Gidget Goes Hawaiian- Kauai & Aulani 8/2012 TR- 5/24 COMPLETE!!

[podsnel]

Well, there's only one place I would go for our last Kauai sunset- DUH!

I know, I know- there are other places to see a magnificent sunset from on the North Shore of Kauai, and I hope to one day see what it's like, but, on this trip, well- I just couldn't get past that pier. Hanalei Bay is IT for me. My family doesn't exactly hate it there either-

Aaahhhhhh....back in Princeville, we stopped for ice cream at Lappert's again before heading back to....pack up. We made some friends on the way back- a family who were owners at HBR, visiting with their family. Lucky lucky Californians, once again.

Oh- we also met this little guy-

Another great day on Kauai. Tomorrow- well, we have a late flight, a late check-out (THANK-YOU JANICE!!) and a few more Kauai adventures before it's time for- AULANI!!!!!!!!

 

[dizneeat]

Great update, great sunset, great EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing the pics, Ellen!

 

[podsnel]

I am so enjoying your report. We just came back from the Big Island and Kauai (we stayed at the St Regis and had a similar amazing view) My husband caught a bad chest cold and all of the hiking we had planned (Pihea and Kalalau) we had to cancel. We did about 10 minutes of the Pihea Trail so I was stoked to see your pics. We also did zip and dip and while we had other guides they were a blast!

We absolutely adored Hanalie and are researching house/condo rentals for a late spring visit!

Looking forward to more as we are headed to Oahu in December. My husband won a 4 night trip to Waikiki and we are adding on 6 nights at Aulani on our points!

I am sooooo envious you will be going back to Kauai so soon- and going to Aulani in a couple of months, too! WOW! The St Regis was a gorgeous hotel- I would love to stay there. How awful to catch a cold while there this last time for your hubby, tho- I hope he feels GREAT on all your next visits- and DEFINITELY go on the hikes- they were incredible. We did the first 1/2 mile of Kalalau on our last day, so you can see that, too- I wish we had more time on Kauai- I would have loved to gone further on that trail!

Wow! I am speechless! Those are wonderful photos. Lucky girl!

Thanks for sharing, Ellen!

Thanks, Karin- it was absolutely unbelievable.

Gorgeous pix !!! The water is soooo vibrant and the caves are awesome !!!

It was more incredible than any of my pics, that's for sure....

Fantastic pics and video Ellen! I really appreciate how much effort you have made in taking all these pictures. I sometimes get so busy taking pictures that I miss things! Have you ever taken a certain pic and said to yourself, that one will definately be posted on the DISboards? I'm guilty of that! Really loving this TR. Can't wait for more.

Thanks Bill- and yes, definitely I have taken TONS of pics thinking they would go in a TR- especially when it's food porn!

My thoughts exactly!! Amazing photos! Really looks like a trip of a lifetime!!

Oh, it was, it was- wish I could do it all over again- best family trip ever.

Wow..Wow....WOW!

I looked at your pictures this morning and they are stunning. What paradise. I especially love the pictures of the four of you posing while in the boat under the rocks (I think that's what you were doing - heck I looke at them like 3 hours ago )

I agree, this really was a vacation of a lifetime! I want to go back and see them in more detail tonight. Gorgeous.

Thanks, MaryEllen. We were in a sea cave when we were under the rocks- it was really cool.

 

[jenseib]

Another gorgeous sunset!!!!

 

[kid-at-heart]

So beautiful. What great memories you guys are making for your sons!

 

[dvc4life]

Boy, have you ever thought of becoming a travel agent? You always have the best places ever to visit and things to see and things to do and places to eat. . . . . . . . . It's just amazing! Love reading all about your trips. And dreaming one day we could do half of those things.

 

[Misskitty3]

That food looks amazing! But...that Guava Dacquiri has my mouth watering......YUM!!! So glad you had two!!!

And I had one of my FAVORITE drinks of the the trip- a Guava Dacquiri-

 

[podsnel]

The photos are just gorgeous, Ellen.

A the family pic of all of you in the cave is a fantastic shot.

Thanks! I like it, too- so nice to see my boys all genuinely happily ecstatic, which they really were.

I'm in awe at the beauty of it all!

Me too!!

Wow it's great to see the Na Pali tour coming from the Hanalei side although I might be a little chicken to be on that small of a boat. We've taken the Capt. Andy's dinner tour from the Port Allen side which takes longer to get to the Na Pali area. No matter how you get there it's just beautiful!

The tours only run out of Hanalei in the summer- it's too rough during the winter months- I'm actually not sure how long they go into the fall. How long was your dinner tour?

