Virtuoso Life - March/April 2009 - (Page 70) Simple pleasures, stunning views: An alfresco dining room and (right) Waimea Canyon. for pool chairs as at the resorts on some of Hawaii’s more touristed islands. Ben and I took turns pushing Oliver in his floatie until we happened upon the pool’s lazy river. As Ben steered our baby in his craft, together we floated downriver, a tranquil trio with nowhere to be but exactly where we were. LessOn tHree: seIze tHe mOment. tHIs Is gOOd advice for any vacation, really, but with children on board, its urgency is doubled. If the sun is shining and the child is ready, go. In the spirit of this sentiment, we executed a perfectly timed outing northward. It was our second-to-last day on Kauai, and my resolve to conquer all tourist attractions had faded into a pleasant desire to do nothing, as had my wish to cajole any major “firsts” out of my child. Oliver would say his first word and take his first step when he was good and ready. In the meantime, there was an ocean waiting. Oliver napped en route to our destination, the far-flung (for Kauai) Ke’e. It’s the terminus of the road north, the jumping-off point for na Pali Coast hikers, and, we had heard, a great beach. We did a drive-by of the dramatic Kilauea Lighthouse and passed once more through Hanalei, vowing to return for fish-and-chips at the Hanalei gourmet later in the day. Outside town, the road twisted and narrowed. A series of one-lane bridges forced us into a leisurely pace until the road finally dead-ended at a calm reddish-gold beach. Only a few other people dotted the small sandy cove. Offshore, snorkelers bobbed placidly. I scooped Oliver up and headed for the water, dipping his little toes in the surf. He held my hand and splashed gleefully, then stood mesmerized as the small waves sucked the sand from beneath our feet and swooshed back in, swirling around his belly. the sun, which had been playing hide-and-seek all morning, popped out. the water sparkled. soon it would be time to leave the beach, time for lunch, time to return home. soon enough, too, time for Oliver’s first day of kindergarten – and his last day of high school. soon, but not yet. Oliver and I waded out farther and let the warm ocean surround us, utterly at peace and looking forward to a lifetime of trips together. 70 VIRTUOSO LIFE
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