06 August 2006
Postcard from Kauai - July 1999
Marketing can be a dangerous thing, unless of course you're able to spot the traps that project managers weave into their messages. However bad the product or event, a positive spin is de-rigeur.
For example, I have to smile with some Americans' dewy eyed view of Ireland - "The Emerald Isle". What a great place to vacation, find one's roots, explore the old world! Fine, but does one ever wonder why it is associated with that luscious green that is emerald? Yup, you guessed right, it rains. A lot. The marketing person responsible for promoting Irish tourism could instead have pointed to what I think the Irish are best known for - their pubs – where you can drink excellent beer inside buildings with small windows and no terraces. Think about it...
So I should have been suspicious about Kauai - the "Garden Isle". After Maui, where the largest industry seems to be selling rather strong sun screen, Kauai's equivalent should perhaps be to sell umbrellas. I never thought that I would find a place in the world where it rains more than in England – but here it is. We are staying within a mile of the wettest place in the world, but the marketing people have even managed to put a positive spin on that too: "Top Place in The World".
Having said all that, the rain is in fact a benefit in terms of cooling, watering and generally changing things. It does mean that we are probably using more insect repellent than sun screen, but once you're used to the rain, it is actually quite pleasant. No shower lasts long and you can continue to swim, lie on the beach, walk or whatever during the shower and quickly dry off when the sun returns.
Kauai is stunning, a Walt Disney imaginary land made real. Although small, much of it is unconquered and wild. The people redefine the expression 'laid back'. The pace is s l o w, really s l o w. Tourists are welcomed but not lavished upon, tourism is tolerated but not encouraged. The local bar for example has roughly hewn wooden floors, wooden walls, ceiling fans, an occasional band with mostly home-made instruments (the right adjective might be enthusiastic rather than professional) and Mai-Tais to die for. I like places where they recognize you on the second visit and treat you like a local from the third.
We are staying in Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai. For those Rolf Harris fans amongst you, this is the home of Puff the Magic Dragon (remember the words: "lived by the sea ... in a land called Hanalei"). Haven't spotted him yet, but there is a mountain ridge that just could be...
We've rented a house within walking distance of the beach (1 minute if you walk slowly). It is next to Michael Crichton's house, which is being done up, so sorry no autographs. But crucially it is on the other side of the road from the sea, which enormously affects the price. This is the place to cure people from thinking that Atherton real estate prices are high: here they are Internet stock option-thinningly expensive. An attractive house on the sea (4br, 3bth) opposite us is for sale. In Atherton it might fetch $1.8M, in more normal places it would struggle to cross the $500k mark. Here it's for sale for $5M. And that's because it has a termite infection problem! How the locals manage I have no idea.
Katie and I have done our Scuba certification, and can now dive alone if we wish. It felt strange sitting an exam together with enthusiastic teenagers, who can learn more quickly and are used to being taught. Still, I passed, although I don't recommend the bit about taking off your scuba equipment and putting it back on again in a choppy sea. On the first dive after becoming certified (if you see what I mean) we saw a 4 ft white tip shark glide effortlessly past us - a wonderful sight, as well as many other interesting and colourful sea-life of all kinds. Scuba diving is fun, a sort of cross between snorkelling and taking a moon-walk (but with more fish!).
Many well known movies have been filmed here, including South Pacific (yes I know it dates me mentioning that one), 6 Days 7 Nights and Jurassic Park. We rented South Pacific just to see the beach in front of where we are staying and the views as they were 40 years ago. Not much has changed!
Valentine, the daughter of a French friend, is staying with us here, and she summed it up rather well on the phone to her parents the other day. In response to the inevitable 'so what's it like?' question, she shrugged her shoulders in a way only the French can truly master, and replied "C'est le paradis".
In fact that is a good summary of Kauai: despite world tourism, the risk of over-development, an explosion of prosperity and crazy house prices, this remains much as it has been for many years - a delightfully relaxed and friendly people living simple lives based around the sea and everything it offers. Plus the advantage of being in America, so everything works.
