Wednesday, September 29, 2010

September 26- Last Day in Paradise

Today we bid farewell to paradise. On the way to the airport, we stopped at the Kilauea Lighthouse lookout. This is a very scenic vista. For a fee, you can walk to the Lighthouse.



We then had breakfast at Kountry Kitchen in Kapa'a. While the place is tackily decorated with roosters, the food is wicked ono. Rex and I both had omelets with sour cream and a banana mac nut pancake, the size of a large dinner plate. The coconut syrup, which I had to ask for, was so good. We both agreed that these were some of the best omelets we've ever had.

With some time to spare, we drove past Lihue to Poipu. Poipu is the resort area on the south shore of Kauai. It can be reached by either Route 530 (beautiful, tree-lined road) or 520. Poipu is home to Spouting Horn.



Spouting Horn is really worth seeing and hearing. The spout and its eerie wail are caused by water rushing under the lava shelf then shooting out of an opening. Spouting Horn spurts frequently so you're bound to see and hear it if you wait a couple of minutes.


We then went to the airport. We had to fly to Honolulu to catch our flight to LAX.
Note: We were able to check our bag all the way through to JFK.

I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog and experiencing our amazing journey. I truly enjoyed reliving our adventures while writing it. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at kitatbro@yahoo.com.

Aloha and Mahalo!

September 25 - Surf's Up


I took a surf lesson at Titus Kinimaka's Hawaiian School of Surfing in Hanalei. Surfing is so much fun! This is a must do when in Hawaii! I ended up having a private lesson, as no one else had signed up for the 8:00 a.m. class. My instructor's name was Keaton. After about 10 minutes of instruction on the sand about how to paddle and stand up, we hit the water. Keaton helped me pick the right waves, told me when to start paddling (faster, faster) and when to stand up. After one and a half hours, I had ridden at least 5 waves completely to shore. Note: Take your surf lesson early in your stay so you can practice.

The lesson took place in Hanalei Bay. It is reached off the main road (Route 580) by turning right on Aku. Then at the stop sign, take a right on Weke. Take an immediate left into the parking lot. This is a beautiful bay with views of the mountains and a waterfall.


While in Hanalei, I stopped in Java Kai to get decaffeinated coffee and a Kauai waffle (topped with banana, mango, and coconut). So ono! Java Kai is located in Hanalei Center. Note: Decaffeinated coffee can be hard to find in Hawaii.

Before heading to the Kalalau Trail (at Ke'e Beach), we had burgers and shakes at Bubba Burgers. Wicked ono! Bubba's puts onions and mustard on their burgers. They don't recommend lettuce and tomato because they're shipped in from the mainland, and Bubba's can't guarantee freshness. (Note: Yankee fans tune out to this part. Bubba's is run by a Red Sox fan, as evidenced by all of the BoSox paraphernalia.)

The Kalalau Trail starts where Route 580 ends. You can't drive past this point. This is a very strenuous 11-mile hike, most of which is currently closed for renovation. If you take the trail for 2 miles, it leads to Hanakapi'ai Beach. There are lovely views of Ke'e Beach after completing the first ascent.



This is a steep uphill, then downhill trail, which can be muddy and slippery. The bottom of the trail crosses a stream with a strong current and very slippery rocks. Be careful!


The waves hitting the rocks are incredible here. This ocean is dangerous to swim in at Hanakapi'ai.


After completing the hike, I took a dip at Ke'e Beach to cool off. The water is calm here. We also watched some little chicks eating out of a coconut. So cute!


September 24 - Beach Day

We went to Anini Beach, which is on the north shore of Kauai. This is a lovely, uncrowded beach. The water was exceptionally warm. There's a large, shallow reef - good for snorkeling. There are also some amazing trees.



We spent the day reading in our own private cove. We also had fun watching the little crabs pop in and out of their holes as the sun went down.

Can you spot him?

We got dinner at Frederico's, a Mexican restaurant in Princeville Center. I had the torta and Rex had a burrito. Wicked ono!

