Day 4-Kauai

OK!! up a little later today...7:00 & I make the coffee and wake Fonda up as she needs to get ready for our--only me & Fonda-Kauai Movie Tour. A cookie & coffee & get dressed for our 8:00 pickup by the mini bus. It's a private tour! Just me, Fonda and the tour guide. Off we go to see sights where movies were filmed..Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Pagan Love Song, Blue hawaii, South Pacific, Donovan's Reef , Six Days-Seven Nights & a few others. Pretty interesting and our guide, Jack also was well versed in Hawaiian & Kauai history & the flora & fauna of the Island. A very good day and back at the condo by 2:00, after a good lunch in Hanalei-local mixed plate spot. A little relaxing in the room and listen to the POKES beat Clemson on the internet. Then off to look at some waterfalls-Opaeka & Wailua. They are both Fabulous, but Terry doesn't give them a high rating unless he can actually stand under them. Then down to Nawiliwili Bay to shop a little and eat at The Market Street Diner. Good food, good service and the chowder is GREAT-and it's HAPPY HOUR! A short drive back to Kapaa and the Coconut Market Place, with some unfinished shopping. Enough of that..back to the room and a nice swim in the pool to cool us down. Oh, while me & Fonda were on our tour, KK & Terry stayed here and did some serious walking in Lydgate Park, a lovely seaside park right by our condo. Also enjoyed some reading, pool time & sunning were also on the menu for Terry & KK. A good day & some new sights & facts.

Kauai-day 3

Once again..ALOHA! and what a day! We wake up to the usual rooster crowing..at 5am, 6am, and whatever am/pm...a light breakie in the room before driving to Mickey D's for a McMuffin, and other items, includung a "Taro Pie"..purple of course-KK stays at "home" to walk on the beach & avoid you know what-yep, styrofoam food. Then back to listen to some of the COWBOY baseball game vs Bama, on the internet..we win!!! 10-6. Load up and go shopping at the Coconut Market place & then drive to Port Allen to sign in for our Catamaran Trip to the Napali Coast. It is a great trip & what views! It is almost indescribable..maybe some pics will help. It's a pretty long boat ride to the cliffs & we anchor for an hour of snorkeling. The reef is beautiful but not too many fish. We did stir up some spinner dolphins going over to this spot! Back on the boat for some snacks, brews and some more great views of the 3000' cliffs on the coast. Unbelievable! A few beaches, waterfalls, caves, ancient Hawaiian Villages/ruins, mountains shrouded in mist & clouds, and even a cruise ship off the port bow. East-bound back to the dock & many more sights and a marvelous sunset as the cameras were snapping away. Now folks, this was a day to remember. We topped it off with a stroll thru old Hannpepe Town's friday night "Art Nght" & then back to the room for some ice cream & snacks.

Kauai-Day two

ALOHA!!! from the Garden Isle, Kauai! A good night's sleep, but up to the crowing of those infamous Kauai Roosters..or KFC as they are called locally-Kauai Fried Chicken. That started around 5 am, give or take. Anyway, up to some good coffee, pesky birds & the chickens. Breakfast here, and some planning. Off we go to Poipu Beach, the Spouting Horn (a blow hole, where sea water blows up thru an old lava tube) and some more snorkeling. A very nice day at the beach with lunch at the Brennecke Beach Deli, just across the street ..great sandwiches! It's a cloudy day, but that's fine with me. There are some great reef fish here and they are right at the beach! Almost like a personal aquarium & I (Mike) see a new one! A "Spanish Dancer"-a relative of the sea cucmuber-floating close to the surface & looking like a flexing red leaf..way cool. Load up and head to Old Koloa Town to shop and check out some activities for the week. There is a huge Monkey-pod tree in the middle of town, planted in the early 1900's. Nice shopping with a lot of local stuff & we book a Napali Coast boat trip for tomorrow, with a BIG discount, but we have to attend a condo presentation..oh well, it was half price! Also, Fonda and I are going to go on a tour of movie locations on the island. Back to the room & clean up for supper. Off to a Mexican spot the locals like -Monicas-and it was FAB! (Seafood enchilidas, Ono tostados, seafood fajatias!) A stop at the Foodland for supplies & back to the room. The Napli Coast tomorrow!

