Day 4
OMG I am so over hire car companies in the US!
Today we had a leisurely breakfast and headed to the airport to catch a flight to Kauai. Kauai airport is pretty small, so it’s not hard to navigate. We took the courtesy bus to the Avis pick-up point and that was the last element of courtesy that was offered to us as paying customers. For a start, despite our Avis paperwork quite clearly saying that we had pre-paid for a tank of fuel so we can bring the car back empty, she told us we had to bring it back full because that’s not what her computer says. Second, we were given a two-wheel drive Kia Sportage which is not the four-wheel drive car we were expecting. Now, this is a big deal because all the hiking trails require a 4x4 to get to. Grrrr will this hire car hell never end.
The day did get better. Our hotel is lovely and our room faces the ocean looking straight at the line-up so I can wake up and watch the surfers, wing foilers and boogie boarders. When we arrived we were draped in Leis and welcomed home.
We spent the afternoon chilling by the pool. In the evening they had live music, free Mai Tais and hula dancing at the pool bar. We had a lovely meal at Red Salt - the hotel’s restaurant (Phil even had Brussel sprouts with pancetta and parmesan as a starter, by choice!). I think we are going to like it here.
Day 5
Today was incredible because we went on a helicopter (with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours). This is probably one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Our captain Mark was an ex-Black Hawk helicopter pilot who had also served as medevac in the Korean war/police action (real life M*A*S*H).
The flight took in views of the lush green coastline, the Olokele Canyon, Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coastline and into an extinct volcano crater. We got to see loads of famous movie sites including the Jurassic park falls (where they land the helicopter in the original film). Yes, I cried. Mark played John Williams’ opening theme music and it ALWAYS gets me. We also saw where they filmed parts of Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean (On Stranger Tides), King Kong and Tropic Thunder. The scenery is just spectacular and no wonder it features in so many Hollywood movies.
I took loads of photos but we also purchased a USB with footage of our actual trip so we can watch it back. It was spectacularly beautiful and probably one of the coolest things I have ever done - up there with riding on the back of a Hercules with the hanger doors open or abseiling off La Collette tower.
You can check out our trip here
Best day ever!
- Hippie x -
