We're Leaving Hawaii

     Did you sing that title with a little Sheryl Crow tune?  Well, just so you know, I did!  I sang it like her song "Leaving Las Vegas," but I put in Hawaii instead.  I seem to always hear song lyrics or movie quotes in my head, and I have to share with others when I do.  I might also be trying to sing and cheer myself up as I'm pretty sad about leaving the beach.  I've loved our morning coffee spot and really enjoyed listening to the waves crash while falling asleep each night.  This spot was the perfect way to end our wonderful vacation.  

     I'd say it's a sad evening for the Deppe Six Pack as we all sit in uncomfortable seats at the Kona Airport waiting for our red-eye flight home, but I think we're also a bit ready for the comforts of home, like air conditioning and our own beds.  It's been two super great weeks!  We've seen and done so much and made memories to last a lifetime for sure, but home is calling our name. 
     Thanks to our late check-out afforded to us by Edgar, our host in Kona, we were able to spend another day at the beach and pool before showering and getting all packed up to head home.  Mike and Drew went for one last snorkel this morning before we all headed to our last beach.
     La'aloa Beach, also known as Magic Sands Beach, was only the second white-sand beach we visited over the past two weeks.  The waves were huge..."wompers" as my brother-in-law, John, taught me they were called earlier on this vacation.   We found some boogie boards in the condo, and Jack was dying to try them out.  He and Nick had a blast riding the waves over and over again, with help from dad of course.  I watched and took pictures, while Drew and Livy read with their toes in the sand.

     For lunch, we stopped by a local spot called "Da Poke Shack" for a poke platter.  Drew, Livy, Mike and I shared the platter while the little boys opted for meatball subs from Subway.  I love sushi, but I was a bit timid to try poke for the first time.  It is sort of like deconstructed sushi, but the fish also had a different texture.  Drew said some of it was like gummy candy.  We all agreed it was good, but not something we'll be craving once we get home.  I'm glad we all tried this Hawaiian dish.

     After a quick dip in the condo pool one last time, we all showered and started packing.  I made sure to get all our sheets and towels washed up and ready for the next renters since our host had been so kind to let us stay as long as we needed today.  That really was the best surprise and made it so nice to be able to enjoy our last day in paradise instead of stressing about how to fill 12 hours from check-out to our flight time without getting salty and sandy.  Once we had everything ready to go, we headed up the coast, on Ali'i Drive to the downtown area of Kona.  It is a packed, tourist-trap area with souvenir shops and restaurants a-plenty, but we found a fun little local brewery that offered good brews, simple food, and great views.  We ate dinner while watching a Hawaiian canoe race.  Those boats are so cool, and just watching them row out to sea and back three times made us tired from afar (good for a red-eye flight!).  We stopped by a couple of shops to check out their wares, and hopped in the rental van to head to the airport.   

     To say it's been a great two weeks is a massive understatement.  We've seen so much, spent time with the entire Deppe family, celebrated an amazing couple and their 50 years together, and hung out as our little "Deppe Six Pack" too.  Nick has started to say "OK, Deppe Six Pack...let's do this!" when we need to head out somewhere.  I have to say, I love it!  We always have fun together, no matter where we go, so be sure to check back soon for our next adventure.  Mahalo for reading, and Aloha!