Hawaii - Day 6

Our last morning on the beach, started just like the the last 5. I feel like I am starting to sounds like a broken record. The sunrise on our last day was the best! The purples and pinks that filled the sky were breath taking. The amazing thing is that is literally lasted for just a few minutes. If we weren't waiting for it we might have missed it.

After breakfast, Freddie and I packed up and checked out. Freddie had arranged to squeeze in our helicopter tour before our flight home. I am so glad he did, the helicopter tour was the highlight for me. It was absolutely amazing! I am so glad we did it! They say you can only see 20% of the island by car and boy are they right. If you ever go to the island of Kauai you have to take a helicopter tour, you are missing so much! The view took my breath away many times. Because it had rained so hard the night before, we were seeing hundreds of waterfalls. We also got to see Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast clearly. The pilot also took us into a crater and right next to the highest peek on the island which get's the most rain in all of the world. It was the perfect way to end a great vacation.

The next 3 sunrise photos were taken within a minute of each other. The colors changed quickly, and then the sky went back to it's normal color in a matter of minutes. If we hadn't been waiting for it, we might have missed it!

One of my favorite things about out hotel were the locks on the doors to our rooms, there were no cards or keys just a key pad. It made it super easy to go down to the pool or beach without the worry of bringing anything along.

Our helicopter

Waimea Canyon

Na Pali Coastline

*A fun thing that happened on our trip....

When we arrived on the island our pilot pointed out an airplane parked at the airport, it was John Travolta's plane. He was on vacation with his family. We kept a look out the entire trip for him, trying to guess what house might be his. When we got on the plane to come home, I sat next to a woman who giggled when I was talking to Rose about John's plane still being there at the airport. She happened to be visiting John Travolta's cousin that weekend because his entire family was there visiting him. We later found out online that John and his wife were there for his Birthday and were sitting in some swing chairs we saw on Tunnel's beach and according to the news article it was the same day we were on Tunnel's beach. So cool!

Hawaii - Day 5

Day five started with another sunrise. We actually lingered longer after the sun came up because the light was so beautiful. Rose snapped a few photos of Freddie and I in the pretty light.

After staring at the sun for a while we all got in the car and made our way back up north to check out the reef at Tunnels Beach. We stopped at Kilauea Lighthouse on the way. The landscape was absolutely beautiful. Rose spotted a whale spouting off the coast and Freddie found a lizard in a tree. On the way back to the highway we stopped at a beautiful little church, it was small and absolutely adorable with beautiful stain glass windows and tropical flowers all around it.

We then made our way to Tunnel's beach and the boys snorkeled while the girls lounged on the beach. Freddie said snorkeling at this beach was his highlight of the entire trip. He loved the cliffs under the ocean and the amazing variety of fish they found.

Freddie and I had planned to take a helicopter tour later in the evening, but quickly found out that wouldn't be happening, with a thunder storm approaching. So we all headed back to the hotel for a nap before dinner and some souvenir shopping.

Kilauea Lighthouse

Christ Memorial Episcopal Church

One of the beautiful stained glass windows inside the church.

Tunnels Beach Reef

Hawaii - Day 4

Day 4 started out mostly clear and the most amazing sunrise we had seen yet. It's amazing to me in just a matter of seconds how the sky changes colors.

After breakfast we made our way up to the north side of the island to explore. We drove as far as the road would take us. (You can't travel in a complete circle on the island of Kauai by car.) We stopped at a few different beaches, a beautiful scenic look out spot and explored a cave along the main road. One of the beaches we stopped at was called Tunnels Beach. That was our favorite beach, the water was several beautiful shades of blues and greens. The sand was so soft and the boys discovered a reef that they wanted to come back and explore.

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped in Hanali for lunch and ate at Bubba Burger, which was super yummy! Then we had some real hawaiian shaved ice before returning back to our hotel to relax by the beautiful hotel pool before dinner.

In the evening we all got dressed up for a nice dinner at Duke's. The restaurant was beautiful and Freddie was super excited that they served one of their drinks in a real pineapple. Something he had wanted the entire trip. Another perfect day in the books!

Look close and you can see a paddle boarder on the ocean, something we saw a lot of in Hawaii.

Hanalie Valley Scenic Lookout.

Tunnels Beach

Red-crested cardinal

Real Hawaiian shaved ice.

Rose and I ready for dinner!

Rose and Eric at Duke's

Freddie and I on the beach in front of Duke's.

Our one and only group shot.

We had a great time traveling with Rose and Eric. We laughed the entire time! Never once was there any tension. They are great friends and even better traveling buddies!

A very happy Freddie with his pineapple drink.

Hawaii - Day 3

Friday morning, we woke up and headed to the beach to watch the sunrise again. Each sunrise was completely different from the day before, it truly amazed us each day.

The day started off promising sunshine. We grabbed our swimsuit and snorkel gear and headed off to find a new beach on the east side of the island, Lydgate Beach. Freddie went out but didn't have as much luck with the variety of fish they had found the day before. I walked out with him for a while and saw a few fish. After we got our fill of sun for the day, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and head out to the west side of the island for a sunset/whale watching boat tour.

We made a stop on the way at a beautiful vista point and posed for some pictures. When we arrived for the boat tour, the weather was beautiful. However, we quickly learned that island weather can change in an instant and never to rely on weather.com forecast. (Minus one point for weather.com which forecasted all sun all day on the west side.) Our boat was headed for a dark cloud and the sea was angry. We all took dramamine before the boat ride. But I woke up the morning before with no voice and the start of a head cold. I was doing fine until the boat ride and the combination of the head cold and rough seas, made me nauseous the entire ride. Luckily the first sighting of whales distracted me for a while. It was absolutely amazing! Rose was spotting whales like it was her job! She even spotted an endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. We saw a mama whale and her baby, they were so close to our boat it was amazing. At one point our boat was surrounded by whales. Our captain was awesome, he stopped for all the entertainment and stayed until the whales were gone. As we ventured further to see the Na Pali Coast, the clouds got thicker and the rain poured. Unfortunately between the rain and the fog, the coast was hard to see. What we could see was beautiful. On the way back we saw waterfalls that are rarely seen, but since it had rained so hard and so recently we were able to see them. We also saw more whales on the way back and witnessed whales breeching like crazy. It was truly an amazing experience.

The resort and pool area.

Oasis Restaurant, just steps away from the beach.

The red dirt is everywhere on the island, they mix it in the concrete, and even dye shirts with it. The high iron content of the volcanic soils, has had plenty of time to oxidize with the constant wet conditions. One local joked with us that the island was rusting.

Boat tour

Waterfalls, coming out of every crevice on the way back after the rain.

Whale watching at sunset.

Two whales breeching at the same time.