Kauai: Day One

We got up at 3 in the morning to head to the airport. We were the first to get our tickets and go through security. Luckily for us, the flight was a little less than an hour. So we didn't have to worry about trying to get sleep on a day long flight. Plus we got to see the sunrise while on the plane.

You can tell we were a little tired.

After getting our rental car, our first stop once on the island was to get coffee. Of course, right? We stopped at Java Kai in Kapaa.

 Their menu had some very interesting drinks that we have never heard of, which is kinda a big deal considering coffee is our thing. Cody ended up trying a coffee called El Bandito.

It had espresso, vanilla cream, and Mexican Coca-Cola. He loved it! They had other drinks like the Iced Shark Bite (extra shot of espresso, whipped cream, and raspberry). I totally recommend anyone who visits Kauai to make a stop here. You won't regret it.

After charging up on caffeine, we made our way to our first stop: Glass Beach. It's this super cool little beach that's located in an industrial area. You have to take a rough little road to get to it, but it's totally worth it. The beach itself has a lot of sea glass (hence the name).

 The area was beautiful. On both sides of the beach are towering black cliffs that the waves crash into.

At the top of the cliff to the left, there is an old Japanese cemetery. You access it by a small road next to the parking lot for the beach. The view from the cemetery is beautiful.

 If you stop to visit, please be respectful.

We decided to drive to Hanapepe and walk around a little while. We stumbled across a bookstore called Talk Story Bookstore. The outside was painted like shelves of books.

It's the western most bookstore in the United States and they had pretty much any book you can imagine.

Near the bookstore was a swinging bridge. A historic, swinging bridge to be exact.

So of  course we had to walk across.

Next stop, Waimea Canyon.

The view, simply breathtaking. The canyon is filled with so many different colors.

Honestly, pictures don't do it justice. I just stood there, taking it all in.

 The haze that covered the canyon, the layers of red, brown and green, the nice breeze that was blowing through, the waterfalls that flowed across the way.

Sometimes, you just need to stop and enjoy the things that nature has given us.

We ended our night early (around 7:30 to be exact). We fell asleep right away but we were so excited for what the next day would hold!

Thanksgivings Past

Hey, y'all! I've decided to make a post that doesn't exactly go with my blog normally is. But that's okay. I promise next week I'll go back to sharing our wonderful adventures.

We are now living the farthest I've ever been from my parents, over 6,000 miles. That being said, as you can imagine plane tickets home are quite expensive. So we won't be spending time with our family this holiday season. This will actually be my first Christmas without my parents.

So, let's talk Thanksgiving. I mean what's not to love? There are food and family.

I remember growing up, I would help my mom cook the food for dinner, barely able to see over the counter while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Then we would all gather around my parent's big dining room table (only used for the holidays). My dad would take one of the end seats and my papaw the other. We'd bow our heads to say grace and thank God for bringing us together again. Then we'd pass bowls, heaping with all sorts of delicious foods, around the table. We'd spend the next hour (or more, who really kept track) eating, laughing, and telling stories.I remember laughing until my cheeks and stomach hurt. Many years have passed since I was that little girl. My grandfather is no longer with us (but believe me when I say we always include him in our prayers). We no longer are all together on Thanksgiving. But I will always have those amazing memories of having dinner together and laughing.

It's a day to be thankful for all the things the past year has brought. It's time to spend with family and friends, sharing laughs and making memories. But so many people forget about that. They get caught up in the stress of fixing big dinners and then rushing out to shop for cheap gifts to give for Christmas. They no longer enjoy their time together. They no longer make those wonderful memories like I have from my childhood.

So, please. this Thanksgiving take the time to enjoy each other. Laugh. Tell stories. Reminence. That's what the holidays are about. I promise you can buy that TV later. You can't get this time back. Make the most of it.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

12 Things Most People Don't Think to Include in Their Travel Journal

If you love to travel as I do (obviously haha), then chances are you have a way to document the memories from your trips. If you're looking for a way to do so, let me recommend a travel journal.

