Disney's Aulani - A Hawaiian Paradise for Families

Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa

Last week while on the beautiful island of Oahu, I spent 2 nights at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa to see how it compares with Disney's other products.  Upon arrival, my husband, son and I were greeted with a traditional lei and fruit infused water and my first impression was good indeed. I could see the legendary Disney service has extended its reach to Hawaii.  Or was that the Aloha spirit that we had already been enjoying all week?  Hard to tell for sure, but either way, the service was wonderful throughout our stay.

This was our Deluxe Studio Oceanview Room.

We were upgraded to the Deluxe Studio Oceanview Room which not only gave us a gorgeous full on view of the beautiful Pacific Ocean but also a nice kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, coffee and even a toaster which came in handy for the pop tarts I had brought my son to save money on breakfast.  We were very happy with our room and what I enjoyed most was sitting out on our balcony each morning with my husband, Mike, writing in my journal, sipping delicious Hawaiian coffee and gazing out at the never-ending beauty of the azure ocean.

The beautiful ocean view from our balcony.

The pool area is nothing short of spectacular with the longest lazy river I have ever seen, 2 thrilling water slides, 3 pools including one for adults, an interactive splash zone and even a snorkeling lagoon.  Braden, my 11 year old son, loved it all; he was delighted when he discovered whale sounds under water at the infinity pool, he couldn't get enough of the speedy waterslides and he even liked meandering through the lazy river with me. We also both really enjoyed the snorkeling which is in a great lagoon for first timers with all of its wonderful colorful fish.

The lovely infinity pool was my favorite place to hang out.

The lazy river was long and beautiful.

The beach was a bit smaller than I was expecting and I was slightly disappointed to learn it was a man-made lagoon instead of a natural beach.  But then that is more of a personal preference because I enjoy natural God-made beauty so much and I had really gotten accustomed to that kind of beauty in Hawaii!  Disney knows what they are doing, however, because the beach is perfect for children of all ages with its gentle waves and protected cove.

A view of the lagoon from above.

Aulani's beach up close.

As we enjoyed our time leisurely moving from pool to lazy river to waterslide and genuinely enjoying being in paradise, I couldn't help but think how Aulani is like one big Hawaiian Disneyland ride.  It was cool in a way but also made me appreciate having been to other spots on Oahu to see the real Hawaii. To be fair, Disney does work hard to give you the authentic Hawaiian experience but it is still Disneyfied. 

My son, Braden, and husband, Mike at Ama Ama.

As I expected, the food was tasty but over-priced and similar to Walt Disney World in many ways.  The buffet at Makahiki was very good with lots of choices but even for a small family of 3, the bill had my eyes popping out of my head.  We had lunch at Ama Ama by the beach and that was a very enjoyable dining experience for us. Either the lunch prices weren't too bad or I was intoxicated by the beautiful ocean views and Mai Tai because I didn't almost pass out when we got the bill this time.  And when Mike joked that there was something wrong with Braden's dessert, our kind waitress brought us another despite the fact that his plate was empty!

The views were spectacular at Ama Ama.

There were lots of great looking family activities at Aulani including movie nights, nature walks, an interactive scavenger hunt and much more but my family and I are all water babies so we played hard at the pools and beach all day and crashed hard early every night.  If we had been there longer, the activities would have been great and it definitely makes a longer Aulani stay necessary if one does want to take part.

One of the best sunsets I've seen on our last night.

Overall, I was very impressed with Aulani.  I felt like it delivered what it promised and it's setting is pretty close to perfect.  I think it is best suited for families with younger kids and I think a stay at Aulani needs at least one day off the property to see more of Oahu because there is Disney's Hawaii and there is Hawaii.  Both are great!

Me with my hubby and son on the couch in our room.

Click here for my complete Aulani picture collection including different room categories.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to learn more about our travel services, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com.

Happy Travels!

My Crazy and Dangerous Adventure in Naples, Italy

21 July 2003, Naples, Italy

Naples, Italy

In the summer of 2003, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my good friend living in Naples for a 2 1/2 week Italian adventure. On 21 July, I ventured out on my own and got to experience the uniqueness and craziness of downtown Naples. My friend (who I am calling Jane) drove me to the Aversa train station where I caught the train to Stazione Centrale downtown. There I caught the Metro to the Montesanto stop where I was to start the walking tour I had planned. Instead of pulling out the map immediately as I now know I should have, I started to wonder around aimlessly, my favorite method of exploration.  

