Kauai - Day 9 - Lazy Sunday

You will never believe what we have planned for today.  No. 

Nothing.  We have absolutely nothing planned today.  We can't wait.

We wake up early anyway though, and with the time difference, the Pats game starts at 8am.  This was quite the depressing way to start the day.  (WTF, Tom Brady?!)  It actually forced us to begin drinking much earlier than normal.  No matter because we are in Kauai, in our open-air cottage, lounging in bed while watching Sunday football and drinking beer.  We can hear birds and the wind, and we can smell the jungle and the ocean.  Lazy Sunday = Bliss.

After a few hours of this, hunger begins to set in.  We have a plan to cruise down to the Marriott in Lihue because they are supposed to have an amazing Sunday brunch complete with champagne. All you-can-drink champagne and a huge seafood selection?  Yeah, that sounds like us.  Imagine our sadness when we arrived and we are told that they are no longer hosting this brunch in the "off-season".  Apparently we smart and thrifty travellers are not good enough for their champagne and sushi.  Screw 'em.

So.  What now?  We were planning on doing a little snorkeling in Poipu after brunch (unless we overdid it on the bubbles), so we decide to head down that way.  Surely there must be a good food option around there.  Well, there's actually not that much. We end up at a place called Keoki's Paradise in the Poipu Shopping Village.  We sat in the bar (much cheaper than the restaurant), and it was actually pretty good.  Mahi mahi sammie for me, kalua pulled pork for Tim.  MAI TAIS all around!  It was sort of touristy-cheesy, but the food made up for it.  And so did the amount of rum in the maitais.

We did end up doing some snorkeling off of Poipu Beach afterwards.  If you ever go snorkeling here, make sure you enter the water on the right (facing the ocean) side of the beach.  If you go in on the left (as we attempted to do), you'll find out quickly that the reef is right there.  And then when you fall trying to put your flippers on, you'll cut your hands and it hurts.  Don't make our mistake.  The right side is super sandy and lovely, and you can swim over to the reef area later.  The snorkeling is okay here.  I would love to see what Kauai snorkeling is like in the summertime. We saw some cool fish, and the reef is interesting, but nothing spectacular.  After snorkeling, we attempted to "beach" for awhile. 

Sadly, Tim and I have realized we are not good at doing nothing. 

After about 10 minutes on the beach, we decide to pack it up and head back to the East shore.  Hey, it's 230p - almost Happy Hour!  With no plans, it seems like a good day to drink around the island.  And drink we did.

We started at the Pool Bar at the Islander on the Beach resort at Coconut Plantation.  This is definitely a local bar - the Islander is a timeshare, and the bartender had been there for 16 years.  Everyone sitting at the bar knew everyone else, and it was a real friendly "Norm!" kind of place.  Their happies are from 4p-6p, and they have a drink called Kamanawannalaya.  Heeheehee.  Kamanawannalaya!  That's funny.  And the drinks are hella strong.  And so it begins. 

After the Pool Bar, we walk back over to Hukilau Lanai.  We had a couple more drinks and also tried their ahi nachos . This is raw ahi on top of crispy wontons topped with a wasabi cream sauce.  Holy Hell - these were freaking incredible.  Tim also really liked this place 'cause the bartender commented on his Ween t-shirt.  This could be the reason why our drinks knocked our socks off. 

We then went over to Trees, and we already know that their happies go til 7p.  And then it was 7p, and we had basically been drinking all day long.  We were tipsy, sunburned, happy, and in love.  What could make this day better?

Yeah, pizza.  Back to Brick Oven for some carryout, and the day is wrapping up.  While waiting for the pizza, we drunkenly decided that we should hike the Inca Trail for our honeymoon.  Hell yeah.  More hiking.  Oh damn.

Day 8 - Kauai - Happy Hikers

Are you serious?!  We're doing another hike today?  What's wrong with us - we're on vacation already!

Yes, we're up early again today because we're heading back to the West Shore for a hike in Koke'e State Park.  Originally, we planned on doing the Nu'aolo Loop Trail.  Including the walk back to the car, this loop trail would be about 11 miles.  However, upon further research, we realized that this loop trail includes a portion called the Nu'aolo Cliff Trail, and this cliff trail is literally on the edge of a cliff.  It's very, very narrow, and if you fell, you would tumble about 2,000 feet.  Hmm.  Sounds a bit sketchy, eh?  Here are the two photos that convinced me that not only is this portion of the hike sketchy, it is NOT FOR ME.

