Aloha or Hola?

This summer we decided not to take a long vacation. I have an huge event at work that is killing my time in July. Plus, we also have our garden to think of because it is a lot bigger this year. Last year, we missed out on some fresh veggies because we were traveling.

So this year we decided to rent a lake house and spend a few days in August just relaxing. Because we have decided to take a short trip this summer, that means we get to take a better vacation in December.

Now the problem is where to go. We have narrowed it down to either somewhere in South America or Hawaii!

Neither of us has been to South America but if we decide to go there, it will definitely be a lot more expensive than a trip to Hawaii.

Tom has never been to Hawaii but I have. When I lived in Los Angeles, I traveled to Oahu a couple of times and fell in love with it. Hawaii is so beautiful and I would love to go back with Tom so he can experience it as well.

I think we are leaning toward Hawaii because it will be a nice and warm escape from the North Carolina winter. If we decide on Hawaii, we will have to decide what island to go to. Since I have been to Oahu, I would like to travel to another island.

I have never been to Kauai and I have had friends tell me that is probably the most beautiful Hawaiian island. A friend of mine went to Kauai on her honeymoon and goes back every year.

If we do decide on Hawaii, the decision then comes down to where to stay. We have looked at resorts and hotels but for a 2 week trip, the cost becomes prohibitive. Our other option is to rent a home and then travel to different islands while having a home base. We did this when we traveled to Ireland and it was such a great way to travel.

We did a little research and found some great homes for rent in the the Hawaii Star Advertiser newspaper, Summit Pacific vacation homes website and we even found some home listings on Craigslist!

Renting a home can be an inexpensive and comfortable way to travel. In Ireland we saved money by being able to cook some of our meals in the rental home. We also could travel around the countryside without having to unpack and repack all the times. It was wonderful.

So while I am leaning toward Hawaii, South America is still an option. But if we do travel to South America, it will be on a cruise and that might be a little too expensive for us right now.

That brings us to the question in the title. Do we want to say Hola to South America or Aloha to Hawaii! Stay tuned.