The Hawaiian Islands

Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island, Maui

Many years ago---around the year 1998--- Ken and I went to yet another timeshare presentation in St. Louis (for the entertainment and free stuff they gave us), but this time we ended up buying into it.  This presentation was for Pahio Resorts (specifically Kauai Beach Villas---- one of the 4 Pahios on Kauai).  We had never been to any of the Hawaiian islands and didn't really figure we'd go to the Pahio resort, but we were sold on the idea that we could bank the week into RCI and go anywhere, anytime, that we desired.  We were so naive back then!!!  So we bought a 1 bedroom/1 bath EOY (every other year) unit.  

About the same time that we went to the presentation, I came across a great TWA Getaway Vacations to Oahu for $599/person which included airfare from St. Louis and 5 nights on Oahu ( at the Maile Sky Court Hotel which we extended to 7 nights for a couple hundred dollars more).   With our first year at KBV set to be 1999, and we already had reservations for Oahu for Nov. of 1998, we banked the KBV week into RCI---and began to learn what "go anywhere, anytime you want" really means - go anywhere that is available, at the worst times of the year!  That usually means somewhere over saturated with timeshares (like Orlando or Las Vegas); or where you really want to go (usually only available during off season) if you're lucky enough to catch it as soon as it's banked.  Since we had a really good time on Oahu in 1998, when our next EOY week rolled around in 2001, we decided to go with the sure thing and see exactly what we bought into.  

We never banked that week again.  In fact, we bought more and more weeks at Pahio until we had 2 weeks every year (1 bedrooms in even years and 2 bedrooms in odd years).  That worked so well, that when Wyndham took over as the management company, we eventually converted our weeks into Wyndham points by buying another EOY 1 bedroom unit at Bali Hai.  With that purchase, all our Pahio weeks were converted into Wyndham points.  Which ended up being a rather inexpensive way to become Platinum VIP in Wyndham (which has been great!).  Part of what got us to convert, was we were told we'd be able to reserve ocean view rooms 13 months out.  That did work for a couple years, then they "learned" that we could only reserve our original type units that far in advance.  But it worked out.  With lots of persistence and patience, we still got a lot of ocean view rooms in the 10 month Wyndham open reservation window and even often within the 60 day reservation time when our Platinum VIP privileges of 50% off the number of points non-VIPs pay and free upgrades takes place.   

And this is my blog of my love affair with Hawaii! 

1998 Oahu - first trip to the islands

2001 Kauai - first trip to Kauai

          2nd trip to Oahu

2002 The Big Island 

2003 Kauai with Dad (buy a 2 bedroom week)

2003 Oahu with Dad for Sean's reinlistment

2004 Kauai with Tim and Faith

2005 Kauai

2006  Kauai with Tim and Faith, then Dad

2006 Maui father/daughter trip - first trip to Maui

2007 Kauai

2008 Kauai

2009 Oahu by myself, 

         Kauai with Ken, Angie and Josh (and we convert to Wyndham)

2010 Kauai with Tim and Faith, again

2011 Kauai

2012 Kauai with Schneiderjans

2012 Maui sisters' trip

2013 Maui with Baileys

2014  Kauai

2015 Feb. 6-26
          Kauai 
          Maui

2016  8/18 - 9/14 (2 weeks each place)
          Maui 
          Kauai starting 8/31

2017  no Hawaiian islands!!!!

2018  Maui for 4 weeks  with Fischers

2019  Kauai (with Carolyn) / Maui (solo!)

2020  Glioblastoma hit and COVID 19 pandemic---our 2 weeks at Maui Schooner             and 2 at Kihei WM for March had to be cancelled. 

2021  Ken still fighting Glioblastoma and COVID 19 pandemic still raging ---week           at Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy and 2 weeks at Kihei WM canceled,             again. (for April).  Now I have WM reservations for March 2022.

2022  Ken STILL fighting Glioblastoma.  Covid still going around, but people are beginning to ignore it.  But had to cancell our reservations for Kihei in March, again.  Now have reservations for Feb. 2023.

