Kauai Day 3

We woke up around 4:30 AM today due to the roosters. Salt Pond camp is set next to the only salt pond on the island, where locals harvest salt. The salt has a reddish tint to it due to the red dirt all over the island, which is pretty cool. This camp also has tons of mosquitoes (ask Mel about all her bites).

View of Waimea Canyon area while going up the mountain

We ate and headed up to Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. After checking out the trails and their destinations, we decided on Canyon Trail, which is only about a mile and a half and takes you to the a two-tier 800 foot waterfall. We drove down a 4WD road for a mile and parked and headed out on the trail. The first mile of the trail is through wooded areas, with a bit of elevation change, but not too much. The next half mile is on top of a ridge, overlooking one of the canyons, and then out to the ocean. It was insane. There's no railing or anything nat the edge, so it's up to you to not fall, but there's plenty of room for walking and hanging out, just not by the edge. The trail continues on to the end of the ridge, and then you notice you're in between two canyons, and looking out towards the ocean. It was unbelievable. The trail actually puts you out at the top of the waterfall, so you can't see it, but we checked it out, and hung out at the top of the waterfall. It's pretty calm waters, so we got in a small side pool. I may have even skinny dipped at the top of the 800 foot waterfall...

These guys are everywhere and caused many sleepless night

Us in between the canyons

Hiker pose

At the top of an 800 foot waterfall. I thought it'd be rushing more off the edge too...


Posing at the top of the waterfall



At one of the canyon lookouts

Panorama at the top of a ridge

Panorama of Waimea Canyon. It looks fake, but that's just how it is.

Us, not the best panorama, but we're pumped!

Another panorama, down a different canyon

Mel, lookin perty

Then we headed back and down the mountain. We stopped at Waimea Brewing company, the westernmost brewery in the U.S. and got a couple beers and ahi poke, a raw tuna ocean salad dish. It was pretty good, but I'm not sure how often I'd get it if it were served here.

Then we went to Lawai Beach and relaxed a bit, then headed out to snorkel, as we read this to be one of the best snorkeling spots on the island. It was. We saw so many fish! We saw all those tropical, colorful, crazy looking ones we never thought we'd actually see in real life. And I saw a sea turtle! It was pretty badass.

Somehow these are real.

Your standard Maher fish



The definition of a school of fish



Snorkel pros


Neon pink fish, yes neon

This guy probably has a deep voice

SEA TURTLE

I think the length of his top fin represents wisdom

Then we went to Poipu Beach and hung out some, napped, and snorkeled, but it wasn't that good there. After that we went to get food, and realized Mel had left her purse at Waimea Brewery. After some phone calls, tears, and searching, they found it! We were pumped! Then we grilled out at Salt Pond camp, where we were staying again to end the night.

Kauai Day 2

There was no better way to spend Earth Day than on Kauai! Today we headed south down to Kapaa to meet with the lovely Jessica Collins. We ate breakfast at Kountry Kitchen and feasted. Afterwards we headed to Kipu Falls, a 20 ft waterfall near Lihue. It wasn't clearly marked but found detailed instructions in certain travel books. When we first arrive there were only five people there but more showed up later on. There's a rope swing there for jumping into a swimming hole or you can just go for it from the top of the waterfall. Matt went for it without hesitation but it took Jess and I some convincing. When I finally made the jump I didn't give the landing much thought and my leg suffered the consequences but Jess jumped like a pro. Once was enough for us and we swan and hung out while Matt made some more leaps. Despite my purple and red leg this was one the coolest spots on the island.

Sunrise at Haena

Walking to Kipu Falls

Kipu Falls

Trying to get rope swing back to us

Someone else swinging out

After leaving Kipu falls we headed to Brennecke's Beach. We laid out an swan for a while and even saw a big sea turtle stick his big noggin out of the water. The next stopped was Sprouting Horn where we cut up a pineapple and enjoyed the sites. We were eager to get back into water so we headed to Shipwreck's Beach, unfortunately there was hazardous swimming conditions. No worries though, we made the best of it by going to the Hyatt and taking a dip in the their lagoon. After a half hour we were cordially asked to leave, so we were off to the next adventure!

Pineapples and Chickens

Spouting Horn

View looking down the coast at Spouting Horn

Wailua Falls

Pineapple Whip. Yes, the cone says Hawaii.

Wai'lua Falls, a 80ft waterfall was the next spot. It's easy to get to, merely drive a few miles and step out of the car. The day started winding down so we went back to Kapaa were we got ice cream at Lappert's and thirty minutes later Matt and Jess got Pineapple Whip at Zach's. They were psyched and reminiscing of the Indiana State Fair. After dropping Jess off we were off to Hanapepe to their Friday Night Art Walk, which was pretty cool. Then we went to Salt Pond to spend the night.

Kauai Day 1

We arrived in Kauai in the afternoon after a long flight. As we got closer all the islands were visible from the plane, which was an unbelievable site. From the moment we stepped off the plane the humidity hit us and we realized we were in paradise. As soon as we got the rental car we hit the road in search for some grub because our seven hour flight provided no food. We ended up at the Coconut Marketplace which was full of shops and food stands. We settled on The Fish Hut and we both got ahi burgers. Expectation were low and hunger higher so the burgers were the best thing on earth! After our bellies were satisfied we went straight to Kealia Beach to relax for a bit. Afterwards we drove north to Hanalei to explore some and then to our campsite at Haena. We were all tuckered out from a long day of travel and called it a night around 8:30. Haena is a open park next to the beach, people are allowed to camp anywhere on the grass. There was a decent amount of people there and it was a bit noisy at night. The beach it sits on is beautiful and it was one of the better spots were camped at in Kauai.

Hanakai Valley, taro fields below

Friends! For! Ever!

Best pizza ever at The Cheeseboard Pizza Collective.

Muir Beach.

Collin after his next meal.

No fun allowed.

On top of the world.

Gluttony.

Collin the athlete.

Mr. Hilton payed us a visit this past week and boy did we have fun!! The week consisted of lots of food and fun. We headed up to San Francisco to explore and eat, and we killed it. The soccer ball was bought along and the best game of basketball was ever played. Hoosier just being Hoosiers.

We camped at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is always a good free place to squat for the night. Only problem was that we didn't anticipate cold weather, sorry Collin.

Burn Academy

so the past few tuesday nights, i've noticed some fire stuff going on down the street from us in this park area. so the other night colin, who's in town by the way!, and i just went over to check it out. I was expecting polynesian men and women to be the performers, but it turned out to be a group called the burn academy, and they are all fire enthusiasts/performers. this is a regular meeting they hold where they can get together and practice in a safe environment. it was freaking awesome! we met Scorch, the head of the group is seemed, and they were all super friendly, just hangin out, teaching each other stuff, and practicing. below are some photos and videos! their photos on their facebook are way cooler than mine - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=132325296816677juggling, swallowing, blowing, swinging, adn twirling fire

she had these long metal finger attachments which each lit on fire at the very end, adn she'd slowly move with them, kinda dancing. it was insane

snow

1.5 hours from the beach
landed?????

got in soem snowboarding with mike, meghan, and brian this past weekend. it was about 60 somethign degrees up there so that made it pretty awesome, although the snow got pretty wet, but still soft.

what, oh you thought we snowboarded? nah, we just find these and run and jump