Castle Nuovo

I walked down some narrow streets past outdoor fruit vendors, looking for breakfast and coffee (caffe).  I found a small store that sold Italian doughnuts but no caffe.  I bought a doughnut and ate it as I wandered again in pursuit of that ever-needed jolt of caffeine plus I was already hooked on Italian cappuccinos!  Sorry Starbucks but they've got you beat. It was not even 10:00 am yet and the day was already sweltering.  I walked past several tiny stores selling clothes and other various items and finally spotted a cafeteria.  I sipped a delicious cappuccino in a real coffee mug at the counter and paid the friendly Italian man on my way out.  I wasn't sure if I was supposed to pay beforehand but he seemed ok with it. You do not pay the person behind the counter where you order as in the US but a separate person behind the cash register on the other side of the store.

Downtown Naples

Now that my first two needs were met, I decided to pull out the map and figure out where I was.  I did not see any street signs so I kept on walking, hoping to see a piazza or a church that I might find on the map.  It was like I had a map to a different city, however, because nothing matched up! After several tries, I finally gave up and found a taxi who could take me to a landmark I knew from the map.  I found a very nice taxi driver to take me to Castel Capuano.  He dropped me off at what looked like the castle so I thanked him and said goodbye in Italian.  As I walked through the grand arch and around what I thought was the castle, I discovered it was a church instead. I decided no more wondering aimlessly for me so I asked a man at the door of the church where the Castle Capuano was. He pointed across the street and I was relieved.  After a choppy conversation in Italian with the taxi driver, he had taken me to the right place after all.

A statue of Caesar in Naples

So far Italy was not like other foreign countries I have been to in that not as many people speak English. It was fun to use the Italian I had learned for the trip.  Finally, after half a day of being lost in a strange foreign city, I knew where I was. Then Jane called to check on me and told me where to find the street signs. They are on the buildings quite a bit higher than my eye level. Knowing this helped to ensure that I wouldn't get lost again (or so I thought).

Naples Duomo

My next stop was a Duomo (cathedral) that was only a couple blocks away.  It was lovely from the outside but I couldn't go inside because there was a herd of people on the front stops and quite a few polizia around.  My guess was that it was some kind of protest.  

The narrow streets of Naples

Downtown Naples is an amazing place that is almost indescribable. The streets are very narrow with many cars, scooters and pedestrians trying to share the same limited space.  People don't wait at crosswalks to cross the street, they dart across the street, dodging cars like a live arcade game of Frogger.  There are vendors of all kinds occupying stores no larger than my bedroom at home. People live in crowded apartments above and hang their laundry out to dry in the alley outside their windows. The pace is fast but the people are usually friendly, especially the men. At one point I politely declined an invitation for a date by a friendly polizia by explaining I was married and he told me he didn't mind because he was married too!

Laundry hanging above the street in Naples.

After having an un-sliced square pizza pie in the birthplace of pizza for lunch and a delicious gelato for dessert, the intense heat drove me to seek the coolness of Jane's apartment.  I thought I found my return Metro station without incident until I arrived there and saw nothing but a small snack store.  I made the mistake of asking a man (up until now everyone was so helpful) where the metro stop was.  First he wanted me to sit down and have some pizza. I said no and the next thing I knew he led me to the small store inside the station and tried to get me to buy a ticket.  I said, "no, I already have a ticket," and then realized I was surrounded by 6 or 7 men. Immediately my internal alarm went off and I high-tailed it out of there as fast as I could.  I'm pretty sure they wanted to rob me and looking back it was quite scary!  I later found out from Jane that I was in a high crime area.  I decided to risk no more and took a taxi to the Stazione Centrale where I caught the train to Aversa and arrived safely back at Jane's place with a grand adventure to tell!

Me in front of Naples Lake.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!

My Adventure on the Alluring Amalfi Coast, Italy

20 July 2003, Amalfi Coast

The breathtaking Almafi Coast

In the summer of 2003, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my good friends living in Naples for a 2 1/2 week Italian adventure of a lifetime. On July 20th my friends, who I will call Jane and John, drove me to the Amalfi Coast for a day of sightseeing.  We drove from Naples to the coast through hair pin turns on steep hills with jaw dropping gorgeous vistas of lush green mountains jutting dramatically from the Mediterranean Sea.  