2023  Ken STILL fighting Glioblastoma---not doing well, but is a long term survivor now.  Covid, not so bad.  But had to cancel 2 weeks at Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy and 2 weeks at Kihei Worldmark on Maui.   As of Jan. 2023, I have 1 week booked for Feb. 2024 on the Big Island.

 

With 20+ trips to the islands between 1998 and 2018, we obviously LOVE the islands!  It feels like another home to us!  Can't wait to go home again!


 

2016---Aug. 18 - Sept. 14 Maui and Kauai trip

This was our 3rd time to Maui (my 5th, but Ken's and my 3rd together); followed by our 15th trip to Kauai.  Originally I booked award travel for the usual time we go to Hawaii---Feb.  It's a nice escape from the St. Louis winters.  But little did I know when I made the reservations that in Feb. 2016 we'd be living in South Florida!  No need to escape that weather!!!  So I paid the exchange fee and changed it to Aug/Sept out of Miami.  Again, little did I know that when Aug. 2016 rolled around, we would be living in Atlanta!  Another exchange fee and rebooking (loosing a day of our Maui vacation in order to get the award travel again)!  This time we left from Atlanta.  And this time we spent 2 weeks on Maui, then another 2 weeks on Kauai!

2015--Feb. 6-12 Kauai trip # 13! Then Maui---Feb. 12-26, trip #3

Finally---Feb. rolled around again and it was time to take our annual trip to Hawaii.  This time we're going to 2 islands: first 6 nights on Kauai; then 14 nights on Maui.  When I went to book our award tickets on AA, Maui wasn't available for STL-OGG, but Kauai was --- so I was more then  happy to travel to Kauai first!  This is our 13th trip to Kauai.  Most of them have been for at least 2 weeks.  I figure that gives us over 6 months here now!  Doesn't that make us residents?!
Click on the dates to see lots of pictures and blog of our trip----

Feb. 6, 2015 --- Travel day (STL-LIH)

Wyndham Kauai Beach Villas: 1 bedroom/2 bath---F3 OV

Feb. 7: north and Anini---

Feb. 8, Sunday: walk along KBV beach; drive through the East side; snorkel Poipu; waimea canyon overlook; dinner at Kauai Brewing Company; sunset by Koloa Landing---
 

Feb. 9, Monday:  Lydgate

Feb. 10, Tues.: high surf, no snorkeling :(

Feb. 11, Wed.: Lydgate

Feb. 12, Thursday: heading to Maui

 This was the shortest amount of time we ever spent on Kauai.  Hardly got to do anything!  No canyon this year.  No north shore snorkeling (except the one time at Anini).  Didn't even get to Poipu.  If I didn't blog, I'd be wondering what we did for 6 nights!!!  At least we get to spend another 2 weeks on the islands.  On to Maui!!!!  To follow us there, click on :  2015 Maui


Snorkeling Kauai

Snorkeling Kauai

Probably my favorite thing to do on vacation is snorkel---or is it photography?!  I guess it would have to be underwater photography!  As of 2015, we've made 13 trips to Kauai, all during the winter.  I read a lot of comments saying that snorkeling on Kauai isn't very good.  I'm here to offer a different opinion.  I love snorkeling Kauai----and Maui, and the Big Island, and St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitt's and lots of other places.  But since we always get drawn back to Kauai, I decided to make a blog of our snorkeling on Kauai.  I figure I'll start at the westernmost area we snorkeled: Saltpond;  and travel to the south side: Lawai; Poipu; and Maha'ulepu Beach--- then to the East side:  Lydgate and Moloaa; Anahola--- and last but certainly not least, to the North shore:   Anini; Tunnels and Kee.   They each have their own unique character to them.

On the South side:

Saltpond:

 Lawai:

Poipu Beach:

Maha'ulepu Beach:

On to the East side:

Lydgate Park:

Moloa'a:

Anahola:

On the North side:

Anini:

Hanalei:

Tunnels:

Kee:


So whether it's raining on the north shore, or windy in Poipu, or beach closed due to shark sighting at Tunnels, or whatever, there are plenty of other great places to find to snorkel at around Kauai.  Check the surf reports and go where the surfers don't. 

