BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND

A good deal from United valid clear through next Spring. Stopovers are permitted (see below), which makes it an even better deal.

• Cost: $556 round trip (all-inclusive)
• United Airlines
• Dates:  Travel through early June 2010
• Availability: Good except holidays
• Advance purchase: None
• Minimum/maximum days: 3/60
• Travel days: Monday through Thursday Trans-Pacific
• Stopovers: 1 permitted in each direction for $55 at CHI, PHX, DEN, PDX, LAS, SLC, SAN, LAX, SFO, OAK, SJC, ONT, SEA

This is a different kind of post.  On Saturday we lost a Beat of Hawaii fan, Kay Jarvela, to brain cancer which was diagnosed just over a month ago.  It’s a personal loss to me because Kay and I were high school friends who reconnected this year on Facebook.

When Kay shared this picture with me in September I didn’t know that her life would be ending in a few short weeks.  Her father died in August and Kay decided to carry on his tradition of playing the accordion.

After surgery Kay wrote, “These things, like it or not, do tend to come up.  I cannot help but think that all this rearrangement of my brain will turn me into a creative artistic genius.”

Kay and her husband, Peter, had been planning a trip to Maui in December and our hope was to see them.

Everything changed quickly.  Her death is a reminder to me to live each day fully.  We’ll be carrying her memory with us this week when we hike down to Kalaupapa where Saint Damien lived and worked.

Peace be with you Kay and your family.  Aloha