Herding goats on a busy, narrow road

As we drove on the narrow road up the coast, I was sure several times that our small Volkswagen would not be able to squeeze by the buses that were on the road.  Somehow that cramped road was always able to accommodate both vehicles. At one point I was surprised to see two boys herding goats on that busy road but they were and we drove on by them.  This would not be the first time or the last time that I was surprised by Italian behavior.  As we continued, we drove by one picturesque town right after another all built on the hillsides of the dramatic cliffs.  

I enjoyed stunning views like these on the drive up the Amalfi Coast.

We had planned to stop in Amalfi to walk around, have lunch and go to the beach but there was not a parking spot to be found.  The town was amazingly crowded with people, cars and scooters squeezed into every possible nook and cranny.  The beaches were umbrella to umbrella with barely a square inch of sand to be seen. We gave up on Amalfi and drove on to the next town.  We got the same story there and drove on again.

The extremely crowded beach in Amalfi

Finally we found parking in Vietri, almost an hour's drive from Amalfi. We had lunch at a nice ristorante overlooking the sea.  I had the Penne Pomadora which was delicious as usual.  The food in Italy did not disappoint and indeed was just as good, if not better, than I had imagined. Although, the food was tasty, I am sure that I enjoyed the view that came with lunch more than the food.  It was simply stunning!    

This is the beautiful view we enjoyed with lunch.

After lunch we went shopping for souvenirs.  Vietri is famous for it's beautiful and colorful ceramic dinnerware.  I opted not to buy dinnerware, however, and instead bought a lovely ceramic clock with a colorful Amalfi Coast scene painted on it.  Summer in Italy is hot and humid and after shopping, I was ready to cool off with a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

Vietri had lots of shops with beautiful Italian souvenirs

We walked about a half of a mile down a steep hill and found a small crowded beach to camp out on for the afternoon. We found a square of uninhabited beach, paid .50 Euro to use the bathroom to change in, and went for a swim.  The water was cool and it felt so good to get out of the heat.  I was disappointed to see that the shoreline was sprinkled with litter but once I swam out a little, the water became fairly clear. Despite the litter, it was a refreshing and exhilarating first swim in the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.  

This is the beach we landed at in Vietri.

Our drive home was crowded and I was surprised by the aggressiveness of the Italian drivers and even more surprised to see a gentleman relieving himself on the side of the highway outside of Naples.  I realized just how sheltered my life had been and just how different other cultures are from ours.   

A gorgeous house built on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.

I had a great day exploring the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and soaking in the beauty was food for my soul.  I was impressed by the gorgeous green mountains, the alluring blue sea, and the charming towns but I was disappointed by the immense crowds. I will return to this fabulous coast but I now know not to go during summer when seemingly every other European is trying to share the same crowded space!

I am enjoying a delicious Cappuccino in Vietri.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!

A Walk Back in Time in Pompeii, Italy

19 July 2003  Pompeii, Italy

Mt Vesuvius behind the ruins of Pompeii

In July of 2003 during an exciting 2 1/2 week tour of Italy, I went on a half day tour of Pompeii.  This ancient city was destroyed in 79 AD when the mighty Mt Vesuvius erupted. At the time, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city with 11,000 inhabitants but once the volcano erupted all life stopped abruptly as it was buried under 13 to 20 feet of ash. It was a haunting yet fascinating walk back in time to see the city today just as it was almost 2000 years ago. 

The city gate to Pompeii

The city of Pompeii lay hidden from the world buried under tons of ash for over 1500 years before it was discovered in 1599. The buildings that lay beneath the ash have been well-preserved for centuries because of the lack of air and moisture, providing tourists today a remarkable live history book. 

A street in Pompeii shows how remarkably intact everything is.

An oven in a bakery gives a glimpse into 1st century life

Among the ruins that we saw on our guided tour were a basilica, the forum, a bakery, a shop and a rich man's house. The most impressive and complete building we saw was a spa with hot and cold tubs for the inhabitants of the day to relax in. There were beautiful and colorful murals on the ceiling and ornate statues on the walls. It was one of the only structures that still had a roof so there were many stray dogs inside trying to stay out of the extreme summer Italian heat.

Beautiful artwork on the spa ceiling

Beautiful artwork in a house in Pompeii

The most eerie sights of Pompeii were the cast molds of actual people who died as a result of the eruption. Because they were covered in ash, once their bodies decayed there was an exact replica within the ash. When archaeologists discovered this, they poked a hole and filled the space in the ash with a substance that created a perfect mold of the deceased just as they were when they perished. There was a pregnant lady trying to protect her baby, a little boy covering his mouth trying to breath and a poor dog who was probably stray.   

