Welcome to Kauai!

Wasn't I just here? It sure feels like I just left! But the growth of the koa trees and refuse from the winter winds displays that it's been a while. 

Fortunately we arrived the day before a meeting day so dad told us that we would not be working on our first full day here. He gave us strict orders to GO PLAY!!!
So play we did. 


Before we knew that we'd be having a fun day, though, we decided to try to walk to the beach down below us via "the trail". So we headed out on foot down the road, cameras in hand, ready for an adventure. One of the first thing to greet us was one of the local dogs chasing a chicken that was keeping itself just barely out of reach - until it got to a fence. Then it was trapped and the dog won. Rick was wondering if maybe the dog's owners give it orders to fetch a chicken at least once a week for their dinner! The dog ran it home while it was loudly begging to be let free! 

 We made it out to dad's cousin, Winnie's, house to inquire where this trail is that I've been hearing about for years. Well, it isn't. Due to neglect it has become overgrown and now has goats residing on parts of it. So we came back to the house and let dad know that the trail is no more. 

Then we found out that we would not be working all day so we decided to go on an adventure. In all our exploration on Rick's last visit (that was pretty substantial) we didn't get to a pretty little beach on this side of the island, Anini beach. The name is actually an accident. It used to be Wanini beach but hurricane Iniki removed the "W" from a sign and the new name stuck - Anini. It's a beach that's slightly inset (I guess not enough to be officially called a "bay") that's protected by a long coral reef, very calm water and not a lot of sand. I drove to the end of the road and we parked and got out to walk out into the water like we saw others doing. There was a small river flowing into the water right there and a curved sandbar was formed around the delta. So we could walk out and around to get to another section of beach that led to a point before heading on around to the north and west. Once we got to the other section of beach we still walked in the water most of the time because there were large overhanging trees that had limbs low enough that Rick had to duck beneath them. Then the weather is typical Hawaii spring weather, sun - showers - downpours - sun, etc. We would wait out the heavier rain showers under the large-leafed overhanging trees. We took our time meandering the beach and when we decided to go back to the car it decided to shower a bit longer than it had been doing. And we couldn't take a shortcut, we HAD to walk back on the sandbar (we hadn't noticed this on the way out). 

Next we headed over to Hanalei to get something for lunch and found the Subway shop inside the Big Save grocery store had been replaced by an over-priced sandwich shop so we looked around more for something more to our liking. We ended up getting sandwiches and fries at L L. I got a teri steak sandwich which I was very happy with, not something you'd find on the mainland too often. Teriyaki steak is gristly but I'm used to that. It had some kind of sauce, mayo or ranch on it and it hit the spot. Rick got a regular cheeseburger. 

We took our food to Hanalei beach and ate it in the car since it was raining. When we first got there it was so heavy with rain that we could barely make out the hills on the opposite side of the bay.
I had turned on the headlights because of the rain and, as usual, forgot to turn them off when I parked (I drove because I know my way around, Rick will drive when we get our rental car). So when we were done eating and decided to just head over to Walmart because it was still raining, guess what? The car wouldn't start! Rick ended up wandering around, trying to find someone to give us a jump. I just sat in the car and eventually waited long enough that it had built up enough juice to get start again. I drove around a bit to see if I could find Rick and after being unsuccessful headed back to the beach park to pick him up there, knowing he'd head back there. 


It had actually stopped raining again and was looking beautiful so we decided to explore a little more. With all this rain the waterfalls on the sides of the mountains are flowing so I wanted to get closer to see if I could shoot some of them. I turned up a road on the mauka (mountain) side of the highway and followed it to its end. It wasn't a long road and there was a Japanese (I think) cemetery at its end. We got some shots of the crusty, moss-covered, lava rock tombstones and decided to head back towards home, then on to Walmart, then to Ahukini Pier for some more photo action. 

We got to the aforementioned pier and walked around to the picnic table on the land overlooking the pier instead of immediately heading to the pier itself. There was a flock of chickens hovering, waiting for a handout. We cracked open our beers and started snacking on some nuts. One rooster was particularly curious and too brave for his own good, he'll end up in someone's cook pot one day. But we enjoyed his friendliness. We shared some of our nuts with him and he rewarded us by allowing some very up close and personal photography. At one point we looked down the road toward the parking lot and there was a chicken family trotting toward us "They have FOOD!!" they were saying... 

That was most of the day. We managed to squeeze in a meeting and then crashed around 10. Tomorrow no more playing - WE WORK!

1 cats hacked up hairballs:

Shirley May 5, 2012 at 10:04 AM  

That sounds like quite the adventure already... lol

About Me

My photo
After 2 unsuccessful marriages I spent 12 years as a divorcee, only to fall prey to another man's wiles. We had a fun 5 years together and then he decided he wanted more freedom so once again I'm single.

So I'm freshly divorced at 57 and have 5 great kids and now 7 grandkids. My kids are still a major part of my life but I'm busy helping my aging parents on Kauai.

I've lived in California, Hawaii and Oklahoma before finally settling here in Washington. I love Washington and come back to visit family, friends and take care of my garden often but will be temporarily a resident of Kauai.

I've moved 30 times in my life (no, my parents weren't in the service, at least not since I was about 2) and finally planted roots when I got my little house that I've owned since '91.

My family are Jehovah's Witnesses, I've been one since '72.