From the Big Island to the Gathering Place
by HML
Our senior team member took one last GPS reading from the highway on the Kohala Coast before the short drive south to the Kona airport.
The north Kohala coast is naturally quite arid and rocky; the resorts have brought in the palm trees, flowers, and other greenery to create a paradise for the tourists. The Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site provides an authentic look at the history of this region of the Big Island, with a massive stone heiau (temple) built by the order of King Kamehameha the Great from 1790-91 and a submerged heiau dedicated to the shark gods. We weren’t able to visit the site on this trip, but we had seen it several years ago with Thing One.
We had rented an SUV on the Big Island in order to make the challenging drive up to Mauna Kea’s summit, and since we had no high adventure in mind for Oahu, we thought we could rent a sedan instead. The auntie at the rental car kiosk noticed the senior members of Team Gimlet, and when she learned that The Gimlet was taking his in-laws on a Hawaiian vacation, she was so impressed with this dutiful son-in-law that she gave him a complimentary upgrade to a minivan. (“They deserve to ride in comfort!” she said emphatically.) It was much more comfortable!
We had originally intended to stay in one of the resorts on Waikiki Beach to show the contrast between the laid-back Big Island and the bustling tourist mecca, but changed our plans to try out a pair of timeshare properties some distance out of town at Ko Olina.
While the manmade beaches were postcard-perfect tranquil and the property was lovely (the senior members of Team Gimlet especially enjoyed the walking paths along the shoreline), at the time we went much of the area was under construction, so the experience was marred by construction noise and traffic. We also would have liked to have been much closer to the attractions in Honolulu; everything we wanted to see and do was a lengthy drive from Ko Olina.
However, on a positive note, we became addicted to the fried banana pies from the nearby McDonalds and dearly wish our local franchise would include a little aloha on their menu. Even our most senior team member was willing to pass through the golden arches for a taste of deep fried tropical paradise.
Now that we were in a new location, it was time for a GPS reading from Ko Olina.
Note that underneath the ever-present utility vest, the heavy sweater, thick flannel shirt, and thermals have given way to a lighter-weight (but still long-sleeved) shirt. Could it be that this balmy January weather is really here to stay?
Next post: Sightseeing around Oahu
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Tags: hawaii, national parks