2014 Jan. Kauai -- trip # 12: Kauai Coast Resort; KBV; biking; Smith's garden; Allerton Garden; Na Aina Kai; Bali Hai

2014 Kauai---This was our 12th vacation to Kauai!  I know a lot of people don't like to keep going back to the same place, but I love it.  We've really gotten to feel comfortable here.  Too bad it's so far away!!!

To check out our adventures, click on the daily links below: 

Jan. 18, 2014:

Day 2: Jan. 19---around the east side and on to Poipu

Jan. 20, 2014---East side, Lydgate snorkeling


Jan. 21, 2014--Tuesday: Anahola and Anini

Jan. 22- Wed--Big waves on the North Shore

Jan. 23-Thurs--south to Lawai and Saltpond:

Jan. 24, Friday-Smith's garden, Poipu--

Jan. 25-Sat.-move day, Moloaa beach-

Jan. 26, Sunday--Lydgate and Meet and Greet at Ka Eo Kai:

Day 10-Jan. 27: clouds, cold, garden--

Jan. 28--Hubby's big birthday!

Jan. 29--Another cloudy rainy day, so off to another garden:

Jan. 30-Poipu and Salt Pond--

Jan. 31---Finally!-snorkel Tunnels!

Feb. 1--move to Wyndham Bali Hai, hang around Hanalei--

 Feb. 2--Anahola snorkeling; Super Bowl; Kee sunset;

Feb. 3: Anini turtle convention; spectacular sunset

Feb. 4, 2014--hanging out on the east side until our flight: Day 18---

Another great vacation!  Hard to believe 18 days can go by so quickly!!!

2012 Feb. 16-March 2 Kauai--- (Schneide trip): Na' Anina Kai garden; Just Live Ziip line tour; Smith's luau; Coffee plantation; Waimea canyon; Polihale;

 2012 Kauai---Feb. 16-March 2 (Schneide trip): Na' Anina Kai garden; Just Live Zip line tour; Smith's luau; Coffee plantation; Waimea canyon; Polihale;

Finally, another year has flown by and we are in Kauai again!  This makes Kauai trip # 11 for us.   For 1 of our 2+ weeks we are excited to have good friends Coni and John Schneiderjans join us. It was their first time to Hawaii, so we were anxious to show off "our" Hawaii!

Feb. 16, 2012:  Travel day from St. Louis

Feb. 17, 2012 : Lydgate

Feb. 18, 2012: East side and Lawai

Feb. 19, 2012:  East side and Poipu

Feb. 20, 2012: Anini

Feb. 21, 2012: Lydgate, then to the airport to pick up the Schneides

 Feb. 22, 2012: kee, Kilauea Lighthouse, Hanalei

Feb. 23, 2012: Kilauea, Na 'aina Kai sculpture garden, Anini

Feb. 24, 2012: Just Live Zip Line, Smith's Luau

Feb. 25, 2012: Sicker then a dog today!

Feb. 26, 2012: South Kauai, Kauai Coffee Plantation

Feb. 27, 2012:  Waimea Canyon, Polihale, Poipu

Feb. 28, 2012: Anini

Feb. 29, 2012---Leap day! Tunnels and Kee

March 1, 2012: Tunnels, again

March 2, 2012:  Lawai and Poipu

We had an interesting time at the Lihue airport, too.  Between the time we checked in and printed our boarding passes and the time we got to the airport, they changed the type of plane they were bringing in and everyone's seats were reassigned---and mostly not together.  

  Another great Kauai vacation!  Loved sharing it with friends.  Can't wait to come back!

2011 Feb. 10-25 Kauai---trip #10 to Kauai! Year of the Shark!: vog; Hanapepe gallery night; Waimea Canyon; Na Aina Kai garden; Kanikapila Kakou concert;

2011 Kauai---trip #10 to Kauai!  

Feb. 10-25 Year of the Shark!: vog; Hanapepe gallery night; Waimea Canyon; Na Aina Kai garden; Kanikapila Kakou concert

On about our 5th trip to Kauai, we had read in one of the visitor booklets that if you vacation to Kauai 10 times, you'll have a good chance of eventually moving there. I wonder if that'll hold true for us, too!?  Unfortunately, with this being our 10th trip to Kauai, there's still no plans for that move as of yet.

