PCT Prequel Part 2: Kaua’i

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Part 2 of Jacob and Lorelei’s pre-Pacific Crest Trail adventures (read part 1).

Pre-PCT adventure number two took us to the island of Kauai in Hawaii.

After our super early morning flight out of Christmas Island we arrived at Lihue Airport. Kahlil and Fabrice were both there to meet us and we got a surprise ride to our accommodation for the week – to Waikomo Stream Villas, Koloa.

The most notable features of our time in Kaua’i were internet binging, the Waimea Canyon, tropical fruit frustration, party poalsos, a beautiful wedding, and roosters…lots of roosters.

Internet Binging

Having spent two weeks on an island with very limited and incredibly slow internet we went a bit crazy. I streamed a couple of entire rugby games, we streamed hours of live surfing, and found ourselves struggling to leave the apartment because the internet was too good.

Waimea Canyon

Once we overcame our internet addiction and Fabrice shelled out for a rental car we went to Waimea Canyon. Waimea Canyon was amazing. Huge river cut volcanic gorges complete with massive cascading waterfalls.

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Waimea Canyon – Wow

Tropical Fruit Frustration

Lorelei was very excited because Waikomo Stream Villas was filled with banana, coconut, and papaya trees. Our first attempt at harvesting bananas did not go so well. Fabrice, Lorelei, and I found a banana tree with a large bunch on it and prepared to harvest them. Almost the moment we thought about harvesting the bananas a grey haired man emerged from a neighbouring apartment and informed us we were not allowed to take bananas. The Banana Nazi informed us “there is a big clean up” (whatever the hell that means) and as a result it is completely out of the question to harvest the bountiful bananas surrounding the apartments. What’s worse all coconuts had been removed from the trees surrounding the apartments. Presumably this was also part of “the big clean up”, which we now understand must be an effort to cleanse the area of any opportunities for super fun tropical fruit harvesting.

Beautiful Wedding

The main event was our friends Kahlil and Corinne’s wedding. The venue was perfect, Cori looked amazing, and Kahlil was as honest and genuine in everything he said as you could hope for. What an amazing couple. Not only were the bride and groom amazing, everyone we met in their wedding party was also totally awesome. We’re both really happy we could be there!

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Kahlil and Corinne got married!

Party Poopers

Not only was there a Banana Nazi, there were also Fun Police. Following Kahlil and Corinne’s amazing wedding we had arranged an after party at our apartment. Around 15 wedding guests were at our after party, enjoying a few beverages, some polite conversation, and some nice music through iPod speakers. Apparently this was all to much for some other guests at the Villas, who felt the need to call the Police several times. This happened even though all our immediate neighbours were also wedding guests, meaning the complainers were further afield. We wonder whether the Fun Police and the Banana Nazi was actually the same person. Fearing arrest and potential immigration issues for future trips to the USA our party broke up not too long after it got started. Bummer.

Roosters…LOTS of Roosters

There are quite a few roosters on the island of Kauai. Perhaps unsatisfied with following the stereotypical dawn rooster chorus, and wanting a point of difference among the burgeoning feral rooster population, the local roosters decided it would be novel to get started at midnight and go off intermittently all night. Essentially they liked to cock a doodle do at all hours, but especially when everyone was trying to sleep. Unfazed by the pleas to stop from bleary eyed helpless vacationers the roosters continued relentlessly. Just when you thought they had had enough fun for one night, and maybe you would be able to drift back to sleep, they would get right back into it. I have never fantasised about killing chickens until I spent a week in Kauai.

So our stay in Kauai was characterised by absolutely stunning natural beauty, amazing people, and a few people and a lot of roosters trying really hard to stop you from having a good time.

Welcome to America Jacob and Lorelei!

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