Every person journals differently. If you look through Pinterest for inspiration, you'll see pages filled with beautiful drawings. My travel journal isn't like that. I can barely draw a stick figure (no really. They always end up wonky with uneven arms and legs). So as much as I would love to be able to draw exactly what I see and experience when traveling, I can't. But that hasn't stopped me from filling the pages of my journal until the spine seems like it's going to give up and just explode.

If you need some inspiration for what to include in your travel journal (especially if you can't draw), then you've come to the right place. Not to toot my own horn, but I like to think my travel journal is pretty awesome... Okay.. So maybe I'm tooting my own horn a little... Anyway, let's get to the inspiration!!

Plane, Bus orTrain Tickets

• A great memento of the route you took to get to all the different places you visit! I use tape runners to keep them in place.

Postcards

• Postcards are super cheap to buy, available pretty much anywhere in the world and are a great depiction of the place you're visiting. I mean, they are meant to send home to your family and friends to make them jealous... I mean... let them know you're thinking of them and want to share the view! I use tape runners to keep them in place.

Stickers

• I like to include stickers from the places I visit in my journal. If I go to a restaurant or bakery I really like and they have a sticker, I definitely get one.

Coffee Sleeves

• When I travel I always make it a goal to stop at a local coffee shop. Some of the best coffee I've ever had has come from these little hole in the wall places.  If the coffee I get comes with a cardboard sleeve on the cup that has their logo or the name of the shop, I keep it to include in my journal. I use washi tape  to hold them in place. 

Business Cards

• When I go into little shops, bakeries, etc I tend to grab business cards. It's a great (and free!) memento to add to my journal. I mean, if I ever want to go back, I have the address right there in my notes! 

Pictures

• Makes sense right? Include pictures of your favorite parts of your day. See a cool statue? Snap a picture and put it in your journal with some decorative washi tape! 

Stamps

• Both postage and ink. Are you in a foreign country? Grab a couple postage stamps. They're not expensive and they're different everywhere you go! Are you visiting a National or State Park? Most have an ink stamp with the date and place, in the gift shop that is free to use. 

What you ate or drank

• Every place has their own food and drinks. Why not write about them? You may never get the experience again. You can also include (clean) wrappers of candy, snacks or even teas in your journal. 

Smell, weather, sounds etc

• One thing I always do when I go someplace new, is stop, close my eyes and take it all in. Is there a smell of wood burning in fireplaces? Or maybe damp leaves? Write it down. Is the sun beating down? Is there a constant drizzle of rain? Write it down. Is there constantly honking horns? Or maybe it's so quite that you can hear the animals scurrying across the ground. Write it down. These are the things you are less likely to remember down the road. But these are the things that make up new places. 

People you met

• I know I meet some amazing people when I travel. I always include them when writing in my journal. I mean, I don't want to forget about them! 

Foreign Coins

• After your trip, do you have pokets full of random change? Add it to your journal. I mean you already have it anyway, right? 

Ticket Stubs

• What better way to show the tours you went on or the places you've gone? 

Whenever keeping a travel journal be sure to take the time to write at the end of each day. If you don't, it's very easy for the days to run together and to forget important details of your trip.

Most importantly, have fun. Write, draw, bullet, do whatever you want. It's your journal and a documentation of your journey. 

What do you include in your travel journal?

Disclosure:
This blog post may contain affiliate links or endorsements for which I may receive compensation. Your purchase helps me continue to bring you tips and adventures. But as always, the views and opinions are my own. 

Snorkeling at Sharks Cove

A couple of weekends ago we made our way to Sharks Cove, near North Shore. We had heard good things about the snorkeling there. Well, what we heard was completely correct.

Sharks Cove is enclosed by rocks, so there's not really any waves coming in (except at high tide) and the water is crystal clear (what else would you expect in Hawaii??) The water isn't very deep either, which is nice for those who aren't strong swimmers and for children.

We spent hours there. We saw so many different types of fish.

The best part is, these fish swim right up to you. 

In fact, none of these pictures are zoomed in at all. They were actually this close. 

I mean, look how close Cody got! Isn't that so cool?!

It was an awesome experience! We lost track of time, but that's okay. Completely worth it.