I imagine if this had been our 1st trip to Kauai, I still would have been blown away by it's beauty, but since this was our 10th, the weather made this trip ever so slightly disappointing. We had Kona winds for the whole time, which I have mixed feelings about. I like the warmer more humid weather it brings, but dislike the vog it can also bring. This year the vog was really bad because the volcano on the Big Island was being especially active. Our crisp vibrant colors of the distant hills weren't there for the whole 2 weeks of our visit. The first several days we didn't even get to see the brilliant blue/green ocean colors due to constant cloud cover. We did have quite a bit of rain, too, but that in itself doesn't bother me that much. It's the constant cloud cover and vog that were disappointing this year. Our usual routine of snorkeling all day then finding a sunset didn't work out well this year. We still snorkeled quite a bit, but by sunset, the clouds were usually too heavy to produce a pretty sunset, so most evenings we ended up just going out for an early dinner instead.

The past 2 years I've booked our flights to arrive a day or 2 before our timeshare stay started and left a day before our stay ended in order to get AA award tickets. This works out pretty well especially since we've had ocean view rooms the last 2 years and it was nice checking in when we could enjoy the view, instead of after 9pm and a long day of flying. It's also nice having the condo all day on the last day until we had to catch our red eye flight.

2011-Feb 10---Travel day:  STL-DFW-LAX-LIH

2011-Feb 10-12: Plantation Hale

2011-Feb 11: South Kauai

2011-Feb. 12: Wyndham Kauai Beach Villas, Lihue

2011-Feb. 13: Lawai, Poipu, Hanapepe

 2011-Feb. 14: Waimea Canyon

2011-Feb. 15: Anini, Kee, Tunnels

2011-Feb. 16: Kee, Tunnels

2011-Feb. 17: Na' Aina Kai

2011-Feb. 18: Anini, Hanalei

2011-Feb. 19: KBV Oceanview, Poipu, Lawai

2011-Feb. 20: Lawai

2011-Feb. 21: Anini

2011-Feb. 22: Salt Pond, Waimea pier

2011-FEb. 23: Lawai

2011-Feb. 24: East Kauai, Kee, Tunnels

2011-Feb. 25 (last day): anini

Flights home were long but uneventful. We were able to fly non-stop from LAX to STL so that cut several hours off our return flight. Arrived home about 1:30 pm from another wonderfull, but too short, Kauai vacation.

2010 Feb. 19 - March 5 Kauai

2010-Kauai trip #9, Feb. 19-March 5: tim and faith-Year of the Tsunami: plantation monument; TripAdvisor M&G; Moloaa; Wailua falls; Gaylord train ride; Smith's Luai; 

This was our 9th trip to Kauai and Tim and Faith's 3rd.  They decided to mix it up a bit by going to the Big Island first---just in time for a tsunami.  AFter 3 nights there, they joined us on Kauai for another  It was really great having them join us again, even though it was only for 4 nights.  

For most of our first week here, the weather was beautiful. It was sunny, in the 70’s, little wind and no vog, although the surf on the north shore was at advisory levels most of the 2 weeks we were there.

My cameras this trip were a Canon 30D dslr and a Canon Powershot D10 waterproof camera.  

2010-2-19  Worldmark Kapaa Shores

2010-2-20 moving day, already

2010-2-21 snorkeling Poipu

2010-2-22  "owners' update" in Princeville and snorkeling Lidgate:

2010-2-23 Salt Pond then a trip advisor meeting at the Grand Hyatt

2010-2-24  Moloaa and Poipu for sunset

2010-2-25 Hanging around the East side waiting for Tim and Faith to make it to the Big Island

2010-2-26  South to Lawai

2010-2-27 Tsunami!

2010-2-28 Anini and back to Salt Pond

2010-3-1 Kids arrive and off to Poipu:

2010-3-2 South again

2010-3-3 finally, a day to snorkel at Tunnels!