I do not do well with cliffs.  And thus, our 11 mile hike became a 7 mile hike.  We decided to just do the return portion of the loop - the Awa'awapuhi Trail.  Now, don't start thinking just because this trail is shorter that we got off easy.  The trail starts at 4,120 feet, and it ends at 2,500 feet.  And what did I say on the Kalalau Trail?! 

What goes down must go up.

But seriously, this trail is awesome.  LOVED it.  Really nice landscape, and you are rewarded with some gorgeous views at the end. 

This is definitely a trail you would want to avoid if it's been raining in Koke'e though - it would be really muddy and treacherous.  Also, it quite a bit chillier at this elevation than in other parts of Kauai.  I wore long pants and hiking boots, and I actually started out with a hoodie.  By the time we were huffing and puffing on the return, the hoodie was history, but I was happy I had it in the beginning.  We started the hike around 10am, and this was perfect.  We were done by 2p-ish, and we had time to explore Waimea Canyon on the way back.  We brought sammies and ate lunch at the lookout.  Unfortunately, as I was eating lunch, I looked down and a mouse was drinking the condensation off my water bottle.  Another sad rodent surprise.

Side note:  I forgot to mention this in the Kalalau post, but on the last leg of that hike, I was walking up ahead of Tim, and what do I see on the trail?  Yes, a rat.  A rat.  But I was so effing tired, I COULDN'T EVEN SCREAM. 

Me:  "aah. a rat."

Tim:  "What?  A rat? Hahahahaha!  You can't even scream!  You must not be afraid of them anymore!"

Rat:  "Well, I'm sure as hell not afraid of her.  She can't even walk, let alone hurt me.  I think I will instead lay down in the middle of the path and force her to walk around me."

Back on the Awa'awapuhi Trail, we're enjoying the beautiful views and beautiful day and all together beautiful hike.  Fed?  Yes.  Rested?  Yes.  Well, get your boots on cause it's time to pay the piper. 

And up, up, up we go! 

Let me tell you guys, Tim is amazing at "up".  He can power up a hill or a mountain.  He's barely sweating, barely puffing.  And I am pretty sure I am going to pass out.  But I made it.  Yeah, I'm totally a hiker now.  It's pretty cool.

After our hike, we stopped at several viewpoints of Waimea Canyon.  Seriously, gorgeous.  If we come back here, I'd love to check out some more hikes in this area. 

Afterwards, we headed out to Waimea Brewing Company - obviously it's time for a beer!  It's located on the Waimea Plantation grounds which are so beautiful.  They have all sorts of different and unique cottages to stay in, beautiful beach views.  We saw a wedding going on - if we could afford it, I would love to get married here.  Sigh.  Okay, moving on.  The beer was okay, nothing spectacular, but not bad either.  We also had some Kalua pork nachos, and those were definitely spectacular.  Loved this spot for a post-hike nosh. 

After relaxing for a bit, we're heading back to Kapa'a.  Even though we've had our afternoon snack, you know we're going to need more to eat tonight!  We have been wanting to try a restaurant really close to our place called Caffe Coco.  You can sort of see it from the road, and it looked adorable.  We were definitely not disappointed.  Basically, you enter the restaurant and order from the counter.  Oh, and it's BYOB, so make sure you bring a bottle of wine along with you.  After ordering, you basically head out to the backyard, and you pick your table.  It's almost like having dinner a friends house.  You're outdoors, and there are Christmas lights strung up, and citonella candles everywhere.  A cute hippie band was playing Cat Stevens and the Beatles.  The food was fabulous.  It was just really cute and very romantic. 

Sigh.  I love Kauai. 

Kauai - Day 7 - Baby, Lemme Take You On A Sea Cruise

Early morning wake up call - we're booked on a snorkeling & whale-watching tour out of Port Townsend departing at 8am.  There are tons of boat tours to choose from - we went with Holo Holo Charters, and I would definitely recommend them.  They were very professional, and their guides were great as well.  We chose the Na Pali Snorkel Sail.  The tour lasts about 5 hours, and I think it was $95 p/p, something like that.  Worth it, for sure.
  
