Review of Hawaii Dec 10, 2011 POA

[Just4You]

Here’s a pic of the Maui harbor in Kahului where the ship docks. It’s an industrial area, so you need to take a shuttle, tour, or rent a car to get around (I’m showing off one of my hand-painted silk jackets I bought in Oahu at a vender near the ship at Aloha Tower. I paid ~$25 for it 10 years ago, it folds up to the size of a handkerchief, and I wear it to Hawaii every year. I fold it & place it in a gallon size ziplock bag with all the air taken out and it never wrinkles. The artist/vendor also makes the matching jewelry for about $15 for necklace & earrings. She is still there but the prices are a little higher. I also have a blue hand-painted silk shirt that I wore to the meet & greet.)

Here’s a pic of inside the warehouse next to the ship where you can find polished opihi shells for about $5-$10. At the farthest end of the picture is where security is located to get back on board ship.

 

[Just4You]

Kahalui is close to the Road to Hana, which is a beautiful hairpin-turn road to the east of Maui with lots of gorgeous beaches of many different colors and flowing waterfalls. It almost always rains at some point on this side of the island. You can make a complete loop around the body of the island back to the dock now that the road is complete, or can drive to Ohe’o Gulch (aka Seven Sacred Pools) then backtrack back to Kahalui port. I personally enjoyed the Road to Hana tour in a small luxury van with only 8 passengers (you can also go by jeep, but it usually rains at some point on this road so you were warned). There is Hana Trek which is a helicopter ride from Kahalui airport to Hana airport, then small luxury van along Road to Hana back to the ship. It includes a gourmet lunch. It’s a great way to see the Road to Hana in less time without having to backtrack. In my opinion the most beautiful area is Wai’anapanapa State Park, but really all the beaches are beautiful.

One of my favorite helicopter tours in Maui is with Blue Hawaiian, the West Maui-Molokai tour. Usually you can see whales in the channel between Dec-Apr. (There was a recent accident a few weeks ago when the helicopter crashed into Molokai. It was a freak accident but they do occur.) Molokai is the island where Father Damien lived with the people who were banned there with leprosy (Hanson disease), which is now controlled with medicine so no longer contageous.

Right below the ear of the man of Maui (it’s shaped like a man, in case you didn’t notice), there is Iao Needle and Iao Valley. From the sky it is actually a mountain ridge, but looks like a needle from below. There is a tour called Best of Maui that includes Maui Tropical Plantation with40-min tram ride through macadamia nut orchid, sugar cane fields and flower gardens and a delicious lunch, a trip to Iao Valley and Maui Ocean Center. This is a nice tour to see the inner island and lasts about 6 hours.

On the west side of the island is the town of Lahaina, with lots of little shops and the Banyon tree. You can take a tour that includes the ferry over to the island of Lana’i, called Lana’i 4x4 Trekker. It is a luxury tour of Lana’i in a 4x4 van with sit down lunch at Coffee Works cafe. Whales can be spotted from the ferryboat from Lahaina to Lana’i during whale season, and spinner dolphin are usually seen jumping out of the water and spinning right off shore at Huopoe Beach. On Lana’i is the Garden of Gods where locals stack up rocks. It can get windy and cold here. NCL used to offer this tour when they had the 10-day cruise and anchored off Lahaina. Now you have to book on your own.

In Lahaina there is also the Submarine tour, whale watching tours, and closer to Ma’alaea Bay is Maui Ocean Center. There are several great snorkel trips to Molokini Crater that includes another snorkel site where turtles are usually spotted at Turtle Arches. Some like to rent a car and snorkel gear and drive to a beach. There is the Rainforest & Waterfall Hike, surfing lesson tour, and windsurfing lessons. At night there is a wonderful show called Ulalena at the Maui Theatre.

The Haleakala Ranch offers a Zipline adventure and horseback riding but I have never been there. There are more helicopter rides over the island.

There are at least four golf courses on Maui: Kahili, The Dunes at Maui Lani, Makena, and Wailea.

You really need several days to experience everything that Maui has to offer, so with only two days, carefully pick what you want to do. We have never been disappointed with any of the excursions, and I think we have done just about all of them.

