Kaua'i * Day 10 * 6.23.2010

Well......we went to bed after our Zodiac trip with good intentions. Intentions to head up the Canyon to hike the Nu'alolo Trail (out on the cliffs above Nu'alolo Kai)--all pending on not being too sore come morning. Wrong. We WERE quite sore and tired! It was hard to give up that hike, but we knew there was no way....exhaustion from the previous days adventure won out. We weren't up to another strenuous hike. So we just spent the morning hanging out at the resort. Cut into our last pineapple--YUM! Then we decided to head out around 1pm.

First stop was at Chucky's to order pineapples to pick up the next day and take home with us. (cool fact: boxes of pineapples can be checked as baggage, with no charge, from any of the islands to the mainland!). Next was a stop to pick up Red Dirt Shirts for the kids. Then we headed back up Canyon Drive. This time we didn't miss our turn, so we actually got to see some different things for half the drive.

On the horizon you can see Ni'ihau, the forbidden island.

Lush riverbed with a farm/house (right corner)....they live a long ways from town (Waimea)! It must be quite a drive to get there.

Tiny bird nest....

Love birds....achy love birds. You shoulda heard us groaning every time we got in and out of the car!

Eric checking out this cool stream. We decided we could have made our own Red Dirt Shirts here.

More of beautiful Waimea Canyon...no words needed.






And one last view of Kalalau Valley...it was cloudier than our previous visit.

On the way back down the mountain we took a narrow road that went out on the top of a ridge. It actually led to the Military Missile Range. We hiked up from the road and found this beautiful lookout.
One lone, scraggly pine...

Inland from the tree....this side of the island is ridges separated by deep canyons, one after another....so unique. And beautiful.

Not-so-scraggly guy beside the scraggly pine! {whistle, whistle!}

...And toward the ocean...kinda hard to tell where water and sky meet!

Shadow fun on the way back to the car! (oh my! REALLY flattering there! Yikes!) It was a neat drive, but I'm not that into windy roads. I was ready to get back down to 'normal' roads again!

We made our way back down Canyon Drive, and after a few more stops finally ended up at Caffe' Coco. It was around 8pm, certainly time for dinner! We shared a Morroccan Ahi meal and had a banana spice cake with coffee for dessert. It was delectable!

The eating area was all outside...we were serenaded by a live jazz band. The guy in the middle was playing the keyboard with one hand and the trumpet with the other! Amazing talent! Their songs had a nice beat/rhythm to them and we *almost* put our dance lessons to use....a little swing or cha-cha to round out the evening. But since there wasn't a dance floor, we weren't brave enough to do it!

One last stop at a store up the road in Kapa'a, then we were back to our room around 9:30pm. One last dip in the spa, followed by snuggle time in the hammock......ahhh, sweet memories.... Such a blessing to enjoy this time together. To strengthen an already strong marriage. To experience God's beautiful creation. To refresh. Relax. Reconnect. To remember....why we fell in love....why we are so right for each other. And to celebrate! 11 years.

And all too soon, Day 10 on Kaua'i came to a close.