Like I said, the boat left at 8am, and we only sailed for about 10 or 15 minutes before arriving at the snorkeling stop.  Our tour only stopped this once for snorkeling, so we definitely wanted to take advantage of it.  Secretly, we were also happy that the snorkeling was first thing because they won't serve you any booze until you're done.  Oh, and beer and wine are included with the tour and after our strenuous day yesterday, we had already decided to take FULL advantage this inclusion.  Snorkeling isn't nearly as good in the winter as it is in summer, but we still saw some cool fish and a sea turtle!  The turtle was really cool - it swam right underneath Tim and me, and we were the only ones that saw him so close.  We probably snorkeled for about a half hour or so, but some folks stayed out for an hour.  After getting back on the boat, they had a continental breakfast laid out for us - bagels, breads, fruit, coffee, juice.  Not bad actually. 

And now that we've had our coffee, it's time for a Heineken!

Side note:  No matter where you travel in the world, you can always get a Heineken.  Seriously.  Anywhere.

Now it's basically just time to cruise and ooh and ahh at the Na Pali Coast and drink Heinekens.  Yeah, life is good. 

And then it gets better.  Spinner dolphins!  A ton of spinner dolphins are cruising around our boat.  It's still early, and they are sleepy, so it takes them a little time to really get a-spinnin'.  And then they're hurling themselves out of the water, spinning, spinning, spinning like crazy!  It's so cool.  They are so cool.  I love them. 

Hey, did I mention that I love spinner dolphins?

Before I go on, I will helpfully provide you with a few tips regarding Kauai boat tours. 

1.  Wear a lot of sunblock.  Reapply often.  I only got sunburned once on this trip, and it was today.

2.  Hang on when you are moving around the boat.  It's bumpy, and people get thrown off the boat all the time.  (Okay, I don't know if that's true, but Tim was yelled at several times for not holding on.  So you may not get thrown off, but you'll definitely get yelled at.)

3.  Do you get seasick? If you have ever been seasick or if you have a weak tummy, you may want to skip this tour in the winter.  Or at least bring your dramamine.  We saw several people who were either tossing their cookies over the side of the book or lying on a bench looking green.  Seasickness will greatly decrease the amount of Heinekens that you can drink.

Fortunately, I do not get sick on boats, so I was capable of putting back some more beers during the last few hours of our sea cruise.  They also put out a really nice lunch spread with turkey, ham, cheeses, a few kinds of bread, fruit, pasta salad, cookies.  I was actually pretty impressed with the food.  Tim and I were sitting on the front part of the boat eating our lunch when the best part of the tour happened.

The WHALES.  Whales, whales, whales.  We saw about 20 humpback whales.  They love to come to Kauai in the winter to have babies and make babies.  Yeah, it's romantic even for whales.  I could not believe how many whales we saw.  I wish I had some good photos for you, but sadly, the whales seem to be a bit camera shy.  I will tell you though, this is an experience I will never forget.  I was close to tears a few times.

Side note:  This is coming from a girl who, during the 3rd and 4th grades, refused to wear any clothes without whales on them.  I'm serious.  I had sweaters, turtlenecks, socks, t-shirts, barretts, all with whales on them. I loved whales then, and I love them now.

We got back to the dock around 230p.  We were sunburned and a little tipsy and very, very content.  We drove back to the cottage looking forward to continuing our relaxation.  We enjoyed a few drinks down by the river, grilled up some ahi steaks and veggies, and nursed our sunburns to sleep. 

Day 6 - Kauai - Get Your Boots On

We're up early 'cause we've got our biggest/longest hike planned for today.  We're doing the first portion of the Kalalau Trail and the side trip to Hanakapi'ai Falls.  It's 8 miles total, and we think it's going to take us about 5 hours.  It does not. 

So, the Kalalau Trail is 11 miles one way, and it goes from Ke'e Beach to Kalalau Beach with some super spectacular views of the Na Pali coast.  I hope to someday come back to Kauai and hike the whole thing, but for now, we'll be satisfied with the first portion.

Gentle Reader, you must do this hike if you go to Kauai.  I'm not gonna lie - it's not easy.  I had mud up to my ankles.  Actually, I had mud pretty much everywhere.  It's a very muddy hike in the winter (rainy) season.  It hadn't even really been raining much, and it was still crazy muddy.  Keep in mind too that the first 1/2 mile will have millons of people on it as well.  See, you can get your first Na Pali view by just doing the first 1/2 mile.  And that's what lots of folks choose to do.  Including Japanese tourists in high heels.  Um, WTF?  I had hiking boots on, and I had issues in some places.  After you move past that first viewing point, you won't see nearly as many people.  And on the side trip to the Falls, we really hardly saw anyone. 

