Hawaii - three days to go

Well, I've finally got all those potatoes put away that Ken had lined up in series to power up the computer last night. Hopefully the holes will 'heal up' and the potatoes will keep - 150 potatoes?!?!?! - what was he thinking?


I celebrated Earth Day getting paperwork organized and post-dating bill payments to make sure everything is taken care of while we're away. I pretty much had my packing plan and on a whim decided to email my coach for her advice on paddling clothing. While that was a good thing to do, it has thrown my plan out of whack and I now have 3 days to pull things together. I was planning on wearing tank tops but she suggested long sleeve shirts to minimize sun damage from being on the water in the tropics and having the sun so much stronger. She also talked about using a hydration system - my 'hydration system' was going to be a water bottle but again, because you are out in hot, humid weather and are exercising, it's important to keep hydrated. The thing with hydration in an outrigger is sometimes the canoe flips over - this is called a 'huli' - and when that happens, everything tends to fall out of the boat. If your hydration system isn't attached to something, you now have salt water to drink - not a good option. I did come up with a fanny pack water system that should be good for the 2-hour paddling sessions, but am reminded that I still need to come up with a system for any long distance races I may go in this year.


I have to go and try to find some comfortable, light long sleeve shirts and continue with my packing. It snowed all night again and is a grey day today - hopefully the packing will take me to a happier place!

Ken found a good check list and I think we will have all that we need with us. Reading thru it, he would go and get the things we had thought about but hadn't gathered up yet - very helpful. Things are moving from the to do list to being done - pick up from airport arranged, car rental arranged for later in the trip, got the directions to the second place we're staying at and as per my dentist's advice, remembering to ask for a lava flow drink when we arrive. Some deliciousness consisting of rum, coconut rum, crushed strawberries and bananas-mmmmmmmmm lava flow... I think I found my happier place!