Barking Sands Beach…Spouting Horn…Amazing finds along the way…

The view as we walked toward the Spouting Horn.

Low stress, easy travel. It defines us in our ongoing worldwide travels. A plan as to where we’re going to spend from weeks to months gives us peace of mind. Having no plan as to how we’ll spend that time in each location gives us joy.

This trip to Poipu Beach a week ago, although over a span of only 30 hours was a perfect example. The only plans we had in place when driving into the sunrise early last Thursday morning was to visit Waimea Canyon proving to be a dud in the vog. On the return trip, we went to Costco as planned and as always, was fruitful and spendy (an acceptable word according to the dictionary, mostly used in the northwest portion of the US).

The sea was relatively calm as we near Spouting Horn.

The overnight at the Kauai Sheraton was somewhat disappointing. We’ll share the details with photos in tomorrow’s post. The dinner at a local popular venue was equally disappointing. More on that later as well.

As we’d reached the end of the paved highway after passing Barking Sands Beach, we had no choice but to turn around and head back to Poipu Beach. Many of the interesting sites we visited along the way were shared in the posts of the last few days.

Our mouths were agape when we saw the water spout through the lava rocks along the shore at Spouting Horn.

Remaining in the sites we visited along the way is our few photos of Barking Sands Beach and the unexpected Spouting Horn. We’d seen the sign as shown in the photo below, having no idea what Spouting Horn could possibly be. 

The sign we spotted point to Spouting Horn.

Was it a resort community? Did it have something to do with a horn using spouted water for sounds? Did it have something to do with water and the sea? It proved the be the later in our speculations. 

With only an arrow pointing us in the direction of Spouting Horn we knew were in the right place when we saw a busload of tourists, most likely from the island hopping cruise ship that tours the islands week after week, Norwegian’s Pride of America. 

There were several openings in the lava from which the ocean spouted as the waves washed in and out to the shore. We could only imagine how majestic it would have been on a day when the waves were more aggressive.

Having toured the islands by cruise ship on our way here in October we had little interest in this cruise especially when rated a 4 out of 6 possible stars. Plus, it’s pricey for the seven days seldom offering any discounts or perks).

Our jittery video of Spouting Horn.

Tom was especially relieved to see the tour bus most likely with 60 patrons on board pulling out of Spouting Horn’s parking lot as opposed to pulling in. As long as I had a good spot from which to take photos of whatever brought about all of the commotion from the crowds didn’t bother me one way or another.

One of the smaller spouting openings.

We parked the car and were stormed by no less than 10 chickens of varying ages, gender, and size. “Food for us?” they asked in the under-their-breath clucking. “Nope,” we replied as we scurried out of sight to head toward the walkway requiring us to walk through two perpendicular rows of local wares and handicrafts.

We didn’t purchase a trinket, but I did take the photo below of a cat sleeping in a hand-woven basket that intrigued an adorable toddler as shown below.

A cat sleeping in a woven basket, admired by a toddler, in a handicraft shop in Spouting Horn.

Another 50 yards beyond the tourist shopping area, we approached a chain-link fence. Maneuvering my way in between the other lookers I managed a perfect spot and found myself almost squealing with delight when we beheld the scene below.

Each spout was different from the last, some spraying straight up comparable to a geyser, others creating a wider spray. The crowd roared with excitement.

In concept, it was no big deal…water spouting between lava rocks as the waves washed up and back to the shore. But, in observation, it was a feast for the eyes, nature at its finest. 

Luckily, the fence was low enough to allow me to shoot the included jittery video, difficult to take when I had tourists at my elbows rocking me to and fro. Ah, perfection isn’t what we offer here. Real-life is. So jittery it will be. Please try to enjoy it anyway.

Barking Sands Beach is located on the west side of Kauai on the grounds of the Pacific Missile Range Facility. This beach is part of a 17-mile long stretch that extends from Polihale Beach to Kehaka Beach close to the end of Highway 50.

After a few photos and gleeful expressions between us, we sensed our time at the fence was coming to a quick end when others were obviously hankering for my good spot. I acquiesced stepping back for them to hungrily move in.

Back in the little car, we’d yet to find our hotel and although we’d used accumulated hotels.com points for most of the $300 plus rate, we wanted to spend a little time enjoying the easy comfort of feeling pampered. Well, forget that. We’ll tell that story with photos in tomorrow’s post along with one of the most exquisite sunsets we’ve seen to date.

Although the sand at Barking Sands Beach was a deeper color, this expanse of perfection reminded us of the Indian Ocean when we lived in Kenya. Click here for our photos of the white sand beaches in Diani Beach, Kenya.
Few bathers were to be found on this beach. 

See, Mother Nature seldom disappoints.

                                             Photo from one year ago today, February 25, 2014:

One year ago, only days before leaving South Africa after three months in Marloth Park, we were asked to spend a complimentary overnight in a tent along the Crocodile River at the Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge in order to write a review. While seated on the veranda, we spotted these elephants, baby, and the huge matriarch holding watch over the herd. For details, please click here.

National Tropical Botanical Garden…A surprising find…

As soon as we spotted this sign on the highway, we decided to give it a try.

It was amazing how much we saw in one day when early last Thursday we headed to Poipu Beach to stay overnight for my birthday. For once, we felt like typical tourists, rushing from one location to another, on a frenzy to see as much as we could see in the time allotted.