2010-3-4 lawai and Smith's Luau

2010-3-5  around KBV then Lawai, then home


It was another fantastic vacation!  Made even better by being able to share it with family.  Can't wait for Kauai vacation number 10!

2009 Feb. 22-March 8 Kauai with Angie and Josh

 2009 Kauai- Feb. 22 - March 8-Angie and Josh trip: Napali cruise; Smith's luau; bird whisperer; Hyatt lighting ceremony; waimea canyon;

 We love showing off Kauai to friends and family.  So when Angie and Josh wanted to join us, I was really excited!  It was their first time to any of the Hawaiian islands.  Plus I know Angie enjoys the ocean and snorkeling almost as much as I do.  They weren't here the whole time we were, but long enough for us to show them some of our favorite things:  lots of snorkeling; or just enjoying the beautiful beaches;  tried to take them on a Napali cruise to see the striking cliffs; feasted and enjoyed the Smith's luau which we love for it's great food and young performers; bot to mention lots of time at their resort in the heated pool and jacuzzi.

Note on cameras this trip:  above ground-Canon 20D; underwater-Coolpix S-5 with housing.

2009-Feb. 22: travel day and Lydgate

2009-Feb. 23: Lawai, farmer's market, Poipu

2009-Feb. 24: ride to the North shore, snorkel Anini

2009-Feb. 25: Lawai

2009-Feb. 26: sunset cruise, Hanapepe, Waimea Canyon overlook

2009-Feb. 26: No Hoku and Smith's Luau

2009-Feb. 28: Lawai, Maha'ulepu beach

2009-March 1: new Wyndham owners, Tunnels

2009-March 2: the bird whisperer, poipu; lawai

2009-March 3: McBryde/Allerton office garden, Hyatt

2009-March 4: Lawai, Waimea Canyon, Saltpond

2009-March 5: Kee, Tunnels

2009-March 6: Hanalei, Lydgate

2009-March 7: Hyatt grounds

2009-March 8: Kileaua lighthouse, Anini, East side

All in all, another great trip to Kauai (8th trip to Kauai if I'm remembering correctly)! Still finding plenty of things to take pictures of even after 8 trips! Not as warm and sunny as usual, but I won't complain about 70ish. Lots of rain, but where were all those rainbows they promise with the rain?! Not much time on the northshore, but we did get 1 beautiful day there and the south shore surf was excellent for snorkeling the whole 2 weeks. Ruined another camera, but now have an excuse to buy a new one. Got 2 beautiful pendants from NaHoku jewelers this trip (one that I bought on Oahu and one that my daugher and son-in-law got me). Only really great sunsets this time were from the short while I was on Oahu. Very very windy for the first 7-10 days---sustained 30m/h winds! Whale watching didn't seem to be as good this year. Got to enjoy showing our island to some newbies (my daughter and son-in-law). Even got to meet a fellow trip advisor.

We will be back!

2008 March---7th trip to Kauai, Just the two of us: bike path; Keiki Hula; Moir garden; north shore waves

2008---7th trip to Kauai, Just the two of us: bike path; Keiki Hula; Moir garden; north shore waves

 During the past year, we added to our collection of weeks here at Pahio Kauai Beach Villas. We bought another 2 bedroom EOY week resale to go with the other 2 bedroom unit EOY week we had. Only thing different this time was that we had the 2 bedroom unit all to ourselves this year.

 

Note about cameras:  above ground-Canon 20D; underwater-Coolpix S5 with housing.

2008-March 1: East Kauai, Hanalei

 

2008-March 2: sunrise, Tunnels, Kee

 

2008-March 3: Lydgate, South for sunset

 

2008-March 4: Princeville, Hanalei

 

2008-March 5: Lawai, Salt Pond sunset

 

2008-March 6: Anini, Kee sunset

 

2008-March 7: Poipu, Lawai sunset

 

2008-March 8: East side and hula kids

 

2008-March 9: Polihale, glass beach

 

2008-March 10: Lawai

 

2008-March 11: Lydgate, Moir Garden, Nihi Kai sunset

 

2008-March 12: Huge North Waves

 

2008-March 13: Lawai

 

2008-March 14: Lawai, then back to STL

 

Weather this year was the best yet. No rain, 80's almost every day, and calm on the north shore for the whole first week.  But got to see some huge waves on the North shore one day.

