Aloha ~ Hawaii ~ Day 14 ~ Saying Goodbye to Paradise

Our last day in paradise!  So sad!

We packed up, checked out and went to the driving range at the resort.

 It was fun for the kids to have a first experience with golf, and I think the most fun was driving the carts!

Then we did an activity the resort offers called Bamboo Pole Fishing

Ashlyn caught NINE tilapia!

Christian finally had success!

Wow, Madison.  That's really big.  Good job :-)

Then we hiked up the Sleeping Giant

We didn't go all the way to the top, but made it to this great vista.  Everyone was hot and tired, because it was very hot and humid in the sun.

Chickens, roosters everywhere! 

Cooling off with our last Shave Ice

After one last swim in the pool, and relaxing in the Ohana Lounge, we got on the plane at 10:00 p.m. for a red eye home.  

We made it to LAX, and most everyone slept a little on the plane.

But everyone crashed on the car ride home!!

John went straight to work, and the kids went to sleep, and slept until 2:00 p.m. They were very exhausted and worn out from a wonderful 2-week vacation.  

We had a great time and now it's back to reality :-(

Aloha ~ Hawaii ~ Days 12 & 13 ~ Kalapaki & Hanapepe & Waimea

Well hello Mr. Rooster.  You and your friends like to crow not only at dawn, but all throughout the day.

 On Monday we hung around "our area"...

The Nawiliwili Lighthouse by our hotel

We had to find and traverse a rough red-dirt road to get to the lighthouse. The resort is in the background.

Playing at Kalapaki Beach

Hello Mr. Sea Turtle.

He came to feed off the lava rock.

On Tuesday, our last full day (sniff, sniff) we went up to Hanapepe

 and stopped at ...

 which is a little beach made up of crushed glass.  This area used to be a dumping ground and 100 years of oceanic erosion has made old car parts unrecognizable and the sand interesting.  Is that a little rock, or a piece of china?

Hiking along the shelf of volcanic rock

Along the bluff there was a little, old cemetery, mainly consisting of the Chinese and Phillipino residents that occupied this area early last century.

 Then we ate lunch at Da Imu Hut that Tommie's cousin owns.  Her grandpa Fu (Agnes's dad) was there and just celebrated his 99th birthday.  I'm still full.

Salt Pond beach - the only place where Hawaiian sea salt is made.  These types of signs are pretty much at every beach.

Then we headed up to Waimea Canyon ~ Hawaii's Grand Canyon ~ and boy was it ever grand!

Pictures just don't do it justice.

3600' deep, one mile across, 10 miles long.

There was a lookout of Ni'ihau and Lehua Islands.  On a really clear day the view would have been spectacular, but there were a few clouds so we could only see them faintly.

Then to Pakala Beach, otherwise known as ...

 I could totally have one of these properties: several acres of beachfront, nice home in a quaint small town on a beach that's known for rides that last for infinity.

Our cheap little umbrella doesn't hold up well to the breezy gusts that come through.

Aloha ~ Hawaii ~ Day 11 ~ North Shore

How nice is it to be awoken on a Sunday morning, and take your cute little bed-head self and sit out on the balcony for a few minutes while trying to wake up, have a little breakfast, and have a chicken fly up to try and partake of your bread crumbs.  

We went to the Lihue Ward which meets in the Kauai Stake Center. It was a fabulous Sacrament meeting with the Spirit so strong.  Afterwards, the bishop asked all the visitors to stand as the rest of the congregation went up to the front at sang "Aloha 'Oe" (until we meet again . . . ) while someone passed out beautiful handmade leis to everyone.  The sister doing so was so kind and thoughtful, trying to match the particular lei with the recipient, and she hit it right on the nail by giving Ashlyn a pink one.

Definitely feeling the Aloha today.  John is really liking the dress-casual island church attire.  Putting on a suit next week will be painful!

We took a nice, easy day and relaxed on the beach in Hanalei and did some snorkeling, which was awesome!

This was at Tunnels (where Bethany Hamilton was attacked by the shark).

Ashlyn went out on the boogie board and was able to go very far out with John and me.

Meanwhile, the other kids were being super hilarious showing off their personalities...

A giant waterfall on the mountain behind us.

Then we headed over to Hanalei Bay

 The North Shore of Kauai is so beautiful!