April 12, 2023 Kauai Helicopter and more

 April 12,  Wednesday

We've scheduled a helicopter tour this morning at 10:45.  We've chosen a "doors off" ride to facilitate photo opportunities, with Airborne Aviation.  There  are several companies that do this, but we liked the fact that this company also does search and rescue and fire coverage.

We arrive along with a couple from Switzerland, and go through an orientation which involves safety features - kind of like the stewardess on a plane .

 We have to wear a life jacket packet and are securely strapped in.  Greg and I have the back seats and the other couple is up front with our pilot, Brian.  We have headphones and a button to converse with the pilot.  The only downside of this trip is that we could not clearly hear the pilot - only about 50% of what he said.

But the sights were amazing!   A little bumpy in spots due to the wind, but overall quite smooth!

I think this is the one they call Jurassic Falls - featured in the movie. There were dozens of smaller ones.

Some of the trees look like giant heads of broccoli from up here!

The ride only lasted an hour but we couldn't help wishing it would go on and on!

We went back to the hotel afterwards and relaxed a bit.  Took a swim and read by the pool.  It is warm, probably close to 80, but that breeze keeps things cool.

We decide to give biking a try.  Haven't done it since the accident - couldn't initially - but time to give it a try.  A bit wobbly on these road bikes, but we make it a couple of miles on the path along the coast.  Some beautiful spots!  Our hotel provides the bikes!

The woman at the main desk says we really ought to try the food trucks when we ask for a recommendation for dinner.  So, we go to a spot where several are gathered.  But only two were open, and didn't seem that appealing, so we end up at Kenji Burger which boasts local grass-fed beef.  And they are pretty good! 

 Greg has a Hapa burger, which has Japanese BBQ sauce, sriracha pineapple slaw, bacon cheddar cheese, caramelized onion and tomato!  That's a mouthful!  Beth has a poke bowl which is ahi tuna chunks with white rice, avocado, ginger and poke sauce.  Yum.  The fries that we share are furikake fries, with furikake being seaweed.  It is just dried and sprinkled on the fries (kind of like chives)and really doesn't have a taste that we can detect.  They sprinkle it on lots of dishes.  Greg tries another local brew.

We enjoy sitting outside.  There is sign asking you not to feed the chickens or throw things at them.  They provide a water squirt bottle on the table to deter the chickens!  We only had to use it once or twice! Ha!

We go back to the room, play with pictures and relax. 

 

April 11, 2023 Kauai, Waimea Canyon and more

 Tuesday, April 11

Greg catches a nice sunrise this morning along with coffee on the lanai.

We pick up some pastries and fresh pineapple from the Grab 'n' Go breakfast here, and head out to explore.  Traffic is a little heavy around Lihu'e, but not bad after that.  Kauai is much smaller than The Big Island, with fewer roads.  We have to smile as the signs by the roadwork say the project started in January of 2021.  Lots of orange cones but we don't see any workers.

We cross the southern part of the island, then turn north toward Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. This island is quite a bit older than The Big Island, so time and weather have shaped much of it, particularly the western side.  Not nearly as much visible lava, and very few areas that are not green!

First stop is at Red Rock Overlook, which is at about 2500' elevation.   

Next we stop at Iliau Nature Loop for a short hike that identifies many trees and shrubs.

Waimea Canyon Overlook is next.  Beginning at this lookout there is a parking and entry fee, which will cover the rest of the road stops till the road dead ends in about 20 miles.  The elevation here is 3400', and the canyon is about 5 million years old.  The canyon is 13 miles long, about 1 1/2 miles wide and 2500' deep.  Mark Twain famously called it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, although he never came here.

Waipo'o Falls has an 800' drop!

We stop at several other lookouts, some of which give views of the Napali coast.  There are no roads to access the coast, only a long hiking trail. It has become more foggy and there is a little rain.  Not ideal for photos, but nice nonetheless.

Kalalau Valley and Nepali Coast

Near the Pu'u o kila Lookout we are in Kokee State Park and we stop at their small museum which gives a history of the island.  Sugar Cane plantations were once big business, drawing lots of Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and other laborers.  There is a lodge of sorts here too, with a restaurant.  Lots of chickens!

We make our way back south and go west a little while, but the only beaches out that way require permits and/or are military, so we can't go far.  There is some farming along this road, and there were tons of egrets following this plowing tractor. 

We stop by Russian Fort Elizabeth (Pa'ula'ula  State Historical Park) at Waimea Bay. It was established in 1817 by a Russian-American company but never occupied by Russians. The King of Kauai, Kaumuali'i (below), was trying to resist King Kamehameha's efforts to conquer and rule over all the Hawaiian Islands and thought an alliance with Russia would help him. It didn't.

  Captain Cook's ships Resolution and Discovery had arrived here in 1778 - the first landing of Westerners in Hawaii.

We have been driving quite a bit but with a lot of stops.  The car displays a message with a coffee cup, saying "Consider taking a break."  We do take a little break at the Spouting Horn, where waves rush into underwater caves and spout through a hole.

  We also drive through Po'ipu Beach which is so crowded that we can't find a parking spot!  This is the most popular beach on the island, and generally has the warmest and driest weather. 

 And we pass a large coffee plantation.  Kauai Coffee.

We continue back to the hotel and rest up a bit after a quick dip in the pool.

The Lemon Grass Grill is our choice for dinner.  Crab cakes as an appetizer, then shrimp scampi pasta and a hawaiian salad.  Food was fine, but they served it in a strange order.

We picked up a small local newspaper at the hotel office.  Real estate is interesting - don't think we'll be moving here any time soon!  There is also an article about the homeless problem here.  Apparently there is a serious lack of affordable housing for locals, with off-island people buying most of the property. We have seen what appears to be homeless people about, and apparently sleeping in their cars or an occasional tent.  Some are advocating for "safe zones" for homeless encampments run and regulated by the local government.  Others want to raise taxes on tourism to support shelters and low cost housing.  Costs of everything, from gas ($5.39) to food, services, seem high to us.