GimletBlog

Rather than try to catch a glimpse of everything on Oahu, Team Gimlet chose a few attractions and gave ourselves plenty of time to enjoy them. In Honolulu we spent an afternoon at the Bishop Museum exploring Hawaiian history and culture, and spent some time at the Aloha Tower Marketplace, seeing the sights and feeding the fish in the harbor.  We also drove up to the Nuuanu Pali lookout where we admired the views and did our best to keep from being blown off the cliff by the strong wind.

By far, the highlight of our time on Oahu was the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), which the senior members of Team Gimlet enjoyed so much that we took advantage of the three day pass with admission and visited twice.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is located in the tiny town of Laie on Oahu’s North Shore, about an hour’s drive away from Honolulu (but be prepared for more than an hour, depending on traffic conditions).

The PCC opens at noon, so we took our time driving there, stopping at North Shore beaches to watch the surfing, pointing at familiar sights from LOST (we even saw a few cryptic signs pointing to unidentified filming sites in progress), and walking around the grounds of the LDS temple and BYU-Hawaii.  At one beach we saw a Boy Scout troop had set up their tents, a much different style of winter camping than what the Gimlet is used to.

It’s a little difficult to explain the enormity of a PCC visit:  Large-scale productions like the Rainbows of Paradise canoes, the luaus, and the evening pageant coexist with smaller cultural demonstrations and shows in the eight island villages, as well as many opportunities to meet one-on-one with representatives from the different Polynesian nations.  We chatted with the members of the Fiji village, and when we found we had a canoe tour all to ourselves, we spent the time getting to know our friendly guide.

We opted to splurge on an upgrade to the Ali’i Luau before the evening show, and were very glad we did.  The reception, entertainment, and food were first-rate, making the day especially memorable, and were a great way to finish our Hawaiian vacation.

All too soon it was time to pack up and return to a dark, 30° Seattle January.  Unfortunately we have no photos to commemorate the event, but on the last few days of our stay, our most senior team member donned a short sleeved shirt!  He was also heard to say, “I could get used to a place like this.”

We had a wonderful ten days in Hawaii.  One of our guidebooks recommended spending one week per island as a bare minimum, and we could have easily added a few days to each island’s itinerary.  We saw many other family groups on vacation, and would love to have an extended family vacation here some day.

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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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After a few days on the windward side of the Big Island, it was time to visit the beaches on the leeward side.  Team Gimlet would spend the next few days at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Anaehoomalu Beach on the Kohala Coast.

The hotel restaurant was lovely, but with views like these from our rooms, room service won out most of the time.  While some of Team Gimlet were content to sit in the sunshine on the beach, or occasionally take a dip in the bathtub-warm water, The Gimlet enjoyed snorkeling, where he saw several kinds of fish and swam with a sea turtle.  Meanwhile, our senior team member continued to warn us that it was still January, and wore his trusty sweaters and thick flannel shirts in case of an abrupt temperature plunge.

In addition to lounging around in the sun, we drove south to spend a day at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park.

Originally a place of refuge for lawbreakers seeking sanctuary, this lovely park still has a spirit of peace and renewal.  Several green sea turtles were basking around the beach, and tiny tidepools were full of little fish and other sea creatures.  We followed the self-guided walking tour through the park, exploring the royal and ceremonial structures at our leisure.

We could have easily spent another few days on the Big Island, both visiting other regions of the island we weren’t able to see on this trip, and relaxing on the beautiful, warm beaches.

Next post:  From the Big Island to the Gathering Place

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When we were planning this vacation, our senior team member asked his doctor if it would be safe for him to go to the summit of Mauna Kea.  His doctor’s response?  “Life is for living!”  And having survived his afternoon lava hike, he was eager to give Mauna Kea a try.

The Saddle Road is the way to get to the mountain – about an hour’s drive from Hilo or about two hours from Kona.  For driving up the mountain, a 4-wheel drive is essential:  most of the road is paved, but there are some lengthy stretches of gravel, and the entire eight mile drive from the visitor station to the summit is very steep, narrow, and full of switchbacks.  The guidebooks strongly recommend spending at least half an hour at the visitor information station, located at 9,200 feet, to adjust to the altitude.  A longer stay is recommended if possible; there are several films and short walks around the station to help pass the time.  We stayed about 45 minutes, sipping hot chocolate and watching the movies, until the sunset tour vans began to arrive.

