I’ve had writer’s block or something with my blog to where I just can’t move on from our January visit to Kauai. There’s a loose end here. I feel like I’ve left us marooned in Kauai and I need to get us home. Plus, somehow I got sidetracked this year with my blogs, writing about gluttonous invasive bullfrogs, invasive African snails the size of your fist and wild boar hunting with knives and two packs of hunting dogs. Novel idea, how about I wrap up this past January trip with some fun photos from Paradise?
“I agree,” said the rooster …
stalking us during lunch on an outdoor patio. A “Please do not feed the birds” sign is posted nearby, but how can we resist that face? Yeah, well, if you don’t resist, the rooster persists. Feral? You bet! Just try to catch that rascal.
We’ve made about ten visits to Kauai, David and I and my brother Eric. Our daughter Megan came with us the last couple of years. I usually write about 6 blogs after each trip, filling you in from beginning to end, getting us safely back home to Idaho. I reminisce and post my favorite tales and photos of Paradise, until spring gets here. Which, well I’m still good this year, time wise, since, here in southeast Idaho, we woke up yesterday to snow.
When we visit Kauai, we stay on the north shore with my sister, Stephanie and husband, Victor, at their home in Princeville. On the north shore of Kauai you absolutely have to visit Hanalei Bay; walk to the end of the dock.
Swim or surf the waves. Or, in my case, swim or surf vicariously through other more enthusiastic water lovers, while you walk the beach. Here, I’ll take you along… you’re wearing your bathing suit, right? Let’s head into the crashing surf!
Or take up the surfboard. Can we catch a wave?
Yes we can! We’re up!… Uh, for about 3 seconds.
We just have to try surfing again. Like, 500 times. How about paddle boarding?
A few miles further north from Hanalei Bay is Lumaha’i Beach, especially thrilling in a high surf. Climb on this rock to play chicken with the roiling surf. Or as a 70-yr-old, do it vicariously through these strapping teenagers (hey, it’s a weekday, aren’t you supposed to be in school? I doubt this is some kind of planned field trip. Do your parents know where you are?)
There are so many beautiful hikes in Kauai. As you explore the lush landscapes, navigating sometimes steep, muddy trails, dodging tree roots, ducking your head under hanging tree limbs, hopping over rocks to forge streams, listening to exotic birds, mesmerized by the tropical scenery, you might miss something. As you gaze at a tree branch, there might be a wonderful little creature staring right at you that you don’t even see. For example, dear reader, we are now on a hike overlooking Larsen’s beach. Do you see anything in the sand below?
At first glance you might just see a shadow. That shadow is an endangered sea turtle!
Do you see the lizard in this photo?
Of course not! you say. Look just above center in the photo right under that middle leaf structure. Still don’t see it? Here I’ve zoomed in:
Find the bee in this photo:
You found it, right? Find the butterfly:
It’s in the middle of all those blossoms.
One more butterfly:
(Upper right side.)
Find Stephanie. (A little small compared to the ancient tree)
Find Eric, literally in the belly of the forest
I have panicked at times on a hike, dilly-dallying, taking photos or something and then look up and everyone has disappeared.
Find Megan:
Thank goodness with me bringing up the rear, someone in our group had the sense to wear bright clothing.
Find the lizard:
Don’t mind him. He’s just a little notch attached to the gutter.
Find this lizard!
Find not one, or two, but three bees (there’s probably more):
Enough already. You’re giving me a headache! You say.
Oh, you need a drink at this juncture? Here you go. A yummy Mai tai!
Oh, but surely you see the fly!
Well, I gotta get us home to Idaho. But not until you enjoy one last breakfast with us at the Hotel 1 in Princeville.
Count the birds. How many do you see? I dunno. As we get up to leave our table by the fireplace, half a dozen birds descend on our leftovers. My review of this very pricey restaurant is that the atmosphere is far more impressive than the breakfast. Even the coffee is hardly drinkable, at least to my standards. (Spoken like a true coffee addict.)
We’ve about come to the end of our visit to Kauai. On our last night we enjoy a fine dinner at the Terrace Restaurant in Hanalei. Here’s the view from our table:
Terrace Restaurant, Hanalei
I take a photo of us after dinner: Victor, Steph, David, Eric and Megan
Mahalo, Kauai!
But before heading to the airport we bid one last farewell to the egret:
The red-crested cardinal
and the magnificent albatross
This pickup pretty much summarizes how you feel after a two-week vacation in Kauai:
Alas, David is driving us in the rain after dark to the airport in Lihue to catch the 10:30 pm red-eye to Los Angeles.
We’re pretty much silent through the hour drive to the airport, dropping off the rental car, riding the shuttle to the airport entrance, when Megan blurts out, “Hey, look at that rooster!” We all share a laugh over seeing one last feral rooster by the front entrance to the airport terminal.
It takes a while to get through security, and we’re already a bit flagged. We park ourselves down on a bench inside the terminal and hear this strange flapping. We look over and darned if we did’t spot that same rooster inside the terminal.
Who has the job of capturing that wily feral fowl? Maybe the TSA employees who let him get past security? Yeah, good luck with that.
Okay, well, yeah, we’re home. Been back in Idaho Falls since Feb 1st. Here, I’ll share one winter photo with you. It’s our back yard on March 2.
Well at least I finally put a wrap on this year’s Kauai trip. Some pretty kulass memories!
The Decompression of a Boomer 