Sometimes the best part of a vacation is just slowing down, taking a few minutes to sit and contemplate the meaning of life. . . enjoying the sun on your back and looking at the ocean.

This photo was taken on the island of Kauai, where I spent a fair amount of time doing just that.

Photo credit: personal collection

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Greetings from Kauai, the Garden Isle of Hawaii.

The fourth largest of the Hawaiian Islands, it is often called the Garden Isle because it is lush and green.  It’s lush and green because it rains a lot here, and there are spots on the island that claim to have the most rainfall of anywhere on Earth.  Whether that’s a fact, or an urban legend, seems up for debate, but there’s no debating that this island is not what most people expect of Hawaii.

This was a view of the ocean on my morning walk, as I was walking to the city of Kapa’a, the second largest on the island.

In addition to the surf crashing against the volcanic rocks on the beach, my morning walk was peppered with the sounds of roosters crowing and chickens clucking.  The area is home to thousands of wild roosters and hens, and they roam freely around yards, walkways, and even along the edge of the beach.  I

It’s unusual to be walking alongside the ocean and hear roosters crowing.  It’s even more startling to have on cross your path on the beach!

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Although Hawai’i is not a world destination for diving, as are other ocean destinations, such as Cozumel and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, there is still great diving to be had.  Although I’ve only personally experienced a few dive expeditions in Hawai’i, they’ve been  memorable ones.You might be able to spot all kinds of sea life at Mexico’s Palancar Reef, from giant parrot fish to lobsters, but you aren’t as likely to see the number of monk seals and other rare and endangered creatures that you will off the coast of Kaua’i and Ni’ihau.

Bubbles Below is one of Hawaii’s best dive operators, and with them you can see the best of what the Kaua’i seas have to offer, in the safest possible way, and with a consciousness for the coral and environment. The staff is friendly and exceptionally knowledgable, and the owner and operator, Linda Marsh, is a real hoot. “This is a woman’s boat,” she said, offering me a bottle of conditioner for my hair, “I keep women’s stuff on it.”

You can reach Bubbles Below at (808)332-REEF.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Lazlo-photo

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

More from the Alohaween files: If you and your little ones are interested in some pumpkin carving activities for this season, here are a few starter ideas to get you going wikki wikki.

First Check Architects Hawaii LTD  or give them a call.  They usually hold an annual pumpkin carving that’s top notch.

Look at Kuhuku Public Library.  It’s Halloween Extravaganza is scheduled for Oct. 20.

Keep looking at the Honolulu Advertiser  or the Honolulu Star-Bulletin for current events and announcements as Halloween time draws near.

Hanapepe Spook Night is an annual event that takes place on or near Halloween night every year in Kauai’s Hanapepe Town Park. Contact the Hanapepe Town Association for more information.

If all else fails, there’s always the underwater pumpkin carving contest at Maui Ocean Center, but I don’t recommend you try this at home (unless you’re in the bathtub.)

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Several years ago, I was behind the wheel in Kaua’i, on my way to the north shore’s Tunnels beach, my favorite.  I didn’t have much time on the island, and wanted to see as many turtles as possible while I was there, and still enjoy a burger in Hanalei.  I had crossed the seemingly endless chain of one-way bridges on the way there, and had been so kind as to wave the car on the other side over instead of going first every time.Near the end of my drive, I was getting anxious. I could see the water from the road, and knew that it was late enough that parking was going to be a hassle, which was why it angered me to find some guy blocking the road and stopping traffic so that he could have a chat with one of the drivers.  When he’d finished his morning conversation, I drove by, grumbling, eager to give him the hairy eyeball and maybe a little lecture on manners.  It turned out to be none other than Glen Fry of Eagles fame. I was still pissed.

These are the kinds of shenanigans and setbacks you’re bound to encounter on-island, which is why it’s best to remember that life moves differently in Hawai’i.  While you may be pressed for time, and have spent a lot of time and money making it to the islands with all your liquids in one plastic bag, there are lots of people living their dreams here, which includes stopping traffic for a minute to catch up with a friend.

If you’re visiting Honolulu, you may find traffic jams. If you’re on the “road to Hana,” you may find yourself behind a line of slow tour busses a mile long. If you’re anywhere, you’ll find  expensive gas, but the news isn’t all bad.

1. Find cheap gas before you go.  It’s not always the most expensive gas in the country, either. For a while, California had higher gas prices.
2. Plan carefully:  Buy a good guidebook with maps and make notes on your excursions beforehand.
3. Combine driving trips with public transportation:  Drive to one central location and take a bus or ferry to other destinations.
4. Do your road-intensive sightseeing early: Not only will you have more energy to enjoy the sights, you’re more likely to miss heavy traffic times after shift workers take to the roads.
5. Remember, you’re on vacation:  Don’t try and do too much; rather enjoy the things you are able to do more deeply by staying in the moment.
6. And if you see Glen Fry:  Tell him I said hello. Then, drive away. There are people behind you trying to get to Tunnels.

Photo by Flickr –Creative Commons, by erichrichardson

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Arguably none of them stayed and savored the islands like Mark Twain, however,  who has been touted as penning some of the best travel writing about Hawaii that’s ever been written. Not to ignore the greats, however, Jack London wrote a glorious piece on his island experiences in the late 1800s.  And then James Michener wrote the novel Hawaii in the late ’50s.  Wow.

