Louise goes to Kauai 8/15/2007 12:02:50 PM Link | | Add comment I'd been thinking to myself that it had been a long time since I had visited the island of Kauai, so this past April when I received an intitation from United Airlines Vacations and the Kauai Visitors Board to be a part of an agent familiarization trip, I jumped at it! The goal of the trip was to become a "Kauai Destination Specialist" and it really was a great one...educational, hands-on, active and truly enjoyable! I started out the first day in a classroom with a presentation put on by the Kauai Visitors Baord followed by a wtitten exam. Then it was off to do some site inspections of a number of resorts. I need to tell you about my very favorite hotel on the island, Waimea Plantation Cottages, but I'll save that for another blog. The best part was being able to experience the island for ourselves. For me that meant a helicopter ride over the entire island, river kayaking along the gorgeous Na Pali coast, mountain biking and my personal favorite, a full moon zip-line tour! Noramlly zip-lines are run during the day, however I was in Kauai over a full moon and that is the only time they run at night. This made my first zip-line experience even more memorable. The company we used "Just Live! Kauai" was wonderful, very patient and professional. We had 2 hours of solid air time as we experienced 6 zip-lines flying 70 feet above the ground, 2 rope bridges and 7 aerial tree deck transfers. You soar through the canopy of Kauai's giant Norfolk Pine forest which reach up to 200 feet tall. What an adrenaline rush!
I would have loved to stay another week because there was so much more to see and do but I know there will be another trip in my future.
Kauai's new tag line "Hawaii's Island of Discovery" is so appropriate. I came home determined to encourage my clients to spend more time on this incredibly beautiful, un-hurried, Hawaiian island so they too could experience the true Aloha spirit of Hawaii!
Oh and by the way, I did pass my course so I now am officially a "Kauai Destination Specialist:. I love tis kind of school! |
