Mahalo, Kauai

 Pella in Paradise

Day 8: Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Last Day & Travel Home

We watched our last sunrise for the trip from our room.  While I was looking out the window, I saw a lady and waved at her.  She waved back.  I can't remember if it was creepy or not.

There was a long wait for breakfast at the hotel restaurant, so we went to Passion Bakery Cafe and got in a long line for malasadas. When we got to the front, I ordered enough to last me until dinner: an ube malasada, a mango puff pastry, a turkey croissant, and an iced decaf macadamia latte with almond milk.  Yeah, I'm high maintenance sometimes.

While Bro and V were waiting for their order, I went to the Jeep and sat inside.  A guy walked toward the car and looked at his reflection in my window.  He told his family that he needed a shave.  I tried not to scare him because he didn't realize that I was there, watching him look at himself.  I guess I had a day of people looking in my window.  He's lucky I didn't take a pic of him and post it here.

We went back to Island Country Market because we collectively needed one more suitcase for our haul.  Then we went back to the hotel to pack and check out.

New compact umbrella in new big suitcase

Don't forget the snacks!

One last photo from our hotel room

Question:  What do you guys do when you get a new suitcase?  

Our answer:  Go antiquing to fill it up!

We went to Pagoda, which was closed on the other days we had free time.  I really liked it in this quaint little shop, and we talked to the proprietor for a while.  He used to be a coach for cross-fit, and was also a defensive coach in the NFL before visiting Hawaii and falling in love with it, eventually moving to kauai.  I bought a pair of crystal antique earrings and an enamel pin.  

Ceiling decor in Pagoda

We drove around and stopped at Pa'ula'ula Fort and Residence, the home of Ka Moi Kaumualii, the king of Kauai and Niihau.

Land where fort stood

King Kaumualii

Hibiscus

Egret?

Hanapepe was on our way to the next destination, so we stopped for a few minutes to take a couple of pictures.

It's like Reno!

Our next stop was Kauai Coffee Company.  V and I took the walking tour while Bro stayed in the shade at the shop and coffee bar.

There's no way we weren't going to get a pic with 
the giant chicken!

Coffee cherries

We didn't see the pigs.

Wait.  Do I have to pay to pull weeds?

Growing Baby Coffee Trees

Sorting Machine

We met up with Bro at the coffee bar and sampled the coffee.  I also bought some to take home, as well as some chocolate covered peaberry beans to munch on.  We relaxed on the patio as I observed a gecko that didn't seem to be afraid of all of the people walking around.

Then we drove around some more, and went through a tunnel of trees.

We went to a little shopping center across from the ABC where V works, and I finally found a rubber duck for the Jeep!

We ate dinner at SEA Kaua'i, where I ordered a Tuna Avo roll, a Mango Margarita, and Mango & Sticky Rice.  It was all quite yummy.

I refrained from stealing this plate.

Sushi Rolls in Paradise

Mango with Sticky Rice

Coconut Tree!

Cheers!

 We still had some time before going to the airport, and walked across the street to check out the other shops.  I saw a chicken on the hood of a car, just hanging out, but didn't get a photo of it.  So here's a chicken and her chick, with a coconut that was just there.  I don't know if it was a toy for the local chickens, or why it was there.

When we returned to the airport, I twisted my back trying to get my luggage into the shuttle, and was in pain for the rest of the evening, which made for a not-fun ride home with all of the spasms in my back.  We sat in the quarantine area before getting on our plane, and tehre was a mouse in the corner.  So we moved, because it also smelled like pee, and I'm not sure if it was mouse pee.  Great end to the trip, right?  

So we were back in LA, back to traffic, back to ordinary.  I slept A LOT when I got home.

Well, folks, it's almost a year later as I type this last blog of the trip, and a lot of these memories are burned into my brain.  Writing about it now gives me lots of smiles.  That was an incredible adventure.  Thank you to Rockapella for getting me out to Hawaii and for giving us an excuse to go to Kauai.  Thank you to Mona for letting us stay at her beautiful home.  Most of all, thank you to Bro and V for yet another fantastic trip.  I love you guys, and look forward to our next one!

Mahalo!!!

Hold On To Your Butts!

 Pella in Paradise

Day 7: More Sightseeing On and Above Kauai

Monday, October, 9, 2023

V and I woke up early again.  Mind you, we were still on Pacific Time, so it wasn't that early for our bodies, but it was still early.  On this day, we joined the hotel's Sunrise Ceremony.  We waited in the lobby for the guide to arrive, and we had some of the yummy juice.  As I was sitting there, a cat decided that I hadn't sneezed enough and joined me.

I did not name the cat that day, but now I shall call it Tortuga because the fur looks like a tortoise-shell design.  Or just that I'm still obsessed with the turtles from the night before.  Yes, Tortuga the Hotel Cat.  

Our guide, Kamealoha arrived and introduced himself to those of us joining the ceremony.  He walked us around the grounds, some of which we could see from our hotel window.  Tortuga joined us, too.

Kamealoha

Cue Lion King opening music

Wailua River State Park
 We can see this from 
our hotel room window.

Kamealoha told us about the traditions of the Hawaiian people, as well as his thoughts about today's Kauai.  He did a couple of chants to welcome the sun.