As we walked along the path, Tom spotted this tree trunk which sent me spiraling with joy. What a find!
At first, I thought this tree had been painted which would be ridiculous in the tropical garden. Upon closer inspection, I could hardly believe my eyes. It is a Rainbow Eucalyptus or Eucalyptus deglupta

Usually, that isn’t us on the tourist’s mission to “see it all.” We’ve noticed the guests that come and go, living next door to us in our Princeville condo. They come for an average of four or five days and rush out, day after day, hauling “stuff” to get out there and see what they can on their short stay.

What beautiful colors Mother Natures bestows upon her treasures!

Many who visit Kauai the first time stay for short periods as they often visit other islands during their vacation/holiday, unaware at first that it’s hard to leave Kauai and for many, it’s more difficult than leaving the other islands. Nothing compares to Kauai as far as we’re concerned. 

These plumerias were the only greenery and flowers growing on this otherwise bare tree.

There certainly is plenty to see in Kauai if sightseeing is their thing. For us, the beauty surrounding us day after day provides us with such a sense of peace and contentment that we could easily get lost in time, never seeing much outside our immediate area.

These lemon yellow daisies were pretty.

But this time, we’ve made a concerted effort to get out and see as much as we can, especially when we feel so connected to this amazing island. We continue to talk, asking ourselves if we could live here one day, but feel for the long term it wouldn’t fulfill our objectives.

We’ve accepted that if we stay in one location for any greater length of time than three months we’ll get bored and restless. That’s just us, having adopted a lifestyle we find exciting in its ever-changing nature. Also, the affordability of living long term in the Hawaiian Islands becomes an issue that must be addressed before considering a move here. 

A gnarly truck stood alone.

Housing prices and rents are through the roof. The cost of electricity, fuel, and groceries are shocking at times. Trips to Costco help tremendously often ending in spending hundreds of dollars and hauling huge oversized containers of products one hopes to eventually use.

Medical care, from what we’ve heard, is mediocre at best. Many travel to Honolulu, Oahu for the treatment of more serious illnesses than seek the local care in Kauai.

A papaya tree.
However, many find their love and dedication to the islands worth a struggle and with careful planning find a way to make it affordable and this we fully appreciate and understand. 

Here in Princeville, although an affluent area of upper-middle class and wealthy, we have met many residents living on fixed incomes, managing to make it work.

The gift shop at the National Tropical Botanical Garden was filled with books on local history.

I suppose in a way, if we did ever settle somewhere, we wouldn’t want a life of financial struggle. In many countries in which we’ve lived the cost of living was less than half the cost of living in the Hawaiian islands.

On occasion, we’ve spotted varieties on cactus in Hawaii as shown in the lower left of this photo.

Tom reminds me not to focus on costs as much as when writing here, in hopes that our readers don’t assume that’s our only concern. It’s not. But, many of our readers, I say, are curious about our lives wondering if they too could travel or live in another country (or area) and make it work for them.

This variety was shaped differently than other similar cactus we’ve seen in our travels. Usually, these paddles are thinner in other climates, wherein this case they were double the thickness.

We’d love to see comments from our readers on this topic. Feel free to write a comment at the end of this or any post.

Anyway, back to our trip to the National Tropical Botanical Garden. We had no idea of this property, stumbling upon it on the highway from Barking Sands Beach to Poipu Beach in our hunger to see more and more. After parking, we walked a considerable distance taking photos along the way until finally, we encountered what appeared to be a ticket office. 

These berries on palm trees eventually turn a bright red.

Self tours were posted for $20 each and guided tours at $40 each, lasting for a few hours. Still having much more to see as the day wore on, we decided to wander about for a short time on our own. Soon, we’re planning on arranging a tropical garden tour that has been highly recommended by locals. To avoid redundancy, we decided to continue on.

For whatever reason, this palm tree’s top exhibited stunted growth.  Any botanists in the room willing to explain? Soon, we have a professional tour of a massive tropical garden.

We were thrilled to take these photos included today, a few of which left our mouths agape at the wonder of nature. Wherever we may travel we find the majesty of Mother Nature’s bounty, at times right outside our door and at other times, requiring a little bit of investigation. One never knows what treasures lurk around the next corner.

Please check back. We have a real treat for tomorrow’s post!

Have a terrific Tuesday! 

                                            Photo from one year ago today, February 24, 2014:

The previous night, one year ago, we had a braai (barbecue) for our closest friends in Marloth Park. Time to depart was fast approaching. It was a fabulous evening as the sunset and visitors came to call, pleasing all of us. For the exciting photos, please click here.

Vog!…Fog!…We couldn’t see the Waimea Canyon…But, we saw so much more…A year ago…birthday visitors…

The early morning sky through the windshield as we left Princeville at 6:40 am yesterday morning for our mini vacation.
The higher up we drove, the more we realized that we’d most likely not be able to see the Waimea Canyon due to the vog.

Expectations often lead to disappointment. In our world travels we’ve attempted to keep our expectations low, allowing many opportunities to be pleasantly surprised, rather than sorely disappointed.

These few photos were taken from a lower elevation.
At this point, we were at 2500 feet above sea level.
Upon entering the state park, we still have several miles to drive to the lookout point.

So was the case yesterday when we were particularly pleased that we’d kept our expectations low for actually seeing the Waimea Canyon.

By the time we reached the lookout point, the vog had taken over. No overlooking view was to be had.

Thus, when we arrived after a two, not three-hour drive from Princeville (in moderate traffic) and, the canyon was shrouded in the vog (fog and volcanic smog) which was so thick you could cut it with a knife, we weren’t surprised or overly disappointed.

