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| Arrival in Kahului, Maui - June 13 to 16 | ||||
| TUE June 13 - dinner at Ichiban | ||||
| We arrived on Aloha Airlines early afternoon on Friday, June 13. We rented a Budget Cobalt and checked into our 2 star motel in Kahului, the Seaquest. |
 Arriving in Kahului
|  Bromeliad at winery | ||
|  The winery was founded by a retired whaling captain circa 1847. When visitors arrived by ship, he fired this cannon to inform them they had been spotted, and would soon be escorted up to his estate.
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|  Maui Seaside Motel
|  View from our room | ||
| WED June 14 - east peninsula of Maui, Haleakula Summit -- dinner at the Kula Lodge | ||||
| On the 14th, we drove around the eastern peninsula of Maui, stopping at Hanakao'o Beach Park, just south of Kaanapali. There, Kathy was stung on the wrist -- probably by a bee. We drove all the way around the peninsula, including the gnarly one lane portion on the north coast. After noticing the summit of Haleakula was clear, we drove up to the top, using our National Park pass to save $10. Although temperatures were in the low 60s, wind chill convinced Kathy to leave fairly quickly. We stopped at the Kula Lodge and had a fancy dinner, viewing a great sunset from 4000' above the isthmus. |
 Location where Kathy was stung by bee | |||
 Hotels of Kaanapali are in background
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|  Honokohau Bay | ||
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|  Here we notice Haleakula summit is free of clouds | ||
 Cold Kathy on summit
|  Jef with Science City in background
|  Haleakula Crater | ||
 Cold Kathy with crater in background
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 Mauna Kea and Loa on horizon
|  Silversword in bloom
|  Sunset dinner at Kula Lodge | ||
 Kathy showing off her swollen hand from bee sting earlier in day | ||||
| THU June 15 - Hana Highway, dinner at Fish Market in Pa'ia | ||||
 Sample 1-lane bridge on Hana Highway
|  Beach near Blue Pool
|  Beach near Blue Pool | ||
|  Rainforest near Blue Pool  Kathy looking at ginger flower near Blue Pool
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 Grounds of Hana Maui
|  At beach - Hana Bay
|  Hana Maui pool | ||
| Kauai - June 16 to 23 | ||||
| FRI June 16 - Arrival in Lihue, checkin at Kapaa - NICE dinner at Hukilau Lanai | ||||
After flying from Kahului to Luhui on June 16, we checking into the Aston Islander on the Beach in Kapaa. Then we drove over to nearby Wailua Falls.
 Apparently, chickens are wild on Kauai
|  Wailua Falls
|  Drinking some wine at our Islander room with Plumeria (a common lei flower) | ||
| SAT June 17 - Kilauea lighthouse, Princeville beaches, dinner at Hula Girl Grille at the bar | ||||
 The problem with pidgeons is what they leave behind... so this is last time Kathy fed them!
|  Drinking wine on our room's patio -- Pacific in background
|  Nice sunrise for our first full day on Kauai | ||
 Kilauea lighthouse is location of a national bird sanctuary
|  Kalihiwae Beach  Birds are white dots on hillside  Rain near Hanalei
|  Island just off-shore  Birds are white dots on hillside  Ne-ne's | ||
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| SUN June 18 - Waimea Canyon, Pihea Trail - dinner was lasagna and salad at take-out near hotel | ||||
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After looking over Waimea Canyon at various viewpoints, we entered Koke'e State Park, and did a 4 mile, 500' vertical hike at about 4000' on a ridge overlooking the Kalaulau Valley on the Na Pali coast on the west, and the Ala'aki Swamp (the highest at 4000' swamp on earth) on the east, and finishing at 4284' summit of Pihea. This was a rainforest hike and was not far from what was once thought to be the rainiest spot on earth: near Mount Wai'ale'ale.
