Q’s Adventures: Kauai

OK, finally got around to posting my Q’s Adventures from my Kauai trip earlier this month. It was a great trip, and I miss Kauai dearly…just never felt like sitting down and writing it. I’ve also been pretty busy. But, I want to move on to posting other things, and felt that this needed to be wrapped up first.

So, the trip was a glorious 10 day excursion to my favorite tropical paradise. My parents and I left the morning of Friday April 6, and returned the evening of Sunday April 15. This was a good length of time for a trip…although I could have definitely used another week there…or two…or forever. Sigh.

I posted some daily updates here and there, with pictures and a quick rundown of what I did that day. So, this will not be a full recap with full pictures. I’ll probably refer you back to the older posts here and there. I just wanted to get a quick rundown of the entire trip, maybe post a few new pictures, and just relive the awesome trip one last time.

So, we got in Friday morning, got our bags, did some shopping, and immediately went to lunch at my favorite pizza place in the world…Brick Oven Pizza. Its pretty cool because it used to be the only Brick Oven Pizza was in Kalaheo, on the Southwest shore. Now they opened a second shop in Kapa’a, which is on the East shore…and, more importantly, on the road between Lihue Airport, and where we were staying in Princeville. Ease of access = more pizza! So, screw the diet, I said, and devoured some delicious salami and black olive!

Got to the house, and I think we just chilled out that day, went to The Dolphin that night for dinner…always a favorite (seared rare ahi…their specialty…happens to be my favorite). Sleep followed.

Saturday we went to the driving range in between the rain showers. It was absurdly wet early on in our trip. We did some shopping, grilled up some fresh caught ahi at the house. Knocked out a run in the morning. Overall, pretty legit and lowkey. You know, I feel like I’m going to forget things in here. Something else must have happened this day…but its all kind of a blur. Saturday also had the best sunset of the trip (maybe the last day could compete). The picture in my very last blog I posted last week is from Saturday. It’s awesome. Go look at it and admire its beauty.

Sunday another quick run in the morning, and, since it was Easter, it was off to mass. I’m a good son, so I tag along. Then we went back to the house and hosted another family who was in Kauai for the 4th for brunch. My dad made some killer eggs benedict. Delish. That afternoon I had a golf lesson. We’ll see if it helps at all…I’m still playing terribly. More rare ahi for dinner that night. I think I got some Lappert’s Hayden Mango sorbet in there too…since Lappert’s is delicious. I actually had Lappert’s quite a bit. I kill for their Hayden Mango. So amazing. If you ever end up on Kauai, do yourself a favor and get some Lappert’s. All the flavors are good, depending on your tastes.

Monday the parents and I played 9 holes on the Woods course at Princeville, and it was interesting. I still couldn’t golf for shit, but it was nice to get out and do things. Then Jason and Crystal got in to join us for the week. Lunch down in Hanalei, bought some fish to grill for dinner. Can’t remember if we did anything else that afternoon. Maybe J-Mart can fill me in and jog my memory. 

Tuesday the fun started. The morning started with a run and then a drive to Ke’e beach, down at the end of the road. It’s a snorkeling beach, but the weather was shit, so we didn’t go in much. Jason caught a few pictures of me goofing around that I posted that day to the blog (Kauai: Fun at Ke'e Beach!). We bailed pretty early, hit up the wet and dry caves on the way back. Lunch at home, I think…then Jason, Crystal, and I hiked down to Queen’s Bath. Queen’s Bath is this natural giant tide pool among the black lava rocks that is big enough to swim in. It was nice…tooled around in there for a bit…but the tide was coming in, so swimming didn’t last long. But its still very pretty down there on the rocks. More grilled ahi at home for dinner. Can’t complain!

