2001: 1st trip to Kauai; New Jersey/Dad; UMKC; Chicago work meetings; Grand Cayman: Oregon

   

 

 

 January----Kauai and Oahu (1st trip to Kauai)  A couple years ago we went to a timeshare presentation in St. Louis and bought an every other year 1 bedroom unit.  It was for a timeshare on Kauai---Pahio Kauai Beach Villas.  We bought it with the thought that we'd bank it to RCI all the time, but when this year was rolling around, we decided it would be nice to go and see what we bought.  That was the start of our love affair with Kauai!  Since then we just kept buying more weeks---all resale---until we had 2 weeks every year---one year 1 bedrooms, and the other year 2 bedrooms.

 

Ken's cool hat at Gaylords Plantation restaurant

my leftovers from Gaylords

view of the EAst coast from the helicopter

view of the Napali from the helicopter

view of our resort from the heli

Kilauea lighthouse

start of the NaPali

the South side

Our 1 bedroom unit

 We didn't know if we were going to like Kauai, so we also booked 4 nights on Oahu since we had been there and loved it---we thought. 

 

on our flight to Oahu

Had to get back to Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay from the parking area

near Hanauma Bay

On the North Shore

 

Waikiki Beach

 Turned out we loved Kauai so much that Ken never wanted to go back to Oahu.

 

 

New Jersey---Feb.

Now that Dad was able to travel, he didn't hesitate to get going.  The first place he wanted to go to was New Jersey to see his Gadziala relatives and see his parents' gravesites. 

 

Arlington S. cemetery were Mike and Anna Lucascik are buried

 

Dad's house on Bungalow Terrace was still looking good.

his grade school in Millington

The flat he lived in

 

hoboken train station where Dad used to catch the train

to the beach with Trish

the closed down pier on the beach

 

bowman's Hill  is primarily known for the Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, a 100-acre area within Washington Crossing Historic Park that serves as a living memorial to the patriots of George Washington's army, and the Bowman's Hill Tower, offering expansive views of the Delaware River area

Bowman's Hill Tower

We also went to the old village at Washington Crossing Historic Park

 

 We also went and checked out Duke's Gardens.  Duke Gardens in Somerset County, New Jersey, were among the most significant glass house collections in America. Created by Doris Duke, they were larger than the New York Botanical Garden's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and were open to the public from 1964. They were closed by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation on or before May 25, 2008, and the plant material was donated to public gardens throughout the United States.

 

 

 Soon it was time to head out to visit Dad at his house.  

 

 

Oregon-March---

 

 We took a walk through the DAllas Park. 

I was even there for David's birthday, so we celebrated at Carolyn's house.
 

 Dad and I also made it to the coast.  Had a nice linner at the Rave in Depoe Bay overlooking the ocean.

At the Rave

Dad and I also checked out the aquarium in Newport. 

It was a short visit, but it was nice to see Dad doing pretty well. 

 

 

 

 

Oregon---June

Even though Mom died last year, Ken and I still made our annual trip to Oregon.  This time, Dad was able to explore with us.

View of Mt. Hood from the airplane.

This was the year Joe and Kati got married.  They asked me to take their wedding photos and I gladly accepted.  Unfortunately, that was still in the days of 35 mm cameras and I didn't notice that my flash somehow got off of automatic and was set on a weird setting.  They never complained, but I felt badly.