I do have some advice, though. If you visit Sharks Cove, wear swim shoes and always look where you place your hands and step down. There are sea urchins on and in the crevices of the rocks. It hurts if you step on one. 

Look how scary looking it is! 

Also, wear lots of sunscreen or a UV protecting shirt to prevent sunburn. 

Overall, our experience at Sharks Cove was awesome. We will definitely be going back! 

Makapu‘u Point

After spending about 10 days unpacking our house, we had to get out of the house. We were beyond tired of being trapped behind the walls of a building. Since Cody's birthday was Monday and we knew we wouldn't be able to do anything since he'd be working, we decided to spend our weekend celebrating. What better way than to go on a beautiful hike?

We decided to do the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail, after being recommended the trail by a neighbor. It's a 2-mile hike, round trip. The path is paved all the way up. I would definitely say this is a good beginner hike.

On the drive there, we stopped at a couple of places to enjoy the view.

I mean, look at that water! 

Along the way, there were little overlooks where you could stop to rest if you needed to. You could see over the crystal blue water. At each overlook, they had boards with information about the area that you could read. At one overlook, you learned about the other islands that you could see. At another, you learned about the whales that mate in the nearby waters. At the final overlook before reaching the top, you learn about the history of the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse. You're even able to see the lighthouse itself, poised on the cliff-side.

There are places where people go climb down the slopes and into the tidepool areas. They have signs warning you not to do it because it's dangerous. Please, if you do this hike, respect nature. Stay on the trail and you'll see just as much beauty. It's not worth the danger you could face.

Anyways, when we finally reached the top, the view was breathtaking.

 The water was so blue. When you climb the few steps to the very top, you overlook the lighthouse. It's probably the smallest lighthouse I've ever seen. But it was oh so beautiful.

I definitely recommend bringing water with you. There is no drinking water available on the trail and it gets hot hiking to the top. If you bring anything that produces trash, please take it with you.

And the Winner Is....

Thank you for everyone who participated in this giveaway! The more people that enter these giveaways, the better the prizes and the more giveaways I can host!

Using random.org a winner has been (randomly) selected!

Congrats to Amanda Blakeman! I'll be sending your package soon!

I will be doing another giveaway soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

In honor of our big move to Hawaii, I will be doing a giveaway! This will be the first of many, so keep an eye out! If you win this giveaway you will get

• Hawaiian Foods
• Hawaiian Candy
• Hawaiian Cards
• Lei
• Hawaiian Mug
• Hawaiian Post Cards
• And any other Hawaiian goodies I decide to throw in.

In order to enter, you must be 18 years or older and be willing to give me your address. You name, email, address will not be shared with anyone and will only be used if you are chosen as the winner.

You must use your email to sign up (simply enter your email on the right side where it says "Let's Go On an Adventure!" You get an extra entry if you follow me on Instagram! 

So hurry and enter! 

Just click the link below!

Enter the Giveaway!

Our First Trip to North Shore

After Cody got off work today, we decided to make our way to North Shore to spend the evening. Since we've only been on the island for a week, neither of us have been there.

On the drive there, we had amazing views of the cloud capped mountains.

This is just one view that I will never get tired of seeing. 

Our first stop was Matsumoto's Shave Ice. 

It's a small place that usually has a line out the door, but it is so worth the wait. In fact, the line moves quite quickly. 

You may be thinking, why would I wait in line for a shave ice? Well, I can answer that quite easily. It's absolutely delicious. It doesn't have the syrupy taste that most shave ice has. They have so many flavors to choose from (38 to be exact).

Next stop, Island Vintage Coffee. Who would've thought we would stop at a coffee shop?

The store is stocked with all sorts of goodies. They have various mugs, coffees and local treats available for purchase. To top it off, the coffee is awesome!

We finally made our way towards the beach... well... a beach. We aren't exactly sure which beach we ended up at, but we do know that it was in North Shore.

From this beach we were able to see the mountains. (I know. I know. You're thinking, will she shut up about these mountains already? But I just can't help it. I'm in love with them).

We stayed long enough to see the sunset. It was really pretty.

A local, paddle boarding

Although we didn't have to opportunity to do much this evening, we definitely enjoyed our time at North Shore. We will most definitely be making a return visit, so keep your eyes peeled!

