Aloohaa!

Some of you may have noticed I claimed to have figured out this whole "having to go to work in Hawaii" thing a couple weeks ago. And that is to always, always have someone come with me!

Me with Prince + Molly's mom

Michele had been craving a vacation, had just received a bonus from work, and asked to join me the next time I needed to tend to that part of my territory. DONE. Monday through Thursday, I was to go work daytime, she was to relaximus maximus, and we'd hook up in time for some grubbin' dinner. Friday was a holiday for our company so we'd have a full day to hang and do our thing before having to fly back home, just in time for the 4th!

My boss was spontaneously with me for THREE days straight which was a major buzz-kill, but I tried to be positive and as enthusiastic as possible for that wrench in my plans. It's just that much more difficult to get your day accomplished the way you want to when every action item is questioned and has to be explained, you know? I'm just not a patient enough person, me thinks.

And for the record, in my line of work, I don't work, see, or even talk to my boss on a daily basis. It's a norm with field sales, particularly in my area where our territories are so large and some of us cover multiples states. We tend to see them once a month at max and I hadn't officially worked with mine in 7 months! Needless to say, her three-day-presence was a bit of a shock to the system.

Good thing I had THIS to unwind to at the end of each day.
Dude, move.
You're in my shot and you don't know the day I've had.

Each evening, I would return home to the most relaxed travel partner who wanted to make sure I was fed and could vent about work and who would make me laugh because she had been held so solitary all day long! It was terrific. It was as if she had written down all these things she'd want to say to me all day so by the time I got in front of her it was like a running sitcom! On a particularly longer day, I came back to a reservation at the resort spa for a lomilomi massage! In exchange for all of this well treatment, I took Michele to my favorite sushi place of all time: SUSHI SASABUNE.

Omg. If you're ever in Honolulu, you MUST get yourself a seat there. Seiji and his apprentice, Toshi, will be the best chefs you've ever encountered. They serve fish from all over the world, do NOT do rolls, specialize in cold fish + warm rice to enhance the flavor, and will subtley watch your reaction to each course to make adjustments accordingly. EVERY COURSE WAS AWESOME.

We got to hang with these cuties in Maui on Friday.
The gal in the middle is also a co-worker.
She's flanked by her boyfriend and her daughter.
This was just after the waves KICKED MY BUTT.

The tide was tugging on my feet and a huge one SMACKED me in the head. Tumbled ass over teakettle and may have lost my top. MAY have. I know I definitely lost my sunglasses. This local guy was so sweet and offered to go find it in the tumultuous waves and water, but came up empty handed with apologies. He then asked what kind they were and I hadn't even finished the word "Prada" when he went racing back into the water. Bro knows his brand names! They were just waiting for him on the bottom of the ocean many a yard out! My hero.

Although....it may have been in exchange for the peep show I involuntarily performed earlier. MAY have been.

Our view from our private chairs on our private cliff that Michele scored.
Pays to travel with a companion.