First things first:  start this hike early.  I would say the earlier, the better.  And if you're staying on the West, South, or East shores, it's going to take you quite awhile to get to the trailhead.  Bring a lot of water.  Definitely bring lunch if you're doing the Falls trip too.  And plan on getting dirty.  The first 2 miles to Hanakapi'ai Beach isn't difficult.  If you're a beginning hiker, there might be a few dicey parts.  It's mostly downhill, and the mud can be slippery.  DO NOT get near the water at the Beach.  Apparently lots of people have died here.  There is a stream crossing at the end as well.  There are rocks to jump on, and it's not difficult.  But don't be an a**hole and sit on one of the main rocks that folks are using to cross the stream.  This is rude and douchebag-like. 

Honestly, you guys, I cannot even describe how beautiful the Na Pali coast really is so I'm not even going to try.  Here are some of Tim's photos instead.

After you get to the beach, hang out for a bit before beginning your trip on to the Falls.  You'll want to rest up.  This is a fairly tough 2 miles.  The beginning is quite easy though, so it doesn't seem like it's going to be challenging.  I was just crusing along, thinking to myself, "Well, Emily, you are quite the seasoned hiker these days, aren't you?  Nothing you can't handle."  And then we came to the river crossing. 

Ah, the river crossing.

There are rocks to jump on, and it's easier in some places than in others.  We did not choose an easy path.  Tim was sort of helping me, guiding me to the best rocks to jump on, and then it happened.  I put my boot on a rock, could not see the moss that covered it, and slipped.  I fell straight into the river, cut both my knees, and skinned my palms.  More than that, I injured my pride something awful.  And I cried a little.  Don't tell anyone. 

Now my boots and socks are soaked, and I am crabby.  I mean, c'mon!  Hiking with squishy boots sucks!  To his credit, Tim did not laugh.  He is a wise man.  After the river crossing incident (or RCI as it will henceforth be known), my spirts were a bit low.  And this hike gets hard.  There is some climbing, some crawling over rocks, more river crossings.  It seems a lot longer than 2 miles. 

But you're finally rewarded with the Hanakapi'ai Falls, and it is worth it.  Sit on the rocks, eat your lunch, enjoy their beauty.  Swim in the pool if you're brave - this water is hella cold.  And actually, it's kind of chilly near the Falls because there is no sun coming in.  Rest up - 'cause you gotta go back the way you came.  And what goes down must go up. 

The return was pretty tough for me.  I was tired and a little crabby, and the elevation gain on the last 2 miles is challenging.  But again, it's worth it, and if I can do it so can you. 

As I said in the beginning, we thought it would take us 5 hours to complete this hike.  It took us over 6, and Tim and I haul ass when we hike.  I would definitely plan on 6-8 hours for this hike - depending on how fast you hike and how much time you spend at the beach and the waterfall.  But do it.  Seriously, do it.

But don't plan on doing much else that day.  Dirty and tired, we stopped at Kalypso in Hanalei again for beers.  And then we headed home.  TV and pizza and putting our feet up sounded pretty damn good.  And it was.  Oh, and the best pizza on the island is hands-down Brick Oven Pizza.  They've got 2 locations, one in Wailua and one in Lihue.  Delicious whole wheat crust with garlic butter and yummy toppings.  Delicious.  Some Yelp reviews say it's expensive, but if you're from Seattle, you know that $20 for a pizza isn't outrageous.  And when you've hiked 8 miles, you're up for a little splurge on cheesy pizza goodness.

Man, what a great day.  Helluva day.

Day Five - Kauai - Wake Up, Silly Giant!

Good morning, Wednesday! 

After our day where nothing went right, we are up and ready to go.  Yes, gentle reader, another hike.  This morning we're planning on waking up the giant on the Sleeping Giant Hike (aka East Nounou Trail) in Kapa'a.  This hike is about 2 miles each way, and you gain about 1,000 feet in elevation.  This is a great hike.  Gorgeous views, tough in some places, perfect for a morning activity when you've got something planned for the afternoon.

After our hike, we had a deliciously relaxing afternoon.  We lazed around, read, and finally went snorkeling at Lydgate Beach.  Now, I know you won't believe this, but I was actually quite terrified of snorkeling.  I am not a strong swimmer, and I hate having my head underwater.  I knew it was going to be challenging for me, but I was ready to try.  The first few times I put my face in, I ended up coughing and sputtering.  Yes, I know there is no real reason for this.  But with the patience and encouragement from my fabulous fiance, I was totally a snorkeling pro in no time.  And it was super fun!  Now I heart snorkeling.  And we saw some super-cool fish too.  Wish I could remember what they were. 