day eight..over to Kauai

Ok, we're up as early as usual and finish packing, but first KK & I go for a short drive back to Honolua Bay & a nice walk thru a rain forest down to the beach, just for a look. WOW! We'll have to come back sometime. Now we check out & head to breakfast at Beach Bums Bar, as we have 2 for 1 coupons! A really good breakfast & head for the airport. Plenty of time, but what a hassle as usual for checkin. Our airplane is a turbo-prop & it is a very nice flight to Kauai..1 hour at 14,000'. We land ok and go get the rental car..a PT Cruiser! It's red, but we'll put an OSU sticker on the side..HA! No upgrades this time, keep the mid-size car and the 1 bedroom condo. The Kaha Lani with a very nice ocean view room & crashing surf. We get the bedroom & the Haws the hideaway. Unpack, go for a short walk & a swim in the pool, before going to supper at The Pizzetta in Old Town Kapaa. Good pizza, pasta & beer. Oh, and did I say a trip to Wally World! A few goodies for the week's stay and back to our room to plan the next day

Maui-day 7

We are up about 6:30 and start the coffee, freeze the coke & have breakie in the room. Pack up the stuff & head out for Honolua Bay and some serious snorkeling. What a FAB place! A little surf rolling in , but the NW shore is pretty smooth & tons of reef fish-Humu's, Unicornfish, octupus, parrotfish, squid, turtle, and a huge school of Aholehole (Hawaiian Black Fish)...then a short drive looking for the blowhole, no luck but there are views that are breath-taking! Anyway, back to the room to clean up before going shopping at Kaanapali, Hilo Hattie's and Whaler's Village. We did have a great supper at the Hula Grill, beach side bar. The meal was great, the live music was very good, with a hula dancer and cold lusty brews. There were even some sailboats floating by-what a setting! Back to the room to pack. Tomorrow the puddle jumper to Kauai...Aloha!

Memorial day-day six

And a good day to all of our Veterans! Off we go to the Sands of Kahana and another great breakfast, where we run into a few Okie State fans, plus a couple wearing NCAA wrestling Tees, so I strike up a conversation & turns out he..AL Hayslip, is the announcer for ou wrestling (boooo) and knows our friend, Blas very well..small world indeed. The girls find out the scrapbbok store in open, so we head up there..Island Paperie in Kahalui, and I also manage to get in touch with Harry & he brings the stufff I left at the swap meet on Saturday. What a guy! And he's driving a 1957 Caddy..been in the family since it came off of the assembly line and has 48,000 miles on the Odo. OK, now back to Kaanapali Beach & some snorkeling at Black Rock. Tough parking in this area, but we get it done & hit the Pacific for a few hours of fish watching. We finish this visit with some shopping at Whaler's Village before going to clean up for supper at Beach Bums Bar & Grill back in Maalea Harbor. The Haws know a kid working there, as they work with his mom back in Oklahoma at DHS. Great meal and Justin seems to be a good kid and is working & having the time of his life! Back to the room and some star gazing & just relaxing by down by the sea wall..lovely evening.

Sunday, day five

Another beautiful day in Paradise , we have breakie in the condo, then off to Lahaina so Terry & Fonda can go to church..the Lahaina Baptist Church..while we go shopping and viewing the art show at the famous "Banyan Tree" in downtown Lahaina (this tree covers almost a whole block!). Lahaina is a historic whaleing village that has a lot of original buildings from the late 1700's, plus the usual upscale shops & art studios, but the Dairy Queen is gone! Here come the Haws and we walk about a mile to the Aloha Mixed Plate for lunch, and it is FAB! The local fair, plus ocean views & really good iced tea. A quick stop at the Cannery Mall across the street and YES, there's that Dairy Queen! Then the long walk back to the car, on Front Street and some shopping. It's gettin' hot..85 and very sunny! Let's go to the beach! We try to go to Honolua Bay, but it's too choppy, so we head to Kapalua and finish the day snorkeling with the "Humu's" (the state fish of Hawaii..Humuhumunukunukuapua'a). Tonight's dinner in the room, with sandwiches & salads.