Wednesday was a fun day. Started out with a run, and then we had a ziplining excursion at Princeville Ranch. That was pretty legit. Ziplining itself is ok, but the setting was gorgeous…zig zagging over a jungly ravine. Very Hawaiian. And a new thing for me…had never really ziplined before. So that was cool. That afternoon Jason, Crystal, and I hit up the Kilauea Lighthouse and a few beaches in the area for some picture taking. Ended up with some great pictures…which are posted in a previous blog (Kauai: Hump Day). Go take a look. That evening we ate in Kilauea at the Lighthouse Bistro, which was pretty good! Then sleep! 

Thursday was the sightseeing around the island day. Plenty of pictures already posted of that one on that day’s blog (Kauai: Doin’ the Tourist Thing). I always love this day. The Kalalau Valley, when it dares to show itself, is stunning. The Waimea Canyon is truly breathtaking. Spouting Horn is always fun. Hit up the original Brick Oven Pizza in Kalaheo for lunch (freaking amazing, as always). Went to Old Koloa Town for some shopping (got some legit Krazy Shirts, and a sleeveless shirt with a giant turtle on it). Hit up Kauai Kookie factory in Hanapepe (bought 6 sleeves of cookies…I’m down to my last one). Saw some waterfalls. All in all, a pretty legit day. That night we hit up dinner at The Tavern at The Prince Course in Princeville…and it was ok. Then home for sleep! 

I'll post one more picture from that day that Jason took. This is just iconic Kauai...tons of water cascading down their legendary red dirt. J-Mart got a great shot of it, despite the pouring rain. You should actually go check out his photography website...he gets some great shots! It's linked on the sidebar of my blog: JR Martin Photography.

Friday was probably my favorite day of the trip. It was, at the very least, the most interesting. Started off with an early morning surfing lesson! Yup! I learned how to surf! Even got up multiple times and was able to ride plenty of baby waves all the way into shore! Legit! Go me! We got to keep the boards as long as we wanted that day to keep practicing, so we finished out the morning catching more waves. Then we turned in our boards and drove out to Tunnels Beach for some snorkeling. Tunnels is definitely the best beach on Kauai for snorkeling…and it was sunny, and gorgeous, and the fish were out. It was definitely pleasant. That afternoon saw us grab lunch at The Dolphin in Hanalei (seafood chowder and a lava flow? Yes please!), and then we meandered around Hanalei doing some shopping. I freaking love Hanalei. That night was another night in, grilling fresh ahi. I actually think I had ahi every day of the trip. I probably also had 3-4 tropical rum based drinks every day as well. Man, I love vacation.

Plenty of pictures up for this day as well (Kauai: Surfing and Snorkeling!). Go check them out!

Saturday was the last full day there. Jason and Crystal took off for some hiking on the Na Pali Coast, while the family and I hacked up the Makai Golf Course in Princeville! I was terrible yet again. But there were glimmers of hope late in the round. Its why I keep coming back for more pain. After that we grabbed some Lappert’s, went home and showered up, then went to the St. Regis in Princeville for drinks at sunset, and then dinner at the Kauai Grill. The Kauai Grill is pretty good…overpriced (thanks parents!), but still good. The bar for drinks, though, has a legit view of the bay and the sunset. Makes for a very pleasant evening! And the sunset was legit as well. Pictures from golf and the sunset were posted previously (Kauai: Golfing and the Final Sunset).

Sunday we packed up and hit the road. Did some last minute shopping, grabbed a few more t-shirts, some macadamia nuts, etc. Had one last Brick Oven Pizza lunch in Kapa’a. then it was off to the airport, and homeward bound we were.

It was such a phenomenal trip. I mean, no level of words or pictures can adequately convey how simply amazing Kauai is. I love it. So, so much. I’m pretty much determined to move there someday. Hopefully not in the too distant future. We will see.

Anyways, that was the trip! The next trip for me is a weekend trip to Vegas at the end of June. Before that, I just ran in a marathon relay (post to come), and I have possibly a backpacking trip to go on, and maybe a weekend in Williams, and a wedding to go to. But, for the most part, I’m pretty free on the weekends over the next month or so. This will have to be rectified. Until next time, cheers!