Hello once again, and welcome to the 3rd and final day of my Kauai adventure. I would have to say that this was my favorite day of this trip - it was brimming with beautiful vistas and lush scenery! I hope you enjoy this day as much as I did!
There was a lot to see and do today, so I wanted to get off to an early start. Unbeknownst to me, I had my own personal alarm clock right outside my door. Boy, this rooster really wanted to make sure I got up early - a whole hour earlier than I planned!
With the extra hour allotted to me, I headed for Ishihara Market to pick up some breakfast. I knew I would be hiking, so what better fuel than inarizushi (above) and bread pudding (below)!
For those unfamiliar with inarizushi, it is fried seasoned tofu pouches stuffed with rice. These were the biggest I have ever seen! They were like mini footballs!
The bread pudding was amazing as well! It was so moist and full of flavor...I kind of wished I bought more than one!
With breakfast done, it was time to start heading out. The first stop on the agenda was Waimea Canyon, also known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific."
The canyon formed from the collapse of a volcano, as well as erosion caused by both a vast amount rainfall and from the Waimea river running through it.
At the time I went, there was a bit of fog hovering over the canyon, but the views were nonetheless spectacular. I found the brightness of the red volcanic soil almost otherworldly, as if I were on another planet.
There are also many hikes that go through the canyon, but I did not try any of them. I had another hike planned for the day, but this gives me another reason to return!
Driving up past Waimea Canyon, you come to Koke`e State Park. The first thing that drew my attention was the mother hen and her little chicks running around by the parking lot. They were so adorable that I proceeded to watch them for a good 1/2 hour!
After being a little sidetracked, I made it to the Kalalau Lookout. From the gorgeous vantage point, you can look down into the Kalalau Valley. This is easily accessable to everyone, and a must stop place for photographers.
A mile past the Kalalau Lookout is the Pu'u o Kila Lookout, known as being a great spot to capture the whole valley.
Unfortunately, this is Mount Waiʻaleʻale, one of the wettest spots in the world...and it did not disappoint. With all the fog that had gathered here, I could not see any part of the valley!
This is also the starting point for the hike I was taking.
The beginning of the trail was a fairly steep decent, which gave way to a very wide, flat trail. I though the fog within the tunnel of trees gave this place an eerily mysterious look.
The path eventually became a series of wooden planks, which help protect the surrounding vegetation. Some of the planks seemed a bit wobbly and slippery, so be careful when crossing them!
And here, everyone, is where it all went wrong! I came to this junction with no sign indicating which way to go. My plan was to hike to the Kilohana Lookout, which, as I learned later, would have required me to take a left turn.
But no, a left turn I did not take. Instead, I thought it would be easiest for me to continue heading straight.
My decision led me through various terrain, and finally to an open area.
I eventually did find myself a view. Unfortunately, it was not the view I was expecting. That's when I realized I made a mistake! I had to backtrack all the way back! But not only that, as I had spent so much time following the wrong trail, I would not have time to reach the Kilohana Lookout. Yet another reason to return to Kauai!
After about 5 hours of hiking, I was finally nearing the trailhead. I was so excited that I had found my way back, untill...I saw this - this nearly vertical path that I had to traverse.
And what did I find after that climb? Yet another long upward stretch ahead! I think my legs and lungs wanted to kill me!
Fortunately, this interesting bird appeared before me and took my mind off the pain! I literally followed this bird all the way up to top!
In the end, though, as I said in the beginning, this was probably the favorite day of my trip! Seeing all of the awe-inspiring views was great, but then being treated to the beautiful sunset was like the cherry on top.
Usually, I'm not one for souvenirs. To me, the experiences I have and the memories I create are what I take home with me; however, I made this one exception. There were so many chickens on Kauai, so I thought it would be funny to get a rooster cookie cutter! And since it was Christmas time, I made rooster shaped cookies for everyone!
Thank you so much for following along on this third day of my adventure in Kauai! If you missed the first two posts, you can find them here and here. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed sharing it. If you did, please feel free to comment, follow or upvote. All are greatly appreciated!
See you in my next post and new adventure!
Hi @akemirayko
A very enjoyable trip in Kauai, you really enjoy the trip from the mountain to the sea it is really beautiful, and you take good pictures. even the story you gave was really full, as if I were in your story that ...
thanks for sharing interesting stories of your trip. Continue to work .. akiyoshi
Thank you for the wonderful comments! I appreciate it so much! I'm so glad you liked it! I'll definite have more to come ^_^
You are welcome ..
keep working ..
i will be glad if you write about you better in the future ..
What a fabulous Kauai adventure you had and what terrific articles you wrote about it. I enjoyed your pictures, your narrative and the feelings of enjoyment you conveyed in your writings. Kauai seems like a beautiful and natural island with lush vegetation, wonderful food, natural trails to climb, and thousands of chickens!!!!!! It sounds like a real treat for those people who want a nature focused vacation with hiking, swimming, and culture. Thank-you for sharing your trip with us! I look forward to many more adventures with you!
Thank you for your thoughtful comments! Kauai is so amazing, definitely my favorite island! Lol, yeah, there were chickens everywhere! It was hilarious!
I'm not used to seeing fog in Hawaii and the striations in the canyons look gorgeous. Also, those are the largest inari that I've ever seen!
Thank you for your comments. Yeah, once you head up into the mountains, you can see a collection of fog. Waimea Canyon was gorgeous! My pictures don't do it justice!
I love it, your photos are absolutely exquisite I would love to venture to this magical place for a couple of weeks and just track around enjoying the views and scenery. I love your photos :) Keep it up!
Thank you so much! You are too kind! If you ever get the chance, you should definitely go to Kauai. I highly recommend it! I would also love to take a couple of weeks to explore this island - 3 days were just too short! ^_^
It's my pleasure, I love hiking so this island would be perfect for me :)
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That forest looks so magical! Especially love the picture of the wooden path and stairs. The fog definitely gives it that enchanted look as well. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the comments! It really was like being in a fairytale world!