Our last night in Hilo, the night we went on the tailbone-damaging Lava Ocean boat right, we were too dirty, wet, and in pain to go out to dinner. Instead we stopped at Safeway and picked up wine, cheese, and crackers.  Then we spent the evening in our room.

After breakfast, the next morning, we loaded up the car and headed back to Kailua-Kona and the west side of the island for the final four days of our Hawaiian vacation.

It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re repacking your bags for a 2-hour “road trip” than it is when you’re packing your bags for an ocean-crossing plane ride. In other words, just toss everything together. Nowhere as carefully or neatly as you normally would when traveling.

When we pulled up to the front of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, a bellhop was immediately there to assist us. He encouraged us to just head on into the lobby and he would take care of our bags. Our car was packed as if we were relatives from The Beverly Hillbillies. I’m talking used napkins, the little boxes from the Advil and Aleve, and even the doughnut cushion box, all just tossed into the back seat. A discouraging mess for such a nice place. We may as well have been the Clampetts clan pulling up in from of the Drysdal’s palatial home.

I was busy grabbing my computer bag, the Safeway paper bag with the remaining dinner from the night before, the beach bag, my purse, and my doughnut cushion. At the same time Dave was struggling to get out of the car with his computer bag and his cane.

We looked ridiculous as we stumbled into the gorgeous lobby – where a handsome gentleman with outstretched arms – held out leis to elegantly drape around our necks.

Timothy was our host. He led us to a pretty sitting area, pre-set with refreshing cold scented towels, snacks, and Mai Tais to sip on as we went through the check-in process.

As you may have already deducted, this was our first time staying at a luxurious Four Seasons Resort. At least now – I am privy to the knowledge – the Four Seasons is far too dignified and classy to have guests stand at a registration desk while checking in!

Unfortunately, instead of fully enjoying the relaxing process, I felt like a fool with all my bags and my Clampett-family ways.

Although I must say, my beautiful flower lei, Dave’s Kukui nut lei, and the Mai Tai did help take the sting off of my foolishness… more than a wee bit.

After the painless registration, the bellhop, Haku, came over and retrieved all my bags and set them on the golf cart. We loaded ourselves on as well, cane and doughnut in hand. On the way to our room, Haku gave us a tour and some recent history of the property.

We learned that after the ferocious tsunami, spawned by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, slammed Japan’s eastern coast on March 11, 2011, the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island had about 12 hours notice that a tsunami would hit their shores.

Understandably, because the aftermath in Japan was so catastrophic and so many lives lost, with over 15,000 confirmed dead, the severity of damage to Hawaii went largely unreported. Although, mercifully, no one on Hawaii died, flooding and property damage were extensive in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island.

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