Early evening we headed out to a restaurant called Hukilau Lanai.  It's in one of the resorts in the Coconut Marketplace, and from 5p - 6p, they have a five course tasting menu for $40 - including wine!  We wisely skipped lunch today so we could take advantage.  And seriously, SO happy we did.  I think this was our best meal on the island.   And it was a really beautiful setting too.  Open-air restaurant with ocean views, great service, and the food was oh-so-good.  I am happy to provide specific menu details if anyone would like them.  Ahem, Abra. 

After our delicious and romantic meal, we headed over to Trees Lounge, also in the Marketplace.  This ended up being our favorite bar in Kauai.  Their happy hour goes until 7p (Kauai happies are usually only until 6p).  They mix up some delicious martinis, and they have some good beer on tap too.  They have live music almost every night, and it's got a great vibe, cool ambience.  Super friendly bartenders and servers too.  We didn't eat anything here, but the menu looked interesting. 

Well-fed and well-hydrated, we're ready for bed at our normal hour of 11pm.  We've got a big hike tomorrow so we need our 8 hours.  Yeah, I think this is an indication of growing old up.  We don't plan our vacays around partying, we plan them around activities.  (And sometimes maitais.) 

Day 4 - Kauai - "This is gross!"

Tuesday morning, and it's not looking too pretty outside.  We had checked the weather report when we first arrived, and we knew that today was pretty much supposed to be the crappiest day weather-wise.  The South Shore is almost always sunny so we decide this would be a great day to head down there.

Once again, we jump in the rental car and head for Poipu.  And then we got lost.  Yeah, Kauai has like 4 main roads, but we managed to get lost?  Yep.  You got it.  After several wrong turns, we find ourselves back on the correct road.  Yes, it's the way Tim thought we were supposed to go to begin with.  Shut up.

We drive to the Hyatt beach so we can park for the Makehewi Cliff hike along Shipwreck Beach.  I wouldn't really call this a hike.  It's just about 2 miles one way, and it's pretty much flat.  You've got some beautiful ocean views & cliff views, and it borders a gorgeous golf course for part of it as well.  It's a really unique location. 

Loved the hike.  Did not love the fact that we didn't bring water.

Dehydration + Emily = Bitchiness

Pretty much everything during this hike pissed me off.  The sun.  The other hikers.  The sand.  My top.  The golfers.  Tim's choice of route.  Really, you wouldn't have liked me.

And when we were done, I was starving.

Dehyration + Emily + Starvation = Mega-Bitchiness

Tim (wisely) wanted to stop at a convenience store on our way back to Lihue to get me some water and chips to tide me over.  But no, I said.  I can make it.  Because I was at that point where I just wanted to be a bitch and be mad.  We had decided that after the hike we were going to go back to Lihue and check out a place called the Whalers Brew Pub that we found in the Lonely Planet.  So we pulled out the map, and we followed directions.  And it was no where to be found.  So we double-checked the map again.  And drove around and around and around.  And still, no Whalers Brew Pub.  Finally, we find the street where it's supposedly located.  No pub.  No brew.  No whales.  Utter disappointment.

At this point, bitchiness is in full effect and eating is essential.  We decide to hit a little burger shack near the Marriott called Kalapaki Beach Hut.  They did not have beer, but they did have an amazing opah sandwich that absolutely saved the day.  Their burgers and shakes were good too - and totally reasonably priced.  Bitchiness has subsided. 

Our afternoon plan was to hit the Lihue Farmers Market for some fresh produce, sample some delicious rum at the Koloa Rum Factory, and maybe do a little Costco-ing.  This plan basically turned into one damn thing after another.  The Farmers Market was in the Costco parking lot, so we stopped in there first.  We realized that they had some way better deals than other groceries.  When travelling to Hawaii, definitely make Costco your first stop.  You'll save a ton of money.  Tim and I, however, are not that bright.  We went to Costco, but did not buy anything because we figured we would find better deals elsewhere. 

We would be wrong.