On the drive up, we saw a few of the rare silversword plants, but no invisible cows … that’s why they’re called invisible …

Best road sign ever

The higher we climbed, the rocky landscape became covered with quite a bit of snow. At one turnout in the road, a small truck was parked and two guys were shoveling snow into the pickup bed to take it back home.

We'll get there when we get there

When we arrived at the summit, there were a few other scattered visitors, but we pretty much had it all to ourselves, which was nice.

The Gimlet, proving himself as stubborn as our senior team member in his own way, insisted on wearing a short-sleeved aloha shirt at the snowcapped summit, because “We’re in Hawaii!”

We left the mountain before sunset, because we weren’t sure we could find the narrow, steep road in the dark.

We spent another 45 minutes or so at the visitor station to settle our high altitude wooziness before continuing along the Saddle Road through rolling Waimea pasture land to the Kohala coast.

If we return to Mauna Kea, we would bring lunch with us to eat at the visitor information station, thus providing more time to acclimate, and visit early enough in the afternoon so we could tour the observatories which offer tours.  A guided sunset and stargazing tour would be fun, too.  The video below shows the spectacular night sky as seen from Mauna Kea.

The White Mountain from charles on Vimeo.

Further Reading:

• Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station
• Mauna Kea Observatories
• Mauna Kea, A Guide to Hawaii’s Sacred Mountain, a must-read guidebook to get the most out of your visit
• Hawaii photo album in the Gimlet Gallery
• Next post:  Finally, some beach time

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After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, Team Gimlet spent one day exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes.

When Mark Twain visited Kilauea in 1866, he described the caldera as “a scene of wild beauty”:

“Through the glasses, the little fountains scattered about looked very beautiful. They boiled, and coughed, and spluttered, and discharged sprays of stringy red fire … We had circles and serpents and streaks of lightning all twined and wreathed and tied together … and it was with a feeling of placid exultation that we reflected that many years had elapsed since any visitor had seen such a splendid display …” (Roughing It In the Sandwich Islands, ch. 11)

The caldera hasn’t erupted since 1982, so these days one must be content with dodging the relentless flow of fellow tourists which erupts from the buses circling the park.

Our first stop was the park headquarters and visitor center, where we watched a short film about volcanic eruptions and safety. We remembered a story about the senior Gimlet-in-law’s uncle: (more…)

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This January a modified Team Gimlet consisting of The Gimlet, your usual narrator, and your narrator’s parents (or Gimlets-in-law), spent nine days visiting the Big Island of Hawaii and Oahu. The Things stayed home with Grandma Gimlet, so they enjoyed being pampered after a fashion as well.

Our first destination was the town of Volcano Village about 30 miles southwest of Hilo on the windward (translation: rainy) side of the Big Island. Volcano Village is a picturesque community of about 2,000 residents, mostly artists, with several B&Bs and few scattered shops and restaurants nestled among tropical ferns and flowers. Aside from the historic but spartan Volcano House inside Volcanoes National Park, Volcano Village offers the closest lodgings to the park. We had stayed in Hilo on an earlier trip with Thing One and didn’t mind the drive, but this time we wanted to give the Gimlets-in-law as much sightseeing time as possible (and the convenience of a rest break if needed), and we hoped to improve our accommodations (translation: cockroach-free) from the last visit, too.

After a long day of travel, including a few moments where we weren’t sure we would make our flights, we arrived in Hilo at sunset. Thanks to our previous experience in Hilo it wasn’t too daunting to drive to Volcano Village in the dark, through the driving rain, uphill, both ways (we had to go back and forth a couple of times). We had made reservations at the Kilauea Lodge, a former YMCA camp founded in 1938 and now a cozy lodge and restaurant.