OMG I see why you couldnt deceide between pics, they all are gorgous. The water, the land, the sky omg breath taking!

just one questions.. whos the Floozy near Pods? lol

OMG!! That was HYSTERICAL! The Floozy lives in LA and wants to be an actress- her whole family (and boyfriend) were on board with us. Floozy.....

Your pictures are so gorgeous and the excursions you take are so amazing!

Awww...thanks! All the excursions were great- hard to pick a favorite, and that's how my kids feel, too! Can't do better than that, I suppose.

 

[anewmac]

This is where my family is like yours I wouldnt be able to drag them out of the ocean either. that Drink x2 looks delish!

and great another Floozy in La that wants to be an actress.. that doesnt get old LMAO

 

[podsnel]

Wow! this is just gorgeous. I love your guide too. He reminds me of the guy who took us snokeling too in Grand Cayman.

I bet you never wanted to leave there.

You are correct- I never wanted to leave there. And since I have been home, I have thought about how incredible it was every day at least once- usually more. Kauai shook me to my core- it touched my soul.

Hi Ellen! I'm finally all caught up!

Hey stranger! Hey- where can I find out about the eye cream, etc? Please send me some info-

Like Mary Ellen said - WOW! Your pics are amazing.

-Crazy Zip Lining - you are so brave! I love how you made yourself jump in the tubing water only to find you could have walked in! I would so have done the same thing!

Well then- you must be blonde, too!

- Your #8 story is so fun! Making family memories that you can laugh at for years is what it's all about!

Tyler just brought up #8 again today! He did something stupid- and when I asked him why he did that, he said, "#8!" We were both laughing so hard....

- Loved your pics at Kilauea, and the Na Pali trip looks amazing. Sorry about Tim's mask. How disappointing for him.

Ah- he lived. It was fine.

Kuai is such a paradise! I see why everyone says it is the best Island! Looking forward to your jump!

Well, I think it's the best island- but I see lots of votes for Maui and the Big Island out there, too. Hawaii has something for everyone, I think. It amazes me, though, how many people on the east coast say they have no desire to go because they can go to the Caribbean- and it's a totally different thing! Really I think the long flight is the problem- but I am willing to do it again anytime- I would go right now, if I could!

As you know, my opportunities for being online are a little limited right now, but we are enjoying the sunshine and all the sports here - once we have our own place, it will all be good!

I am glad to hear you are enjoying your new life. How much longer until you move?

Great update, great sunset, great EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing the pics, Ellen!

YOU are very welcome, Karin. I have been enjoying yours, as well!

Another gorgeous sunset!!!!

It sure was! The best one we saw there.

So beautiful. What great memories you guys are making for your sons!

Thanks, Kate- that's what I think about now- how we all had such a wonderful time TOGETHER, sharing all this beauty and all these new experiences.

Boy, have you ever thought of becoming a travel agent? You always have the best places ever to visit and things to see and things to do and places to eat. . . . . . . . . It's just amazing! Love reading all about your trips. And dreaming one day we could do half of those things.

Actually....I have! My friend who IS a TA- she is my TA, Marilyn, tells me I should all the time- she says she can show me what to do whenever I'm ready. Just not ready yet, mostly due to my sometimes overwhelming volunteer career. I'm done being President after this year- so maybe I'll learn next year. Thanks for the generous compliments. It's really that, when I go somewhere, I like to feel like I have BEEN there and really done the BEST things for us. The exception to this is the AI we are going back to in Mexico this January. There, we do NOTHING. I was hoping friends would be along this year, that was why we rebooked. But now we are going alone. Personally, I'd rather do something else, but, we are committed- it's beautiful and lovely- just, I get bored 10 minutes in on the lounge chair. I'll have to go looking for some activity this time!

That food looks amazing! But...that Guava Dacquiri has my mouth watering......YUM!!! So glad you had two!!!

Oh- that drink was sooooooooooooo yummy. It was VERY refreshing, and we were all sticky and salty- it was the PERFECT drink. Like a fruity, alcohol laced slurpee. YUMMMM....

 

[podsnel]

This is where my family is like yours I wouldnt be able to drag them out of the ocean either. that Drink x2 looks delish!

and great another Floozy in La that wants to be an actress.. that doesnt get old LMAO

She was a very sweet floozy! And that drink x2 was DA BOMB diggity!

Hey- do you have any idea when you're arriving and departing in May? It;s time for me to contact the concierge and make ADRs....and I'm wondering about you- also need to book a flight, and trying to figure out what time we're all leaving.....

 

[ACDSNY]

The tours only run out of Hanalei in the summer- it's too rough during the winter months- I'm actually not sure how long they go into the fall. How long was your dinner tour?

We've only been to Kauai in January, February and October so we've always taken the dinner cruise out of Port Allen. I think check in was around 2PM and they have you back right at dark. They typically stay out on the water until sunset and then motor back into port.

