Hawaii Is Not Closed, Go Ahead and Plan A Trip

Above, the pool area of the Sheraton Waikiki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Despite what Hawaii's governor said a week ago, Hawaii is not closed. A sound bite got a little bit blown out of proportion by the media. It was even picked up by this blog.

That is the crux of an article in the Monroe News Star.

According to their article:

Don't come to Hawaii.

These words, spoken by Hawaii's Governor David Ige, became the sound bite takeaway from a press conference last week that traveled around the world.  Said in response to a question about the islands' recent surge in Covid 19 cases, where-- just like us in Louisiana-- hospitals  are jammed to capacity, the governor spoke honestly and further explained,   "Now is not a good time to travel to Hawaii...give us 6 to 7 weeks to make significant changes."

The intent of his message was a plea to postpone your trip to the islands until the end of October, but, let's be honest, the "don't come to Hawaii" sound bite certainly reads better.  Media and marketing experts tell us that if a text, an image, or a video cannot be digested within 8 and 30 seconds or less, there is little hope the content will ever be read.  On the phone, attention span drops off after 15 seconds.

To read more, go here.

Check Out Key West

Above, there is no shortage of watering holes in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the cruise to Havana, Cuba two years ago, our ship stopped for the day in Key West, Florida. I found it to be a fun place and was planning to return there last year.

Alas, the pandemic cancelled those plans. But Key West seems to have weathered the pandemic and a new article on it has been posted by the Monroe News Star.

Above, enjoying a margarita.

They begin with:

Ever want to go '"wastin' away in Margaritaville?" Well, as a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service, I will tell you it is not really such a sun-baked idea!

It only took a quick trip to Key West during the pandemic for Rob and I to realize not much had changed since our last visit many years ago to this southernmost corner of the United States.  The police are still parked on the side of the road-- not only as a subtle reminder that it is time to slow down and enjoy the view, but as a warning to be very aware of the cyclists demanding their share of the road on their string of coral islands extending from the Florida peninsula southward toward Havana, Cuba.

The historical US 1 highway is what links these 44 islands and 42 bridges together. It sound ominous, but, honestly, you could very easily drive the entire Florida Keys in a single afternoon, but, then,  what fun would that be?  Just think of all the manatee and fish shaped mailboxes, the boat marinas, the unusual hotels, the mermaid statues, the RV parks, and the countless seafood and shell shacks you would miss along the way!  Oh, and, of course, you must never forget, those million dollar views of the sun, the sea, and the sky that are sure to  take your breath away. 

Above, there's plenty of things to see and do in Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.