This was the walkway to the lookout point at 9:00 am, getting “voggier” by the minute. 

We had an agenda of other sites to see on the south and westerly end of the island of Kauai that without a doubt, were as satisfying as seeing the canyon may have been on a clear day. We’d heard it was more likely we wouldn’t be able to see the canyon than not. 

Through the vog, we spotted this chicken and her chicks huddled again a short stone wall.

Once we arrived at the Waimea Lookout Point and after a few minutes of checking out the views, we were heading back down the mountain with “other fish to fry.” The vog was simply too dense.

As we drove back down the mountain, the visibility improved although there was no sun.

With a map in hand and numerous points of interest to explore along Highway 50, we found ourselves driving to the very end of the most westerly point on the map as shown below in this previously posted map.

Over the next several days, we’ll continue to share the many photos and stories of the fabulous time we spent in Poipu and the southern coast of Kauai to celebrate my birthday which is today. What a perfect way to celebrate a birthday!

The sun peeked through for a few minutes, only to be hidden again for most of the remainder of the morning, making a strong appearance after 2:00 pm.

The overnight stay at the Sheraton Kauai was also ideal. Able to get a free upgrade with a little nudging we had a partial ocean view and a spacious room with free wifi. Using the link here on our site for Hotels.com, we’ve been able to accumulate enough points for three free nights valued at up to $216/night to pay for most of the cost for the room, leaving us with a bill for $77 plus the $31.50 resort fee. 

The rich clay soil along the canyon’s edge at a lower elevation.

Our total out of pocket cost for the “getaway” was $107 plus the cost for fuel (minimal with the tiny car) and meals.

This morning as I prepare this post, we’re hoping for an hour by the gorgeous oceanfront pool before hitting the road again, planning to stop at Costco in Lihue to “reload.” After Costco, we’re heading back to Princeville to unpack our stuff and the Costco loot settling in for a great birthday dinner at home. We couldn’t be more content.

Tom suggested we return again this morning although we suspected it wouldn’t be any different another day.  It appears that a sunny view of the canyon is relatively unlikely most days.

Thanks to my husband for making this birthday special as he always does in one way or another. 

We’ll be back tomorrow with many new photos of other sites we visited that are clear and easier to see as opposed to today’s “voggy” batch from the unpredictable Waimea Canyon. Please check back.

                                           Photo from one year ago today, February 20, 2014:

One year ago we posted this photo when friends had come for dinner to celebrate my birthday and this charming visitor came to call during dinner. What fun we had!  For details from the day’s post, please click here.

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.

A delightful lunch at the Princeville Westin with friends…Many new photos…A year ago, a special visitor awaiting us…

One of three pools at the Princeville Westin, where we met Elaine and Richard for lunch on Friday.

Seldom dining out in an effort to keeps costs at bay and to avoid foods not acceptable to my way of eating, we were pleasantly surprised when the Nanea Restaurant at the Westin Hotel not only had numerous options for me but also, served quality meals at affordable prices.

Entrance to the restaurant at the Princeville Westin.

We’d invited Elaine and Richard as our guests as a small token for all the kindness they’ve shown us since we arrived in Kauai, in introducing us to many of their friends and including us in social events. A small token, a lunch, but they both expressed a preference for going to lunch as opposed to an evening meal.

The lunch menu at Nanea, the Westin’s main dining room.

Although I rarely eat lunch, on occasion Tom may have a light breakfast or lunch to hold him through the day.  Based on my way of eating, I’m seldom hungry until dinner time.

My delicious lunch included a grass-fed burger with cheese, grilled onions and bacon, and a side salad.

However, there’s an exception. When an appetizing platter of befitting food is set in front of me, the sight and smell certainly fire up my appetite allowing me to enjoy a midday meal on a rare occasion.

Tom orders whatever he’d like when dining out. Here’s his burger with both fries and onion rings which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Such was the case yesterday at the Princeville Westin, an upscale resort and hotel popular attracting many travelers to the area with most rooms starting at the low $400 range. Rated 4.5 stars out of 5 at TripAdvisor, we decided a walk on the grounds may prove interesting and entertaining after our lunch with friends.

Elaine and Richard shared a meal of fried fish, fries, onion rings, and a fruit plate.

We weren’t disappointed as we wandered the grounds with fantastic ocean views, three luxurious swimming pools, an outdoor massage area, and lots of space for relaxing in the balmy trade winds.

Fresh orchids on display at the hotel.

The food at lunch was fresh and delicious with the chef totally complying with my dietary request of no starch, no grain, no sugar, and low carb, allowing me to enjoy a full meal in a restaurant.

Our friends, Elaine and Richard, have been wonderful to us.

With beverages (Tom ordered a beer, the three of us had iced tea) and entrees (Elaine and Richard shared an entrée and ordered a side fruit plate), our total bill with tax and tip came to $88.66, not bad for the upscale environment. We anticipate that dinner for two with a few drinks could stay under $100, not bad for the otherwise pricey Princeville.

After lunch, Richard showed us the koi pond near the restaurant.

After over three weeks on Kauai to date, this was only the second time we dined in a restaurant.  Having access to most of the ingredients we usually use to make our favorite meals has kept us content to dine at home, as opposed to a few times a week at some other places we’ve lived.

Wandering the grounds after lunch we spotted this outdoor massage hut.

Dining out is no novelty to either of us nor has it ever been. Since I continue to enjoy cooking to some degree, I never feel burdened to whip up a good dinner for only the two of us. 