[Just4You]

HILO, HAWAII (BIG ISLAND):

The town of Hilo where the ship docks is another industrial area, so best to take a shuttle, tour or rent a car.

This trip I did the Rainforest Zip line & Waterfall at World Botanical Gardens by Zip Isle (near Kolekole State Park), but I booked through NCL since it included transfer via Nui Pohaku bus company. We had a group of 12. Our zip guides were Preston & Rex who did a great job explaining the flora & making us feel welcome and safe. The zip lines are within the botanical gardens so you can enjoy the beautiful trees, flowers and fruit along the path to get to the seven different zip lines. Before and after the zip you can sample apple bananas, star fruit, guava, and mango. They also provide bottled water and have a locker to store your stuff.

TIP: wear a fanny pack or keep camera on a lanyard. There was a passenger by herself so I put her iPhone inside my shirt, zipped ahead of her, & took a pic of her zipping using her iPhone. I also took a video of her at another of the seven zip lines using her iPhone.

The grounds are well maintained and easy to navigate. I have done two other zip lines on Kauai, and each is different as well as beautiful and fun. Here is a pic of our group wearing harness and helmet (I’m squatting in the center with black shirt):

[Just4You]

Here’s a pic I took of myself while zipping high above the trees (the look on my face looks like one of fear as I held on with one hand while holding camera in other hand, but it’s actually a lot of fun):

Here’s the stream below at the next zip line. Notice how high up I am above the trees:

 

The scariest part was the suspension bridge, but there are cables to hold. Here’s a pic I took of people on the bridge:

Here’s a view of the World Botanical Gardens as it overlooks the ocean:

[gelo7]

Great review.

[Just4You]

The next tour I did was Hilo Coast & Botanical Gardens that met at the pier around 2 pm. On route to the gardens we were given a brief overview of the town of Hilo, then dropped off at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, also called A Garden in a Valley on the Ocean with about 12 other passengers. It is a preservation of Onomea Valley and provides a variety of Hawaiian flowers, plants and trees that are labeled with signs and grow alongside each other. It was a dense jungle and refuge dump in the past and was cleaned up, cultivated, and its natural beauty is maintained by offering tours and collecting donations.

Here’s a pic of one of the many ginger plant flowers that are there:

Here is another beautiful flower (it was the size of my head):

[Just4You]

In the center of the trail is Founders Birdhouse where there are several large macaw parrots. There was a worker feeding them and they spoke several words. A couple of scarlet macaws flew back & forth the aviary after eating, they appeared to be having a race with each other. There was also a blue & gold macaw.

Along the trail are two different falls, Onomea Falls and Boulder Creek Falls which are beautiful. At the end of one of the trails is Onomea Bay where the waves crash along the shore. The tranquility of the garden combined with the roar of the ocean gave me goose bumps. Here’s a pic:

[Just4You]

Twin Rocks stand guard at Onomea Bay. The story of how it formed is as follows:

The village of Kahali’i was located on this large point of land which extends into Onomea Bay. Though the village is gone, the descendents of Kahali’i residents still remember some of the legends concerning the area’s landmarks. One story tells of the origin of two rock formations at the head of Onomea Bay that are said to be a young man and woman, known as the lovers of Kahali’i.

Legend has it that one day, a chief of the village spotted many canoes with sails heading shoreward in their direction. Fearing an attack, the chiefs and village elders held a council to determine a course of action. They decided to build a reef to prevent a landing on their beaches. Not having the means to complete the task quickly enough, they asked for two young lovers be the guides and protectors of the village by giving their lives. Two willing individuals were found.

That night a decree was sent to all who lived at Kahali’i to remain indoors from sunset to sunrise without making any light or sound, on penalty of death. In the light of the new day, everyone went down to the shoreline where they were amazed to find the lovers gone, and in their place two gigantic rock formations at the entrance of the bay, attached to each other, as if on guard.

The chief informed the people that no canoe could pass the treacherous currents swirling around the rocks unless allowed to do so by the guardians. The lovers and their offspring still stand today, sentinels at the head of the bay.