September 23 - Biking the Coconut Coast

Ke Ala Hele Makalae (The Path that Goes by the Coast) is one of most beautiful bike paths I've ever had the pleasure of riding on. The path runs along the coastline on the east shore of Kauai. It runs from Lihi Park in Kapa'a to Ahihi Point in Kealia. It is a 4-mile paved, flat trail that offers open views of the Pacific Ocean. There are plans to expand the path in coming years.


We rented bikes at Coconut Coasters, which is located at one of the entrances to the path. The staff (Angelo and Spark) are very friendly and informative. We rode the length of the path several times during the course of the day. We also took a side trip to Spalding Monument, a ride recommended to us by Spark and a fellow tourist. The ride to the Monument involves a steady uphill climb for a couple of miles (the first part being quite steep) on Kealia Road. Kealia Road is located at the crosswalk of Kealia Beach. There's an old post office on the corner.



The Monument, built to honor a former plantation manager, isn't much to see. The plaques have been removed. The surrounding mountains, however, are impressive. This is a nice area for a picnic. Rex and I spent a couple of hours reading here.




After descending Keilia Road, we headed to TNT Steakburgers, located in the parking lot of Kojima's Store on Kuhio Highway in Kapa'a. This is a solar-powered food truck that serves up a good burger. We took our burgers and onion rings back to Ke Ala Hele Makalae, and found a shady spot to dine in.


Our picnic spot

We ended the day by going to Opaeka'a Falls. The Falls are located in Wailua. The lovely Wailua River runs through this area.



Though the Falls were rather dry during our visit, the lookout boasts many very colorful flowers.


September 22 - Queen's Bath and Hanalei

Queen's Bath is a large, lava swimming pool, located in Princeville. It's walking distance from where we were staying. This is a beautiful spot. Don't miss it! There's a short downhill trail from the parking lot, which can be very slippery. There is a small waterfall halfway down the trail.


When you get to the bottom of the trail, there's a sign warning you of the dangers of Queen's Bath.


In order to get to the Bath, you have to walk across the rocks about 250 feet to the left. If it's low tide, you'll see it. If it's high tide, you won't. The crystal clear water is very deep in the center of the pool. There are fish in it so be prepared to get nipped at.



On the way across the rocks to the Bath, there's an area where people were diving into the ocean. While it looked fun, it looked really dangerous. I wouldn't recommend it for those who aren't used to swimming in high surf or jumping off cliffs.


We saw dolphins and sea turtles while at Queen's Bath. We also saw what looked like black, saltwater tadpoles. I haven't been able to find out what these are. If anyone knows, please tell me.

Later, we drove to Hanalei on Route 580. This is a lovely road with several one-lane bridges. There is a scenic lookout at the beginning of the road. You can see the valley, dotted with taro patches. Taro is used to make poi, a Hawaiian staple.



There are several beaches on Route 580. We stopped at Ha'ena Beach Park for a quick dip. Across the street from the beach is the Manini-holo Dry Cave. It is 300 yards deep. This is just a cool thing to see.



Located at the end of Route 580 is Ke'e Beach. Right before the beach is Waikanaloa Wet Cave. This is another cool thing to see.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

September 21 - Waimea Canyon Hike

We drove to Waimea Canyon, which is located on the southwest side of Kauai. Because there are no roads that circle around the whole island, we had to drive from Princeville all the way around Kauai. It took about an hour and a half. There are 2 roads that access the Canyon off of Highway 50, either Route 550 in Waimea or Route 552 in Kekaha. Southern Kauai is bathed in red dirt. The contrasting green fields and red dirt are a sight to see.

The road up the Canyon is called Koke'e Road. Beware, this road is full of potholes for a few miles. Also, there is no gas on this road so fill up before you head up.

We hiked the longest trail in Koke'e State Park, which afforded us breathtaking views of the Napali Coast. It also shed light on why Mark Twain dubbed Waimea Canyon, the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific".