Add more people to the mix and cooking becomes more challenging when others don’t necessarily eat as we do which includes a protein, a few veggies, and a salad which I can usually pull together in 20 minutes or less. With the expectation of a starchy side dish, bread or rolls and a dessert cooking for “company” is an entirely different undertaking.

There was a variety of waterfalls and ponds on the grounds.

As a result, I’ve somewhat lost interest in having dinner parties, especially when we’re living in a small condo such as this that simply doesn’t have the space for entertaining.

This lounge area is located in the center of the main pool.

As we make more and more friends on the island, we’ll have no choice but to do entertaining in public venues such as we’ve done today. One might think taking friends out for a meal is more costly. 

Considering the cost of groceries in the Hawaiian Islands, having even a few guests for a meal could easily cost $200 or more for the food and wine. Dining out may prove to be a more efficient alternative to reciprocation in several ways. 

Another beautiful pool overlooking the ocean.

Also, with the shortage of the many basic ingredients, we don’t use with our way of eating, filling in the blanks for guests coming for dinner could result in even a higher expenditure. We simply don’t have the inventory of many everyday products in the cupboards used in making meals with grains, starches, and sugar.

Back home by 2:30 pm, we found ourselves back into our lounging clothes with a plan to stay put until our daily happy hour foray across the street to whale watch, often meeting new people or gabbing with the locals we’ve already met who seem to frequent the same spot with the similar goals in mind.

At the edge of the grounds of the hotel, the views were familiar.

The remainder of the day and evening was spent in the pleasurable activity we call “mindless drivel” including online perusing, reading books on our phone, and, into the evening, relaxing with a good movie on my laptop.

Not unlike many of our worldwide readers, the mindless relaxation in the evening is an ideal way to “get outside our heads” allowing ourselves to wind down after an otherwise busy (or not) “day in the life.”

The Nene Goose, Hawaii’s State Bird, has experienced a resurgence in population over the past years when extinction was long a possibility.

There’s no complaining from us two, somewhat retired, world travelers always able to entertain ourselves one way or another.

Have a fabulous weekend. See you again soon!

                                           Photo from one year ago today, February 7, 2014:

Upon opening the drapes in the master bedroom in Khaya Umdani on this date one year ago, Mr. Kudu was awaiting us, wondering what plans we had for the day. Moments later, we opened this door, and yet he didn’t run away. For more photos, please visit us at this link.

A budding social life…Who knew that Kauai would be such a friendly environment?…

The Wai’olo ha Church in Hanalei, a popular church and point of interest in the area. For more information, please click here.

When one first arrives in beautiful upscale Princeville, it’s easy to make assumptions that with its certain sense of affluence, that it may not be an easy area to make friends. How wrong we were!

From what we’ve been able to determine there are seven one-lane bridges in Kauai, most of them in the Hanalei Bay area. Hawaiian residents and tourists are highly cooperative in letting several cars pass at a time. Often, we’ve observed signs posting stipulating that one allows six or seven cars to pass before proceeding. Surprisingly, the flow moves quickly.

Many former mainland (USA) residents moved to Kauai to get away from it all full or part-time. Welcoming short term residents such as us, most likely not returning anytime in the near future, may not be a top priority.

As for making friends with tourists, we find this highly likely on a cruise sharing the commonality of interests on the confines of the ship. Otherwise, while traveling, most of the friends we’ve made have been residents of the area. 

This one-lane bridge crosses over the Hanalei River.

On a few occasions, we’ve met tourists open to making new friends while they’re traveling as in the case of the two couples we met this week, thoroughly enjoying time together with Vicki and Jerry, at the beach and Jessica and Ed, our next-door neighbors for another week.

Yesterday, at the Makia Golf Club pool where I now work out and we both lounged at the pool several times per week, we met Richard, a former attorney from the Midwest, who kindly invited us to a house party on February 4th, a monthly tradition for a relatively good size group of locals observing the full moon.

Another one-lane bridge crossing over the river that flows from the sea in Hanalei Beach.

Of course, we were delighted to RSVP on the spot, especially when Richard happened to have an invitation with him with the location and particulars. What a marvelous opportunity to meet locals with whom we can socialize during our four months (as of today) that we’ll be living in Princeville. 

Shortly, after meeting Richard we met Shayna, a neighbor of Richard’s and a permanent resident who was also welcoming and we hope to see again soon.

Many beaches are lined with trees such as these, providing some shady areas.

We never have expectations about meeting people in a new environment. Tom and I both are very friendly.  But, under certain circumstances, one can detect the demeanor of others that doesn’t invite conversation. 

I find this to be the case when working out when others appear to be caught up in their own exercise routine, seemingly exuding a “don’t talk to me” persona. In fact, I may be guilty of this same thing when working out, deep in concentration on doing my best in form and intensity.

Today’s soaking rain will certainly be advantageous for Kauai’s abundant vegetation.

It seems to us that the relaxed setting of lounging by a pool, sitting at a bar in a restaurant, or casually lingering at any venue provides the best opportunity for friendliness and idle chatter.

We took this photo at the exact moment as the rooster stuck out his neck in order to loudly crow when we stopped on the side of the road. Perhaps, he is warning the hens and chicks that danger looms, amongst many other reasons.

At this point, we’re considering attending a Super Bowl party at the golf club, but we’re awaiting an email with the particulars. Apparently, yesterday we were informed that there will be a cost for all members to attend. The amount and circumstances of that fee will determine our attendance. If food is included, most likely, none will be appropriate for me. We have to pick and choose those events that make sense for us overall. We shall see.

