Day 11: Back in Honolulu

Our ship docked at 7am in Honolulu Harbor. Our luck had run out because as we stood in line for a taxi the heavens opened and we got drenched. We'd certainly been lucky up to this point, especially considering some of the places we'd visited were purportedly some of the rainiest on earth! 

After dropping off our suitcases at our hotel we headed to the mall to take cover for a while. It was a massive 4 story mall with every designer shop imaginable. However, we don't want to spend our Saturdays at home in a mall, and we certainly didn't want to while in Hawaii, so as soon as the last drops of rain fell we headed back outside. 

There was a lovely park on the waterfront called Ala Moana Park. It gave great views of the city skyline, the Ala Wai Harbor, the Punchbowl crater and the open ocean. We spent the next few hours wandering around the park and the streets of Honolulu. 

By late afternoon the sun was once again shining so we headed back to the park. It was unbelievable how many brides and grooms were now in the park posing for their photos with the city as their backdrop. There were 7 limos parked there! Every one of the brides had to battle her dress with the intense winds but the sunset was no doubt giving them some great photos. 

We wandered back towards the busy streets of Honolulu. With it being Valentine's Day we weren't sure how easy it would be to find a restaurant that wasn't fully booked. As we walked by the American restaurants, such as Outback and Red Lobster, there were dozens of people sitting outside so we were delighted when we found an Indian restaurant, our favorite, that had tables available right away. In addition to this being Valentine's it was also our 25th anniversary. We lasted probably 24 more years than most people gave us and it was pretty special spending it in a place like this! 

Tomorrow we are heading back home to NC on the red eye. We've had a wonderful time, seen some beautiful scenery, eaten way too much food, and made memories we won't soon forget. Thanks Hawaii for your hospitality and Aloha! 

Day 10: Final day Onboard

Ahhhhh. Finally a day that we didn't have to be up at the crack of dawn for an excursion. We had a leisurely breakfast before heading off on foot to the beach. 

We hired a double kayak so we could get out and enjoy the bay. However, the calm seas and blue skies of yesterday had now been replaced with waves, gusty winds and rain clouds so it was tough going trying to battle the tide that was trying to pull us back into shore or hurl us against the jagged rocks! Quite the workout but fun nevertheless!

It was lovely as we strolled back to the ship with the sun on our skin and the warm breeze blowing. I've always thought I'd miss living somewhere with the changing climates but knowing we're returning home to perhaps snow and ice I'm starting to reconsider! These 80 degree temperatures feel so good!

We've been learning some Hawaiian words during this trip. The Hawaiians are so proud of their heritage and are eager to share the stories of their ancestors. I now know why so many words have 'ha' in them, such as Hawaii and aloha. 'Ha' means the breath of life so in the word Hawaii you have 'ha',  'wai' which is water, 'i' which is the god they worship so they believe all they need in life is the breath of life, water and their creator. We all know aloha means hello and goodbye but they actually use it more to wish you the breath of life, peace and love. 

The ship sailed at 2pm today so we could sail up around the northern coast of Kaua'i, the Na Pali coast, before heading back to Honolulu overnight. We enjoyed an afternoon lounging on deck listening to music, watching the men's sexy leg contest, and even watched a magician free himself from chains and padlocks while submerged in

the pool! 

For our final dinner onboard we once again ate at a shared table with two other couples. We mentioned to them that we were celebrating our anniversary and wouldn't you know it, at the end of the meal the wait staff appeared with a Happy Anniversary cake and sang "Won't you be my sweetheart" to us and made us kiss in front of everybody in the dining room. It was so sweet!

Watched the farewell show in the theater then the hilarious comedian and then had to pack for leaving the ship tomorrow. 😢

Day 9: Journey to Waimea Canyon

This morning we pulled into the harbor of Nawiliwili on the Garden Isle of Kaua'i. It was very picturesque with its golf course bordering the cliffs, its beaches and lighthouses, all with the backdrop of the beautiful mountains. This is the oldest and smallest island we'll visit, coastline only 90 miles and population only about 60,000. 

We set off west across the island to the town of Waimea and then north along the winding mountain roads towards the Waimea Canyon. This canyon is referred to as 'the Grand Canyon of the Pacific'. It is 10 miles long, 1 mile wide and 3,600 feet deep. 

It was a very impressive sight and as you'll see from the photos there is a lot more vegetation growing in this canyon than in the Grand Canyon. Some parts of Kaua'i receive an unbelievable 37.5 feet of rain a year, the rainiest spot on earth. As you can imagine the landscape is very green and lush on this island. 

As we reached the bottom of the mountain we made a quick pit stop at the Kaua'i Coffee plantation. We were able to sample some of their coffees and walk through the plantation to look at all the coffee bushes. 

Then we detoured to Spouting Horn park to watch a water spout rise and fall with the tide. Like Old Faithful, just a lot more frequent and a lot smaller! Finally got back to the ship at about 3pm - almost missed our buffet lunch! ;-)

Since by now we had well and truly had our fill of group tours and tour buses (8 days straight is enough to last us a lifetime, or at least until we're too old and decrepit to rent a car and go it alone!) we headed off on foot in the direction of the beach. We dipped our toes in the ocean then found a bar in the most idyllic spot overlooking the beach with its swaying palm trees and blue water. This is what you picture when you think of Hawaii!