hermetically sealed

A picturesque traffic jam.

 It's a very odd feeling. I spend most of my time alone in my electronic cottage, getting reports from all over. Schools closed, Broadway closed, Everest closed, sports closed, flights closed. It's a good time to be a writer or a nerd. But what if the servers failed (of both types)? Anyway, I felt the need to get out and see what Kauai was doing.

My fave section at Walmart.

Walmart (the only one on the island) was packed. People were wiping their hands with the Purell sheets at the door, and toilet paper was almost sold out. That was not uncommon in Kauai 50 years ago when I was here—it is an island, after all—along with rice. I did not check the rice section at Walmart, but they still had at Big Save in Waimea. OTC medications seemed to be going fast.
   But oh man, the cars were not. There are so many cars on this island that you can't get anywhere. I ventured toward the north side of the island, but when I saw the stop and go traffic I turned around and headed back to the "unpopulated" side. It took me an hour to get a couple miles (hence the top picture). Friends tell me that it is even worse at rush hour. Most of these cars belong to people who live here, though there are plenty of tourists from the mainland USA as well. And it is the politest traffic jam you can imagine. Ever other car lets someone turn ahead of them. After all, there's only one main road. . .
   I was very happy to get back to hermiting in my little electronic cottage and to see the myna birds roosting  at Cassel's Castle, at the end of the road.

The view from Cassels'