Kamealoha told us a little bit about his family, and they are from Ilocos Norte in the Philippines.  His grandfather went to school with Ferdinand Marcos.  Wait a minute.  So did my grandfather!  I bet he knew Papa.  The family moved to Kauai before Kamealoha was born.  So of course I needed to take a photo with my fellow Ilocano-American!

Afterward, V and I got in the water, which was much cooler than at Lanikai Beach.  V placed her Go Pro in the sand underwater to get footage of the fish swimming.  I don't have that video, so here is some footage from above the water.

V tried to get a Little Mermaid shot of waves splashing behind me, and I even sang, but it didn't work.

Watch and you'll see, someday I'll be
Part of Your World!

She went out onto a big log because she's adventurous like that.  I don't know why anyone ever wondered why her daughter is the same way.  

We took a lot of pictures, and even tried to get a picture of Bro looking at us from the hotel window, but that one didn't turn out very well.  Yes, I took more pictures of Tortuga the Hotel Cat.  No, I will not post them here, because, well, I have a lot more for you to see! 

Waterfall at hotel lobby

Flowers in hotel lobby pond

 Meanwhile, JT had noticed that we took some pictures during the shows, and asked if we had any that he could share on Rockapella's social media accounts, making sure to give credit to V and me.  Why sure!  So yeah, that was awesome.

We went to Island Country Markets, which is an outdoor shopping center.  I got a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  So fancy and exotic, right?  I did see other stuff like chocolate, but didn't want anything to melt in the car.  I also saw a variety of Hawaiian condoms.

We were waiting to see if we would get a confirmation for our reservation, and decided to go to Hanalei.  If Hanalei sounds familiar to you, look up the lyrics to "Puff the Magic Dragon".  OK, so they call it "Honah Lee", but it's pretty much this place. I saw a really cool tribal art museum, and got some cards there.  

TRUTH

Also, this happened.

We decided to go to the beach for a bit while we were there.  The sand was very white, and Bro liked the water.  It was also pretty warm as we stood out in the sun, but still really nice. 

While we were there, V got the confirmation for our helicopter tour!   Very excited, we quickly went back to the car and cleaned off the sand from our feet.

We drove to the helicopter landing section of the Lihu'e airport, and parked in the designated area.

At check-in, I perused the merchandise.  They weighed us (yikes!), and we signed our lives away on the waiver forms.  I used the facilities and perused these prior to going to the tarmac.

Wondering if my butt sat where
Spielberg's butt or Ford's butt sat.

They had us put on these booties so that we wouldn't bring any foreign substances to the soil when we would land.  LAND!  Not every helicopter tour allows landing where we were about to go; in fact, this was the only tour that allowed it.  We also had fanny packs with our life vests inside.

Junior went through the safety spiel, and explained what would be happening, and introduced us to Isaac, our pilot for the tour.  

We walked to the helicopter and we were assigned our seats.  I guess that's what the weighing was for.  I sat in back of the pilot, and was worried that my slight acrophobia was going to get the better of me because I was seated at the window, but nope.  We were given headphones, and we listened to the film score from "Jurassic Park"!!!  I about lost it at that point because I was so excited, and knew that we were in for an adventure of a lifetime.  I did tear up a little, but there was no time for too much of that, because before we knew it, we were up in the air!

Liftoff.  Is that appropriate for a helicopter ride?

Helicopter Approaching Jurassic Falls

I don't know why the marker is Olaf. 
Or is it LEGO Star Wars?

Isaac

When we landed at Jurassic Falls, we were told which direction to walk, and Isaac took photos of us.  We also helped out the couple in the helicopter, named Bill and Romy.  Romy was pregnant, and was so excited that she was able to do this tour before it would be too late in the pregnancy.

Trail to Jurassic Falls

The falls were gorgeous.  I pictured the helicopter landing there in "Jurassic Park", and was just in complete awe.  I wished that everybody I knew could experience this for themselves; it was spectacular.

Jurassic Falls

We did need to leave eventually, and our tour continued, as Isaac told us through our headphones about the sights we were seeing, where "Tropic Thunder" and some James Bond movies were filmed.

Waimea Canyon

Site where Bond flew helicopter
through that hole on the right

Gorgeous coastline

I'm in a helicopter!!

Locale for many films

Stuff I learned on the tour:

• The island of Ni'hou is owned by one family.
• Kauai Coffee Company distributes most of its coffee in Hawaii.
• There are no predators on Kauai, and no snakes.

Seeing Kauai waterfalls 

Once we landed, we returned our fanny packs and threw away our booties, then bought a bunch of merchandise, including a hat that I hope to give to JT one of these days.

Knowing we couldn't top that experience for the day, we went back to our hotel and had dinner outside at Mamahune's Tiki Bar, and watched the sunset.  I'm really glad that we spent our last beachy sunset there.  

Rum the Jewels
My fire died, so it just looks like
this is where I place my cigars.

Ahi Poke Bowl

Afterward, Bro got a tiki mug souvenir to go, and it came with yet another drink.  Well, OK, then!  We shall sleep well tonight!

Next Up:  Aloha, Kauai