Back to Reality

Well we made it home in one piece, but we came home to a nice little water line leak. It's so close to our house the water got into the basement. Many, many thanks to Ken who was housesitting and shut the water off - I don't even want to think about what would have happened if no one was here.
So now we have this...



Todd put some plumber's epoxy on it but it still leaks. Hopefully my team of experts can have this all fixed and cleaned up on Saturday....here's hoping.

Other than that it's been pretty uneventful since we've been back. Jet lag wasn't too bad since I got like an hour of sleep Saturday night on the way home. I think I'm home sick for Hawaii, seriously - I miss it.

I've been working on posting my pictures pretty much nonstop since Monday night and I'm making progress, I started out with over 800 and have narrowed it down to like 500, all I need to do now is add labels and put them in order. You're excited aren't you?

Kalalua Trail

Yesterday turned out to be another gorgeous day - just goes to show you CANNOT listen to weather reports here.
We decided to do the last thing on our list of things to do while we are here which is hike the Kalalua Trail. This is the most famous trail in all of Hawaii. Eleven miles of switchbacks, hills and beautiful scenery. It takes two days to do the whole trail so Todd and I decided to do the first 2 miles - you have to get a permit and camp if you want to do the whole thing. No thanks.
It started at Ke'e beach.


The first half mile or so it seems you just keep going up and up. Rocks and roots and slippery mud are everywhere. You have to be careful with every single step.


But the views are amazing.

It didn't get any easier the further we went along. This trail is a serious butt kicker. It took every ounce of energy and strength I had.

When we reached the beach we were two miles in - we considered going on another 2 miles to the waterfall but we knew as far as we went in we had to go back the way we came.

I can't imagine hiking the entire trail - 11 miles in and 11 miles out. That takes some serious, serious drive.

At the end I was ready to die - 4 miles - but I had a great sense of accomplishment. And I'll never forget it.

Ahhhh relaxation.

We had a couple's massage yesterday on the beach at the Marriott Resort. It was much needed after the torture our bodies have endured the past twelve days. Well, I shouldn't say we, Todd is fine - me however, I have so many bruises, scrapes and sore muscles it's just pathetic.


The Marriott was gorgeous. The Koi pond was awesome - if you were just standing by the edge they would follow you around and hope you would feed them.

We used their pool even though we weren't "technically" allowed to. Yes we are such rebels.

After that we drove down to the southern part of the island and visited what is supposed to be one of the best beaches on Kauai - Poipu Beach. Very pretty but very high surf.

Just a side note - when we stopped for breakfast we noticed something a little different with Burger King's menu... #7 Spam Platter anyone???

Rainy days

Forecast is calling for rain the last two days of our trip. I have learned the forecasts can be very unpredictable. Anyway, it's 9am here and I'm waiting for the rain to stop so here are a few pictures from the past couple of days.

Kilauea Lighthouse
Anini BeachView from Scotty's Bar B Que - so tasty!


Opaeka'a Falls


Princeville Resort and beach

Poipu Bay Golf Course

I did a lot of research to pick a golf course to go to. Since I don't play I wanted one that was be fun and challenging for Todd and scenic for me. I made an excellent choice.
It is really hard for me to narrow down my favorite photos so sorry if picture overload.

This is how I spent my 4 hours, and loved every minute of it.

Another great day. But our luck was bound to wear out.

Yesterday we parked at a trail to walk down to a waterfall - after taking a few pictures we headed back up to where we parked. About 100 yards from the top we hear the alarm. And about 4-5 kids running away from us.

We got to the Jeep and it had been ransacked - of course we locked everything valuable in the console and the glove compartment. They broke the handle on the glove trying to get it open. And stole our little cooler wih a few sodas and water in it. But Todd later found that at the end of the trail.

So we called the rental company and they told us to file a police report because of the damage. The police were very nice and had said someone saw the kids hitchhiking earlier and they had been looking for them (I guess hitching is illegal). Anyway, we got the report and went to exchange the Jeep. I guess I'll see how much those kids cost us when I get a call from my insurance when I get home. Urg.

Queen's Bath

About a ten minute drive and a short hike from our house is Queen's Bath.

The hike down was relatively easy and scenic. Nice little waterfall.

Queen's Bath is a large pool the size of several swimming pools carved by nature into a lava shelf with an inlet from the ocean for fresh seawater to flow.


Now I'd read if the surf is too high you wouldn't even recognize it because the rough water would just cover it over.


So naturally, with the surf being as high as it was when first arriving I thought this was it.

Looked like an inlet to me and the surf was high enough I thought. So no way was I swimming in that!

We walked down a little further and saw this - well, maybe this is it?

Still not swimming.

Even further down we found this spot. I sat down and watched this for what had to be a half an hour. It was beautiful - huge waves!

Then we noticed those people standing off the the left. What were they all looking at?

Queen's Bath.

It's much bigger than it looks in the pictures. The water was calm - until a huge wave would crash into the pool. This scared me tremendously - I'd read stories of people swimming in the pool and being swept out to sea with a big wave. But we didn't come all this way to wimp out now! So I put on my bravest face and said heck yea I'll jump in that treacherous lava pool. So we did.... and it was freaking freezing!!! I'd say it was about 60 or 65 degrees. Only one or two waves made it into the pool so I didn't have a panic attack and drown or anything.

I've done so many things this trip that have freaked me out and normally would not do - something about this place has made me brave. And I love it.