April 14, Kauai and home

 Friday, April 14

Last sunrise in Hawaii.  The birds  are already checking for handouts on the lanai.

We do the Grab 'n' Go breakfast and decide to check out now rather than having to come back later.  Squeezing everything into suitcases again and leaving a little room for possible souvenirs.

There is another lighthouse, further south, that we decide to check out.  NiNiNi Point Lighthouse.  Not high on the list for tourism, the GPS takes us to a parking area at a resort and we wind our way around it and onto a golf course.  Can SEE the lighthouse, but it isn't terribly close. 

 It looks like there are a few cars parked there,  so we go look for the right road.  It is pretty much a single lane - maybe 1 1/2 - and not paved.  Greg maneuvers around the potholes expertly, and we arrive at the small parking area where two other cars made it.  The point is surrounded by rocks and water, as you would expect.  The lighthouse is an unusual yellowish clay color.

Nice views.  The lighthouse was built in 1932.  The harbor of Nawiliwili is visible in the distance, complete with large cruise ship that we think our neighbor Sylvia is on. It was created for the sugar industry and is the main harbor on Kauai, small but deep.

From here we head to the Alekoko Fish Pond, also known as the Menehune Fishpond.  It has a 900' long wall built from lava rock, separating it from the Hule'ia river.  According to legend it was built in one night by the Menehune, passing rocks for 25 miles.

 The Menehune are a mythical (or not) race of dwarf people in Hawaiian tradition who lived here before the Polynesians arrived.  They supposedly were skilled craftsmen who built temples, canoes and fishponds. It seems that there were people living here before the Polynesians arrived, but whether they were 3 feet tall is questionable and legends about them vary from island to island.

This is the "Men at Work" sign we saw back at the airport.

Next we travel to the Kauai Museum in Lihu'e.  It is a collection of all things Hawaiian, from early feather-decorated royal outfits, to stories from when sugar cane was king, to WWII incarceration of Japanese-Americans, to Surfing  and many things in between.  Nice displays in a building that was originally a library.  The statues depict the last King, Kaumuali'i and his queen.

A lady at the museum mentions Red Hibiscus as a shop with things made in Hawaii, so we head there next.   Very sweet proprietor who does make some jewelry, but most things are the usual made in....... China, Japan, Ecuador, etc.  We buy a small carved turtle which was designed in Hawaii...close. Then we try another shop called Hilo Hatties which had more clothes.  Couldn't talk Greg into a Hawaiian shirt.

For a late/lunch early dinner we try Big Monster Sushi and Thai.  Excellent sushi and poke!  Monster Poke had salmon, ahi tuna, avocado, scallions, cucumber, masago, and a homemade spicy ponzu sauce.

I've been wanting to try Dole Whip - which is kind of like soft-serve ice cream.  We find a shop called Mangos  in Old Koloa Town, and discover that it comes in many flavors now.  We go with the server's suggestion of mango and pineapple.  Yum!

Our flight doesn't leave till 9:30, though we need to return the car and be there by 8:00.  We stop at Lydgate Park Beach which has tons of driftwood.  Some of it has been made into lean-to's, one of which was named "Robinson Caruso House".

 There is a small pond area which is touted as a snorkeling training pond.  We read, relax and people watch till it is time to change.  Carol, back at our hotel told us we could come back to change so we do that and sit for a while, enjoying another rainbow.

Returning the car is easy and we arrive at the airport in time to share a breakfast sandwich. The security people confiscate our telescoping walking stick.  The three airports before this had no problem with it being tied onto Greg's backpack,  but these folks called it a potential weapon!  I wish we had thought fast and had me limp through, using it - probably would have been no problem, then!

Our flight to Phoenix is full and we didn't get seats together, but at least Greg was in an emergency exit row, so had a little more room.  I sat with a pleasant young couple who were going home to Phoenix. 

Arrived in Phoenix around 6:30AM Saturday, their time, and had a 2 hour layover.  Then sat on the plane for an extra hour as they had to replace a part in the intercom system and, as the pilot explained, fill out a bunch of paper work.  

Danny and Donna were there to pick us up in Houston.  Sure is nice to have such fine neighbors!    We arrived home around 3:00 and managed to make it till about 7:00 before we crashed. 

 And we both slept almost 12 hours!!  Good to be home!  

ALOHA!