JEMS Return to Big Island: Day 1

Sunday, September 3: SMF > HNL > KOA

As part of my 50th birthday year, we planned a trip for April to the Big Island of Hawai'i, our first time back to this island since the "beforetimes." However, due to family stuff, we had to postpone and rescheduled for the week of the Labor Day holiday. Our flights on Southwest were excellent -- no delays and middle seats empty on both parts of the journey! We had to wait a little bit for our rental car at Hertz, but then our luck continued when we checked in to our hotel right around 1pm and learned that our room was ready even though we were early. Yay! 

On our previous visits, we stayed at the King Kamehameha Resort, but this time around we opted for the Aston Kona By The Sea, based on my positive experience with an Aston property in Waikiki last August. This is a condo hotel located a bit farther south on Ali'i Drive with amazing oceanfront views, including of the saltwater pool that I had discovered on our first trip to the Big Island back in 2013 and noted in our travel journal. What a coincidence!!! 

The condo was a two bedroom, two bath unit with a full kitchen, full-size appliances (including washer & dryer), tons of storage, and the most well-stocked kitchen of any vacation rental we've ever experienced, with lots of dishes, glasses, mugs, pots & pans, serving items, and a full-on spice rack (but no salt & pepper...!). [Note: I took these photos later in the week in the evening, which is why it's a bit dark and the condo looks rather "lived in."]

We both enjoyed the cozy and homey feel of the furnishings and decor, especially some of the art that featured photos of the property itself as well as two iconic island animals -- honu and manta ray.

After unpacking, we headed down the street to the Coconut Grove Marketplace and had lunch on the patio at Humpy's Big Island Alehouse, overlooking the ocean. We then drove along Ali'i Drive, reacquainting ourselves with the area. We decided to do a little shopping at Ross, and Mr. E found some awesome patterned bath towels, something that's been on our list for awhile. Then we checked out Island Naturals Market in the same shopping plaza and were able to procure some of the items on our grocery list for the week. But we still needed to make a stop at the new Safeway as well to finish off our stocking up, including some sushi and other items for a quick dinner. 

By the time we got back to the hotel and got organized, the sun was starting to set so we went down to the pool area to watch the first of several amazing sunsets. We walked over towards the saltwater pool and had a perfect view of the sinking sun in front of us and the partial rainbow on the clouds behind us. Welcome to Hawai'i! :-)

We ate dinner out on the lanai with the soundtrack of the ocean and waves and then wrapped up the evening at a reasonable time since we were still adjusting to the time zone difference. Aloha! So glad to be here!!!