Here’s a pic of Twin Rocks:

[Just4You]

The weather in Hawaii was unseasonably wet this time (and Hilo is east or windward so naturally wetter). By the time I got to the end of the trail the sky opened up and it started raining. Our tour was cut short by about 30 min as our driver feared flash floods would close the road. Luckily I saw the entire garden before we were evacuated.

The most difficult part of this tour is the board walk that is a steep decline down to get to the gardens and back up to leave. Here is where I twisted my knee and was limping the rest of the time in Hawaii. There is a golf cart available to take you down and back up the hill. I had my umbrella but still got drenched. Most of us were laughing like school kids as we ran back up the boardwalk. We were out of breath from the run up the hill, but mostly my breath was taken from me as I experienced the beauty of the garden (i.e., it was breath taking). This tour is not to be missed, rain and all.

[Just4You]

My DH always does different excursions on the Big Island of Hawaii. He tracks the activity of Kilauea volcano and Pu’u ‘O’o and vents almost every day during the year on his computer and looks forward to seeing the lava by land and sky when we come to Hawaii. He did the tour to Volcanoes National Park in the morning and was scheduled for Circle of Fire helicopter in the afternoon but it was cancelled due to weather.

He was also scheduled for a Deep Sea Fishing trip out of Kona (the next day) but it was cancelled due to the boat captain was ill (we learned this on the first day of our cruise). Since he missed the lava by helicopter in Hilo, he tried booking Big Island Spectacular for the next day, which flies out of Kona to Hilo airport, refuels, then flies over the lava and later the rainforest to see the mountains and waterfalls before landing at Kona airport (we’ve both done this tour, there is a lot of flying over black cold lava rock and it looks like a moonscape). The tour, however, was full. He learned the following day that the fly over the lava was cancelled again due to weather, so good thing he didn’t book this and be disappointed a second day in a row.

LAVA VIEWING:

After the earthquake that caused the tsunami in Japan earlier this year, the lava stopped flowing into the ocean. On the Friday before our cruise it started flowing back into the ocean. When we left Hilo, we saw a spectacular display from the ship around 10pm which was more magnificent than we ever saw in the past (view it on starboard side, or right side of ship). We purchased three pics that were taken by the ship photographer ($9.95 for all 3) since our Nikon camera pics turned out fuzzy.

TIP: One passenger with a Panasonic ZS10 took pics just as good as the ship.

[Just4You]

Other things to do in Hilo:

One of my favorite tours in the past was Secrets of Puna. The groups are only about 6-8 passengers per luxury van. Here you will meet locals from the Puna Region. There is a delicious BBQ lunch with champagne at Puna Girl Farms where you can pick and eat an apple banana and crack and eat macadamia nuts. You will visit the Peridot beach where this Hawaiian gem is said to be Pele’s tears (olivine stone). Some of the passengers took the Peridot home, but if you believe in Pele’s curse you might think twice about doing it and having to mail the gem back to Hawaii if you have bad luck. You will visit Green Mountain, a privately owned 350-acre area with one of the deepest fresh water lakes (there are only two on Hawaii). Here you can pick guava from the trees and sugarcane from the field. You will visit the Painted Church and across the street is the Noni Juice Hawaiian plant where they make a drink with presumed medicinal properties from the noni fruit. The tour ends at a hidden volcanically heated pool. Snorkel gear is provided, along with cool, damp cloths to wipe your brow or freshen up, sunscreen, snacks, drinks and towels. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes.

You can do a hike or bike tour of Kilauea, take a trip to Mauna Kea (it’s 32,000 feet, so if there is snow the trip to the summit is cancelled). You can do the Waipi’o Valley Waterfall Hike & Swim (about a 3 mile hike) tour is around 7 hours, take the Hilo Ultimate Helicopter and Waterfall Swim, visit Nani Mau Botanical Gardens & Akaka Falls, or do the Volcano & Rainbow Falls Deluxe which includes lunch. There are also kayak trips.

On the ship the evening after Hilo we saw the Magic of Murray and DH was in the show (he was the one wearing the pink slipper w/flower bouquet). It was hilarious. I didn’t take a pic since the camera was in DH’s pocket on stage.

