Big Island and Kauai FAM Trip

May 1st - 5th, 2014

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Familiarization Trip (FAM) to the Big Island and Kauai by the Ohana Group. I was with a great group of travel agents, a couple awesome members of the Ohana group, and a wonderful representative from Alaska Airlines.

I'd never been to the Big Island before, but people have told me what to expect when your plane lands. They warned me that it looks a bit desolate; kind of like landing on a volcano. It was so true! As we drove from the airport I was amazed by the lava fields. They are beautiful in their own way, and it is so interesting to see the age of the island as you explore. Some of the fields are dark black and desolate, and some of them have green growth sprouting through.

We were lucky enough to tour the Fairmont on the Big Island, and it was beautiful! This shot does not do it justice - when we walked in the lobby we were greeted with scratch made gingerale - so refreshing on a balmy Hawaiian day!

 These little guys hang out on the rocky shores of the Fairmont beach. They also have a lovely sandy beach, but the turtles prefer to do their lounging on this side.

 The Big Island is so full of culture, and everyone you meet is ready to share their stories and their history. It is such a rich island, and the people are so warm. We were their during "Lei Day" so this table has all different kinds of leis. Very beautiful.

We took a wonderful tour of Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. We had a forest ranger walk us through the site and explain the history. The Big Island's history is so rich - it is easy to get lost in the story. Check out this site if you are on the Big Island! Full of King Kamehameha history.

 A view of the wall and the Heiau. It is a sacrificial temple of sorts... While we were there a field trip group of about 30 5th graders were also taking a tour with a different National Parks guide. They were from another Hawaiian Island. Our ranger told us that if we were really lucky they would perform a ceremony, and a couple minutes later we heard their voices from about 100 yards away. They were surrounding a tower like structure, and singing a Hawaiian song as they put a small offering on the tower. Their little 10 year old voices floated through the air as we watched, the Hawaiian sun hot on our backs.

We headed to Kauai after our time on the Big Island. Each island has its own feeling, culture, and history. I've been to Kauai once before, and it is a gorgeous island. When you get off the plane you know exactly where you are - you are in a lush tropical paradise, and he air is thicker there - it entices you to slow down and savor the moment. 

The picture below is a view from the Grand Hyatt lobby in Kauai. The original design was meant to make you feel like you were looking out a giant picture window - it is such a grand entrance! 

The wonderful thing about Kauai- and the Hawaiian Islands in general - is that you have so much more than the ocean. The trees and flowers are so beautiful - the lush surroundings really make you feel like you are in a different place.

I love the fact that while you are driving around you can find these little beach spots that are untouched. There are so many places to get lost in nature....

There are more pictures, but this is what I am going to leave you with for now. I was there for work reasons, and we did get up early, and tour large resorts, and stay up late. But we were also in Hawaii, and you can't help but feel more relaxed there. 

My first trip to Hawaii was in 2007. Before that there was a small part of me that thought perhaps it was overrated. How great could it possibly be? People would rave about it, and wear their Hawaiian print shirts with pride, slap "Aloha" stickers on their car - and I was a bit cynical. And then I landed in Honolulu. I was with about 10 other travel agents, and we made our way to our hotel in Waikiki, and our leader gave us about two hours of free time. My roommate and I headed to Waikiki beach, and as I sat down, my toes digging into the soft oddly cool sand, I felt a warm breeze, gazed out to the ocean, heard the voices from the beach front restaurants, and thought, "I get it."