The Best Coffee Shops in Kentucky

As you may know, when we travel we always try local coffee shops. We've visited over half of the country and have been to coffee shops in each place we visit.

I grew up in Kentucky and it will always be my home. So when we were there visiting family, I decided to try out some of the coffee shops around my small town. There are so many hidden gems you can find if you just look.

• Kentucky Coffee Tree

When we are in town we always make sure to make a stop here. It's one of my favorite coffee shops out of all the ones I've visited. The coffee is always delicious and the employees are so kind. 

Inside the coffeeshop, they have tall bookshelves that line the walls. All of the books are available for purchase next door at Poor Richard's Books. You can actually acess the bookstore through a joining door in the coffee shop. Poor Richard's Books has two floors. The upstairs floor is filled with antique books. There's even a huge window where you can look out over historic downtown Frankfort. 

There is another joining door that leads to store that sells local artwork. It's called Completely Kentucky.

If you're ever in Kentucky, you should definitely make a stop by.

235 W Broadway St
Frankfort Ky 40601

Mon - Wed: 6am - 9pm
Thu- Fri: 6am - 11pm
Sat: 8am - 10pm
Sun: 8am - 9pm

Phone: 502- 875- 3009

• Coffee Times

I tried this coffee shop for the first time in high school, when a good friend of mine took me. Even though I no longer live in the state, when I make it back home, I always stop by.
I absolutely love the coffee here and the employees are so helpful and friendly. They offer quite a few pastries (might I recommend the macroons?).
They even have a wall that has big jars filled with various types of teas.So there's a little something for everyone.

They have a community journal where anyone can write in it.

Connected to it, they have a shop where you can buy coffee mugs, coffee beans and pretty much anything else you need to make delicious coffee at home. Connected to their little shop, is a store called Street Scene. It's filled with all things vintage. Definitely a cool shop.

2571 Regency Rd
Lexington Ky 40503

Mon-Sat: 7:30am - 9 pm
Sun: 11am - 6pm

Phone: 859- 277- 9140

• Daily Offerings Coffee Roasters

We went to this coffee shop and we really enjoyed our time there. They roast their own coffee beans in store. They have a fairly large variety of drinks you can choose from.

The coffee itself is delicious and the employees are so kind and helpful. 

529 W Main St
Lexington Ky 40507

Mon-Fri: 7am - 8pm
Sat: 8am - 5pm
Sun: 9am - 5pm

Phone: 859- 368- 7906

• Highland Coffee Company

I first learned of this coffee shop because of a bumper sticker on a car. It said "I know where Highland Coffee is." I thought it was so witty that I just had to stop by. 

The atmosphere is super welcoming and warm. The coffee is delicious. They even offer three variations of Nitro Coffee. If you've never had Nitro coffee you should definitely try it. 

1140 Bardstown Rd
Louisville Ky 40204

Mon-Thurs: 6am - 10pm
Fri: 6am - 12am
Sat: 6:30am - 12am
Sun: 6:30am - 10pm

Phone: 502-451-4545

• Sixth and Main Coffeehouse

This coffee shop has some delicious coffee and honestly, some of the kindest employees. We sat and talked with Kathryn for quite a while.

There are shelves of books available for purchase, as well as various coffee mugs and local artwork. There are even two pokestops in the shop.

547 Main St
Shelbyville Ky 40065

Phone: 502- 647- 7751

• Southland Perk

This coffee shop just got a new owner, Luke Gifford. He is super friendly and makes delicious coffee. Cody actually got the opportunity to show him some magic tricks. We stayed and talked to Luke for well over 30 minutes. He even let us know of some local events that were going on.

There is a "Pay it Forward" bulletin board where you can purchase a coffee a coffee for someone and pin it to the board.

In a back room, they have an aquarium and the walls were chalkboards!

472 Southland Dr

Lexington Ky 40503

Mon-Thu: 7am - 6pm

Fri: 7am - 3pm

Sat: 9am - 3pm

Sun: Closed

Phone: 859- 260- 2005

What are your favorite coffee shops in Kentucky?