Kauai, My Home Cheung Chiu Shan

I fell in love with Kauai when I saw the movie South Pacific in junior high.......

Though South Pacific was released in 1958, I still vividly remember the melodious songs featured in the movie---"Bali Ha'i," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Happy Talk," and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair." Based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, South Pacific was filmed on Kauai, one of the Hawaiian Islands. Watching South Pacific in the theater, I dreamed that, one day, I would visit Kauai to see the gorgeous sunsets, breathtaking scenery, and palm trees with waving fronds.

In the summer of 1968 my dream came true when I arrived in Hanalei Bay on the north shore of Kauai.  In front of my eyes was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen in my life.  Wedged between towering mountains and sea was the sleepy little town of Hanalei.  After a morning rain,  I spotted numerous waterfalls like white ribbons cascading hundreds of feet down the mist-shrouded mountain slopes.  Beyond Hanalei was Lumahai, a crescent-shaped white sand beach made famous by the movie South Pacific.  Lumahai was without a soul in sight that morning.  It was exactly as I imagined, the same beautiful beach and serene setting I had seen in the movie years ago.

I stayed on Kauai for several weeks. While driving, I did not see a stop light on any of the roads. Drivers on the island were incredibly well-mannered, yielding to one another at intersections. Having lived near Los Angeles for a whole year,  I was unaccustomed to driving on roads without stop lights. I was amazed at the lack of accidents and the cooperative attitude exhibited by island residents. At the post office, tourists stood in line to mail coconuts they had found in coconut groves.  I did not know that coconuts could be mailed without being packed first in cardboard boxes. The mailman affixed stamps to the coconut, then put it in a large canvas bag that he would later take to the airport.

The first time I returned some books to the public library, I was told by the librarian to leave the books on the check-in counter. I was worried. What if someone took my books after I had left them on the counter? Soon I saw more people returning books by placing their books next to mine. I realized I was among people who genuinely trusted one another.

There was a bumper crop of mangos during the summer of 1968. As I drove from town to town, I often saw branches hanging heavy with mangos and overripe mangos by the roadside, some covered with fruit flies. Because of the rich volcanic soil and brief rain showers in the early morning and evening, fruits just grew in abundance. In many areas of the island, I saw trees laden with guava, lychee, longan, banana, avocado, papaya, pomelo, orange, rambutan, breadfruit, and mountain apple. I liked to look up at the sky whenever there was both rain and sun. The rainbow arching over Kauai was like jewels of a misty crown. For some lucky visitors to Kauai, occasionally a helicopter ride would provide a unique opportunity to fly through the beautiful rainbow in another shape--- a circular rainbow, perfectly round.

As there was no bumper-to-bumper traffic, driving on the main road hugging the Kauai coastline  was  a pleasant experience. I could feel the comforting trade winds and look at the blue ocean at the same time. Sometimes I would park my car under a shade tree on a quiet, secluded beach, enjoying my picnic lunch and gazing at the azure sky and blue waters, a stunningly beautiful blend of cool aquamarine, glittering turquoise and iridescent cerulean that captivated my heart.

The rich colors of Kauai were not confined to the ocean. On land, tree-covered rolling hills, grassland and lush tropical vegetation formed a vast expanse of vivid green. Countless tropical blooms --- hibiscus, ginger, plumeria, orchid, pikake, gardenia, bird of paradise, jade vine, and bougainvillea---added colors to the verdant land, giving rise to Kauai's nickname, the Garden Isle.

At the end of my vacation, I felt sad and did not want to leave. Kauai was so enchanting and special that her memories lingered long after my Island sojourn had ended. Overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of Kauai, I kept thinking about the gentle breezes, balmy weather,  palm-fringed beaches, bird songs in the early morning, rich colors of the land and ocean, wonderful scents of tropical flowers, blissfully quiet nights, the almost crime-free community, and the simple,  unhurried lifestyle in paradise. Two years later I returned and have called Kauai home ever since. To sum up my feelings about the beauty of Kauai, I would like to end my essay with the lyrics of a lovely song  "Hawaii Nei."

Hawaii Nei ( Hawaii, this land) Sometimes I ponder when I look in your eyes Hawaii, Hawaii nei And then it makes me come to realize Hawaii I love you, I do From the fragrant blossoms of gardenia in your hair To the misty rains that form the columns in the air From the ever changing tides that hit the shore I need you more and more and more, Hawaii nei, my Hawaii nei

Home | Index