Day four-Maui

ALOHA! OK, that's everyday around here, but they mean it. Up early, breakie here and off to the Swap meet in Kahaluli, and it was a fun & cheap time! Lots of vendors, with "stuff", including fresh produce, shaved ice & flowers. We make a few purchases & head for Paia and lunch. KK & I chose the Paia Fish Market & the Haws went to Charley's. Satisfied, we drive off on the road to Hana, but only a couple of miles, where we stopped at the Twin Falls for some hiking, pictures & fresh pineapple. That's enough for us-we went to Hana two years ago. Back to the Paki & get cleaned up for our Saturday evening out..up to the Pineapple Grill at the Kapalua resort and a wonderful evening in the bar with jazz & pupus on the "menu". We make a meal of the great pupus and some powerful MaiTi's. That should put us to sleep.

Day 3-Maui

Once again, up early but we're due at the Maui Ocean Center at 7:45 for a check-in date with our Pacific Whale Foundation's Snorkeling trip to Molokini, a small island off Maui's coast that was a vent crater for the massive Haleakala volcano, that created Maui's south portion about two million years ago. It was an absolutley perfect day! Clear skies and calm seas. KK & Fonda especially appreciated this part. About 80 people on board the catamaran and off we go for the island of Lanai, (while being served wonderful pineapple, bagels, muffins & juice) the former Dole pineapple plantation site. We finally anchor just off the coast and snorkel for an hour in an old area where the cowboys put the cattle into the water to send them to market. Then we start for Molokini, but first the Captain stirs up a HUGE pod of dolphins-mostly spinners-maybe 100 or more, what a show! In front of the boat, under the boat, around the boat..WOW! Ok, now off toward the next spot and anchor on the "flats" and we're the only boat there! UNBELIEVABLE! 130-40' of visability and thousands of reef fish! Oh, did I forget to say they cooked us lunch while motoring over? Chicken breast, veggie burgers & hot dogs, along with pasta salad & all the burger fixins. This site was my (KK) favorite of all we've done. The reef was unreal & the water so clear it seemed not to be there at times. Back to the Paki & we crash, before finally going out for dinner at a takeout place across the street-The Okazuya Deli. Best takeout in Town!. see ya friday!

Day Two, May 21st

The first full day on Maui, and we're up early..still on Okla time...and go to breakie at the Sands of Kahana, (pool/ocean side restaurant) before heading to our favorite snorkeling spot, Kapalua Bay. Some really great reef fish (humu's, turtles, needle fish) at this location and after a couple of times in the water, I go to get the car and discover that I took the keys in the water and the electronics are fried. I call the rental place and a new set is sent out, so we have to wait a couple of hours for this to happen and pay for a cab to deliver the keys..yuk. This a not a way to spend a vacation..I highly recommend that you DO NOT do this! However, the Haws discovered the Pineapple Grill at the Kapalua Golf Club, with some spectular views! Finally, we get back on the road and back to the Condo to change & get ready for dinner. Down to Lahaina & a fab meal-Mahi-Mahi, shrimp at Bubba Gump's, (thank you Jenny) right on the water & a great view of the sunset. Then some shopping on Front Street before going back to the Paki Maui. Molokini trip tomorrow!

Departure..west bound

The Agans & the Haws jumped a United flight in OKC , very early, on May 20th, headed for the Magic Isles of Hawaii for a couple of weeks...first to Maui, The Valley Isle , and an arrival at 3:30 pm after stops in Denver & San Francisco. Ahhh, the smell of the lush tropical island and the rush to get our rental vehicle..a massive Chrysler SUV. Then off to ...where? Wally World & some shopping, before driving to west Maui & our room at the Paki Maui. Our "first" room was a small garden view room that just wouldn't do, so we upgraded to a partial ocean view, with two bedrooms & what a "partial view"!!!! The island of Molokai across the channel & a gentle surf from the blue Pacific rolling in to our beach (mostly rock & coral reefs). No A/C but who needs it when a lovely trade wind blows thru the room and brings all the sounds of the ocean into our condo. It's only 6:00, but 11:00 for us , so we go off to Dolly's for supper & some great grinders & pasta. Back to the room & crash.