We went to the Farmer's Market, and we had absolutely no idea what half of the produce actually was.  We left without buying anything.  We went back to Costco and bought everything we should have just purchased in the first place.  Then off to the Rum Factory.  Rum would make everything all better.  Right?  Right?!  Well, it would have if the rum was delicious.  But it was not.  The Koloa Rum Factory isn't actually where they make the rum.  It's just the place where they sell it.  You can get a sample or two while you're there.  The white rum is atrocious.  It tasted like rubbing alcohol.  The spiced rum is slightly better.  It tasted like rubbing alcohol mixed with some cinammon. 

Finally, after our day of missteps and mistakes, we headed home.  After stopping at Fish Express for some ahi poke and salmon lomilomi, we were back at the cottage.  We blissfully made a delicious dinner of grilled shrimp and corn and grilled peppers.  We drank wine and played cards.  We were ready for a new day.

P.S.  It actually did rain today.  For 15 minutes.  During one of our trips to Costco.  So at least we got the weather right. 

Kauai - Day 3 - Victory!

Lovely lazy morning on our third day in Kauai.  And imagine my delight when I realized that 90210 is on at both 8am and 9am!  Yes, an outdoor shower, some 90, and the fresh jungle air - a beautiful way to start the day.

After our relaxing morning, we headed out to meet up with the kayaking tour we had booked for noon.  Directions from Kayak Waliua:  drive to the Shell Station and park on the street.  Hmm. 

Me:  "Did they give you any other instructions when you booked the tour?"
Tim:  "No."
Me:  "No?"
Tim:  "Well, maybe, but I wasn't really listening."
Me:  "Sigh."

So after parking the car and loitering around the Shell Station in hopes that a big bus towing kayaks would pick us up, I finally convince Tim that he should call.  And it's a good thing he did.  Kayak Wailua has a little table set up on the other side of the Shell where you check in.  Good God.  We would have been standing on that corner forever.

Kayaking the Wailua River is definitely something that's recommended if you visit Kauai.  And since our cottage is located right on the river, it was a convenient afternoon activity for us.  As I said, we booked with a tour group.  They give you the kayak as well as a load-in to the river, a tour guide to take you to Secret Falls, and some cold packs to keep your lunch in.  They do not provide the lunch.  This cost about $45 per person include tax and tip.  The whole tour takes about 4.5 hours.  I think you can rent the kayaks on their own, but I'm not quite sure how you would get it to the river.  Also, I heard there is a limit of how many folks can be on the river each day so reservations are recommended.  If you go mid-January, however, you will not need to worry about crowds.  The island is dead at this time of year.   There was only one other couple on our tour.

This is a super-easy kayaking trip - just about 2.5 miles down the very calm Wailua.  There are a few boats, but nothing major.  Even if you've never kayaked or you're not in great shape, you would still be fine.  After paddling, you hike about a mile in to a beautiful waterfall called Secret Falls (aka Uluwehi Falls).  Here you can sit on the rocks, eat your lunch, go swimming.

Note:  if you are ever swimming in a waterfall and you have your picture taken, you MUST lift your arms in the VICTORY pose.  It's the law.

Note 2:  If you do go on one of these kayaking tours, make sure you have the proper footwear.  I wore flips and then brought trainers for the hike.  This will not work.  You definitely need some sort of water shoes or something that can go from water to land.  Flips will fall off, and your trainers will be soaked.  Fortunately, Kayak Wailua gave me some awesome shoes to wear.  I almost stole them, but I figured that would be horribly bad karma.  Tim wore Keen's, and they were perfect.

Note 3:  When Tim and I are on Amazing Race (yes, it will happen someday), we will definitely be taking the kayaking option on the Roadblock because we are *awesome*.  No, seriously.

Back from kayaking - what time is it?!  YES, it's maitai o'clock! 

And by the way, my plan is to eat some sort of seafood each day we're in Kauai.  Day 3, and looking good so far!  Today was ahi tacos at Monico's Mexican.  Another nice thing about Kapa'a - lots of restaurant options.  And as the island isn't exciting a dining/nightlife mecca, this saying a lot.   

Kauai - Day Two - For The Birds

Yay - we woke up around 8am, finally rested and ready to seriously start our Hawaiian Adventure!  After my first outdoor shower of the day, we head out for our first hike of the trip.  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how much you enjoy hiking), staying on the Eastside offers a ton of great hikes really close by.  We decided to start with the Kuilau Ridge Trail.  Four miles round trip, tiny bit of elevation, really beautiful.  Great intro hike on Kauai. 