So far, we’ve only seen haze near the mountains, most likely due to the green hills covered with vegetation. This particular scenario was common in the hills of Madeira, where we lived this past spring and part of summer.

Today, it’s raining hard enough that we may stay indoors. We’ve been out every day this week and one day at “home” will be fine. We attempt to go out each day to take new photos for the next day’s post. 

Fortunately, we still have plenty of photos from this week that we’ll happily share over the next few days until the sunny skies return and we head out for more exploration.

A fountain at the entrance to a residential area in Princeville, Ka’iulani.

Here’s to wishing each and every one of our readers a fulfilling and pleasant Saturday, rain or shine, snow or warmth, and anywhere in between.

                                         Photos from one year ago today, January 24, 2014:

It was one year ago that I dropped my Acer laptop, breaking the screen. I continued using it over a period of weeks attempting to use it in this condition which ultimately failed. Living in Marloth Park, South Africa didn’t provide us with many opportunities for promptly making a new purchase especially with my requirement of a Windows 8 touch screen. Within a few weeks, a solution was in place when Okee Dokee and I traveled to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga to make a new purchase. Please click here for details of that day’s post.

What??? We joined a golf club! One year ago…A stunning pot hole…

The sign upon entering the Makai Golf Club in Princeville, Kauai.  Its odd to think that we’re members although we don’t play golf.

We don’t play golf, neither of us able to do so with our bad right shoulders and, lack of skill. In a way, not playing golf is a good thing in our way of life. Imagine the additional expenses we’d incur in our travels when playing a round of golf is so expensive especially here in Princeville at over $350 per person with rented clubs and a cart.

But, we do love to do two things; for me, working out at a fitness center and for both of us, spending our token one hour in the sun soaking up vitamin D (vital for seniors) and catching a bit of tan preferably by a pool.

The fitness center although small had all the equipment I’d need for working out.

With no pool or easy access to a beach in the immediate area, we were looking for a double whammy. Where could we find a pool and a fitness center in Princeville, where there definitely wouldn’t be a community center? 

We’re surprised that with all the seniors in this area that there isn’t a health club when in the past, I’d seen many seniors at various fitness centers in our travels and in our old lives back in Minnesota. 

During my time working out not another person joined me.

After an extensive search, I was unable to find a single stand alone fitness center in the entire area. The only options available included pricey sessions by the hour with a fitness trainer. 

Plus, the thing about working out, it requires a close proximity in order to commit to doing it. Its hard enough to do it, let alone having the necessity of driving far in traffic.

With a flat screen TV, hand weights, exercise bands, a locker room and AC, it was perfect for me.

Plus, after stopping by the St. Regis Hotel (pricey at $550+ a night) which we heard had a pool and fitness program, we were sorely discouraged to discover  the cost at $250 per person/per day to workout and use the pool. Both the St. Regis and the Princeville Westin have an affiliation with the Makai Golf Club.

Back to the drawing board (pc) I went to work trying to find an option. Web searches kept bringing me back to the Makai Golf Club. Online, they advertised a $100 per person, per month program for both using their small fitness center and their huge lap pool.

Tom was rounded out his tan lying on his stomach on the chaise lounge by the pool at the golf club.

Calling to verify this information, I was told the website information was wrong. It would cost $125 per person per month to use both the fitness center and pool. We didn’t care for the fact that they wouldn’t honor the online price but when our options were so limited, we decided to accept this reality.

Tom doesn’t work out, nor does he care to start now no matter how much encouragement I might throw his way. However, there was no program offering a pool only membership.

Tom never naps in this position and provides a good bit of conversation to keep me entertained.

Yesterday afternoon, we decided to check out the golf club, a mere 1.8 miles from our condo, a five minute drive down the busy Ka Haku Road, the road that leads to everywhere in Princeville.

Hesitating to spend $250 a month for both of us, we entered the golf club with a bit of trepidation, thinking most likely, only I’d sign up, desperately needing to work out after a hiatus of many months, only walking during the absence which isn’t quite enough for me. 

The pool is only 4 feet deep but a perfect lap pool.

No more than five minutes after we arrived and discussed the program with the staff at the pro shop, a kindly manager offered that we follow him in a golf cart  the to the nearby fitness center and pool. Tom drove the cart with me sitting next to him as we followed Eric to see the facilities. 

The golf course borders the pool and fitness area.

I couldn’t help but giggle all the way to the pool area when “overly grumpy” Tom made negative comments to me about the golf cart traffic while he was driving the cart. This made me laugh over and over.

After we saw the facilities I was certain we’d both join the club.  It’s a fun playful atmosphere with friendly animated staff members. Once we entered the small fitness building, located in the pool area, we were both “sold.”

View from the chaise lounges at the pool.

In addition, our membership includes a social membership enabling us to attend parties and activities should we chose to partake. Back at the pro shop, we paid our first month’s dues, even reserving our spot for the Super Bowl party upcoming a week from Sunday. What a great opportunity to meet people! The only cost for the party is food and beverages purchased in the Makai Grill during the game if we so chose.

After we were introduced to more staff at the pro shop, we were excited to have made this decision. With our swimsuits with us and me already dressed in workout clothing, we grabbed the key and headed back to the pool area when, for the first time in many months I worked out, doing my usual HIIT (high intensity interval training).

We have our two new Costco chairs which we’ll keep in the car. If it so happens that the chairs are all occupied at the pool, we were told, we could bring in our own chairs.