Not as in, “Wow, that’s a great book,” but as in, “Wow, James Michener’s blue pencil must be broken.”  Just as a hint, he covers about 4 bazillion years of Hawaii’s history, starting with the first volcanic eruption that mothered the islands themselves, and ending with a discussion of what Tom Selleck’s favorite hair care products were while filming Magnum P.I. episodes. I joke.

And now you can sleep where they slept and hang out where they hung out. (The famous authors, not Tom Selleck.)

Volcano House hotel  Back when Twain stayed here, it was a primitive hostel, not the grand structure it is today. Crater-view rooms start at about $200/night. Call ahead, however, and ask about the vog before you go. The volcanoes area on the Big Island has been evacuated this year due to active lava flow reducing air quality to dangerous levels.

The Namakani Paio campground is three miles away in a grove of towering koa, ohia and eucalyptus trees. The Volcano House runs cabins there that you can get for about $50 a night. (Bathrooms and hot showers are separate there.)

See the monkeypod tree in Waiohinu (look for the sign), planted by Twain himself.  You’ll find the Shirakawa Motel (808-929-7462) just down Highway 11.

He’s not a best-selling author, but he was the king. (Long before Elvis came.) And he slept on the grounds of the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel (800-367-6060)  It was, after all, his capital.

Elvis really did sleep at The Cocoa Palms Hotel on Kaua’i, along with lots of other celebs from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.  (And I’ve slept there too. Tell your friends!)  Unfortunately, you can’t sleep there anymore.  Hurricane Iniki wiped the place out in the ’90s, and it was never restored to its previous splendor.  Ask your resort concierge or ask around about taking a walking tour through the property.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

If you grew up near water, you might consider the rope swing de rigeur for summertime frolicking and fun.  And rightly so; nothing says “rite of passage” and “finding your inner Tarzan” like a good rope over a cool, natural body of water. (Hope it’s deep, too.)  That’s why if you’re a traveler who’s rope swing literate, you’ll love Kipu Falls on Kaua’i.  If you’re lucky, some locals will be there to give you the best high diving show on the island.  Disappointment alert:  The swing isn’t always there. Authorities periodically cut it down, only to find that someone has replaced it.   Regardless, the views and the atmosphere are spectacular.

How to Get There:
Take Highway 50 west from Lihu’e. One mile past Puhi, at Mile Marker #3, turn left on Kipu Road. At the ‘Y’, bear to the right. Turn left on the dirt road just before the bridge. Park your car on the road, by the metal gate, and walk downstream on the path for a short distance, to the waterfall.

Messages From the Mom in Me, or, Buzzkill Alert:

• Don’t leave valuables in your car.
• Don’t dive off the rocks; the rope swing is adventurous enough for the uninitiated.
• Wear shoes, even if you’re just there to watch and take pictures; the rocks along the edges of the cliff are sharp.
• It’s possible for leptospirosis to live in fresh water streams.  Even I pay little heed to these types of issues, but if you do begin to feel flu-like symptoms within 4-14 days afterward, seek medical attention immediately, making sure to mention your whereabouts.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

The last time we were at Mauna Kea beach on the Big Island, the red flags were up, indicating rough conditions. We had our boogie boards with us, and as a lifeguard came out of the water, he warned us, “Be careful out there. People get their necks snapped on days like today.”  It sounds harsh, but he knew what a lot of people don’t: That sharks may make the headlines, but drownings claim far more lives.

Although the state of Hawai’i is serious about their lifeguards, most drownings occur at beaches where there aren’t any.  

The City and County of Honolulu has a staff of 200 professional lifeguards (the largest in the nation) and so to educate people about ocean safety, and how that beautiful blue ocean is to be respected as much as it’s to be admired, the state has launched several websites, including Hawaii Beach Hazard Forecast. Kaua’i keeps its own excellent beach and surf conditions Web site, with daily updates from lifeguards around the island.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Unobtanium 

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

In fact, I’m home today with a cold that I probably picked up at one airport or another while traveling to and from Albany, NY. Albany “International” Airport, a travel gateway in New York’s capital city that basically has no direct service from anywhere. I don’t mind getting on a puddle-jumper from Maui to Kaua’i, but at least I’m actually jumping a puddle (or a channel, as the case may be) instead of the midwest or the Mason-Dixon.

And it was during my expedition to the tri-state area that had me vowing that one day, some how, some way, I’m going to get there without all the bruhaha and ballyhoo that plagues us every time we visit. Come hell or high rent, one of these days I’m going to take a private plane.

No, Patsy Cline, I’m not going to take some fly-by-night gas can piloted by my Uncle Earl. If I’m going to splurge as much as someone like me can splurge, I’m going to take a luxury charter service, the likes of which are offered by companies like NetJets or Sentient. It’s part of an air travel movement called fractional jet ownership, and strikes the fancy of those who like to fly in privacy and luxury, but without all the hassle of actually owning and maintaining a jet and crew. Think of it as a time share with wings.

And for those who already bit the bullet and bought, but who want to rent out their equipment to people like me and the other Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous wannabes, there’s reverse fractional jet ownership, by JetSuite.Yes, fractional jet ownership is, in a word, expensive. But a gal can dream, can’t she? That’s why I’ve got my eye on the ball that we’ll for now call “fractional ownership lite,” wherein a broker finds a seat or two on a small jet that happens to be going where you are. I wonder: if I hitch a ride that’s flying over Albany, will they pack me a parachute? I’ll keep you posted. (I hope.)

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Plano_Light

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler