Island Adventure Blog: Day 5, The North Shore

Well now I'm finally back home in the Pacific Northwest... I got busy my final two days on the island and didn't want to waste them being on a computer! I was in paradise! Click here for the pictures!

So day 5 was by far the best day there because the North Shore is just amazing. Luckily I did some research online before arriving on the island and found the location of some off-the-road beaches. Anini Beach was one of the best beaches I saw all day... people snorkeling and wind surfing in the most blue water I've ever seen. I also noticed that the surfers will put stickers on signs leading to the best beaches too. I also have some pictures of Hanalei Valley, where they grow Taro root (which Poi is made out of... more on Poi later).

The highlight of the day was hiking a small portion of the 11 mile Kalalau Trail. This has been rated as one of the greatest American hiking trails. I will say it's not for the faint of heart (as you can see in the pictures). It is really steep and very slimy. I saw a few folks with alot of mud on their rears and over most of their legs. Somehow I managed to keep my balance, and get to the top of the first ridge. I got a sweet shot of Ke'e Beach there... just as my camera died. So for all you travelers out there... charge your camera battery before leaving the hotel!

If the Kalalau Trail was the highlight of my day, the Coconut Beach Luau in Kapa'a was the highlight of my evening. Being the only person there by myself was a bit interesting, but I quickly made friends with a group of Danes (that's people from Denmark, Ada... the country North of Germany... but you'd have to know where Germany is) The luau itself was very entertaining, the girls were quite pretty, and the Emcee was as cheesy as Bill Murray's Star Wars lounge act. Best of all was the food... especially the Kalua Pork. It is cooked all day long in a pit heated by lava rocks with pine wood and the pig is wrapped in banana leaves. It has this amazing smokey sweet flavor that I'll never forget. It's a must eat when visiting Hawaii. They also had Poi, which was served with a warning. Being one to cast common sense aside, I tried it. Not as bad as I was expecting, but not something to be tried again. Basically this is Hawaiian wall spackle. A bland substance like a thin purple porridge. I perfer the roasted taro root...

Oh and the open bar was pretty sweet too! Mai Tais anyone?