Capturing the Moment

  There are all kinds of hikes here on Oahu from ridge line hikes, to coastal treks, to muddy hikes thru lush rainforest. This hike was definitely the latter. This is one of Oahu's popular forbidden hikes. It is off of the Pali highway, and cars are often parked at the trailhead, but keep out signs are posted all along the first park of the hike.    After a brief walk through a dense bamboo thicket the trail emerges at a huge reservoir. "No Diving" signs were posted along the concrete pier. I've always wanted to explore this part of Nuuanu valley. On rainy days I've seen numerous waterfalls cascading off the steep cliffs in this valley. Now was our chance to explore.   I found out about this hike after doing a little research online. I couldn't find very precise directions, so we initially followed the path marked with pink ribbons tied around the trees. Turns out that it was the wrong trail. We followed the ribbons deeper and deeper through the mud, ...

Famous Pali Cliffs of windward Oahu  Up until the late 1800's only a footpath, barely big enough for a horse, existed to connect Honolulu with the windward side of Oahu through the Ko'olau mountains. The path was steep and treacherous, especially on the windward side where the pali cliffs drop off suddenly in sheer walls. The path led past many spiritual sites as well as the site of one of the most important, and bloody, battles that ever took place on Oahu. At the very top of the pass, where the Nuuanu Pali lookout is now located, King Kamehameha's forces finally overwhelmed Oahu's last defenders. The stories say that hundreds of the Oahu warriors were forced, or took the leap to avoid capture, over the sheer drop off to their deaths. Nuuanu Pali Lookout   Then due to popular demand and an increasing population over in Kaneohe on the windward side, the 'old' pali highway was built at the turn of the century. It mainly followed the old footpath and w...

The muddy trail   A clear, sunny sky over the Ko'olau Mountains and Manoa Valley is a rare sight. Some years this area sees more than 200 inches of rainfall. I found myself in Manoa today picking up some food, but once I saw the clear skies I launched into an impromptu adventure. Luckily they are easy to find here in Hawaii.    There is a well known hike in back of Manoa valley that leads to the Manoa waterfall, or Waihi in Hawaiian, but there are lots of other hikes that criss-cross the rainforest covered mountains here. I stumbled upon the entrance to one of them called the Pu'u Pia trail. Moss growing around everything See the bug?  Pu'u means 'hill' in Hawaiian so I should have known the trail would lead me straight up. And I should have known that it might be a muddy path since it is in the rainforest and it has been raining for a week straight. So despite knowing this I trudged on despite wearing my usual hiking shoes...flip flops. Luckily ther...

Cow Bay Croc Warning Signs   We had a couple of days to relax after our intensive diving adventure on the Great Barrier Reef so we rented a car and drove into the rainforest north of Cairns to immerse ourselves in a totally different environment. While reef is home to a majority of Australia's marine life, the rainforest is home to a majority of the terrestrial animals. Scientist come from all over the country and the world to study the plants and animals here. It took a while for Australia to start protecting the area but slowly over the last few decades more and more rainforest land has been put under a protective management. This is so important because many of the plants and animals you find here are endemic, so this is the only place in the world they can be seen. Thornton Beach  Thanks to a recommendation from a couple of friends we stayed at a place way out in the middle of the Daintree rainforest called Crocodylus Village. The rooms were pretty basic, w...

  Mossman's Gorge    At the southern end of Australia's Rainforest lies a glimpse of what lies in store for adventures willing to delve further. Mossman's Gorge is just inside the Daintree Rainforest which is a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its universal natural values. It is possibly the oldest rainforest environment on earth. Leftover from prehistoric times before dinosaurs roamed. Ancient plants are found here and no where else on earth except in fossils. Some of the animals here seem just as ancient like the stealthy salt water crocs guarding their territories in the rivers. While other newcomers like Australia's heaviest flightless bird, the cassowary, have carved out a home in this unique environment. Strangler Fig Holding Tight No Small Feat   Driving up to Mossman's Gorge you first arrive at a very nice visitor station where you can catch a shuttle 2 kilometers up the road. The views are pretty stunning, if its not pouring rain, a...

  One of the reasons I have always been so fond of Maui is the fact that it has a place like Hana where you can get unplugged in the lush rainforest. My Hana adventure team included my girlfriend Heidi, her mom Susie, and her grandmother Deedee. We planned a two night-three day laid back but still adventurous Hana mini-vacation. We booked a nice two bedroom cottage thru Tropical Tradewinds Vacation Rentals located just up the road from the Hana airport. I had camped overnight once in Hana but other than that I always rushed through on day trips.   Knowing that we had plenty of time allowed my group to make certain stops that I don't usually do. We stocked up on groceries for the cottage and then continued to the Keanae Peninsula. This beautiful community sits on the north coast of Maui and is a small taro farming community.   After a lot of windy curves and one lane bridges on the road to Hana, we next stopped at Wainapanapa with its famous black sand beach. This is ...