Here’s a pic of DH with comedian Murray (DH was hamming it up a little onstage, but her REALLY does walk like this) :

[Just4You]

KONA, HAWAII (BIG ISLAND)

Kona is the only stop where you have to take the tender (one of the lifeboats) to shore. It is also one of my favorite places to walk around and shop since everything is within walking distance.

This year was the first time I visited the North Kohala countryside for the Secret Waterfalls of Kohala by Hawaii Forest & Trail. This turned out to be my FAVORITE tour and one I will never forget. The tour groups are small (there were 7 of us), we traveled by van to another location to get into a Pinzgauer vehicle that took us on an off-road adventure to the mountainside and trailhead. We were provided a backpack to hold our towel and other gear, a water bottle that we got to keep (I forgot mine in the van after the tour), and walking stick (definitely take the walking stick, it saved me from falling several times due to my sprained knee from the day before).

If you are lucky you will get Matt as tour guide. He is a beautiful man who embodies the spirit of the area. He helped to plant the taro plants in the terraced taro loi. You could sense his reverence for the land.

Here’s a pic of Matt getting our vehicle ready:

[Just4You]

Prior to entering the beautiful forest, Matt had each of us, during a moment of silence, ask it for permission to enter (like knocking on a neighbor’s door instead of entering unannounced) and what we wanted from it. I asked for permission to enter and asked to feel a connection with this beautiful land. This set the tone for an outstanding spiritual experience which I will describe later.

We grazed on strawberry and yellow guava and the larger common guava along the trail. Here’s a pic of tour guide Matt next to one of the strawberry guava trees before entering the trail (most of my other pics are too dark, as the trail is under a canopy of trees). There were so many guava trees that we were literally walking on a layer of guava along the trail:

 

We also saw banana trees loaded with bananas. Here’s a pic:

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Here is the taro garden with irrigation (this is the garden that was blessed by a local, story follows):

Matt showed us the kakui nut tree and how to open a kakui nut by hitting it gently with a stone. I took a taste, it was like a macadamia nut. It was used as a light source by stacking the nuts on a palm spear and having it burn one after another. It also has medicinal properties such as healing wounds, good for sunburn, and preventing scars. It also can be a tonic for gastrointestinal problems and eating an entire nut can be a laxative (or a mean joke on your friends).

Here’s a pic of Kingston, one of the lovely tour passengers, holding a mature kakui nut next to a green one on the tree:

 

[Just4You]

There were several beautiful waterfalls along the trail. We stopped at one and took a dip. The water was about 60-65 degrees and was refreshing. The body acclimates immediately, so it didn’t feel cold once I was daring enough to plunge myself in. Here’s a pic after I got out (you can’t tell by the picture, but I’m experiencing bliss at this point):

[Just4You]

TIP for getting into the waterfall: Bring flip flops or water shoes for your dip in the waterfall pools. You need sneakers or hiking boots for the trail, or at least closed-toe shoes. Crocks may work but could be slippery along the trail.

We had lunch at a beautiful hill overlooking the ocean. Here’s a pic of the area and our lunch which consisted of either turkey or ham wrap, Maui-style potato chips, and chocolate chip cookie, plus drinks:

[Just4You]

Okay, I promised to tell you about my spiritual experience while on this tour. Remember what I asked from the area when we first arrived? I wanted to feel a connection to this land. Well, I forgot my water shoes at the waterfall so I had to walk barefoot on the rocks. It was AGONY! Once I was in the water I remembered what I had asked for, so I asked the waterfall, water, and rocks to guide my feet to only the smooth rocks. Before I asked this I practically had to crawl over the rocks because my feet hurt so bad. I couldn’t get out of the water because my feet were too tender. After I asked this, my feet never touched a rough rock again. Maybe you’re thinking I was numb from the cold water, or that I was exhilarated by the refreshing dip. I know what I felt, and I’m telling you my feet were guided only to the smooth rocks and I felt no pain after that moment. I remember wanting to step on a particular rock but my foot would move to a different rock as if gently reminded to step elsewhere. It was weird but felt completely natural.