Love your sunset pics!

 

[franandaj]

She was a very sweet floozy!

Living in LA, I didn't even bat an eye at the floozy, we see them all the time! I notice when I see people with bad teeth or not plastic surgery fixed faces!

Is that sad?

 

[podsnel]

We've only been to Kauai in January, February and October so we've always taken the dinner cruise out of Port Allen. I think check in was around 2PM and they have you back right at dark. They typically stay out on the water until sunset and then motor back into port.

Love your sunset pics!

That sounds very nice- lots of time on the boat! Did you see tons of whales?

Living in LA, I didn't even bat an eye at the floozy, we see them all the time! I notice when I see people with bad teeth or not plastic surgery fixed faces!

Is that sad?

No not sad- that's LA!

 

[podsnel]

We woke up to this-

on our last morning in paradise. I had to sit out there, again, just to take it all in one last time.

I took an iphone pic to post on FB, and when I was done checking in, I looked up and gasped- literally- when I saw this-

Yea, that's right- one last gorgeous rainbow over Hanalei Bay ALL for my enjoyment. Thanks, God! I decided to try out a new lens attachment-

When I gasped, and I think I may have actually thanked God out loud, our neighbor on the next balcony started talking to me- he was a dad in the GORGEOUS condo attached to our little studio- the one I would have gotten if we had been staying longer than 3 nights with our kids. I had a little condo envy for him, that"s for sure! We had a nice conversation about stuff to do on Kauai- I don't know what he had been doing with his family all week, mostly sitting on the beach I believe, but he still had 4 more days there and he was very interested in all we had been doing. So I gave him all our info. The next thing I heard was him on his phone, trying to book stuff.

Geez- who knew I was so inspirational!

Down below, this guy was in full on **** a doodle do mode-

So my family was all up and admiring the rainbow, too. Which was good, because that meant we could get our act together and head out for some fun stuff!!

I just LOVED the time difference. It made all of us, even my 15 year old who could sleep all day, get up and get going! We didn't miss a thing!

On the way into Hanalei, I took some photos at an overlook. Although, I wish I would have taken a few more without the attachment. Oh well. Next time...

Today we were going to do some hiking, check out some dry caves, visit the last beach, Ke'e Beach, snorkel at Tunnels....then come back, finish packing up (we had 5pm check out because our owner, Janice, was AWESOME!!!!) head east to see a famous twin waterfall, have dinner at Duke's, and fly to Oahu.

A very relaxing day.

We were having breakfast at Hanalei Coffee Roasters, where I had gone the day before. There was a waffle that was begging us to eat it there.

On Monday, when I had come here by myself, the line was HUGE...on Tuesday- it was nonexistant. Of course, I got another Coco Mocha, because ....well, why wouldn't I? Where else am I having that?

I know on another trip report, I said the best part of wakin up is bacon in your cup, but, truly, the best part of wakin up is a Coco Mocha in your cup! YUMMMMMMM......

You place your order inside, and grab a table out on the wrap around porch where they will bring you your food. Small tables for 2, so we sat back to back with the boys.

The tables themselves were very cool-

But the waffles they put on that table were even cooler!

YUMMMMMM.....it was so, so good! I squirted coconut syrup all over mine. It was CRAZY delicious... Tyler must have been hungry- I didn't come close to finishing.

Timmy had some plain pancakes- which he said were just ok-

Cont'd next post-

 

[podsnel]

A few shots across the street of Hanalei town-

It was time- to head to the end of the road on Kauai's North Shore-

Which is a very pretty drive over one lane bridges, through trees, next to the ocean....

And taro fields-

We parked along the side of the road to go check out a dry cave-

Time to upload more pics! Be back later!

 

[KristiMc]

What a view to wake up to!

 

[kid-at-heart]

Now I am craving waffles. I fully understand the gentleman using you as a travel agent, I am beginning to think we fans should send our future vacation plans to you and let you fine-tune them with all the cool places you find. How much of a bribe will you need? or

 

[ACDSNY]

That sounds very nice- lots of time on the boat! Did you see tons of whales?

Nothing in Oct, but we did in January and February.

 

[podsnel]

What a view to wake up to!

Yea- it did not suck!

Now I am craving waffles. I fully understand the gentleman using you as a travel agent, I am beginning to think we fans should send our future vacation plans to you and let you fine-tune them with all the cool places you find. How much of a bribe will you need? or

No bribes- just let me come on your vacations with you!

Nothing in Oct, but we did in January and February.

One day....one day...we were talking about the whales on the boat, and the family from CA (with the floozy from LA) recommended whale watching next year in CA- out of Monterey- but I don't think we're going that way on that trip. So those whales will just have to wait for Pods' retirement!