DAY 14: OAHU ~ Diamond Head

Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay
For the last day, we have a few hours to trek around Oahu. Locke's hip is still bothering him, so we decide its best for him to stay at the hotel and just relax. On the other hand, I have a lot of energy and head out to the southeast point to climb up Diamond Head crater for the best view of Honolulu.

View from the top of Diamond Head: looking west to downtown Honolulu (top) and east into the heart of Diamond Head crater

Hanauma Bay
Many years ago, I stopped by Hanauma Bay and purchased a bag of fish food before wondering into the shallow waters. BIG MISTAKE! As soon as the fish figure you out as a food source, they start nibbling on your legs and arms telling you they are hungry. Eventually, I got so weirded out that I just threw the bag of food away from me so they would leave me alone! In a sense, it's kinda of sad, because we created behavioral conditioning within the animals (Pavlov's response) that was completely artificial. In the end, this place felt more like a zoo, only there was no enclosure. However, this time around I came by to watch and observe, but was elated to see that the bay was closed off for the day. Time to give Mother Nature a rest and let her be one with itself!

Heading Home
After our wonderful two-week vacation, it was now time to head home to California. Locke thoroughly enjoyed his birthday vacation and we both saw so many facets of Hawaii and love it even more! As we departed, both of us sensed that the islands would be calling us back once more in the near future...

A hui hoa and Aloha!

>> Al

DAY 13: OAHU ~ Waikiki

Gazebo Breakfast
For our last meal on Maui, we opt for the breakfast at the hotel gazebo. The view is spectacular, with the ocean waves pounding just offshore and Moloka'i in the far distance. After finishing breakfast, we walk around the grounds and I am enraptured by a beautiful hibiscus flower. Naturally, a rainbow pops up, so I must capture the moment. We then bid adieu to Maui and fly back over to Oahu for the final chapter.
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Waikiki Beach
On the first leg, we did just a touch-n-go with Waikiki, so this time around we hang around to enjoy the sand, surf and scenery.

Duke Kahanamoku

Anyone immersed within the surfing culture is aware that Duke Kahanamoku was the father of surfing. So, our first stop is in central Waikiki Beach, where a bronze statue commemorates his accomplishments. An interesting observation: a few leis are on the statue, but in Duke's hands, not around his neck. Not sure what the meaning of that is, if there is any...

International Market Place
We continue on to the International Market Place. The market place is basically set up with a ton of small cart booths in a park-like setting. Vendors sell pretty much anything, but most of the items are geared towards nicer quality items such as jewelry and homemade nick-nacks. If you're looking for a souvenir that's not the typical tacky stuff, stop by this place!

Royal Hawaiian
After a quick lunch, Locke & I stop by the Royal Hawaiian resort. Locke explained to me that when he was a young kid, he and his family stayed here, so there are many fond memories. We find a table on the outside patio and enjoy tropical fruit drinks along with some live music.

Hilo Hatties
Another place for good quality souvenirs is Hilo Hattie. This is a chain of large stores throughout the islands that also sells higher end Hawaiian nick-nacks along with good quality aloha shirts. Locke & I agree to make one last stop at the Nimitz flagship store to stock up on our Hawaiian gear before heading home.

Dinner with Sherise
Later that night, we have dinner with one of Locke's coworker, Sherise, in downtown Honolulu. Sherise grew up here and just happened to be in town for the Thanksgiving holidays!

Rainbow Sighting #6 - in Napili, Maui!

>> Al

DAY 12: MAUI ~ Molokini Crater

Molokini Crater
For our last day on Maui, it was time to finally hit the warm ocean waters surrounding Hawaii. We booked a cruise with Maui Vacation and spent most of the day on the water near Molokini Crater. Molokini is a tiny volcanic cone just off the southwest coast of Maui with a submerged half providing unusual local reef-like conditions. More important, it is teeming with tons of tropical fish such as butterflyfish, triggerfish and tangs. When we arrived at Molokini, those who wanted to snorkel geared up. To capture underwater pictures, buy the disposable water camera that's on deck. Though the picture quality isn't as sharp as a good digital camera, the memories are priceless. One of my favorite photos on this trip is with Locke waving at me while we are both under water and snorkeling...