Aloha!
For example, I have to smile with some Americans' dewy eyed view of Ireland - "The Emerald Isle". What a great place to vacation, find one's roots, explore the old world! Fine, but does one ever wonder why it is associated with that luscious green that is emerald? Yup, you guessed right, it rains. A lot. The marketing person responsible for promoting Irish tourism could instead have pointed to what I think the Irish are best known for - their pubs – where you can drink excellent beer inside buildings with small windows and no terraces. Think about it...
So I should have been suspicious about Kauai - the "Garden Isle". After Maui, where the largest industry seems to be selling rather strong sun screen, Kauai's equivalent should perhaps be to sell umbrellas. I never thought that I would find a place in the world where it rains more than in England – but here it is. We are staying within a mile of the wettest place in the world, but the marketing people have even managed to put a positive spin on that too: "Top Place in The World".
Having said all that, the rain is in fact a benefit in terms of cooling, watering and generally changing things. It does mean that we are probably using more insect repellent than sun screen, but once you're used to the rain, it is actually quite pleasant. No shower lasts long and you can continue to swim, lie on the beach, walk or whatever during the shower and quickly dry off when the sun returns.
Kauai is stunning, a Walt Disney imaginary land made real. Although small, much of it is unconquered and wild. The people redefine the expression 'laid back'. The pace is s l o w, really s l o w. Tourists are welcomed but not lavished upon, tourism is tolerated but not encouraged. The local bar for example has roughly hewn wooden floors, wooden walls, ceiling fans, an occasional band with mostly home-made instruments (the right adjective might be enthusiastic rather than professional) and Mai-Tais to die for. I like places where they recognize you on the second visit and treat you like a local from the third.
We are staying in Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai. For those Rolf Harris fans amongst you, this is the home of Puff the Magic Dragon (remember the words: "lived by the sea ... in a land called Hanalei"). Haven't spotted him yet, but there is a mountain ridge that just could be...
We've rented a house within walking distance of the beach (1 minute if you walk slowly). It is next to Michael Crichton's house, which is being done up, so sorry no autographs. But crucially it is on the other side of the road from the sea, which enormously affects the price. This is the place to cure people from thinking that Atherton real estate prices are high: here they are Internet stock option-thinningly expensive. An attractive house on the sea (4br, 3bth) opposite us is for sale. In Atherton it might fetch $1.8M, in more normal places it would struggle to cross the $500k mark. Here it's for sale for $5M. And that's because it has a termite infection problem! How the locals manage I have no idea.
Katie and I have done our Scuba certification, and can now dive alone if we wish. It felt strange sitting an exam together with enthusiastic teenagers, who can learn more quickly and are used to being taught. Still, I passed, although I don't recommend the bit about taking off your scuba equipment and putting it back on again in a choppy sea. On the first dive after becoming certified (if you see what I mean) we saw a 4 ft white tip shark glide effortlessly past us - a wonderful sight, as well as many other interesting and colourful sea-life of all kinds. Scuba diving is fun, a sort of cross between snorkelling and taking a moon-walk (but with more fish!).
Many well known movies have been filmed here, including South Pacific (yes I know it dates me mentioning that one), 6 Days 7 Nights and Jurassic Park. We rented South Pacific just to see the beach in front of where we are staying and the views as they were 40 years ago. Not much has changed!
Valentine, the daughter of a French friend, is staying with us here, and she summed it up rather well on the phone to her parents the other day. In response to the inevitable 'so what's it like?' question, she shrugged her shoulders in a way only the French can truly master, and replied "C'est le paradis".
In fact that is a good summary of Kauai: despite world tourism, the risk of over-development, an explosion of prosperity and crazy house prices, this remains much as it has been for many years - a delightfully relaxed and friendly people living simple lives based around the sea and everything it offers. Plus the advantage of being in America, so everything works.
Aloha!
# posted by DavidF @ 14:12 
