Researching articles is definitely one of the best parts of my job! A few weeks ago, research for a November article took me to the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai. This was my second trip to Hawaii; the first was to The Big Island.

Landing on a Monday afternoon, I utilized every moment of my visit, right up until my flight departed late the following Saturday night. I plan to share more of my visit in my upcoming article. Be sure to check out the article and reviews in the magazine and on eFlyer.

Among the many highlights of my trip was a surprise run-in at one of my hotels that reminded me of home and put a smile on my face. It’s no surprise to regular blog readers that I am a huge Philadelphia Phillies baseball fan, and my favorite player is Shane “Flyin’ Hawaiian” Victorino. Victorino is one of the few natives of Hawaii to play in the major leagues.

While checking into the Sheraton Kauai, I noticed the front desk clerk’s nametag indicated her last name was Victorino. Before she could even finish her greeting, I had to know if she was related to my favorite player. After all, I’d been told during my trip that everyone in Hawaii knows everybody. I was surprised when she responded, “Yes!” She’s never met him, as they grew up on different islands — her on Kauai, and he on Maui. After many guests asked her the same question, she asked her grandfather, who revealed they were in fact related, as Shane’s grandfather was her grandfather’s cousin. It may have been a made-up story, but it reinforced just how small the world is, and that no matter where in the world you find yourself, a familiar face may always be just around the corner. And, no matter what, I thought it was cool that I could say Shane Victorino’s cousin checked me in at my hotel!

— Kimberly Krol, managing editor