There’s no doubt it will be many weeks before I return to my prior level of fitness. But, when it comes to working out, there’s not time like the present. I can’t wait to see those little muscles return to their former shape and size and find myself at a much higher level of health and fitness. How I’ve missed this after having worked out most of my adult life.

Add a beautiful blue sky and palm trees to the mix and the scenery is astounding.

After my workout, I struggled to get my swimsuit on. It was hot and humid and I had trouble drying off in the steamy ladies locker room that is attached to the fitness room. Trying to pull up the swimsuit was quite the challenge in my sticky state. Going forward, I’ll workout in my swimsuit and workout pants and rinse off in the shower with my swimsuit on.

It always seems to be hazy by the mountains here in Kauai, most likely as a result of the vegetation cover.

Tom waited for me in the shade reading a book on his phone. Once I was finished, we grabbed two comfy lounge chairs to languish for our hour in the warmth of the sun, enjoying the exquisite view, occasionally dipping in the pool to cool off.

We’d have been content with a pool with no views.  But this, is beyond all of our expectations.

Joining the Makai Golf Club a perfect addition to our lengthy stay in Kauai. Most likely we’ll head together to the Makai Golf Club each sunny day, while I’ll go on my own to workout on cloudy days. With HIIT, its not necessary to workout everyday but visiting the pool itself will not be unlike other locations where we’ve had a pool drawing us in for a dip on sunny days. We’re thrilled.

Greenery to take one’s breath away.

Now, we feel the long four month stint in Kauai will be easier than we’d expected. Besides, its not hard to hang around Paradise for an extended period.

Hump day. Enjoy!

                                          Photo from one year ago today, January 21, 2014:

Bourke’s Luck Pot Holes was an amazing sight to see on the Panorama Route in South Africa. For more photos of this exciting visit, please click here.

We flew through the air and landed in Paradise…Pinch me…Kauai is heavenly…

This type of scene we noticed along Highway 56 in Kauai could be found in many places on the mainland.

Without a doubt, Kauai may prove to be our favorite of the four islands we’ve visited in Hawaii. The four months, we’d anticipated that may be too long, will fly by too quickly. 

We arrive in Kauai on a gorgeous day. Excuse the date stamps on some of these photos. I’d failed to remove it after taking photos of the existing damage on the rental car when we picked it up.

Upon arriving at the Lihue, Kauai airport, we hauled all of our bags to the shuttle bus stop for a ride to the Dollar car rental. We lucked out. They agreed to rent us the vehicle for the entire four months, preventing us from the necessity of going back once a month to renew.

There are many shops along the highway, an attraction for the tourists as shown here today in the village of Wailua.

Most likely they gave us the oldest and cheapest car on the lot with over 31,000 miles and no automatic door locks.  When did automatic door locks become popular? Thirty years ago? At only $685 a month, we hardly complain.  

There appears to be several Mexican restaurants in Kauai.

After all, this is Hawaii and rental cars are notoriously high here. Having booked online enabled us to get this great price. We took no less than a dozen photos of all of the dings and scratches on the car saving them in our Kauai file for future reference and we were on our way. 

A pineapple and coconut stand.

We had to ditch our intent of shopping at Costco. There wasn’t room in that tiny vehicle for a single item sold at Costco when everything is the jumbo size and the car was packed with our stuff. Instead today, we’ll return to Lihui for a much-needed trip to Costco. 

The ever-popular Bubba’s, known for their burgers.

Finding the condo was a little tricky although driving through upscale Princeville was delightful. We’ve landed in the most exquisite area we’ve seen in the islands or perhaps on any island we’ve visited thus far in our travels.

Traveling along a two-lane highway makes photo-taking difficult while driving.

Our condo is located in a well maintained four-unit building. We’ve already met everyone in each unit including permanent residents photographer Ted and vacation home manager Gloria and, vacationing neighbors from Toronto, lovely couple Sarah, Mario, and baby Kayden, staying only a few days. We have a sense that making friends in Kauai will be easy.

We stopped at a scenic overlook on the way to Princeville.

The condo, although smaller than we’d anticipated, is perfect for us. Newly remodeled, it appears new with lush finishes, quality workmanship, and pleasing design.

A proud rooster meandering with his family in the parking lot of the scenic overlook.

While moving in with the doors open a zillion mosquitoes entered the condo requiring we leave the AC on overnight. Mosquitoes hide in cool air.  Today, the doors and windows will be wide open after we return from shopping.

Two hens were hanging out with the above rooster.

In a way, the condo is comparable to a two-bedroom hotel suite with a kitchen. The comfy memory foam bed, soft pillows, and covers created the best night’s sleep we’ve had in ages. The shower was ideal, an aspect we’ve really come to appreciate.

Views of the ocean are always appealing.

More than anything, the scenic views from our lanai and the front of the building are breathtaking as shown in these photos. A white sand beach is across the road where we can take beach chairs for whale watching.

Another scenic overlook.

Last night, we dined at a restaurant tucked away in a condo complex also across the road, the Hideaway, when neither of us felt like shopping and cooking. The food was mediocre, the ambiance was noisy and our table was wobbly. I doubt we’ll return with many other options in the area.

We stopped when we spotted this beach.

We’d mailed a package to ourselves with all of our leftover foodstuffs. To my error, I failed to ask the owner if we could do so and we simply used the address for the condo when we mailed it at the post office in Pahoa.  Later, the owner informed us that only UPS will deliver to the condo.