Another 2 weeks gone all too quickly!

2007 Feb. 26-March 11 Kauai

2007--our 6th trip to Kauai, alone again, naturally: Tandem surfing; Moir Gardens; Secret Beach; Mahaulepu Beach; 

On odd years we have the 1 bedroom condos at Pahio Kauai Beach Villas, so we had no family join us this time. We had to just enjoy Kauai by ourselves---which wasn't too hard to do!

Click on the dates for a link to my blog and photos from those days-

Feb. 26--sunrise at KBV, Koloa market, Lydgate park

Feb. 27--Spouting horn and Salt Pond

Feb. 28--Kee and Tunnels

March 1--Polihale and Lawai (Tandem  surfers)

March 2--Anini and Tunnels

March 3--East side and a Sheraton sunset 

March 4--East side waterfalls and Poipu

March 5-- Maha'ulepu Beach, moir, poipu point

March 6---North, Anini, Hanalei

March 7--- lydgate, kalapaki, nawiliwili, poipu point

March 8---lydgate cleanup, secret beach, hanalei sunset

March 9---a rainy day in Kauai:

March 10--Anini and Nawiliwili:

March 11--Anini and time to go home:

Just a few of the special photos from this trip:

It was another fantastic Kauai vacation.  A lot of new things this year: the clean up of Lydgate, the tandem surfers, the Kee sunset like none others I've experienced, and even Ken finally using a snorkel mask!  Can't wait to go back!!!

2006 Jan 30-Feb 12 - Our 5th Kauai vacation, Tim and Faith's 2nd, Dad's 3rd: Kauai Museum; Queen's Bath; Limahuli Garden; Sleeping Giant hike; Smith's luau; Kukuiolono Golf Course; Napali cruise;

We usually go to Kauai the end of Feb./beginning of March, but this time, we went the end of Jan. 29-Feb. 12.   As I recall, this was the year they had really devastating rains in March. But while we were there the weather was really beautiful for our 2 weeks.

We had visitors most of these 2 weeks. Part of the time they were even overlapping. Since we had the 2 bedroom unit at our Kauai Beach Villas resort that my dad went in on with us, he stayed with us and Tim and Faith stayed at the Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy in Kapaa for the first 5 nights until Dad left, then they joined us for a couple more days.


Jan. 30---sticking around the East side waiting for Dad's arrival:

Jan. 31---Queen's Bath, Limahuli Garden, and tunnels:

Feb. 1---Kauai Museum:

Feb. 2---East side, Lydgate, Tim and Faith arrive:

Feb. 3---Smith's luau:

Feb. 4---Sleeping Giant hike, Lydgate snorkel:

Feb. 5---Dad to the airport; then off to the South side:

Feb. 6---kayak tour and snorkeling Lawai: 

Feb. 7---Kilauea and north shore:

Feb. 8---Kukuiolono golf course:

Feb. 9---time for the kids to leave :(

Feb. 10---Snorkeling Poipu:

Feb. 11---sunset cruise:

Feb. 12---snorkel, snorkel, snorkel:

Thus ended another great vacation in Kauai. Instead of getting tired of vacations here, I'm looking more and more foreward to them.  It's feeling more like a home then just a vacation spot!

2005 Feb --- Our 4th Kauai visit, alone this time: Queen's Bath; Napali/Niihau snorkel tour; Waimea Canyon; Kipu falls;

2005 Kauai---Our 4th Kauai visit, alone this time: Queen's Bath; Napali/Niihau snorkel tour; Waimea Canyon; Kipu falls

Another year passed and February finally rolled around again. At the end of the month we were heading back to Kauai for our 4th time there. Instead of renting another week, we picked up another 1 bedroom/1 bath unit at Pahio KBV off Ebay for about $1200 for another EOY ownership. We were again upgraded to a 1 bedroom/2 bath unit and were able to stay in the same unit for both weeks. It seemed a little odd being there all by ourselves for both weeks, but we had a great time none-the-less.

