Gidget Goes Hawaiian- Kauai & Aulani 8/2012 TR- 3/1 updates!

[ACDSNY]

Love the pics!

You're a braver woman than I was. Six of us did the Hike, Zip and Kayak tour in 2008 at the Princeville Ranch, I took pics instead of doing the ziplines. We all loved the tour and guides. We had a couple from NYC in our group so the guides kept telling them to watch out for wild pigs and kept making pig noises. We raised pigs so we knew the noises were nowhere close to the real thing, so it kept us all laughing on the hike.

[KristiMc]

That looks like so much fun. That is on my list for when I get to Hawaii - someday

[podsnel]

Above us was a zip we had already done-



This part was muddy and slippery on the rocks- once again, I was ELATED we were wearing Keens. The hike was rated moderate, and was just over a mile in.



While the guides got lunch ready, we all grabbed an inner tube and jumped in the watering hole. To get in, we all climbed up a little cliff and jumped in.





Except...jumping off was freakin me out!!! It was only maybe 8 feet, but I was freaked! What a loser!!! But, I really wanted to go swimming, and the group encouraged me- so I sucked it up and jumped. We had a really, really great bunch of people with us that day- I LOVED those total strangers! I KNOW! You're SHOCKED!!!



That was not me jumping, by the way. But she looks much better in her swimsuit than I did in mine, so you can look at her instead. We floated around for a while-









It was a great way to cool off. Then it was time to get out and eat. DUH!! I didn't have to jump! I could have just gone in the way we got out! I am just so stupid sometimes it's a wonder I remember to breathe!



Lunch was make your own sandwiches and cookies. It tasted great. See the little cat in the pic?



He lives there. Someone tried to find him a home, and moved him about 5 miles away. He ended up coming back. That cat REALLY wants to be there!

A pretty view for lunch-



Then it was time for our last zip- King Kong- yikes!! 26 ft high platform, on the edge of a ravine, 1200 feet long, and side by side- a double. First you had to climb up this-





And lemme tell ya- I was shaking by the time I got to the top. Then they unhook you from the wire you were attached to coming up, and ask you to stand on a box on the edge of that platform so they can attach you to the zip.



No lie- my knees were knockin together! It was really high up there!! Remember I said King Kong was different than the other zips? Well, that's because there is no ramp, and you just jump off. Seriously. I had heart palpitations over 8 feet, and now THIS??? OMG- not only that, but you also have to grab the brake yourself- on all the other zips, the guides stop you. So even the nice woman who was terrified was going to have to open her eyes on this one.

I was shaking so much when T&T came up the ramp I am AMAZED this pic isn't blurry-



Oh- and one other tiny detail. You'd better make sure you are going fast. Because if you don't make it all the way across, well, you are outta luck. And they have to manually drag your big ol' humiliated butt all the way in. Which is not easy and NOT good.

In case there was any doubt in my jumping off and zipping, not to worry. The only thing scarier to me than jumping off a 26 foot high platform is getting stuck in the middle of a 1200 foot zipline hanging 50 or so feet in the air over some ravine.



I balled up into a canon ball and shot right past Pods!

I even managed to take his picture as I was about to sail past him-



My favorite group of total strangers cheered like crazy when I beat him- especially Kay. I really miss her!

The boys were the last right after us- here they come!





They were very impressed I had beaten their Dad. Good thing I had all those total strangers to vouch for me, because they never would have believed just me.



A short walk back to the truck, and it was time to say good bye. I overheard Kay telling Chet when we were leaving that she was really going to miss all of us- that we were the best group ever. Awwww..... I really miss her, too...

Fwiw, I thought this was an EXCELLENT way to spend 4 hours- it was REALLY cool, very thrilling. T&T thought so too. Pods, on the other hand, thought it was kind of tame.

I guess it takes a LOT to get a CPA's heart pumping. I've decided to arrange his next excursion soon- we're going to throw him out of an airplane with a paper napkin for a parachute. Woohoo!!! Maybe that'll get him THRILLED, lol!

Up next- well, they have beaches in Kauai, don't they?? Let's do something new- let's RELAX.......

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by rndmr2

Glad you enjoyed your dinner at the Kauai Grill, it's really pretty there and you had a great view from your table. That dessert you ordered did look a little crazy, what was all that?

Beautiful view from your room, must have been awesome to have breakfast out on the balcony.

The dessert had a thai basil sauce on it. It tasted extremely herbacious- I LOVE to try everything, but I was not willing to try more than once with that one.

It WAS awesome to have ANYTHING on the balcony- I did love being there sooooo much. So incredible.

