When I was 7, my parents took the family to Walt Disney World. It was a trip that would make a huge impact on my future. I think it was magical in more than just a Mickey Mouse kinda way.
We stayed at “The Polynesian” resort. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. Every color and shape and sound was a world away from New Jersey. The faces of the tikis were smiling or frowning or yelling at me around every corner. Ahhh, the Luau under the stars with the hula dancers and fire twirlers. The drinks that came in real pineapples! The sound of the breeze thru the palms and the light thru the fronds and the smell of the flowers. The shirts worn by everyone at the resort. And ohhhhh….. the music.
It is family legend – what the effect the ride “It’s a Small World” had on me. “Can we ride that again?” and again..and again…. Mom and my brother, Ralph had to get off the boat and my Dad rode on ’til he couldn’t take the song anymore. – I still thrill as that little boat rounds the corner into “Polynesia”. The hula dancers- the tropical birds and animals – the volcano. It was all I could do to not hop out of the boat and scramble up to hula with Mary Blair’s hula dolls.
This experience was carved into my Consciousness like the tikis were carved into tree trunks. It’s a permanent sense memory of the feeling of being in paradise.
I knew then, as I took my allowance money to the gift shop to buy a hula nodder and some Mickey and Minnie figurines, that I must find this “Polynesia” place. I must go there. I promise.
I am now 41. I have taken up the ukulele. I have surrounded my backyard with tikis. I have many Aloha shirts. I listen to Hawaiian music a lot. I have a box of 1000 colorful tropical drink umbrellas to stick into my assorted tiki mugs. If I find a tiki bar still around….. well, you should see how happy I am.
Happy as a 7 year old.
The plan is in effect. The wait has been too long. Such a big trip, the travel, the money, the time off….. it’s been a lot of reasons to not go.
I will not break this promise to myself.
Hawaii or BUST!
Hello Kelly – are these comments inabled????
Thanks Ali!
Love this post Kell! Comments are working. I think.
Xo
Your new blog looks good and I hope you get to go to Hawaii soon!
- Stephanie
Thanks Steph! or Mahalo!
Kelly – this looks great! Nice clean layout… one thing, and it just maybe be my browser (Safari). It appears your right sidebar text & thumbnails are overlapping the edge of your post image. I tried expanding the window to give it more room and it’s still doing it. -m.
this wasn’t here before!!! Ahhhhhhg!
Fixed and looking GOOD!
Wow, love this illustration. It is Kelly all grown up. One thing, it was me who stayed on the ride with you, Dad and Ralph rode about 4 times during the week and the last day you and I rode 3 times alone. Dad filmed it for you and it should be on the tape you have. Dad and I were just talking about your ukulele last night and I said the teacher recognized how well you sing and told you you should sing more. Love ya, Mom
It’s taken a few days, but I actually just got a chance to READ your post and not just LOOK at it. What a wonderful story! For me, I was 10 when my dad took me on a business trip to Orlando that coincided with some friends’ vacationing at Disney World. Why my dad was working, I was hanging out with our friends and visiting the parks. I have many of the same memories. For me, the place that got me was Epcot and ALL THOSE COUNTRIES, Captain Nemo, the moving dinosaurs and Figment! I got to go back relatively quickly too – my freshman year of high school: the “band trip” (which included the chorus – I was in the orchestra, but we got to go too) performed at Universal, so we had a few days at the park as well. Oh the memories.
But I just wanted to add, I never had a “Polynesian” experience like you, but at some point in my 20s I became OBSESSED with Hawaii. Everyone in my immediate family had been (and most of my extended family as well). I wanted to LIVE there (and I still kinda do). I read BOOKS on living in Hawaii. The cost of living was totally comparable to NJ at the time.
It’s still my “maybe, someday” plan.
Mahalo! i love your blog, the content as well as the pretty
I recently granted myself a long time wish and it feels so amazing.
All the best, always Miss Kelly YOU ROCK!
There are quite a few around the shoreline reached when one walks from the North Channel bridge parking lot to the area across from JFK … no hatchlings yet, though. Do you know when they’d come out?