Kaua'i

Pictures!

Lediya and I just got back from 6 days in Kaua'i and we had a wonderful time. The great thing about the "Garden Island" is that it is more laid back than Maui and Oahu. Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands and therefore has the most varied terrain. The two most famous sights in Kauai are the Na Pali Coast and the Waimea Canyon (nicknamed by Mark Twain as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific). Kauai also has the wettest spot on Earth – Mount Wai'ale'ale, which receives an average of 440 inches of rain per year. This contributes to Kauai's incredible lushness and greenery.

We took our first helicopter ride, which was incredible because the helicopter we flew in had no doors (to provide an unobstructed view). Lediya sat in the middle front seat and I sat in the right front seat, meaning that I was partly sitting outside. It was awesome to see the unreal Na Pali Coast and the Waimea Canyon. We also saw innumerable waterfalls and the sheer cliffs of Wai'ale'ale. The only thing was that we both got nauseous near the end of the 60-minute flight because of the crosswinds and the movement of the helicopter. But it was definitely a great experience for us.

Because this trip was also about Lediya, I decided to treat the both of us to a professional massage. We went to the world-renowned Anara Spa in the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Poipu, where she received an hour-long maternity massage and I got a Swedish massage (which was my first massage). Very relaxing. The spa facilities were top-notch. They had a sauna room, a Jacuzzi, a shower with nine showerheads, and other amenities. We also had a nice dinner there at the Tidepools restaurant.

We also went ziplining for the first time. We signed up for a guided ziplining adventure through Kauai Backcountry Adventures. They took us to a privately owned land where we ziplined through the jungle – above trees, streams, and cliffs. We took 7 ziplines in all, with the longest run being 940 feet across from one side of the mountain to the other. It was great fun to soar through the air.

Finally, a trip to Kauai is not complete without trying out the local food. Lediya and I ate locally throughout the trip. We hunted down restaurants where locals eat at and ordered what the locals would order. For example, I had Portuguese baked pork, rice, and eggs for breakfast one day at Ono Family Restaurant in Lihue. For lunch I ate chili and rice at Koke'e Lodge. We also tried the local plate lunches. Lediya enjoyed the shrimp tempura plate lunch (which comes with shrimp, rice, macaroni/potato salad) at Sueoka's in Koloa while I scarfed down the combo plate (teriyaki beef, fried chicken, Spam, rice, and macaroni/potato salad) at Hanalei.

We also went swimming, snorkeling, and hiking on our trip. One highlight for Lediya was hiking to this secret swimming hole called Queen's Bath. It's a natural pool ringed by lava rocks that sits on north shore. The water is continually refreshed by the incoming waves, and she particularly liked the clarity of the water and the marine life.

All in all we had an awesome trip. Our philosophy when we travel is to stay where the locals stay and eat where the locals eat. You get to see the true spirit of the destination and the people. The people are very nice and warm. We will definitely come back to this place, with Baby Beltran of course!