May 6, The last day (before returning home)!

On Sunday, March 26th, we set out on our journey and adventure to see Australia, New Zealand and the French Polynesian Islands. Now, we conclude our last day in Kaua’i, Hawaii. What a journey and trip this has been! We are both so happy to have been blessed to have had the time and the ability to have had this opportunity. We have benefited from and enjoyed all of our experiences: all of people that we have met, the travels to new worlds, the journeys on planes, trains and ships. We have to leave this place tomorrow morning and head home. We are looking forward to returning to our home, our family and our friends, but we will always remember this time in our lives.

Today, Patrise awoke early and started working early before I arose. She also washed clothes, so that we would not have to travel back with dirty clothes. We started out with simple oatmeal and water for breakfast. After breakfast, we went to get coffee from our local Starbucks for our morning coffee. We then traveled to Lihue to go to the post office to mail our latest round of postcards, to the Red Hibiscus to pick up some additional souvenirs, and to Walmart to purchase yet another suitcase. We left Atlanta with two suitcases and two carry-on items. We are returning with four suitcases! We obviously lack restraint!

After getting the new suitcase, we went to see the Wailua Falls. These falls feed the Wailua River. Here are some pictures of the falls.

(On the road to Wailua Falls; Wailua Falls; selfie at Wailua Falls)

(The Red Hibiscus; enjoying BBQ in the Coconut Corner Marketplace; the Red Hibiscus sign.)

After the trip to the falls, we traveled to a local restaurant to have some island BBQ. We then went to pick up our last souvenirs of the trip and returned to our rental home for the afternoon. We stayed at home watching the coronation of King Charles III and working on blogs; Patrise even worked on some bond documents for a client. We also repacked and shifted the contents of our suitcases before dinner, in order to be prepared to leave in the morning.

As a way to celebrate the end of our vacation, we went to dinner at the Hukilau Lanai restaurant, our first time eating at a white-linen restaurant on the island. It was a delicious and warm ending to a wonderful journey. Here are some pictures.

(Heading out to out last dinner; the view from our table; the sign naming the restaurant.)

(Patrise's ahi [l], our lobster curry bisque [c], Doug's striped marlin [r])

(World's best travel companion! I'm so blessed.)

(Final evening view of ocean and pool)

(Final evening view of ocean and pool)