Saying Goodbye to Kauai & Hello to Kona

Rainbow on our way out of town.



Oahu, leaving Honolulu Airport.



Big Island coastline.



Mai Tais and Sashimi. An arrival tradition at the Kona Inn.

Last Night in Kauai

Ray gave me a exquisite Ni'ihau shell necklace. So delicate and colorful.













On to Kona tomorrow!

Waimea Canyon

Beautiful drive southwest and then inland up to 4000 ft at the top. Amazing foliage - you'd never know you were still in Hawaii. Breezy and misty at the top.

More pictures on the flickr start HERE.

Kauai Safari Adventure

Kayaking, Hiking and Zipline, OH MY!



What a way to combine different activities into the day. Started with a drive to the harbor and lessons in paddling a kayak. Person in front paddles, person in back steers. Guess who was the boss. Apparently my paddling turns the boat to the right, but I say it was his oversteering. We still survived the 2 mile journey upriver (past the Menehune Fish Pond and the Indiana Jones rope swing from yesterday). Then we started the hike to another pond & rope swing (great video HERE and HERE).

Onward up to the valley for a ride to the "test your fear of heights" foot bridge and then the first zipline.

After lunch and the second zipline (side-by-side) we hiked back to the river for the ride back to the harbor and the end of a long adventure. Time to relax & enjoy the sunset.



Pictures and videos on the flickr, start HERE.

ATV Adventure

Some pictures from our muddy trip.



Jumping into the water on the rope swing used by Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark when he escaped the natives to the plane in the river.

More pictures on flickr.

Wish You Were Here

The view from the lanai.

Getting Away Together

It's been 4 years since my husband & I have taken a true vacation together. Work (i.e. military deployments) kept getting in the way of our traditional trip to Hawaii with my in-laws. This year we made it!



Love that the plane's window shades were dolphins - it has to be a really good sign.

Yes, it was a lovely flight. A nice mimosa before the plane leaves the ground made the 1 hour delay bearable. Being with my husband made it heavenly.