Sink or swim

Infinity Pool with the hotel's beach in the background

Just got back from dinner at the oh-so lovely “backstage café” (aka the employee cafeteria) and I’m pretty wiped. This morning I entered in more reservations into the hotel’s system and continued to monitor my assignments from James (my boss).

Drove to Lihue again today and even got to go to Wal-Mart! It’s interesting to me how things here are “American” but then it feels so out of place too. On my drive you can pass a Costco, Shell Station, and Subway but then you look around and you realize that you’re in the middle of a tropical paradise with tropical fruit stands or beaches advertising for surfing lessons. Odd but very cool at the same time.

After coming back to the hotel, I finished up a few things with reservations and then went to talk with the Café Hanalei’s manager to figure out my training schedule for the next couple of days. Its so funny, everyone I’ve told that I want to work in the restaurant they all give me a funny look and say “Well you know . . . it is very hard work.” Maybe I just look like a weakling, but I then assure them that the majority of my experience is in food service. It never seems to quite convince them and they continue to look at me skeptically and say “Well . . . ok.” I feel like I have to prove myself to everyone, which I suppose you need to do when you’re the new guy. I’m staying on top of my toes and so far so good :)

After all of that I went to the hotel’s beach for a quick swim. The water was nice and cool. Of course what would a beach in Kauai be without a couple weddings taking place in the background, but the sky was approaching twilight and it was very relaxing. The beach has some coral patches and even some fish, so unfortunately my swim couldn’t go as far as I would have liked. After playing around for a bit, I moved on to the hotel pool (Infinity Pool), and then finally the hot tub. I was hoping to stick around for sunset, but a couple came into the hot tub and started to complain very loudly about the quietness of Kauai compared to that of Maui. Other than that my little swimming tour of the hotel was very soothing.