The trail is called the Awa'awapuhi - Nu'alolo Loop. It's an 11-mile strenuous hike. We started at the Awa'awapuhi trailhead, located near mile marker 17 on Koke'e Road. We walked about one and one-half miles down to the Nu'alolo trailhead because we wanted to end the hike where we parked our car. The start of the Nu'alolo Trail is tricky because there are 3 paths that look like they could be the start of it. The start is to the left as you pass the trailhead sign. Don't be tricked by the 2 fake paths that you might see straight ahead of you. There is a small trail sign in the tall grass if you look for it.

This first segment of the Loop trail is about 4 miles, which includes a one-half mile segment that leads to the Lolo Vista lookout. It has many steep downhills. (Like the song says, "What goes up must come down"). There are some tricky parts of this trail: felled trees within the first couple of miles that block the trail and what looks like another trail to the right before you reach the high red wall part of the trail. There are virtually no trail markers on the trail. 


As this trail opens up to views of the cliffs and ocean, it just keeps getting better and better. Just when you think one view is awesome, you see something more awesome. The view from the Lolo Vista lookout is unbelievable.


The Nu'alolo Cliff Trail links the 2 main trails. It's not called the Cliff Trail for nothing. This 2-mile, relatively level portion of the trail includes washed out areas along the cliff that give you little room to walk on. If you slip, you're falling over a thousand feet straight down. This sign warns of the danger. Fortunately, there are some tree roots and pointy rocks to hold onto. I wouldn't be surprised if this part of the trail isn't open in the coming years as it continues to erode.


There are other areas on this trail that are washed out but are in the forested section. Somehow the danger doesn't seem as serious when you can't see where you'd fall.


You're likely to see goats navigating the steep terrain. They're amazing!

The Cliff Trail then links with the Awa'awapuhi Trail. This is a 3-mile strenuous hike, virtually uphill all the way, 1600 feet up. This trail goes through the woods. However, there is a lookout at the end of the trail, which if you choose to hike to it, adds about one-half mile to your trek. If you've come all this way, it's worth it for the view.

This is an awesome hike but don't underestimate the difficulty of it. I wouldn't recommend starting this hike after 10:30 a.m. Bring enough food and water to last a whole day. Leave some extra time to rest and enjoy the views.

Note: The scariest part of this trail for me wasn't the Cliff Trail. It was when Rex twisted his ankle. Some of you might know that when were in Hawaii 10 years ago, we couldn't hike because Rex sprained his ankle 2 days into the trip. We planned to make up for it this time and this hike certainly did. As you can see, Rex was having a great time (and his ankle was fine).


September 20 - Chill Day

Princeville has a running path that goes along a golf course. It's a path that leads to a park and is surrounded by tree-covered mountains. I enjoyed a morning run, then a swim in The Cliffs' swimming pool.

Rex and I walked to Princeville Center to check it out. We had ice cream at Lappert's, which is a famous gourmet ice cream shop in Hawaii. We had a flavor called Mauna Kea's Secret. Ono!

I ended the day with another swim and a soak in the hot tub. We also watched the sunset from our lanai (patio).

September 19- Kauai

We said goodbye to the Big Island and headed to Kauai. Simon came to bid us farewell. He didn't usually visit us in the morning but on this day, he did. Somehow he knew we were leaving. We're going to miss the Big Island.

Inter-island flights are very simple. Hawaiian Airlines and Go! Mokulele run the flights. The airport terminals are very small. Planes are boarded and disembarked from on the tarmac, which is old-school fun. The flights average 30-45 minutes.

Upon arriving in Lihue (Kauai's airport), we drove to Princeville, which is on the north shore of Kauai. We stayed in a condo at The Cliffs.


We went to Princeville Center, which is the shopping complex in Princeville. We got some chicken tenders and fries at North Shore Grindz. They were tasty.

