Writer’s Block for May, 20, 2010:

Would you rather be pampered at a luxurious beachside resort or visit exotic cities and learn as much as possible about the local culture and people?

I think my activities during my March trip to Hawaii answered this one pretty well.

I stayed at a resort that was completely closed except for the guest rooms themselves (which meant that I got a nice place at a good price). I mostly used it as a “home base” and a place to sleep after I went out each day.

So where did I go? Waipio Valley and Honoka’a. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Ka Lae. Akaka Falls. Liliuokalani Gardens and Coconut Beach. In fact, during the entire vacation I simply kept my hiking boots in the back of the rental car — and said car was a Jeep Liberty 4×4.

Not once did I go somewhere to be pampered. The closest I came was pampering myself after the trip out, which was much longer than intended thanks to oversleeping and missing a plane. I ran a hot bath, soaked my feet and shaved my legs closer than I have since I was a teenager.

Most people would respond with, “that’s hardly pampering.”

It was enough for me, though.