We've been here almost 3 weeks and this hotel room is getting annoying. Luckily we have some friends who helped distract us and get us out of the hotel for an entire day.
We planned on taking a snorkeling trip to Hanauma Bay. Unfortunately it was low tide so there wasn't a whole lot of room to swim over the coral which is still trying to recover from human interaction. That meant lots of opportunity to get cut up. We came out pretty untouched though. The day was SUPER windy! Gale force winds. It did feel warm, but the breeze was so strong that the air felt cool. Driving to the bay was very neat because we drove through a very nice looking part of the island and then we had to drive along the coast up and around little mountains. The water reflected several shades of blue and all were so vibrant. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Sometimes when I see pictures or shows that have these kinds of scenes I think they are digitally enhanced to bring out impossible colors. This was the real deal.
When we entered the park we had to watch a video about how to be safe and protect the environment while we were at the park. Once we got to the beach and found a nice shady spot we ventured out into the water. You know how when you get in the water it feels a little cold until you get used to it? Well... the water was FREEZING! Teeth chattering, I sat down on a prickly rock in the shallow water to put on my flippers. My good friend, Laura, helped me fit the goggles and breathing tube, then it was time to test out the water for real. Because the water was so shallow we had to just crawl over the rocks and old coral. Some spots were deep enough to swim and that was awesome. Snorkeling was so much easier than I thought it was going to be. I had so much fun following the fish around and watching them do their thing. I didn't get to see any turtles, but I'll be back again! Amazingly we spent over an hour swimming and enjoying the sites. Then it was time to get out of the water. The current had a strong push and pull but it was so easy and there weren't any big waves to deal with which made it easy. You how when you get out of the water you feel cold for a while and then the sun kicks in and heats everything up? Yeah... It didn't. The stupid wind made everything so cold! My teeth were chattering until I could get to the bathroom and change.
Anthony and I went off on our own, after that, down the coast to see local attractions. We pulled up to a scenic view and saw the "Blow Hole" in full action. The way the rock formed in this area there is a pool under the rock and a hole in the rock over the pool. When the waves come in and go out the water sprays out of the hole like a whale's blow hole. Beside there is a place called the "Toilet Bowl" because of the suction effect of the undertow. We decided to look and not try it out. Finally we went looking for a light house that Laura said was nearby. We saw part of it from the high way, so we knew we were close. We saw a row of cars parked on a side road and decided this must be it.
I looked at the signs briefly and took some pictures. The one thing I did notice was that the sign said it would take 1.5hrs for a "leisurely hike." I'm thinking, this must be if people want to look around the park and if we're just here to see the light house we can go right on in. So we start up hill on the only path we could see. Did I mention we were wearing flip-flops? Don't forget that the wind was blowing at hurricane speeds. Partially up the mountain we are now climbing I decide I might be blown away into the sea or over the mountain to the high way. I don't recommend bringing an umbrella. The views are spectacular though! The trail is just on the edge of everything and there is no railing making it a thrilling adventure especially for acrophiboc Anthony. He wouldn't walk near me because I was too close to the edge. After some time, I think a little less and an hour, we reach the top! Yes! We have been walking up this very steep mountain on uneven paved ground, through bursts of wind that would have surely blew me off the side if Anthony wasn't holding my hand; walking on the edge of this tall behemoth has been worth it! Here is where we will see the light house in all its glory, it must be just over... the fence. There is a fence. We can't get to the light house because there is a huge fence in the way. It isn't even a light house, by the way. It is a big ass gas lamp with the side of a mountain as its back.
Well let's get some pictures and start walking back. By the way, it's almost 4PM and we're supposed to meet Laura and her family for dinner. I haven't eaten since breakfast at 8AM. If you were feeling bad for us because we were in flip-flops, don't. It wasn't that bad. I just wanted you to feel bad for us ;) It was a beautiful walk and if we knew we were going to have the time we did we might have walked a little more slowly. And we would have taken water. Don't forget to take water.
Dinner was AMAZING! Anthony ordered so much off the menu for himself that the waitress thought he was also ordering for me. HA! All in all it was a good day. Lots of fun.