September 18 - Last Day on the Big Island

We took a walk around our Pahoa neighborhood. There's a dirt road that connects with Route 132 that we accidentally stumbled upon. There are many turnouts where you can sit and watch the ocean.

We then had lunch at the Black Rock Cafe in Pahoa. I had the Hawaiian Stew, which was wicked ono. It was served with rice and macaroni salad, 2 of the most popular side dishes in Hawaii.

We drove to Isaac Hale Beach Park to watch the surfers and boogie borders. It's a popular spot for the local people. Swimming isn't recommended here because of the rough surf. There's a hot pool located here. While we didn't go in, we were told that there were shrimp in it.

Next, we headed to Kalapana and hiked to the black sand beach. Near the shoreline are rows of young coconut palms. Coconuts were brought out there and left to germinate. The 15-minute easy hike starts at the end of Route 137. This is a nice spot but not good for swimming because of the rough surf.


We decided to go back to the lava splatter viewing area at the end of Route 130 in the daylight. During the day, we were able to see the smoke coming out of the volcano but not the sparks. I was also interested in seeing the houses built on the lava.



I often wondered what would possess one to build a home here. My question was answered when we met a man whose home was overrun by lava in July 2010. There are a couple of subdivisions in which numerous houses were destroyed, his being one of them. He had a great attitude about it. When he built the home, about 5 years ago, he knew he'd eventually lose it to the volcano. However, it was a way in which he could be one with nature. He enjoyed it while he had it. He also showed us photos he took of the lava and its destruction. He also cautioned us about unsanctioned nighttime lava tours which tread upon private property and allow people to venture on the tenuous lava benches, which have been known to collapse into the ocean in seconds.

That's the fascinating thing about Hawaii. It's an ever-changing environment. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that you're on a volcano. It's easy to forget the power of the ocean. Just be careful and you'll have a great, fun, safe, and unforgettable time.

We ended our day with a relaxing soak at Ahalanui. Definitely a spot worth returning to!

September 17- Get Whipped in Waipio


We drove back up Highway 19 to get to the Waipio Valley. On the way, we stopped at Akaka Falls State Park. It is located about 20 minutes north of Hilo. This is a must. The one-half mile trail weaves through a lush tropical forest with bamboo and affords great views of the waterfall.


A few miles north of Akaka is Kolekole Beach County Park. This is an area, frequented by local people, with a waterfall and great view of the Pacific Ocean.


Next, we stopped at Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park. At this site is a memorial to the people who died in the tsunami of 1946. Many of the deceased were young students and teachers of the local school. As a result, the town was moved uphill and exists there today.

Then we headed up Route 240 to the Waipio Valley. There is a hike down to the Valley via a road with a 900-foot descent. Only 4 wheel drive vehicles are allowed on it, as it has a 25% grade. Going down is hard on the knees, coming back up is hard on everything. However, it's well worth the effort. When you get to the bottom of the hill, you can continue straight to view the waterfall and the Waipio River. If you turn right at the bottom of the hill, it leads you to a black sand beach. There are remnants of a car that didn't make it down the steep road along this road. You'll likely see horses roaming free along the way too.


We ended our day with burgers at Blane's Drive Inn, which is a chain, in downtown Hilo. The burgers were really good. However, Blane's has neither a drive-thru window nor is it an inn.

September 16 - Mauna Loa and Ahalanui

We took the factory tour at the Mauna Loa macadamia nut plant. This is a self-guided tour, which can be done in less than 30 minutes. It was encouraging to see that among the many machines involved in the process of sorting mac nuts and processing them, there are a lot of people involved too. We stood for about 10 minutes and watched the women sort and box the chocolate-covered mac nuts. There is also a nature walk, which was a small garden with native Hawaiian plants and flowers.


After the tour, we went to downtown Hilo and had lunch. We ate at Aloha Luigi, a pizza and Mexican restaurant. My Sicilian slice with salad was good and Rex's burrito was really good. There's a small al fresco dining area, which was fun. We also had shave ice - so much better than a Snow Cone.