Open Water

After our snorkeling excursion, we head out to the open waters between Maui and Moloka'i. The deeper waters is where the larger sea life roam about. With camera in hand, I manage to capture two great shots: one of a turtle as it comes up to breathe; and the second of a humpback whale as it does its tail flip – woohoo! Let me tell you: it's all about preparation, timing and a little bit of luck!

I got the sense that this event was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Locke & I. Locke was in particularly good spirits as we did a few things he was looking forward to on this Hawaii vacation: a chance for both of us to intimately mingle with Mother Nature; play in the water; and just relax with one another in the sun. After all of our sightseeing, it was nice to just kick back and let the boat captain drive us around.  

Relaxing in West Maui
After our boat cruise, Locke & I spent the rest of day milling about West Maui. Though Maui as a whole has a reputation as being too "overcommercialized", there are still places where the pace slows down just a bit. Our hotel was at Napili, which is close to the end of the road in northwest Maui. The pool overlooks the ocean and it was a fantastic sight to watch the heavy surf pound the shoreline just a few feet away. Amazing images that are forever sealed into my memory.

Rainbow Sighting #5 - along the West Maui coast!

>> Al

DAY 11: MOLOKA'I

Moloka'i
From Lahaina, Maui, we take a ferry over to the fifth island for a day trip: Moloka'i. Often overlooked, Moloka'i is considered the most traditional and non-commercial of the "big five" Hawaiian islands.

Kaunakakai




Once we land in the port of Kaunakakai on Moloka'i's south coast, we pick up our rental vehicle and explore downtown Kaunakakai. Driving around the island, we notice something odd: there's a single traffic light just outside of downtown Kaunakakai which is most likely the only traffic light on the entire island! Moloka'i as a whole has an extremely laid back attitude – its nickname as the "Friendly Isle" is well earned! In fact, a ton of locals were convinced I was a local myself and Locke was quite amused! When we stopped by a local eatery for breakfast, the place was busy and the service slow. A rather large man in front of us (U.S. mainland tourist) was quite irritated and you can see the anger manifest within him.
Unfortunately, he was wearing an unbuttoned aloha shirt and the stitches from his open-heart surgery made it apparent to all of us that this guy could just not relax – even in one of the most laid-back places on earth! I opt for a take out coffee and pastry for Locke & I to expedite the process. After chowing down our breakfast, we then peruse the local shops in downtown Kauankakai and stop by a local farmer's market to view the many tropical fruits on sale.

Kalaupapa
The next stop was Kalaupapa on the north side of the island. There's a state park with interesting Hawaiian artifacts, then a 3000' cliff that steeply descends down to an isolated peninsula jutting out into the ocean. In Kalaupapa State Park, Locke & I hike out into the lush forest full of ferns. In a clearing is one of the most unique features I've ever seen: a large phallic symbol carved from stone by the native Hawaiians. Yup, I had to get on it for a ride!

        

Kalaupapa Leper Colony
When planning this vacation, I discovered there is an authorized tour of the colony with a donkey ride that descends down the steep cliffs from Kalaupapa. Unfortunately, given Locke's bad hip, we decide to forego this option. The compromise is that I would hike down one hour to a midpoint for some pictures and then hike back up the cliffs. Because the peninsula is the site of a leper colony, visitors are required to have a permit to enter. This area is intentionally segregated – from a geographical, geological and medical purpose – so that this difficult 3000' trail or the occasional plane flight are the only ways into the leper colony. Also, the leper colony is synonymous with Kalawao County, the smallest, poorest and second least populated county in the U.S.

Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm












After our adventures at Kalaupapa, we trek into central Moloka'i to a local organic macadamia farm named Purdy's. Did I mention: Locke is a HUGE macadamia nut fan, so I found this site as a fun activity for him! Purdy's sister, Kammy, greeted us and gave us a short tour of the organic macadamia farm. There were literally hundreds of macadamia nuts that were either ripening on the trees or had fallen on to the ground.
We then got our hands on some of the macadamias and Locke gave it a few tries with a hammer to try and bust open the tough shells...they are much harder than you think! Although cracking the nut required a large amount of physical effort, Locke savored the special reward that was inside...
                  