Our daily routine is usually to check the forecast for the north shore in the morning. If it looks like it's going to be sunny there, we head north. Sometimes we luck out and have lots of nice days there, other times hardly any. Being the rainy season when we're there, the north shore gets a lot more rain then the south side.


2005-2-7---north to Anahola and Tunnels

2005-2-8---Lihue:

2005-2-9---South, Glass Beach, Saltpond:

2005-2-10---north, queens bath, hanalei, kee

2005-2-11---Kipu, Maha'ulepu Beach:

2005-2-12---Shipwreck beach, sunset at Poipu:

 2005-2-13---Waimea Canyon:

 2005-2-14---Portifino's on Kalapaki bay:

2005-2-15---moloaa, Kilauea Bay, anini:

2005-2-16---Napali cruise:

  An end to another great vacation and start of another long year until the next Kauai vacation.

2004 March - our 3rd Kauai visit, Dad's 2nd, Tim and Faith's 1st: Keahua Forestry Arboretum; Smith's luau; Waimea Canyon; McBryde Gardens; Fern Grotto tour

March 2004---back on our island. This was the first use of our 2 bedroom/2 bath ownership at Pahio Kauai Beach Villas. Again I rented a 2nd week and we had visitors join us for both weeks---Tim and Faith for one week and Dad for the other. The week Tim and Faith were there turned out to be one of the worst ones weatherwise that we've encountered. It was rather cool and rainy the whole week. But they were still impressed enough with Kauai to go back (their 3rd time will be coming up soon). I think the only day they saw sun was on the day they were leaving.

Here they are on the lanai of our timeshare condo.

Before Wyndham took over, Pahio use to run some interesting events at the condo. Here I'm participating in one where they brought dried coconuts and paints and let us paint one. I painted a Bird of Paradise flower on mine. Later in the week we took it to the post office and mailed it to Tim and Faith. I thought it was interesting that you can mail a coconut without wrapping it. They just staple the postage onto it and away it goes. I don't remember how much postage was, but it wasn't too much.

Just a few more pictures around Kauai Beach Villas---

the lush landscaping

the beach

More landscaping

2003 - Kauai trip 2, Dad's first Kauai visit: Kalalau Trail; resort scuba dive; South Pacific Dinner Show; Waimea Canyon

2003 - Kauai trip 2, Dad's first Kauai visit: Kalalau Trail; resort scuba dive; South Pacific Dinner Show; Waimea Canyon 

In 2001 we took our 1st trip to Kauai and fell in love with the little island. Since we owned an every other year week in Pahio Kauai Beach Villas there, in 2002 we went to The Big Island. With 2 trips to Oahu, 1 to Kauai, and 1 to The Big Island since 1999, we were anxious to get back to Kauai in 2003. But this time we knew 1 week wasn't going to be long enough. So I rented another week in our resort complex and we went back for our 2nd Kauai vacation for 2 wonderful weeks. 

My Dad even joined us for one of those weeks.  He even went to the "owners' update" with us.  Of course it's a sales presentation, but with a reward of BOGOF activities and such, we usually don't mind going to them.  This time, Dad even volunteered to buy a resale week in a 2 bed/2 bath EOY unit in our name if we'd let him tag along with us.  We couldn't pass up that offer, so now we had 1 week every year---2 bedroom in even years and 1 bedroom in odd years.  Thus our ownership in Pahio started to grow!