Then we went to Ahalanui Park, which is a spring-fed volcanically-heated pool, located at the Pacific Ocean. This is a great place to go to relax and chat with local people. It's a popular place for locals and tourists. Even with a full parking lot, the pool wasn't crowded. For those squeamish about swimming with the fishes, beware. There are small fish that enjoy nipping at you. It's like a free spa treatment. It doesn't hurt but takes getting used to.

We drove to the end of Route 137, which terminates in Kalapana. There are a couple of restaurants at the end of the road. There are also signs indicating that there is no lava viewing from this site. However, lava can be viewed at the end of Route 130. We drove a funky, narrow, unlit road (Kamali Road) to link back to Route 130 from 137. We later learned that there is another, much shorter road that links them, very close to Kalapana. The connection of these 2 routes was more clearly denoted sign-wise going from 130 to 137 versus the other way around. The AAA map we had (10/09-1/11) showed them connecting directly, however due to lava flows, they don't directly connect anymore. Note: AAA's map had very little detail of local roads.

At the end of Route 130 is a parking lot, which is manned by Civil Defense. This area is open to cars from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. However, you can stay until 10:00 p.m. You can then walk about one-half mile (until the barricade) and see the lava splatter. This is surreal. There are actually viewable sparks that result from lava hitting the ocean. This road used to continue through to Chain of Craters Road and was the other entrance to HVNP until the lava blocked the road in 1986. Amazingly, there are houses built on the lava and you are prohibited from walking on the private roads. Bring a flashlight, as the road isn't lit.



September 15 - Ring Around the Island

Yes, we drove the whole Island today. I was on a mission to the Hawaiian Style Cafe, which had been on a top ten list of pancakes in the nation.

From Pahoa, we took Route 130 to Highway 11. We headed through Hilo to Highway 19, which goes to the north side of the Island. About 6 miles up Highway 19, you'll see a sign denoting a scenic drive. This is the Onomea Scenic Drive, which is a winding, narrow road. This is absolutely gorgeous! Do not bypass it! After a few miles, it hooks back up with the highway. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (which we didn't visit) is located on this road.

Continuing on Highway 19. we drove to Waimea, where the Hawaiian Style Cafe is located. The pancakes did not disappoint. I had banana macadamia nut pancakes and Rex had the Loco Moco. Loco Moco is a Hawaiian dish of burger, rice, egg, and gravy.


We then took Highway 19 to Highway 250, which leads to the Polulu Valley. This is a lovely overlook to the ocean with a trail to the beach. After leaving Polulu, we headed south on Highway 270, which links to Highway 19. The junction of these roads is confusing so make sure you know which town you're heading toward. (Note: Hawaii isn't good at marking road numbers so know which town you're heading for).

Near the junction of 19 and 250 is Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. Heiau means temple. The heiau was built in 1791 at the time of King Kamehameha I's rise to power. (Note: There is at least one Kamehameha Road on every island).

Now it was beach time. Adjacent to Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is Spencer Beach Park. However, the beach was closed. Upon talking to some local people, Wednesdays are when some beaches close for work. They didn't seem to know what kind of work gets done or why it takes all day, but it's part of living in Hawaii. About 5 miles south is Puako Bay and Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. This is a small, somewhat crowded beach, but lovely as all Hawaiian beaches are. The plus side for non-swimmers is that the water is calm.

We then drove through Kailua-Kona. This is the touristy side of the Island. People from Hilo head to Kona for Costco and Home Depot. There is also an airport there. We stopped at the Donkey Balls Chocolate Factory. The Balls are chocolate-covered mac nuts. They come in many different variations: milk, dark, salty, coconut, etc. They are ono but very expensive.

Then we headed south to Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. This is a lovely bay from which the Captain Cook Monument can be viewed, but from very far. Captain James Cook was reportedly the first westerner to set foot in Hawaii. The Monument can only be seen close up by water. You can rent kayaks on site.