A beautiful beach scene. The contrast between greenery and sand is particularly appealing.

As a result, this morning, we’ll head to the post office to see if the package has arrived. If it hasn’t, we may decide to wait to go to Costco to avoid duplicating some of the items in the packed box. Then again, with four months here in Princeville, duplication may not be an issue.

Since our arrival, we’ve taken many photos to share. From what we’ve seen so far, we’ll never run out of photos to share on this island. Known as the “garden island” the abundance of birds and vegetation is unlike anything we’ve seen since Tuscany in the summer of 2013. 

A bar and restaurant along the highway.

This morning shortly after awakening we heard the pleasing crow of a rooster. More later on why Kauai is known for its many wild chickens freely roaming about. Yesterday, there were several in the rental car parking lot.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of the condo and much more. Stay tuned, dear readers. The exploration of the garden island has just begun.

                                            Photo from one year ago today, January 16, 2014:

On our way to the Blyde River Canyon for a three-day mini holiday, we drove through Kruger National Park. We stopped at a distance to watch this elephant. She was obviously annoyed with our visit, moving to the road to come toward us. Luckily, we were back far enough and Tom quickly backed out to get out of her way. Finally, she backed off, content that we weren’t a threat. For details and more photos of our ride through Kruger, please click here.

Strange action in the sea in front of us…Human and animal…A year ago…an astounding sunset!

It’s interesting to see the notched rough edges along the fluke of the whale that obviously have been injured in their long-distance travels often from Alaska to Hawaii.

Yesterday, as we’ve often done while living in this house on the ocean in Pahoa, we sat outside most of the day with our usual hour in the sun and the remainder of the day in the shade, whale watching, and seeing some unusual action in the sea in from of the house as shown in these photos.

The dorsal fin of one of yesterday’s spotted whales.

Oh sure, interspersed throughout the day was a load of laundry, prepping for dinner, a wonderful conversation on Skype with my cousin in Boston, and a delightful chat with the new couple that moved in next door (into the house we lived in over the holidays).

In addition, I completed packing the box of non-perishable foods we’ll soon take to the post office which we’ll mail to ourselves in Kauai. 

We spotted these peculiar items in the sea in front of the house in Pahoa wondering what it could be. Upon closer inspection we realized it was a person snorkeling.

This morning, I completely packed my clothing suitcase, leaving out everything I’ll need for tomorrow and Thursday when we’ll drive to Hilo to stay in a hotel near the airport overnight to fly to Kauai in the morning. 

For ease, we’ve learned that wearing the same clothing two days in a row (with fresh underwear, of course) when staying overnight in a hotel and flying away the next day, makes the most sense. In the event that our clothes get dirty or sweaty, we can easily open our clothing bags to grab a new shirt or pants, if necessary.  Easy.

The helmet appeared to be military when we noted the camouflage design.

All of our toiletry items, under three ounces per airline regulations, will go into the side pocket of our duffel bag which we’ll carry on as usual, containing the heaviest of our clothing, jeans for both of us.

Thus, by tomorrow morning after using the few toiletry items, we’ll be fully packed and ready to go. Today, I threw away a few worn-out items, a swimsuit and two of my tee shirts, in an effort to continually lighten my load. 

Back to the whale watching. Yes, we saw a number of “blow holes” capturing the few photos. Although none were extraordinary in a photo, some were astounding to the naked eye.

This photo of the snorkeler was somewhat confusing. Could they have been conducting some type of research?

Sharing a conversation with the new couple next day made us realize how much we enjoy interacting with others in our travels. Often, the people we meet are experienced travelers making it especially fun to share travel stories, many times discovering we’ve been to some of the same locations. Of course, we also enjoy meeting those “less traveled” who share stories of daily life we also relish in hearing.

For many, the far away locations are beyond the reach of travelers who are still working and have time constraints. For us, our upcoming opportunity to spent over two years in the South Pacific was beyond our wildest dreams. Its hard for us to believe that in a mere four months, we’ll be on our way.

Let’s face it, time moves quickly. Its hard to imagine that on the upcoming cruise from Singapore on October 31, 2016, that we described in the posts of the past few days, that the day we embark will be the four year anniversary of our leaving to travel the world on October 31, 2012.

Upon closer inspection, we noticed there were two such snorkelers.

Tomorrow, we’ll be posting the final expenses for our entire time on the Big Island for all of the expenses for our alone time here and the family visit including the cost of airfare for our 12 travelers. 

Hold onto your seats, dear readers. Its a BIG number, a number that precipitated the upcoming four months in Kauai, to “lick our wounds” as Tom would say, living modestly without fanfare.

We’re excited to be on the move tomorrow, anxious to begin this next period in our travels, as life continues on…

                                             Photo from one year ago today, January 13, 2014:

A year ago, while visiting a lovely resort overlooking the Crocodile River in South Africa, we had the opportunity to get this shot of the sunset, one we’ll always treasure as the sun made a path not unlike the flow of lava. How ironic at this point!  For other great photos on the Crocodile River, please click here.

Upcoming cruises with visits to many locations…A year ago…interesting new visitors…

Another of Tom’s exquisite sunrise photos.

Yesterday, as we sat in the lawn chairs whale watching with fervor, we realized that in only a few days, we’ll no longer be this close to the ocean, able to watch for the gentle giants when we see signs of life whether we’re peering out the window or sitting outside.

In our new home, a condo in Princeville, Kauai, it will require we walk across the street, carrying lawn chairs in order to get close enough to take photos of the whales.  We’ll have views of the sea from the condo but it will just be too far to see from what we can determine from the photos.

