Back in the States !! Yeah…!! and not anywhere but in the Aloha State, doesn’t that sound so fabulously great ?? After a day circling Waikiki Beach area and watching people walking in the streets with their surfboards, we already had to leave O’ahu (check out the Lonely Planet map below). So we took a limo (a real one like movie stars) to the airport and hit the air again before touching down on the garden island of Kaua’i. Michiel’s sister Marieke and her (from time to time) totally nuts boyfriend Jelmer joined us sharing fun on some Hawaiian islands.
As the bikes were boxed in Christchurch and put on a boat back to Europe, we spent the days snorkeling, (stand up paddle) surfing, and mainly hiking. The first hike was the Kalalau Trail, following the Na Pali Coast on the north shore. It seems that this trail is just made to meet half of the other tourists on Kaua’i. So as good tourists, that’s what we did. The second hike was next to the Waimea Canyon which was pretty relaxed, and not too touristy. The canyon is absolutely gorgeous. It’s an immense canyon filled with red earth, rivers and different shades of green. And at the end of the canyon and after a big hour walk the other side of the island, looking back on the Na Pali coast, can be seen. Another perfect set for an outdoor movie.
Camping on Kaua’i asked from us a totally laid-back attitude to getting up nicely. We camped at two different spots on the island and so do thousands and really thousands of chickens and roosters. The island is full of these almost flyless feathered creatures. Although no-one is hungry on Kaua’i, no-one sleeps longer than dawn. Almost all roosters and even some chicks are alarming all other species with their terrible voices. Sometimes, it seemed that even some roosters (probably living too long under the tropical sun) are so lost they even don’t pay attention to the rhythms of the sun anymore. ‘Screaming the whole day for attention’ is obviously their motto. Testosterone of managers make you sleep at work, testosterone of Kaua’ian roosters make you awake all the time.
Mahalo, S&M
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