The second amazing experience I had was at lunch. Kingston, one of the other tour passengers, wanted to see and take a picture of the io hawk, endemic only to Hawaii. We had seen one when we first arrived to the picnic area but Kingston didn’t have his camera ready and the hawk flew far away. Matt, our tour guide, was telling us how a local woman, who was associated with a guardian of the wind, blessed the taro garden after it was planted. When she finished her blessing, Matt said that a gust of wind with clouds formed a circle in front of the people, then the middle was sucked into a vortex, either up or down (I can’t remember exactly). Someone asked Matt if everyone saw it, and he said they did. Another asked if they were shocked, and he said it felt very natural.

At that time we all started to ponder the amazing spirit that permeates everything but is more noticeable (at least to me) in Hawaii. (I’ve been told that it can be experienced any time or anywhere when we allow it). At that moment, I again remembered what I had asked of the land. Almost immediately I began to feel a connection to everything there, including the io hawk that had been in the area earlier, although we couldn’t see it at the time. I started calling it in my mind. Suddenly, there he was, flying right to us! I called out to it with my mind (while speaking to it out loud). I felt as if my hand was a fishing pole and it was attached to the line and I was drawing it in. It flew directly over us, looked down at us for several seconds (several times it cocked it’s head sideways as it looked at us), and Kinston was able to take a picture. I could almost hear it speaking to me, but I couldn’t quite make out what it was saying. It was more of a feeling of oneness and welcome. I saw that Kingston took its picture so I thanked it, and it immediately flew away. Coincidence, you might say? Did that hawk always fly over the people at the picnic area when they arrived and before they left? Perhaps. I would like to believe that something special was occurring as I definitely felt a connection. I got exactly what I asked. It is all part of the Spirit (or magic) of Hawaii which get stronger every time I come here and lures me back every year.

On the ride back to the ship, someone else wanted to see whales. We spotted what looked like a mother with calf near the shore. Someone else wanted to see goats. Soon we spotted them as they were scattered on the black cold lava rock, almost blending in perfectly.

I was a little sad when the tour ended, but I learned a valuable lesson: be careful what you ask or you will surely get it. I highly recommend this tour. Remember what I said (above) to get what you ask for. Hopefully we will meet somewhere in the future and you can tell me I’m not crazy.

[Just4You]

DH EXCURSION:

My DH was unable to go to Big Island Spectacular to see the lava because the tour was full (and he found out the lava fly was cancelled again on this day due to weather), so he went to Magical Seahorse Discovery and said he liked it and learned a lot. They have you place your hand in the water and the little seahorses attach to your fingers using their tails. He wants to go back again.

After this tour DH hung around the Kona pier. He met several locals who were fishing from the pier, and one woman let him fish for mackerel. Others were using the mackerel to catch large barracuda. He also met a man from England who was affiliated with royalty (he didn’t get his name), and an Eskimo from Alaska. Both had special privileges to fish for unlimited salmon where they live because one is a royal and the other an Eskimo. DH had wanted to go deep sea fishing but it was cancelled due to illness of boat captain, but he said this experience was far better, in fact, it is his favorite this trip. Sometimes having no plans can turn into the best adventure.

[Just4You]

Other tours in Kona: You can ride a horse at Kahua Ranch, there is also an ATV or tram ride. The view from the mountain is wonderful. They provide leather coats and hats, which I suggest as it gets windy on the hills. You can also visit the Parker Ranch and do the same there. There are lots of snorkel excursions: Captain Zodiac snorkel is good, as well as Kona Catamaran Sail/Snorkel, Kohala Coast Snorkel & Beach, Kona Ocean Kayak & Snorkel and Body Glove Snorkel. Visit the websites to get an idea of the boat used. You also don’t have to snorkel but can sit on the boat. Most have a lunch or at least a snack.

There is Kona Boat Snuba where you can dive while attached to an air hose with tank that floats on the surface, or you can scuba. There are tours to get a temporary PADI certification, or tours for those already certified. You can kayak if you want a good workout, or go on a Historic Kona tour if you want to sit back. If you were unable to go the outrigger canoe ride on Waikiki, you can catch the Outrigger Canoe Ride at Kamakahonu.

