We hadn't been able to get back to Kauai for Helen's memorial service but we wanted to just go and remember her near the ocean where her ashes were scattered.
My sister was able to get us employee rates at Sheraton Kauai. Unfortunately we had to pay the $30 per night resort fee, but I guess it did include parking so it was ok. Honolulu rates for parking usually run $20-$35 per night. And it included two bottles of water per room per day and Starbucks coffee for the in-room coffee maker in the room, hey what a deal! I just laughed when the hotel put "badminton" on the list of items included in the resort fee.
It was nice to get away but there were lots of rough patches...delays both coming and going on Hawaiian Air, RAIN (lots of it) on Saturday and Sunday but nice weather on Monday when we were leaving, driving all the way to Kapaa to Pono Market just to get chorizo musubi and finding out they just sold out, going to see Helen's and our old houses and seeing Helen's place all closed up without her there to welcome us, looking forward to eating lunch at Deli & Bread at Kukui Grove and not liking the sandwich I usually order (but the chowder was still delicious!), getting to the hotel and having them put us in the farthest building when we had people with difficulties walking (including straining my knee for walking so much), disappointing and expensive dinner at Beach House Restaurant with no sunset because of the weather and getting stranded in the rain waiting for the hotel shuttle, Ryan finding out he was scheduled to work on Monday (but luckily got someone else to cover his shift), Ryan and Darrell not feeling well.
But there were some great times...meeting up with old friends for breakfast at the Hyatt and dinner at Duke's on Sunday, and spending time with Ryan, Darrell and my Dad together. 
The best time was lying on the king bed in our room while it stormed outside Saturday night and watching "Pacific Rim" on pay-per-view. The movie kept stopping because of the weather interrupting the signal (a Kauai thing?) but luckily the hotel comped the movie. Also enjoyed driving around with Ryan listening to music from his iPhone and talking.
Our last day, Monday, dawned bright and sunny. We headed to Lawai Menehune Food Mart to pick up omiyage (manju and breadsticks) and a snack ("Lawai UFOs" ~ rice with furikake on Goteburg sausage, almost as good as Pono Market's chorizo musubi), then off to Hamura's Saimin for breakfast/lunch. Yum!
Since we were still early for our flight we decided to do a touristy thing and headed out to Wailua Falls. With all the rain, it was spectacular. It was a nice end to the trip.
It was stressful, but glad we went. Kauai was home for 11 years and Ryan grew up there, so it will always be in our hearts.
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