street next to Lynwood & Tyne. Our next door neighbor was in Forest Hills and the closest stop sign was Belle Meade! I was in Nashville almost 25 years and I remember when 12S was a horrible area! Things sure doing change!

FYI, the ocean at Hanalei Bay has been as calm as a swimming pool. We did a blissful walk in the surf this morning and ended up in that water!

Yesterday we drove to Kapa'a for breakfast at Kountry Kitchen. OMG, I love that place. If I were being executed my last meal would have to be one of their banana/macadamia pancakes. We followed that with a long walk on the bike/walking path path from Kealia Beach. What a beautiful walk.

Life is good!!!!

Just found this thread - way to go Songdoc - and here I thought you'd move to NZ:)

Well, you seem very cool so I'm bummed you are not in Nashville anymore. Enjoy this new adventure! I went to Vandy years ago and in our Vandyland bubble I never knew about 12South. Now it's totally awesome!!!

Congratulations!! Just saw this thread. Wow! Loved the pics and stunning views..

Congrats! We just left the north shore and we were mesmerized by the beauty!!! The water, the mountains, the birds, the everything!!

You are lucky folks!!!!

We'll always be Kapaa people, Songdoc.
Hard to beat the view, sounds and smells from our lanai (see profile pic).

We have been enjoying our trips to the Westside more and more during recent trips
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Grab the beach chairs, hit breakfast at Kalaeho Cafe, set up at either Salt Pond, Polihale (if road conditions don't jar a few molars lose), or MacArthur Park aka Kekaha Beach....stop by the beautiful St Theresa's Church and then watch a sunset with all of the charters coming back to Port Allen with the sunset and Niihau in the background....man oh man... :-X

Kal.....can you share what you've enjoyed on the west side??? Would love to check that area out.

Oops! Nvm @Kal (never mind) just looked These places and they are west side. Carry on....

I stayed a couple of nights on the West Side at Waimea Plantation Cottages and loved it. It was a very different feel from the rest of the island, and it gave us easy access to Waimea Canyon without having the long drive back to the North Shore after hiking all day. The cottage was quaint and felt like a step back in time.

I would not recommend staying in that area for more than a couple of days, though. There's not not much else there. The beach was pretty for walking--but was not swimmable. But we did enjoy the pool and the sunsets were awesome. Sunset at the Russian Fort was breathtaking.

I would love to get back to Polihale but I'm not taking my brand new car on that road! (When I went before a friend drove me in his pickup truck.) It was magical.

I enjoyed my times in Kapa'a when the music festival used to be held there. But for me, nothing comes close to the beauty of the North Shore. How nice that there are SO many beautiful places that cater to so many different tastes on one small island!

I just stumbled in looking for info on another island for some friends and am so glad I caught this thread. Many congrats on your good fortune! It gives some of us hope.
olesouthernbelle

Congrats! I may be headed there for a visit to Koloa Rum!

SONGDOC hoping you have an update on what is going on at the Hapuna Beach Hotel B.I. wanting to go back in Feb 2018 but not sure about remodeling going on. Suppose to be done by January but.........Costco has a good deal including airfare and would love to book.....

As stated on your other thread...I'll be at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel starting Wednesday and will see what I can find. I have been forewarned that noise might impact the conference where I'll be presenting. :-(

Just now seeing this. I hope your home withstood the flood earlier this year?

Wow this threw me off!
 

I saw your post and thought, "oh no what happened to this poor person?!" hahahaha! We've lived in Hawaii (Kauai and Oahu) for over 8 years. My husband lived here as a child (his Mom is Hawaiian and was born/raised on Oahu). Now that you've made Kauai your home remember to slow down. It's hard to let go of our mainland habits but that's the best thing you can possibly do.