To see the underwater world without getting wet, there is the Kailua Glass-Bottom Boat or the Submarine tour (you have to descend about 6 vertical stairs). There is Parasailing in Paradise for the adventurous, or Kona by Land & Sea on a catamaran for beautiful views of the coast combined with a tour of Kona including a trip to St. Benedict’s historic Painted Church and Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (place of refuge with the sacred Halo Keawe Heiau, a temple that once housed the bones of deceased chiefs). There are gourmet tours to sample the local food and kona coffee tours. There are whale watching and dolphin tours

There are at least four golf courses on Kona: Mauna Lani Resort, Hapuna, Big Island Country Club, and Makalei.

[Just4You]

KAUAI:

The ship docks in Nawiliwili, Kauai overnight (second day it leave about 2pm) so you can do a night event the first night there. The pier at Kauai is in another industrial area, but there is a shuttle to nearby Anchor Cove Shopping Center. You can walk but it’s a little bit of a hike.

Here’s a pic of outside the Kauai pier:

 

Here’s a pic of warehouse at the pier (this is where you will meet for some of the shore excursions):

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We like Heaven & Earth Quest because you get a 40-min helicopter tour of Kauai, then a tour of the island by van. Tour groups are small, only about 8 passengers. The helicopter ride is through Blue Hawaiian Helicopter, and this was our third time up with pilot Barrett. He is descended from Hawaiian royalty in Kauai. He has a son and two daughters and gets to see the waterfalls that cascade down the mountain from his home in Kauai. If you only get to do one helicopter tour in Hawaii, I highly recommend Kauai.

In the air you will see the 3,400-foot Mount Namolokama Waterfalls, Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon on the Pacific), the Na Pali Coast, Hale Lea (Hanalei Valley), Makana Bali Hai, and weather permitting, Mount Wai’ale’ale (the wettest place on earth, over 400 inches of rain on average, over 600 inches in 2006). The views will take your breath away.

TIP: Don’t waste your time trying to take pictures from the helicopter, purchase the DVD instead (I think $25). If you’re prone to getting seasick or dizzy, taking pictures will make it worse. The DVD shows actual footage of you in the helicopter along with outside footage of the scenes you pass over and the narration from the pilot.

Here’s a pic with pilot Barrett (he’s such a cool dude):

Here’s a couple of pic of some of the many waterfalls (but pictures don’t do it justice):

Finally, here’s Barrett in the copter waving the shaka before we left (the crew will take you pic in front of the copter):

[Just4You]

After the helicopter ride you get back into the van for a tour around Kauai. This part of the tour is through Kauai North Shore Limo. Our tour guide was Rick.

Starting from the Lihu’e Airport, you travel north on the east side of the island to Lydgate State Park, then Wailua Beach. You will stop at the Kilauea Light House to see the beautiful views from this vantagepoint. Next you will see Anini Beach Park and a secret beach. Then you stop at Hanalei Beach Park (here you can photograph Puff the Magic Dragon behind you which was the inspiration for the song by Peter, Paul & Mary). You will have a picnic lunch of turkey sandwich with Maui-style potato chips and drink “in the land of Hanalei.”

Here’s a pic of the lighthouse and the surrounding ocean and mountains. There were giant albatross seabird pairs nesting on one side of the mountain, and a huge flock of red-footed boobys on the other side. The lighthouse curator lets you borrow binoculars if you packed them but forgot to bring them to the tour:

Here’s a pic from Halalei Bay with Puff in the background. Notice the red triangular eyes. Father away you can see his neck and back, and his backbone is formed from the mountain ridge. He even has a foot with claws in the water. In this picture all you can see is his head and neck.

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

The Green Flash ... is due to the sun’s rays passing through the thickest part of the atmosphere where the light is bent, much like a rainbow. The light that bends the most is green & blue, but more green, so a flash of green is prevalent. This only occurs in Hawaii because of the latitude and atmosphere.

 

Respectfully refining your explanation, as sunset reduces the visible sun to just a small point, only that point's refracted "rainbow" of color is potentially visible. However, the red and yellow part of the spectrum is bent into the sea (i.e. below the horizon), while the green and blue part of the spectrum still bend above the horizon, to your eye.