Originally Posted by G'sMaman

Good memory! I always meant to go see the movie, but it seemed like it came and went pretty quickly. I'll have to see if it's still available on DVD. It's always funny to see what ends up in the movies. They can spend weeks shooting at a particular location and it ends up only being 5 minutes of the finished movie.

I think I watched it on DVD- I didn't see it in the theatre. Now, of course, I need to watch it again so I can say- I was on that beach! I was at that hotel!

Great idea! I have already added The Descendants to my list based on your TR. Your pictures are amazing and are the perfect reminder of why we love going to Kauai. We live in San Francisco so flights to Hawaii are not too bad, but we skipped Kauai this year and went to Aulani instead and loved it, especially with a toddler in tow. I told my husband if we bought some Aulani points then I would forego our trips to the Princeville Resort . . . at least for now. Oh, the bargains we have to strike to get our DVC fix.

That's a really good movie- the book was excellent, too. You live in SF? I just booked our flight there for next year- August 6th. Can't wait! I think we're going to stay at the Suites at Fisherman's Wharf- all based on the fact that we'll have 2 rooms instead of being crammed into one for 4 nights. So far I am planning to ride bikes over the GG Bridge to Sausalito and take the ferry back, hopefully catch a Giants game, hike in Muir woods (I adored Muir woods when I visited the last time), visit the Disney museum, go to Alcatraz.....then we're headed to Yosemite with an overnight on the way at the Charlotte Hotel (after we raft with Sunshine Rafting) and then 2 nights at the Ahwahnee.....then a night somewhere on the way to DL and hopefully 5 nights at GCV. ANY advice or recommendations you have on your lovely city- well, I'm all ears!

Oh! And good luck on convincing your DH! Sounds great to me!!!

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by ACDSNY

Love the pics!

You're a braver woman than I was. Six of us did the Hike, Zip and Kayak tour in 2008 at the Princeville Ranch, I took pics instead of doing the ziplines. We all loved the tour and guides. We had a couple from NYC in our group so the guides kept telling them to watch out for wild pigs and kept making pig noises. We raised pigs so we knew the noises were nowhere close to the real thing, so it kept us all laughing on the hike.

How did you get across if you didn't zip? They have 9 lines now- maybe it was different then? That's VERY funny about the pigs- it must be a pre-requisite to have a great sense of humor to be employed there. That kayak trip looks great. Maybe I'll do that next time-

Originally Posted by KristiMc

That looks like so much fun. That is on my list for when I get to Hawaii - someday

It was a blast- extremely empowering!

[ACDSNY]

Originally Posted by podsnel

How did you get across if you didn't zip? They have 9 lines now- maybe it was different then? That's VERY funny about the pigs- it must be a pre-requisite to have a great sense of humor to be employed there. That kayak trip looks great. Maybe I'll do that next time-

There were two lines side by side so they zipped across, then crossed a ladder bridge to the second line and zipped back to where I was waiting. Then we hiked a little further to the kayak place. The water fall and swimming hole we went to looked very different too.

From Oct 2008







I found this youtube of the tour we did.

[MEK]

Originally Posted by podsnel

We had a really, really great bunch of people with us that day- I LOVED those total strangers! I KNOW! You're SHOCKED!!!

Yes, for you, this REALLY is shocking.

Originally Posted by podsnel

It was a great way to cool off. Then it was time to get out and eat. DUH!! I didn't have to jump! I could have just gone in the way we got out! I am just so stupid sometimes it's a wonder I remember to breathe!

Now that's funny! And you even admitted it! I'm l;aughing because I would probably do the same thing.

Originally Posted by podsnel

Lunch was make your own sandwiches and cookies. It tasted great. See the little cat in the pic?



He lives there. Someone tried to find him a home, and moved him about 5 miles away. He ended up coming back. That cat REALLY wants to be there!

That's a cool story about the cat. He probably gets a lot of attention. Why relocate?

Originally Posted by podsnel

No lie- my knees were knockin together! It was really high up there!! Remember I said King Kong was different than the other zips? Well, that's because there is no ramp, and you just jump off. Seriously. I had heart palpitations over 8 feet, and now THIS??? OMG- not only that, but you also have to grab the brake yourself- on all the other zips, the guides stop you. So even the nice woman who was terrified was going to have to open her eyes on this one.

I was shaking so much when T&T came up the ramp I am AMAZED this pic isn't blurry-



Oh- and one other tiny detail. You'd better make sure you are going fast. Because if you don't make it all the way across, well, you are outta luck. And they have to manually drag your big ol' humiliated butt all the way in. Which is not easy and NOT good.

In case there was any doubt in my jumping off and zipping, not to worry. The only thing scarier to me than jumping off a 26 foot high platform is getting stuck in the middle of a 1200 foot zipline hanging 50 or so feet in the air over some ravine.

