Capturing the Moment

Ruins of Kamehameha III's Summer Palace Lea soaking up nature   There is so much to see here on the island of Oahu and I wanted to pack as much in as I could while my sister Lea was visiting. We explored the island north, south, east, and west. On this adventure day we explored some of Oahu's natural gems as well as some historical ones.    The ruins of Kamehameha III's summer palace are located down an unsigned trail through a bamboo forest up in Nuuanu Valley. Unless someone told you how to get there you would probably never stumble upon it. There is a sign next to the doorway telling a brief history of the ruins, but that is it. There is no active preservation going on, although the fact that the location is hidden may be protection enough. I imagine one day this will be a tourist destination with lines and entry fees, but for now it is our own hidden jewel. Windy Pali Lookout Heidi, Me, Lea, and Ryan at Manoa Waterfall    We continued up...

 Just off one of the crowded highways tunneling its way through the Ko'olau Mountains there is a small winding road where waterfalls and dense bamboo thickets come into view. Small, unmarked trails lead off into the bamboo which can promise hidden treasures for the intrepid hikers willing to risk losing not just their way, but also a flip flop or two in the deep mud.  With two friends out for a visit I decided to head back to this rainforest section of Oahu to show them the ancient remains of Kamehameha III's summer house and one of my favorite waterfalls. I was a little worried about the rain clouds hovering over Nuuanu valley at first, but after a light misting we stayed relatively dry.     Everything was very lush after a few days of rain and in parts the trail was quite muddy. The waterfall trail has a few stream crossings in it which make for good foot washing spots. We ended up having both places all to ourselves. It just goes to show you that ...