 

The blue part is bent higher than the green part. You would think that after the green part sets, there would still be the blue part, and you would then see a blue flash. The reason you perceive a green flash and not a blue flash, is that the human eye is far more sensitive to green than it is to blue. Here is a link that explains some of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_vision. It's probably a lot more than most readers care to bother with, but if you look at the graphic to the right of "Physiology of color perception", you see that the human eye really isn't all that sensitve to blue, whereas it is quite sensitive to green and a little bit less sensitive to red.

 

Farther down at that link, you will also see a rainbow that has been depicted twice, once in color, and next to it is a monochrome rendering. Notice that the green part of the spectrum carries more luminance than the blue, and for that matter more than the red and yellow. The human eye is far more sensitive to luminance than it is to any of the colors really, so this, too, might be part of the reason we don't pick up on the blue flash.

 

I have seen the green flash maybe a dozen times or so on various visits to Hawaii, I cannot recall whether I saw it during my one visit to Aruba, but I know I have not seen it anywhere else. Even so, I do not know of any reason why it would be totally unique to Hawaii, and I always expect to see it in other places, at least at sea level. In my most recent visits to The Big Island and Maui, I have not seen it, and the blame for that goes to Kilauea. (Somebody needs to shut that thing down!)

[Just4You]

LUAU:

We got back from our first tour around 3pm with enough time to shower and dress for our next tour that picked us up at 4pm. We went to the Kilohana Manor House & Luau Kalamaku. If you’ve never done a luau, you must at least do it once in Hawaii. Or, if you’re like us, you will enjoy going back again and again. The theatre holds about 600 people but everything is well organized.

The Kilohana shops & grounds were owned by Gaylord Parke Wilcox, head of Grove Farm Plantation (and still run by his ancestors). Sugar was in its heyday in 1935, and Mark Potter was hired to build the Wilcox dream house. It is considered to be the most expensive home (estate) ever built in Kauai. There are old photographs, elegant living and dining rooms with sofas and chairs in their original coverings, floor to ceiling mirrors, and art and antiques everywhere. It is still a working farm with exotic fruit, hardwood trees and beautiful tropical gardens. In the home itself are rooms where Kauai-made products are displayed and sold. I could have spent an entire day in the Manor House alone. Near the pavilion is a distillery and tasting room of Hawaii’s first island made rum. A train runs along Kilohana’s 105 acres.

There are different levels (or packages) you can purchase.

With the least expensive level, called Luau Kalamaku, you get on a huge bus from the ship to get there, you have a picture made with two of the performers by the ship photographers (you purchase these back on ship), then can stroll around in the area where Hawaiian games are played (you are encouraged to participate) and can also see what some of the local vendors are selling (i.e., you can shop). When the conch shell is sounded, you meet at the imu pit to watch the pig get uncovered. You next sit at a table farther from the stage (everyone has an assigned table, but you may want to leave something at your seat to reserve it when you first arrive). Next you get in a buffet line for the food, and after everyone has eaten the show begins. After the show you will get in line for the ride back to the ship. There is an open bar but you can only bring back one alcoholic drink at a time (i.e., you can’t get your spouse a drink, you will have to go back twice).

TIP: After the show is over go up the stage and meet the performers and take your picture with them. Don’t rush to get in line for the bus, take your time visiting with the performers and let everyone else wait in line. Before you know it there will be no line and the bus driver is calling you to board the bus.

TIP for ladies: There are only a couple of bathrooms. Best to go BEFORE the show starts, the line is LONG once the show is over (you have been warned).

[Just4You]

The second level includes a ride on the Plantation Train that takes you around the property to see pineapple, banana, papaya, coffee, tropical flowers, and hardwood trees. Here you will see the pigs they raise for the luau buffet. Then you do everything else stated above.

TIP: Sit on the LEFT side of the train if you want to take pictures of everything except the pigs.

Here’s a pic of some of the pigs as well as a goat while sitting on the right side (we let others get the good seats since we’ve done this before):