We planned on taking a snorkeling trip to Hanauma Bay. Unfortunately it was low tide so there wasn't a whole lot of room to swim over the coral which is still trying to recover from human interaction. That meant lots of opportunity to get cut up. We came out pretty untouched though. The day was SUPER windy! Gale force winds. It did feel warm, but the breeze was so strong that the air felt cool. Driving to the bay was very neat because we drove through a very nice looking part of the island and then we had to drive along the coast up and around little mountains. The water reflected several shades of blue and all were so vibrant. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Sometimes when I see pictures or shows that have these kinds of scenes I think they are digitally enhanced to bring out impossible colors. This was the real deal.
When we entered the park we had to watch a video about how to be safe and protect the environment while we were at the park. Once we got to the beach and found a nice shady spot we ventured out into the water. You know how when you get in the water it feels a little cold until you get used to it? Well... the water was FREEZING! Teeth chattering, I sat down on a prickly rock in the shallow water to put on my flippers. My good friend, Laura, helped me fit the goggles and breathing tube, then it was time to test out the water for real. Because the water was so shallow we had to just crawl over the rocks and old coral. Some spots were deep enough to swim and that was awesome. Snorkeling was so much easier than I thought it was going to be. I had so much fun following the fish around and watching them do their thing. I didn't get to see any turtles, but I'll be back again! Amazingly we spent over an hour swimming and enjoying the sites. Then it was time to get out of the water. The current had a strong push and pull but it was so easy and there weren't any big waves to deal with which made it easy. You how when you get out of the water you feel cold for a while and then the sun kicks in and heats everything up? Yeah... It didn't. The stupid wind made everything so cold! My teeth were chattering until I could get to the bathroom and change.
Anthony and I went off on our own, after that, down the coast to see local attractions. We pulled up to a scenic view and saw the "Blow Hole" in full action. The way the rock formed in this area there is a pool under the rock and a hole in the rock over the pool. When the waves come in and go out the water sprays out of the hole like a whale's blow hole. Beside there is a place called the "Toilet Bowl" because of the suction effect of the undertow. We decided to look and not try it out. Finally we went looking for a light house that Laura said was nearby. We saw part of it from the high way, so we knew we were close. We saw a row of cars parked on a side road and decided this must be it.
I looked at the signs briefly and took some pictures. The one thing I did notice was that the sign said it would take 1.5hrs for a "leisurely hike." I'm thinking, this must be if people want to look around the park and if we're just here to see the light house we can go right on in. So we start up hill on the only path we could see. Did I mention we were wearing flip-flops? Don't forget that the wind was blowing at hurricane speeds. Partially up the mountain we are now climbing I decide I might be blown away into the sea or over the mountain to the high way. I don't recommend bringing an umbrella. The views are spectacular though! The trail is just on the edge of everything and there is no railing making it a thrilling adventure especially for acrophiboc Anthony. He wouldn't walk near me because I was too close to the edge. After some time, I think a little less and an hour, we reach the top! Yes! We have been walking up this very steep mountain on uneven paved ground, through bursts of wind that would have surely blew me off the side if Anthony wasn't holding my hand; walking on the edge of this tall behemoth has been worth it! Here is where we will see the light house in all its glory, it must be just over... the fence. There is a fence. We can't get to the light house because there is a huge fence in the way. It isn't even a light house, by the way. It is a big ass gas lamp with the side of a mountain as its back.
Well let's get some pictures and start walking back. By the way, it's almost 4PM and we're supposed to meet Laura and her family for dinner. I haven't eaten since breakfast at 8AM. If you were feeling bad for us because we were in flip-flops, don't. It wasn't that bad. I just wanted you to feel bad for us ;) It was a beautiful walk and if we knew we were going to have the time we did we might have walked a little more slowly. And we would have taken water. Don't forget to take water.
Dinner was AMAZING! Anthony ordered so much off the menu for himself that the waitress thought he was also ordering for me. HA! All in all it was a good day. Lots of fun.
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