That afternoon we explored the North side of the island.  Jumped in the rental car, attempted not to hit any of the many chickens on the road and headed up North. 

**Side note:  There are a TON of chickens and roosters on this island. They are everywhere.  You can go on the longest, highest hike, and there, at the top of a mountain, you will find some chickens cruising around.  And the roosters like to ensure you are awake before 7am each day.  Hey, they don't want you to miss one second of your holiday.

After stopping at a few random beaches, we headed up to Kilauea and the Kilauea Lighthouse.  So beautiful.  Great ocean views, we saw a pod (a pod?  is it called a pod?) of spinner dolphins and our first humpback whale!  The Lighthouse area is also a bird sanctuary, and we went on a little walking tour with a nature guide and another couple.  Tim and I basically listened while the other couple asked many, many questions. 

Tourist woman: "What's the white bird that you see all around the island?  You know, they're everywhere."
Me (helpfully):  "Chickens?"
The other couple and the guide send me looks of disdain.  Tim cracks up.
The end of our bird tour.

In other bird news, egrets are also a big Kauai bird.  We call them lurkers.  They're always skulking around on the sides of trails.  Shady characters, I think

Back in the rental car and up to Hanalei.  Super cute little hippie town.  I think it would be a fun place to stay acutally.  Hanalei Beach is gorgeous.  After our long day of hiking and sightseeing, we were looking forward to maitais at one of Kauai's oldest dive bars, Tahiti Nui.  Unfortunately, when we entered the bar, the bartender gave us the dirtiest look, and left her post behind the bar to talk to some locals with her back to us.  After waiting for 5-7 minutes, we realized that she wasn't coming back until we had left.  Screw you, Tahiti Nui!  Instead we hit up a little place down the street called Kalypso.  Great bar, great happy hour, recommended.  Try the coconut shrimp.

After several maitais in Hanalei, a couple more back in Kapa'a at the old stand-by, the Olympic Cafe (happy hour goes til 7p), we were back at the ol' cottage.  Early to bed, early to rise.

Kauai - Day One - Surf & Ski Cottage

We arrived in Kauai around 1pm on Saturday, January 2. And we arrived tired. In order to make our 6am flight from SeaTac, we hauled our sleepy butts out of bed at 3am. After six months of anticipation, a short connection in SFO, and a crappy United flight with nonworking audio and overhead lights, we were finally in Kauai.

**Side note: The crappy United flight wasn't actually so bad as they gave us each $150 travel voucher as an apology. I'll take it.

We decided to stay on the eastside of the island as it was the most convenient to activities. Seriously, if you're planning on having an active holiday in Kauai, I totally recommend the Kapa'a area. It's basically equal distance to both the North and the South, and it's not a complete nightmare to get over the westside like it would be if you stay further North. However, if you're just planned a mellow vacay with lots of lounging on the beach, consider Poipu or Hanalei instead.

If you're looking for great deals on accomodation in Hawaii, try Craigslist. Seriously. So many folks own condos and timeshares down there, there are some fab vacation rentals to be found online. We picked a little cottage called the Surf & Ski Cottage (surfski@aloha.net) in Wailua. It's owned by Kathy and Kenny who also own the Kauai Surf & Ski Shop. I will admit it. When we first arrived, I questioned our decision to stay in a cottage instead of a condo on the beach. I mean, the cottage is adorable, but it's right in Kathy & Kenny's backyard. I mean, their house is literally 25 feet from the cottage. I was a little worried about privacy. I'm not a bed-and-breakfast, small talk, get-to-know-your-neighbor sort of person. I'm just not.

I had absolutely no reason to be worried. Kathy & Kenny obviously know how to read folks because aside from their initial greeting, we never saw them again. Our cottage was perfect for us. It was just one room, plus the bathroom. Lots of windows, right on the Wailua River with tons of greenery and palm trees. Full kitchen, BBQ, wifi. AND an outdoor shower.

AN OUTDOOR SHOWER.

I am obsessed with outdoor showers now. I actually took 2-3 showers per day just to use it. It was awesome.

At any rate, if you're looking for a unique, non-cookie cutter Kauai experience, consider the Surf & Ski Cottage. You won't regret it. Oh, and say hello to Clicker, our little gecko, for me.

Sadly, there isn't much more to report about Day One in Kauai. After heading out for a delicious ahi burger and a couple maitais, we basically came back to the cottage and crashed.

Days 2 - 9 will be more exciting. I promise.