On Monday we had a chance to explore more of the island. In the morning, Becky’s friend Amanda was kind enough to take us on a hike on the east side of the island. On the drive there we had magical views out the window as it rained enough to create several steep waterfalls running down between the sheer mountain faces. We were glad the weather cleared more as we approached our hike, so it wouldn’t be too slick and muddy. Many O’ahu hikes are considered dangerous or challenging as they involve steep, windy ridges and cliff edges, slippery surfaces, and even ropes or cables to provide a semblance of safety. The hike we did was a good, easy introduction rising uphill along a relatively wide ridge to two pillboxes overlooking Lanikai Beach. The pillboxes used to be cement bunkers holding artillery to protect the island. Now they are covered with colorful graffiti, and we climbed on top of them to enjoy views of the beautiful island landscape below. We were able to see Bellows Beach that we visited on Sunday, Lanikai Beach, Kailua Beach, Flat Island, the two Moku Islands, the edge of the North Shore, Enchanted Lake, fancy beach homes, and the lush moutain greenery. It was spectacular, and Brandon took several panormic pictures to try to capture the impressiveness. We definitely want to do more hikes with Amanda when we return to Hawaii in December.
After the hike, we all met up with Becky and her son for some delicious crepes. Brandon and I split a savory and a sweet crepe. Amanda recommended a savory crepe filled with brie, apples, macadamia nuts, and black pepper and served with a side of honey, which proved to be excellent. The sweet crepe had bananas, nutella (a crepe necessity), peanut butter cups, and fresh whipped cream, which would satisfy any sweet tooth. I love crepes.
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| Our delicious crepes |
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| Becky and Amanda enjoying their crepes |
Amanda had things to get done the rest of the day, but we continued with Becky to Kailua Beach. We slathered ourselves with sunscreen as we’ve learned that the sun seems more intense in Hawaii than in Michigan, and I even wore a t-shirt in the ocean for more sun protection. Brandon and I then used the boogie boards in the warm water to our heart’s content.
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| Riding a wave |
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| Brandon having fun in the waves...I didn't take as good of pictures as he did |
After drying off and changing, Becky drove us along the east and south coasts of the island all the way back to the house in Aiea Heights. We got out of the car several times to appreciate the gorgeous views. We looked at palm tree filled coastal towns and bright blue bays from atop high coastal cliffs. We saw a red and white lighthouse guarding a point. We observed a blow hole spouting spray and waves crashing violently along a rocky shore filled with tidal pools hosting small fish and dismembered crabs.
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| Stunning coastal panorama |
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| Taking in the scenery |
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| So vividly blue and green |
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| Beautiful rocky coastline and beach |
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| Powerful waves crashing into the rocks and feeding tidal pools |
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| Brandon catching some spray from the waves |
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| Blowhole in the rocky coastline |
Eventually we made a stop at Kona Brewing Company to relax, enjoy some brews, and free the baby from the car seat. We all shared a flight including Pipeline Porter, Black Sand Porter, Lavaman Red, and Lemongrass Ginger Luau. The Pipeline Porter with its roasty flavor and the refreshing taste of the Lemongrass Ginger Luau made those our favorites.
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| Enjoying our Kona beer and the lovely patio |
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| Left to Right: Luau, Lavaman, Black Sand, Pipeline |
The whole day was a truly fabulous way to say goodbye to Hawaii before leaving for Australia the next morning!
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