Also located in this area is St. Benedict's Painted Church. The interior walls were painted by Father Velghe and represent various religious stories. It is still an operating parish. There is a cemetery adjacent to the Church (which you cannot go into) with lei-decorated graves.

We then headed for the southern part of the Island and dined in Na'alehu at Shaka Restaurant. The chicken caesar salad was ono. This restaurant has a real local feel.

To finish our day with a bang, we went to HVNP to view the volcano glow. There is a viewing site from the Jagger Museum. Bring a flashlight, as the parking lot isn't lit.





September 14 - Back to HVNP

We decided to sample some of the local Pahoa cuisine. Pahoa has a small area where there is a strip of restaurants and markets. We ate breakfast at the Black Rock Cafe. The eggs were good and the price was right.

We went to Rainbow Falls in Hilo. The walk from the parking lot to the falls is short and easily accessed.


We also returned to HVNP. We hiked the Kilauea Iki Trail. This moderate 4-mile trail takes you down to the steaming crater floor. This is a great hike to view the crater from above and within.


It's amazing that in this vast volcano wasteland there are signs of life. The vegetation is so hardy and adaptable that it grows back in the lava.

We also walked through the Thurston Lava Tubes, which are lava caves. You access the Tubes via a paved path. There is a fenced-off section of the Tubes that can be traveled if you have a flashlight, because it gets pitch black very quickly. We didn't have a flashlight, so we couldn't do it. Next time!

We drove to the end of Chain of Craters Road, which is where the lava flow closed the road that linked the east and west sides of HVNP. It's a one-half mile hike from the parking lot to the beginning of the lava. The many solidified lava patterns are interesting.



At the parking lot lookout, you can see the sea arch. This is a very picturesque spot.


As we headed back up Chain of Craters Road, we stopped to see the Pu'uloa Petroglyphs. This archaelogical site contains thousands of images carved into the lava. The images are accessed via a less than one mile trail which leads to boardwalk encircling the petroglyphs. Noticeable were hundreds of circles carved in the lava. These pukas (holes) were dug for pikos (umbilical cords). The Hawaiians believed that burying the babies' umbilical cords ensured long lives.




We also walked the Devastation Trail. This is a short hike through the cinder fall from Kilauea Iki's 1959 eruption. While there's not much to see, that's the point. Oddly, there are several signs positioned off the trail at an unreadable distance. We learned that these signs say no hiking allowed. Therefore, if you get close enough to read them, you're where you're not supposed to be.



On the way back to Pahoa, we stopped at J&J Diner for Filipino food. While we didn't know what the various dishes were, the woman working there was happy to let us sample the food and answer our questions. Ono! It is located on Keauu-Pahoa Road, which links Highway 11 and Route 130.

September 13 - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

We went to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP). We listened to a couple of ranger talks and did a short hike on the Earthquake Trail. The hike afforded us views of the smoking Kilauea crater.

We drove south on Highway 11. (Note: It's relatively easy driving around the Island, as there are only a few main highways). We stopped at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. I highly recommend stopping here. For those who have never seen a black sand beach, it's quite a trip. The black sand is created by lava being cooled by the ocean.

                                                     This is a "color" photo.

While at the Black Sand Beach, we were treated to numerous sea turtles feeding. You have to look closely for them, as they look like the rocks. Once you spot one, you're bound to spot many more.


A little farther south on Highway 11 is Whittington Beach. This beach used to be a sugar plantation. There are remnants of some of the structures, particularly the pier which was used to transport sugarcane to the mainland.

There are not many places to eat along the stretch of Highway 11 from HVNP to Punalu'u. However, once you arrive in Na'alehu, just follow the wonderful smell. Punalu'u Bake Shop offers a variety of tasty sandwiches and baked goods. We tried the apple and chocolate malasadas. A malasada is a Portugese confection, kind of like a doughnut. Ono! The Bake Shop is also a great place to see yellow-billed cardinals.