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|  We did a start of a hike, not on make, but aborted after it looked too steep. These views are near parking lot. Fortuneately taken early, as fog moved in towards end of hike. | ||
 Swamp side of ridge
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 A fair amount of muddy steep sections had to be negotiated!
|  Mt. Pihea, 4284'
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|  Very mossy, rain-foresty area in trail. | ||
 Looking down cliff, fog was 100 yards down
|  Fog rolling in
|  Much of trail was fairly easy. | ||
| MON June 19 - walk along beach, dinner at Kintaro sushi | ||||
 Beach in front of hotel
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|  This beach had large-grain sand | ||
 Exploring beach N of hotel
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|  This piece of driftwood resembled various animals -- here an elephant | ||
 ant-eater?
|  bighorn?
|  Note near-shore reef has made this a calm wading pool | ||
| TUE June 20 - Nounou Ridge hike -- dinner at Hiva Pasefika (luau) | ||||
 Opaeka'a Falls
|  Wailua River from ridge
After stopping at viewpoints, we went on a 5 mile, 1000' vertical hike up the Nounou Ridge (Sleeping Giant). This hike went thru rainforest and overlooked the Kapaa area near the top.
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|  State flower, the hibiscus, fading on bed of moss | ||
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 Luau at Hiva Pasefika
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|  Fire dancer | ||
| WED June 21 - Kalaulau Trail hike - dinner at Norbertos in downtown Kapaa - also Ice Cream at Beezers | ||||
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 After going on the road as far as possible, we parked at Ke'e Beach and hiked a couple miles up the Kalaulau Trail. Kathy forgot her shoes, and sandals were difficult in the muddy areas, otherwise we would have hiked about 8 miles this day, rather than 3 or so.
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| THU June 22 - Wailua River kayak adventure - another NICE dinner at Hukilau Lanai | ||||
|  A couple of dozen other kayakers showed up to hike to "Secret" Falls.
|  This landing is over 2 miles from the boat launch which is not far from where the Wailua River flows into the Pacific. | ||
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|  Jef and Kathy at Secret Falls, a 100' waterfall. This is a mid-point of a 2 mile hike up this tributary to the Wailua River. | ||
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| Final stay on Maui - June 23 to 27 | ||||
| FRI June 23 - arrival back in Maui, lunch at Pa'ia, check in at Hana -- dinner at Aloha Cottage room | ||||
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| SAT June 24 - beach day at Hana Bay, hike along adjacent coast -- dinner at Aloha Cottage room | ||||
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|  Walked around town during the festival, looking for stamps to mail postcards. | ||
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|  View from our cottage mid-day | ||
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We went on a 1 mile hike along coast late that afternoon S of the Hana pier. We were stopped by the terraine about the point the following pictures were taken:
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|  This bay was a bit too rough for swimming. Nice waves, however.
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| SUN June 25 - Kipahulo hike -- dinner at Aloha Cottage room | ||||
 
|  Stopped by this beach just S of Hana on way to Kipahulo
|  Pools at Kipahulo | ||
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|  Buttress tree | ||
 One of many waterfalls seen on way up
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 400' Waimoku Falls We hiked about 4.5 miles in this area. Many pools and waterfalls highlight this canyon. Dense rainforest vegetation included 1 mile of walking thru a 50' tall bamboo forest. Wierd buttress trees. The lower part of the creek includes several popular swimming pools with waterfalls coming into them. We witnessed a girl sliding down the last one (before entering the half fresh-half saltwater pool at the creek/ocean interface). WATERFALL MOVIE CLIP (5 Mb) Note: Kathy is waving her arms under the waterfall in the above movie.
|   Found this flower near waterfall 
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|  Amarylis? | ||
|  Passion flower?
|  Hibiscus | ||
| MON June 26 - Cave -- dinner at Kula Lodge | ||||
 Leaves of philodendron, at left, get a bit larger than they do in houseplant environments. These plants thrive all over the islands. After checking out of our room at the Aloha Cottages, we visited another local attraction, the Hana Lava Tube. We then drove the Hana Highway and made it to the Kula Lodge. We had a nice, but very brief sunset at our nice dinner that night. The hotel room was a 2 story chalet with a view!
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|  Drinking final bottle of wine in our Kula Lodge room
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| TUE June 27 - Return to San Diego | ||||