Fishponds
Since we were on a day trip, we had time left for only one more part of the island to explore. We drove back down to the southern part of Moloka'i to explore the wild coastline and the ancient Hawaiian fish ponds. I initially thought there were only a few ponds, but apparently the ancient Hawaiians constructed a lot of sites – close to 60 – as part of a fishing aquaculture to harvest fish. How the ponds works: during high tide, seawater crests the low retaining wall, flooding into the ponds with the fish freely mingling about. As the tide recedes, the retaining walls eventually cut off access back to the ocean and the fish get trapped in the ponds. During low tide period, the fishermen then harvest the captured fish for Hawaiian royalty.

Father Damien
Father Damien was a Belgium missionary whose leadership and action completely changed the attitude and medical approach towards the Hawaiian leper colony. Through his efforts, the lepers were placed in homes & shelters and treated with human dignity and respect going forward. Sadly, due to an scalding accident, Father Damien also contracted leprosy and passed away in his late 40s. His long funeral procession marked the impact he made on the local populace thru his own actions to fix long-standing attitudes towards lepers.

Rainbow Sighting #4 - along the Moloka'i coast!

>> Al

DAY 10: MAUI ~ Haleakala & Lahaina

Haleakala Sunrise Bike Ride 

Inspired by my sister Sue, I book a sunrise bike ride from the top of Haleakala Volcano (10,023') for the next morning. Unfortunately, that meant waking up at 2:30 in the morning! Quoting Locke, "What the HELL are we doing waking up at FRIGGIN' 2:30 in the morning on our Hawaii vacation?!?" I convince him that this incredible event is worthy of the pain, so we head to bed early.

Okay, so why did we have to wake up at 2:30 in the morning? Since I'm not a masochist but a practical planner – at least according to my coworkers and friends – we had many things to do before getting to the peak of Haleakala Volcano (10,023') by sunrise. If you understand back scheduling, these were the time hack requirements: the sun rises at 6am; the bike company departs at 5am to drive up the 10,000 foot climb; you must arrive by 4am to register and get fitted for cold weather gear; our hotel is 1 hour away on the west side of the island, so we must depart at 3am. Thus, 2:30am is the wake up call time!

If you recall our trek up Mauna Kea, there are parts of Hawaii that are COLD! Atmospheric physics dictates a drop of 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit with each 1000 foot climb in elevation. (I actually knew this fact from my 7 years spent as an Air Force weatherman, but I digress...) So, we were fitted with cold weather gear and arrived at the top of Haleakala around civil twilight. It is the most incredible out-of-this-world view ever! With the volcano's red soil and the eerie, but spectacular view in front of us, my imagination soared and envisioned that we were on the surface of Mars – with the appropriate amount of oxygen, of course!

Sunrise on Haleakala Volcano (10,023'), at civil twilight (above) and sunrise (below)

While walking around the summit's crater, we spot two unique and native Hawaiian species. First, was the Haleakala Silversword, a plant found only along the slopes of Haleakala; second, was the Nene, the Hawaiian Goose that were likely Canadian Geese who flew astray many thousands of years ago.

In a group of 24 bikers, Locke & I decide to head down first. As we descend, we stop to take in the incredible views at each vista point. Though the bike trek is mostly downhill, there are small stretches of slight uphill biking along with straightaways. So, you've got to be in decent shape to make the trek! But we finished the ride and after turning in our bikes, we head over to a Willie Nelson favorite, Charley's in Paia for a well-earned breakfast!

Lahaina
After our early morning physical activity, it was time to relax, Hawaiian style. Locke loved this part of the vacation the best! So, we stroll around Lahaina in West Maui and stop by the great Banyan Tree in the center part of town. The tree is 234 years old with 12 trunks descending from the branches (banyan trees have a unique ability to grow trunks down from the side branches) and is the size of 2/3 of an acre!

Afterwards, we find a local bar and take in some sports. This picture of Locke & I was both our favorite photo of the entire trip!

DAY 9: KAUA'I ~ North Coast

North Coast
The next morning we head up to the north side of Kaua'i. It's an eclectic mix: Princeville, with its manicured lawns and modern condos (reminded me so much of a golf course); Hanalei, the laid back town that is the heart of the Hawaiian taro horticulture; and the Na Pali cliffs, the only geological feature that has prevented man from encircling Kauai.