I balled up into a canon ball and shot right past Pods!

OMG - I was getting anxious just reading this. But woo hoo for you passing Pods and leaving him in the dust.

Originally Posted by podsnel

Fwiw, I thought this was an EXCELLENT way to spend 4 hours- it was REALLY cool, very thrilling. T&T thought so too. Pods, on the other hand, thought it was kind of tame.

I guess it takes a LOT to get a CPA's heart pumping. I've decided to arrange his next excursion soon- we're going to throw him out of an airplane with a paper napkin for a parachute. Woohoo!!! Maybe that'll get him THRILLED, lol!

What? He really said that? Did the boys love it? It really does sound so cool and I even saw all your pictures this morning.

[chepic]

Great photos......have to tell you I had the willies just looking at your photos. Doing a zip line is definitely on my "to do list" for some day, but man oh man that last one is a doozie!!!!


Cheryl

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by ACDSNY

There were two lines side by side so they zipped across, then crossed a ladder bridge to the second line and zipped back to where I was waiting. Then we hiked a little further to the kayak place. The water fall and swimming hole we went to looked very different too.

From Oct 2008







I found this youtube of the tour we did.

You are right! That waterfall is completely different- well, I guess it would make sense that there was more than one area. That ranch is enormous! They showed us the strawberry guava on our hike too- (I saw it on your vid). So glad we went there! And thanks for showing your pics! I LOVED seeing them!

[CRdisMom]

omg my knees wwould have been knocking so loudly! COngrats that looks like a ton of fun

[dvc4life]

Wow! What an excursion. Looks like lots of fun but my heart would be pouding like crazy too! Great job beating Pods. And your photos are awesome.

[podsnel]

So back to Hanalei Bay Resort, and after we grabbed the two beach chairs that were left for us by Janice the owner, we walked down to the beach. Here is a map of the resort-



We were actually in the building right next to the path, so that was nice. It was about a 5 minute or so walk down the hill, again, really gorgeous every minute you are on Kauai-









At the bottom of the walkway, there was a volleyball net on the left, the St Regis Princeville was on the right-



Both HBR and the St Regis share a beach- the difference being if you are a guest of the SR you can sit in a lounge chair and HBR guests need to bring their own. Well, that and that my room was $160 a night, and theirs was $600 or so- so, I am really good with carryin a chair! Lol!







It was so nice to sit down and relax.........





I could stare at Makana Ridge all day (Bali Hai)-that is the point kind of hiding on the right in the above photo.







It began to rain, and stop, and rain a little more, and stop- and after a bit, we decided to go check out the pool for a while. We had thought we would just walk back up, but we decided to just hop on the tram instead- it was a steep climg back up to the resort, and after 2 solid days of activity, we deserved a break!

Cont'd next post....

[podsnel]

The pool at HBR is very, very pretty- waterfalls, hot tubs- very nice. The only downside I can see is that there is no bar, no restaurant. This is due to a fire which occured a couple of years ago, and there is some kind of issue with the rebuilding. I had read that they had a grill set up for hot dogs and burgers, but we never saw this when we were there- although that may have been because we were not there at the right time.









The resort did have activities if you were interested. We just already had so much going on in our limited Kauai time that we did not partake. But here is what was offered, in case you are interested-





There was an area renting out snorkel gear, sand chairs, etc and handing out towels-



They also offered in room massages for $95/hour, $115/1.5 hours. We would be having massages at Aulani, so we didn't partake.

I tried to take a toe pic for all my piggies' fans-





Pods went up to the room and filled some empty water bottles with wine so we could have cocktails by the pool even if there was no bar. Yea, that's right- my idea. I'm always thinkin! After the boys threw the waboba around for a while, Timmy decided he wanted to play tennis (he only plays tennis on vacation- I have yet to see him pick up a racket and go over to the local part to hit the ball around. But at any resort, if there's a tennis court, it becomes a MUST do for him!). Lucky Pods, he was elected to be the other player, so I could continue my focus on relaxing.





The rain came again, and we decided to head back and shower up for dinner. We passed some Nene (Hawaiian Geese) on the way-





They are only found on Hawaii, and are the state bird.

Up next- Tahiti Nui for dinner BABY!

[dizneeat]

What an awesome pool! Just sad that there was no bar.

Thanks for posting all those pics - I REALLY enjoy this trip to Hawaii with you!

[MEK]

Wow - that resort is gorgeous. It's different. It feel very natural in the landscaping and the structure of the pool and waterfalls. Nice.

Oh - and love the blue toe nails!

Bummer to no bar, but I knew you would think of something.