Big Island, big everything

Last island for this trip: the Big Island, where everything is big. 

There are big volcanoes (here, a view of Mauna Kea from the road that climbs Mauna Loa)...

...big tastes (like this passionfruit)...

...big valleys, like beautiful Waipio Valley, which we descended on the sole, 25-degree-grade road to the valley floor for a tour by horseback...

...and, finally (for the day, at least), big falls. I didn't get a good picture of the staggering Hi'ilawe Falls into Waipio Valley because there was so much haze down there. But on the way back to Hilo, we also stopped to see 'Akaka Falls, pictured here.

Not bad for one day!

Island adventures

There are so many adventure tours available on Kaua'i, I couldn't resist signing us up for a couple of them during our time here. One day, we went to Kipu ranch (where a lot of movies requiring tropical island scenery have been shot) for a day of kayaking, hiking, zip-lining, and jumping into freshwater swimming holes.

The next day, we took a beautiful bike ride from Waimea Canyon ("the Grand Canyon of the Pacific") downhill 12 miles to the coast.

I am especially entranced with all the views we've gotten, from the southwest side of Kaua'i, of the island of Ni'ihau, 17 miles away. I remember having to memorize Ni'ihau as one of the main seven Hawai'ian islands in social studies class in elementary school. But I didn't know until this trip that Ni'ihau is entirely privately owned, is not open to tourists in any way, and is home only to about 200 native Hawai'ians who are preserving a traditional Hawai'ian culture and way of life there.

I'm totally fascinated and I think all of the questions I've been asking about it (and especially about if/how uninvited guests have made attempts to visit, simply because it is forbidden) have my mom and the locals nervous that I'm planning to go rouge. I'm not, really. I'm just captivated and will continue to stare from afar and ponder all my questions about this land across the channel until I'm dragged away by our Hawai'ian Airlines flight to Hilo. Next stop: The Big Island!

Na'pali coast

Kaua'i time! A lot of our activity here has been focused on the famous Na'pali coast--the lush, rugged western coast of the island that is known both for its extreme beauty as well as its inaccessibility, with no roads running along the miles of steep cliffs where they meet the ocean. First, we approached from the north, hiking the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail (which takes the most adventurous hikers 11 miles south along the coast, a trip of several days, to roughly the half-way point of the remote coastline...which I will have to come back for someday!). The views were g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s. and afterward, we got to bury our tired but happy feet in the sand and enjoy the sunset from the beach at Ha'ena State Park.

The next day, we attacked from the south. Though attacked is really the wrong word, as I was cowed in amazement at what is probably the most vast, hauntingly beautiful beach I've ever seen, at Polihale State Park. This is also on the list of places to return to for a repeat, longer visit next time I can get to this part of the world.

Finally, on the third day, we climbed the road past Waimea Canyon (more on that in the next post) into Kohe'e State Park to look down on the central part of the coast (the Kalalau Valley) from above 5,000 feet. By that point, I'd exhausted my mom with 10 days of hiking and water sports so she went back to the car to nap after checking out the view, while I hiked for another mile or so along the mountain ridge along a hilariously steep, muddy, slippery path, the likes of which I haven't seen since Madagascar. So worth it for the unbelievable vistas, though.

Water works

It was such an amazing week on Oahu. Lots more water time in addition to the surfing. In the ocean without fail for seven straight days. Beach. Sun. Sand. Walking. Boogie-boarding. Stung by jellyfish (not that bad). Sand castles. Snorkeling. Silliness. Stand-up paddle-boarding. Bliss.

Great stuff.
Next stop, Kauai....

Ko'olau hike

I snuck away from the crew (well, not really; none of them wanted to come with me as they were busy golfing and beaching) for a gorgeous rainforest hike against the Ko'olau mountain ridge. Destination: Maunawili Falls, a lovely waterfall spot where I took a swim and a rock jump. Heaven!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Surfin' safari

The whole clan went for a walk-about to the north shore of Oahu because I've always been intimidated by the idea of surfing so figured that meant I should get over it and take a lesson. My brother and sister-in-law let me rope them into joining me, and then everyone else decided to come along and watch, and once we were there my sister decided to take the lesson as well. We started with a short on-shore how-to:

Nephew Emmett: cutest surfer ever.

Before I necessarily felt ready, we went out on the water....

And amazingly, it was way way easier than I thought it would be.

We stayed out until the sun was setting and there was no choice but to end a golden afternoon.

House at beach

Welcome to beautiful Kailua, Hawai'i! 

My mom is calling the style of the rental house "beach shabby," and it's true, it's a little worse for the humidity and wear on the inside, but hey!: it sleeps all 11 of us.... 

...and how could you say anything negative with a view out the living room window like this one?:

So this is what we're calling our backyard for this week on Oahu:

And the kids are LOVING the beach, though they're having a hard time embracing the fact that there is sand EVERYWHERE, including in places they didn't know they had. I love the little kiddo footprints next to the adult ones.

And they love the water, with the amazingness of Kailua beach making up for the fact that we're on the windier side of the island. My dad's friends who steered us toward this spot said that it was the "calmer" side of the island, which my mom interpreted to mean "less windy," though it turns out they meant "less crowded." I don't really care; I'll take it all...