Cast of a deceased boy

Cast of a deceased pig

Touring Pompeii was an amazing walk back in time and our tour guide Aldo, who was very knowledgeable on the subject, did a great job of taking us back to the way life was in the 1st century. Although we saw a lot in our half day at Pompeii, Aldo explained that the ruins of Pompeii are so huge that if we compare it to the size of an envelope, we only saw the size of a postage stamp.    

Pompeii from outside the city wall

Visiting Pompeii was an enriching experience for me and one I will never forget.  It was a vivid reminder of how quickly things can change and at the same time a glimpse into a time vastly different than our lives today. If anyone has a chance to go, I highly recommend it!

Me at the huge Mt Vesuvius crater

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!

Once in a Lifetime Galapagos Adventure on Española Island

From My Galapagos Islands Trip - July 2007

Espanola Island in the Galapagos

I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Galapagos in the summer of 2007 while my sister, Adair, was living in the Galapagos for a year doing research at the Darwin Research Center.  My brother, Alex, accompanied me on this once in a lifetime journey.  A journey that I will never forget.  A journey that has made me far richer than money ever could.

A close encounter with nature on North Seymour.

My sister, Adair, myself, and my brother, Alex

The following in an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote while on a 5 day boat tour of the Galapagos:

3 July 2007

Today was another fabulous and luxurious day with the animals, birds and sea life of the Galapagos.  We started the day with a hike on Española Island, a hot bed of wildlife activity despite the fact that the 4 million year old island is dying.  The island itself has huge rocky cliffs with giant waves crashing against them and is covered with black lava rocks.  

The coastline of Espanola Island of the Galapagos

We saw a plethora of big beautiful red and gray Marine Iguanas, found only in the Galapagos, sunning themselves on the rocks.  These reptiles have the unique ability to forage in the sea and can dive over 30 feet in the water.  As usual, the Galapagos inhabitant was not shy and I was able to get some close photos.

The beautiful Marine Iguana's sunning themselves.

After hiking for a short while and carefully navigating the slippery lava rocks, we came upon the majestic Waved Albatross.  There was a male and female near the walking path in the middle of their interesting mating ritual. It was a spectacular sight to see as they tapped beaks back and forth, as if in a sword fight, and then raised their heads up and down.  You can watch a snippet of the elusive courtship dance that I had the pleasure of witnessing in the 34 second video below, taken by Adair.  

Incredibly, the entire world's population of adult Waved Albatrosses return to Española every year during the nesting season, from April to December.

A mama albatross with her baby

We also got to see the albatross land clumsily upon the lava rocks (and I saw Disney's inspiration for Orville, the albatross in The Rescuers). We then saw another one of these great birds of the sea, they are the largest birds in the Galapagos, jump right off the cliff in order to take flight more easily with his massive wings. What wonderful displays of nature these islands hold!

We also saw more Blue-Footed Boobies.

Once back on the dingy on the way to our Eden yacht, we saw the marine iguanas in action as they swam out to the rocks where they feed on algae. Back aboard the boat I took a short nap and then it was time to go snorkeling in the glorious Galapagos waters teeming with life.  The water was cold but it was well worth it to see the hundreds of beautiful tropical fish along with a graceful sea turtle.  

The snorkeling in the Galapagos was great!

After lunch I took another nap which confirmed that life aboard the Eden is good (as if there was ever any doubt). We then had the opportunity to spend two hours on a gorgeous white sand beach on Española where the sea lions were numerous as usual.  

Sea lions on the beach.

Adair and I took a walk up the beach and found a spot among the rocks where we could watch the sea turtles from a bluff on the beach. It was so peaceful to sit there on the warm sand looking out at the aqua blue water and seeing the turtle's head pop out of the water to get air. 

We also saw lots of the lovely Red Rock Crabs.

Watching the wildlife this way, I felt like I had gone back in time to witness how the earth was before mankind took over. I am so thankful there is still a place in this world where the animals can thrive and so blessed to have experienced it. Once back aboard the Eden, we were greeted with a wonderful snack and witnessed a lovely sunset over the Pacific.  Life does not get any better than this!

Sunset in the Galapagos

For more pictures of the wildlife on Española, Click Here.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities. If you would like to receive weekly travel specials from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.