Now on to my blog of our vacation:

 Our resort: Kauai Beach Villas---

3-5-2003  Opaeka Falls and Poliʻahu Heiau---

3-6-2003  Resort dive at Koloa Landings---

3-7-2003 Waimea Canyon---

3-8-2003 Lydgate snorkeling, Polihale, Salt Pond---

3-9-2003  A day on the South shore---

3-10-2003 north to Kilauea and beyond--- 

3-11-2003 more north shore--- 

3-12-2003 Kalalau hike and Kee snorkel---

3-13-2003 Tunnels---

3-14-2003  East side---

3-15-2003  Spouting Horn sunset goodbye---

We used one of our rewards from the owners' update to go to the South Pacific dinner show that was held at Kauai Beach Resort (the hotel sharing the grounds with Kauai Beach Villas).   I was rather disappointed in the audio.  It wasn't as clear as I would have liked it to be.  But it was a popular show and ran for many many years.  But I did enjoy the italian themed buffet dinner that came with the show.

Thus ended our 4th trip to Hawaii and our 2nd trip to Kauai. We're hooked! 

2001--our 1st trip to Kauai: helicopter tour; Blue Dolphin Napali tour

Our 1st trip to Kauai: helicopter tour; Blue Dolphin Napali tour:

Back in 1999 Ken and I went to a timeshare presentation in St. Louis that was selling weeks in a newly renovated condo complex in Kauai. We had never been to any of the islands of Hawaii. Didn't really figure it would be somewhere we'd frequent. But did like the idea that we would supposedly be able to trade it for anywhere we wanted to go. We were pretty naive about the whole timeshare thing back then, but I think we pretty well lucked out with our first timeshare purchase, even sight unseen. So for $8,000 we became the owners of 1 week every other year at Pahio Kauai Beach Villas. Since we actually had reservations already for our first ever trip to Hawaii (Oahu) at the time we bought into KBV, we went ahead and banked our first week into RCI as soon as we became owners. 2 years later we decided to check out our purchase before banking anymore weeks. So in 2001, we booked 4 nights on Oahu since we had liked it so much in 1999 (just in case we didn't like Kauai) and booked our week at Pahio Kauai Beach Villas. After a week in Kauai, we were sad to be heading to Oahu for the rest of our trip! We fell in love with Kauai and never banked another Kauai week. In fact, we've since bought 4 more every other year weeks.

From the moment we drove onto the Pahio KBV properties, we were impressed. We had purchased a 1 bedroom/1 bath "garden view" unit. "Garden view" actually means "parking lot view", but we were upgraded into a "lagoon view" 1 bedroom/2 bath unit near the pool. We both agreed we could live very comfortably there for a lot longer than a week. The pool was a bit cold, but at that time KBV owners were also able to use the pools at the adjoining Radisson hotel complex without a fee. Those pools weren't heated, either, but the jacuzzi was bigger and the pools were more interesting, so we did take advantage of that benefit quite a bit. We also enjoyed the "lighting" ceremony at the Radisson pool a few evenings. I think they still do the free hula and lighting show there, but we haven't checked that out in a few years---since we're no longer welcomed in their pools when the Radisson was bought out by Hilton. They've just been bought out again and we're hoping we'll have access to the pools again. Anyway, not only did we love the Pahio resort, but we also loved the location. It was isolated enough to be quiet, but close to 2 of the main towns on Kauai, Lihue and Kapaa. It makes a great base for winter stays since it's about equal distance to the north shore or the south shore. We watch the weather forecasts and if the north shores are calm and dry, we head north. Otherwise we usually end up going south. We do drive alot while we're on Kauai, but with the beauty of the island, I've never minded the rides. Back to KBV----it's on the beach, although most of the units aren't oceanfront. The beach there isn't swimable, but the beach is a beautiful one for walking on. It's truely a home away from home to us.

 
This being our first trip to Kauai, we tried to see as much of the island as we could in our too short week long stay. In our driving around, we stopped at various viewpoints. Here's one on the east
side of the Wailua River. The Wailua River begins near the Waiʻaleʻale crater (whose summit averages more than426 inches of rain a year) and enters the Pacific Ocean by Kapaa. It is the only navigable river (by boats larger than kayaks) in the Hawaiian Islands.

 Across the street from the Wailua River viewpoint is the Opaeka Falls viewpoint. It is a 151–foot waterfall that flows over basalt from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago into the Wailua River.
It's name means rolling shimp, which comes from the time when freshwater shrimp were abundant there and could be seen tumbling over the falls.