Part 2, The Queen’s Bath, a beautiful and terrifying place…The balance of the return hike back up the cliff…A year ago celebration at a “girls only” lunch…

This was as far as I could get to the edge at the Queen’s Bath without slipping off.

Tom stopped to access if he’d go further.  He decided to continue to the bath without the camera but didn’t go into the water. With the heightened risk in winter of the sea grabbing an unsuspecting victim and carrying them out to sea, no photo or view is worth it to us. Tom returned 10 minutes later while I waited on the shelf, so relieved to see him with a big smile on his face.

By the time you see this post, we’ll be well on our way to Waimea Canyon, a three-hour drive to the furthest end of the canyon to the lookout point. Hopefully, the weather will be good allowing for clear photos. 

Had I been brave (or foolhardy) enough to descend further, I would have had better photos of the Queen’s Bath itself which is shown here through the trees. The color of the water was heightened by the crisp clear blue sky and the clean ocean water.

The weather in Kauai is unpredictable and often rainy this time of year. We’ve been lucky to have mostly sunny days since our arrival over a month ago. Tomorrow’s weather in Poipu is expected to be sunny with rain on Friday, when we’ll be heading back home.

The Queen’s Bath from the last point until descending into the water.

On Friday, when traveling through Lihue (where the airport is located) on the return drive, we’re planning to stop at Costco to once again stock up on household goods, supplies and groceries. With the high cost of food at the local and farmer’s markets in Princeville and surrounding areas, Costco provides an excellent opportunity to save a little. 

Quickly this seeming level path is disrupted into dangerous terrain, making passage difficult.

Buying in bulk is not a problem for us with three months remaining in Kauai. Over time, we’ve learned to gauge the quantities to purchase to ensure we don’t have much in the way of “leftovers” when its again time to depart. 

There were various signs along the way with few mentioning the dangers of navigating the path and the Queen’s Bath. With the number of deaths over the years, many locals are pushing that this “attraction” be closed to public access.

It would be great if we could mail a box of foodstuffs to Australia when we depart Kauai. But, the cost of mailing a package of food outside the US is prohibitive when the package would have to go through customs, resulting in added fees. 

We stayed away from that alternate route which may have been easier but since has been abandoned due to the loss of many birds.

We’re traveling to Australia by cruise ship with minimal baggage restrictions, but we’ll still have a few flights in order to get to our first rental in Trinity Beach, nears Cairns; the flight from Kauai to Honolulu, Oahu where we’ll board the ship and then again, the flight from Sydney where the cruise ends, to Cairns, a flight equivalent to flying in the US from Georgia to New Mexico, a fairly long distance with baggage weight restrictions.

I cringed when looking up at the path which was much steeper than it appears.

From what we’ve learned about Australia thus far, the items they carry aren’t unlike many items we’ve been able to purchase in Hawaii, only at a slightly lower cost.  With our restrictive diet there are items that aren’t easily found in certain counties such as avocados,  coconut oil, unsweetened coconut milk, unsweetened raw coconut, coconut flour, almond flour and raw nuts. 

Neither of us had yet to see a chicken in a tree.  This hen was about 20 feet from the ground, easily flying to perch on this branch.

We won’t know if these items are available until after we arrive and shop. If not, we’ll figure out a means of having them shipped to us from inside Australia to avoid the high customs and shipping fees.

One more view of the waterfall on the climb back up the cliff.

Today, we’re sharing the balance of the photos from Tuesday’s visit to the Queen’s Bath and the treacherous hike back up the sea cliff. We’ll excitedly be back on Friday, the actual day of my birthday, anxious to share the details of our mini vacation. 

As we neared the end of the hike back up the cliff, I was relieved we’d made it back safely without falling.

Perhaps, we’ll have steak and lobster for dinner on Friday night, purchased from Costco, for a celebratory dinner. Then again, I’d be content with an avocado stuffed with salmon salad. Tom? Not so much. He doesn’t eat avocadoes or salmon, or any fish for that matter, or any veggies except salad or green beans…Better stick to the steak and lobster!

Back at you soon!

                                          Photo from one year ago today, February 19, 2014:

Two of my new girlfriends in South Africa took me to lunch for my birthday last year. Here is Linda and me at a fabulous resort for lunch. And here is Linda and Kathy, my Marloth Park, South Africa friends with whom I’m still in touch on a regular basis. We have a great lunch! I miss them both. For details of that date, please click here.