One of the best parts in travelling off-season and to a more remote island is the quietness of it all. In contrast to Honolulu's hustle & bustle and traffic jams, Kaua'i in November was blissfully peaceful. We had the beaches all to ourselves, save for the wildlife.

After driving thru modern Princeville, we come upon a one lane bridge. This bridge represented a metaphor: in driving over it, we entered into a completely different world that reflected back to the old days of traditional Hawaiian agriculture and a slow pace of life.

Hanalei Valley
As we descend, the valley opens up into massive green fields of taro.

The flooded Hanalei taro fields, facing southeast (above) and southwest (below)

Hanalei
In Hanalei, we stop by a local shopping center and peruse the joint for some local food. Eureka! We found an eatery serving breakfast, so I order up the local Hawaiian dish, loco moco. Like the plate lunch, this was Hawaiian cuisine reflecting Asian infusion. The version I was served had steamed rice, a hamburger patty with a fried egg on top and toast. If you have traveled in Asia, you'll understand the fried egg.

Na Pali Cliffs
After getting our fill, we head out and approach the Na Pali cliffs from the east end (after viewing them yesterday from the west end). Unfortunately, Locke's hip is giving out, so I trek on for about 1 hour out towards the cliffs. To get to the main part requires a full day hike, so I stop at a viewpoint that best captures the cliffs from land.

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Kauai to Maui
After spending a few days roaming around Kaua'i, it was time to say goodbye to Kaua'i and journey onward to Maui. Neither Locke nor I had been to Maui – nicknamed the Valley Isle – so this was new territory for the both of us. After the flight and the hour-long journey to our hotel, we arrive in the late afternoon to a festive atmosphere – it's Thanksgiving! We join in and enjoy a relaxed Thanksgiving dinner, Hawaiian style!

>> Al

DAY 8: KAUA'I ~ Waimea Canyon

Plate Lunch Special

Time for some grub, so we head over to another local joint for a plate lunch special: skinless teriyaki chicken with steamed rice and noodles. The dishes were designed as quick takeout lunches for the various blue collar workers and reflect a mixture of the local ethnic cuisines: a foundation in Japanese food, with Chinese, Filipino and Hawaiian items added in. Yum!

Waimea Canyon & Koke'e
On the west side of Kaua'i, we stop by one of the most spectacular sights the island is known for: the Waimea Canyon. Commonly referred to as the "Grand Canyon of Hawaii", the view from the outlook is simply breathtaking. Much like my experience with the Grand Canyon in Arizona, various hues in the canyon will change and show up differently in your pictures depending upon the time of your visit and the sun's angle. One of those very intriguing photographic experiences that I must return to.

At the far end of Waimea Canyon is another state park: Koke'e. Though much quieter then Waimea Canyon, Koke'e has its own unique feature: flocks of roosters on the loose! While feral roosters are found throughout Kaua'i, an unusually large congregation awaited us.

When we arrived, a large flock of these roosters were milling about the parking lot. I pull out my camera and got a few close up shots of individuals with brilliant plummage. Then a mom & her child walk by us and the flock starts following them down the parking lot!

Locke & I watch in utter amazement and I then chase after them to capture a picture. One of those bizarre moments in life that few would believe! Once the commotion simmers down, Locke & I head into the restaurant for a relaxing dessert and coffee. He orders up liliko'i pie, which is a chiffon pie and liliko'i fruit. I sample a taste and confirm that except for bananas and pineapple, I have a strong dislike of tropical fruits (either too punguent or funky for me).

Polihale & Na Pali Cliffs
After the fun adventures in Waimea Canyon & Koke'e, we head out to the far west end of the island at Polihale Beach. From this last stretch, you can view the nearly inaccessible Na Pali cliffs. Basically, the big five islands in the Hawaiian chain each have roads that circumvent the entire island, except for Kaua'i. The Na Pali cliffs are spectacular, but too steep for roadbuilding. Thus, the best views are from offshore, but the boat pricings were a little out of our reach. So, we enjoyed the free scenery from the west end.

Po'ipu Coast
We stop by one more location in the southern part of the island: Po'ipu. One of the unique features is a blowhole in the basalt lava formations at the beach. When a strong swell rolls in, its power pushes thru and up the blowhole, much like a whale exhaling its air. Really cool, but folks have been hurt getting too close. A good outing in western & southern Kauai, and it was now time to return to the hotel.