Kilauea Lodge is full of special details: a “Fireplace of Friendship” decorated with stones and coins donated from other YMCA camps around the world; friendly smiles and service from the staff; blown glass vases and other artwork by local artists; and the resident cats all contribute to the unique character and hospitality of the lodge. The owner/chef provides an intriguing menu: a German-Pacific Island fusion of gourmet delights and homegrown tropical flavors. Feeling adventurous, The Gimlet ordered the ostrich schnitzel; contrary to expectations, ostrich doesn’t taste like chicken. Thing One and other cousins who are Asterix fans may like to know that The Gimlet also tried the boar stew, and enjoyed it! The catch of the day was great both nights (ono and ahi, respectively), and the fresh papaya served with breakfast was heavenly.

We chose to house our group at the Pi’i Mauna House, a few miles away from the main lodge, on the Volcano Country Club golf course. Pi’i Mauna House is a pair of one-bedroom, one-bath cedar cottages connected by a shared lanai and spa deck. Our cottage featured a small kitchen and gas fireplace; the other had wireless Internet access, board games/cards, and a television with a video library. (When the Gimlets-in-law discovered a Monk marathon in progress, there was some doubt whether they would be joining us the next day for any sightseeing.) What a treat to snuggle down under a Hawaiian patterned quilt for the night, then awaken to the songs of birds (and wild turkeys!) and watch the sunrise from the front room, sipping hot cocoa (at 4,000 feet, it’s a little chilly in the mornings and evenings around Volcano). Kilauea Lodge was the perfect place to relax, set the aloha mood, and begin our exploration of the islands. We would definitely stay there again; in fact we wished we could have stayed an extra day to visit the Sunday Volcano Farmers’ Market, take another short hike in the national park, and just sit out on the lanai (or in the spa) at Pi’i Mauna House.

After all this sybaritic indulgence, rest assured we did leave the comforts of our little mountain cottage to see the volcano, but that will have to wait until the next post.

Further Reading:

• Hawaii’s Island of Adventure (Big Island Visitors’ Bureau)
• “My Good Life on the Big Island” by Bill Harby
• As always, see more pictures in the Gimlet Gallery.
• Read the next post in our trip journal: Pahoehoe, ‘a’a, and vog

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I didn’t expect to spend much time thinking about Jane Austen on our recent trip to Hawaii. Well, aside from checking Remotely Connected to grin like a loon over seeing my words in print, then worry about tomatoes being tossed at my review; and my Jane Austen action figure had places to go and things to do * (she’s much more portable than Uncle Q’s solid plaster garden gnome, who used to be quite the traveler in his day). But I read other books: intrepid Victorian traveler Isabella Bird’s Six Months in the Sandwich Islands and a collection of Mark Twain’s letters from Hawaii for the Sacramento Union.

And then, while reading Roughing It in the Sandwich Islands, I came upon this passage:

Captain Phillips takes a just pride in his driving and in the speed of his horse, and to his passion for displaying them I owe it that we were only sixteen minutes coming from the prison to the American Hotel—a distance which has been estimated to be over half a mile. But it took some fearful driving. The Captain’s whip came down fast, and the blows started so much dust out of the horse’s hide that during the last half of the journey we rode through an impenetrable fog …

When we came to anchor at last, and Captain Phillips looked at his watch and said, “Sixteen minutes—I told you it was in her! that’s over three miles an hour!” I could see he felt entitled to a compliment, and so I said I had never seen lightning go like that horse. And I never had. ( ch. 2)

Could Captain Phillips be John Thorpe’s nephew?

“Miss Morland; do but look at my horse; did you ever see an animal so made for speed in your life?” … Such true blood! Three hours and and a half indeed coming only three-and-twenty miles! Look at that creature, and suppose it possible if you can.”

“He does look very hot, to be sure.”

“Hot! he had not turned a hair till we came to Walcot Church; but look at his forehand; look at his loins; only see how he moves; that horse cannot go less than ten miles an hour: tie his legs and he will get on.” (Northanger Abbey, ch. 7)

Mark Twain may be on record as detesting Jane Austen, but as this intriguing essay by Emily Auerbach suggests, perhaps he was a closeted Janeite? They certainly both recognized a slow horse (and a fast talker) when they met one.

* That’s the summit of Mauna Kea behind Jane; the altitude is making her feel woozy and a bit off-center.

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