We’ve been spoiled these past months since we arrived in Maui on October 16th when our close proximity to the ocean made every view exquisite.  Now, three months later, we move along to live on the last of four Hawaiian Islands arriving in Honolulu on October 5th, off the Celebrity Solstice after a 12 day cruise from Vancouver.


Its winter in Hawaii and yet the hearty Hibiscus flowers continue to bloom.

And again, as we mentioned in the past two posts, we’ve now booked two more cruises on this same ship, one we’ve found ideal for our liking.

Today, as promised we’re listing the five upcoming cruises we’ve booked, each of which offers its own unique ports with only a few repeats here and there.

Let’s face it, the major cruise lines only take so many routes worldwide.  Although it may appear they travel all over the world, they do not.  They have specific routes, repeated over and over again.  Frequent cruisers are aware of this fact, often experiencing similar cruises several times, including visiting the same ports of call.

At this point, we’re satisfied if a new cruise takes us to two or three new ports of call.  When we visit ports we’ve previously experienced, we usually stay behind, enjoying the quiet on the ship, choice of chairs by the pool and the good WiFi signal for posting using the rented MiFi.  In any case, we enjoy it all.

As promised, here is the information on our five upcoming cruises including the cost:














































Honolulu
to Sydney
18 days 5/24/2015 6/11/2015   $  6,010.64
Sydney to
Auckland
14 days 1/5/2016 1/19/2016   $  4,771.32
Sydney to Perth 16 days 4/12/2016 4/28/2016   $  4,714.20
Singapore to Sydney 14 days 10/31/2016  11/14/2016 $  4,143.81
Sydney to
Sydney
12 days 3/1/2017 3/13/2017 $  4,820.36


Total for five above cruises:          $24,460.33
Average cost per day for 74 days: $     330.55 (for both of us)

Our usual average cost per day while living in vacation rentals is approximately $200 per day including meals, dining out and rental cars.  In this case, cruising is $130.55 more per day plus additional charges for WiFi and beverages at an average of $78 per day for an additional total of $209.55 per day x 74 days, equals an additional $15,506.70. 

As a result of the added expenses of cruising, we’ve managed to find vacation homes, buying groceries and rental cars at reasonable enough prices to bring down the average daily costs around the $200 each.  The magic of diligent planning enables us to cruise and to live comfortably all over the world.


A palm tree, a Hibiscus plant and a blue sky.  Many days are cloudy on this island, as much as 60% from what we’ve seen over these past six weeks.  A sunny day is glorious!

As I write this, Tom suggested we list the ports of call for all of these cruises to illustrate how much of the world we have an opportunity to see while cruising, adding considerable value to the process.

Here’s the complete list some of which may include more than one stop at a specific location as mentioned above, that ports of call may be repeat visit on various cruises:

  1. Moorea, Society Islands
  2. Papeete, Tahiti, Society Island
  3. Bora Bora, Society Islands
  4. Savu, Fiji
  5. Ill des Pins, New Caledonia
  6. Sydney, Australia
  7. Melbourne, Australia
  8. Hobart, Tazmania, Australia
  9. Milford Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  10. Doubtful Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  11. Dusky Sound, New Zealand (cruising only)
  12. Dunedin (port Chalmers), New Zealand
  13. Akaroa, New Zealand
  14. Wellington, New Zealand
  15. Tauranga, New Zealand
  16. Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  17. Auckland, New Zealand
  18. Picton, New Zealand
  19. Adelaide, Australia
  20. Perth, Australia (Fremantle, Australia)
  21. Singapore, Indonesia
  22. Benoa, Bali, Indonesia
  23. Darwin, Australia
  24. Cairns, Australia
  25. Airlie Beach, Australia
  26. Brisbane, Australia
  27. Nounea, New Caledonia
  28. Lifou, New Caledonia
  29. Mystery Island, Vanuatu
  30. Lautoka, Fiji

Only approximately six of these are repeats for us.  How in the world would we have every been able to visit these 30 locations without cruising?  The time, the cost and the effort would far exceed the glorious 74 days of cruising which we so thoroughly enjoy?

Add the facts that cruising enables us to meet so many fabulous people, many of whom we’ve stayed in touch with over these past two plus years, enhances the experience beyond our wildest dreams.  These are the reasons we choose to cruise.

The tiny cabin, often around 194 square feet, the risks of rough waters, the difficulty of managing my way of eating, the constant WiFi issues and the lack of dressy clothing for the formal nights, the crowds at certain venues, all are manageable for us.  We don’t complain.  When weighing the pros and cons of cruises, the pros win for us.  We love every moment, rough seas included.


We’ve noticed this peculiar drooping plant on the past three islands we’ve visited.

Today, perhaps a little organizing, a little tossing of worn clothing and a little time in the lawn chair whale watching.  Tonight and tomorrow night, we’ll fire up the charcoal grill to make the last of the frozen hamburger patties we’d made and we’d stored in Ziplock bags in the freezer.

We’re happily using most of the perishable food, leaving some non-perishable foods for the next occupants of this house and sending the remainder to ourselves in Kauai.

It’s all good.  Good as it can be.

Happy Monday to all!
_______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, January 12, 2014:

It was exciting one year ago, for the visit of hundreds of these grasshopper visitors in our driveway in Marloth Park.  Everyday provided an exciting new experience.  We spent the day watching and videotaping the activity of this “family” of grasshoppers including their babies.  To see the videos from that date, please click here.