'01-'02 Kauai Trip report Part 1
Jan 22nd, 2002 | 05:42 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
'01-'02 Kauai Trip report Part 1
Aloha all:
Air:
Flew from SF non-stop (you hope) to Lihue, Kauai on United. Given the very poor treatment I received from UAL on business travel the past 2 yrs, I was quite pleased with the flight and service. Guess it's hard for the flight attendants to be cranky when you have the Kauai route?
Hotel:
Spent the 17 days at the Islander on the Beach in Kapaa. It's been managed by Aston for the past few yrs. It's our 10th visit and while it's only a 1.5 star hotel, it has everything we like and need in a hotel room.
We had oceanfront room (and when we say oceanfront, we mean oceanfront), microwave, coffeemaker, fridge, wet bar table/chairs inside and on veranda, safe, cable TV, and you can watch the sunrise while laying in the bed. Tough to beat. Very nice people working there or maybe we are biased since most of them know us by know? Plus, Karen at the Sand Bar makes the world's best Mai Tais. We watched whales from the barstools the last 3 days there. Try a "Gloria Martini". Very interesting drink!
We met the owners and they are planning on making a few more improvements. Good for them.
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Air:
Flew from SF non-stop (you hope) to Lihue, Kauai on United. Given the very poor treatment I received from UAL on business travel the past 2 yrs, I was quite pleased with the flight and service. Guess it's hard for the flight attendants to be cranky when you have the Kauai route?
Hotel:
Spent the 17 days at the Islander on the Beach in Kapaa. It's been managed by Aston for the past few yrs. It's our 10th visit and while it's only a 1.5 star hotel, it has everything we like and need in a hotel room.
We had oceanfront room (and when we say oceanfront, we mean oceanfront), microwave, coffeemaker, fridge, wet bar table/chairs inside and on veranda, safe, cable TV, and you can watch the sunrise while laying in the bed. Tough to beat. Very nice people working there or maybe we are biased since most of them know us by know? Plus, Karen at the Sand Bar makes the world's best Mai Tais. We watched whales from the barstools the last 3 days there. Try a "Gloria Martini". Very interesting drink!
We met the owners and they are planning on making a few more improvements. Good for them.
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Jan 22nd, 2002 | 05:47 PM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Part 2:Activities:
Exchanged the Neon for a Sebring Convertible. Only put the top up once. Great weather. Got rained on during golf once.
Golfed Lagoons Kiele, Puakea, Kukuilono and Kiahuna. Too windy for Poipu Bay on the days we wanted to try and go.
ATV tour. ATV Kauai. The beautiful Lydia and her "henchman" Forrest were our guides. A GREAT TIME...Fantastic "sunset tour". We will do the whole ball o' wax tour next trip.
Napali Coast hike-Just the short one into the Hanakapiai Valley/Stream. Forgot how beautiful it was up there. It hadn't rained for a few days so it wasn't that muddy and the stream wasn't raging...timing is everything!
Lydgate-Water stuff...
Polihale-Long walk up the vacant beach then back for a surreal sunset over Niihau. There was a very large cloud just sitting in the sky just about the view of Niihau and just about 5 mins. before sunset, the cloud started to move and the sky caught fire!
Waimea Canyon-Hadn't stopped by there in the last few trips. Had to take a peek to make sure it was still there.
Made it up to Puuokila and had intended to try and do Alakai Swamp hike but way too misty and cold and we forgot to bring longsleeve shirts/windbreakers.(Good excuse).
Morning walks, jogs along the ocean. Mrs Kal was hoofing it along the beach when some people started yelling at her...She looked up and hadn't noticed a large monk seal had come ashore to take a nap and it was about 5 ft away! Scared the both of them (her words). She thought it was a rock.
Exchanged the Neon for a Sebring Convertible. Only put the top up once. Great weather. Got rained on during golf once.
Golfed Lagoons Kiele, Puakea, Kukuilono and Kiahuna. Too windy for Poipu Bay on the days we wanted to try and go.
ATV tour. ATV Kauai. The beautiful Lydia and her "henchman" Forrest were our guides. A GREAT TIME...Fantastic "sunset tour". We will do the whole ball o' wax tour next trip.
Napali Coast hike-Just the short one into the Hanakapiai Valley/Stream. Forgot how beautiful it was up there. It hadn't rained for a few days so it wasn't that muddy and the stream wasn't raging...timing is everything!
Lydgate-Water stuff...
Polihale-Long walk up the vacant beach then back for a surreal sunset over Niihau. There was a very large cloud just sitting in the sky just about the view of Niihau and just about 5 mins. before sunset, the cloud started to move and the sky caught fire!
Waimea Canyon-Hadn't stopped by there in the last few trips. Had to take a peek to make sure it was still there.
Made it up to Puuokila and had intended to try and do Alakai Swamp hike but way too misty and cold and we forgot to bring longsleeve shirts/windbreakers.(Good excuse).
Morning walks, jogs along the ocean. Mrs Kal was hoofing it along the beach when some people started yelling at her...She looked up and hadn't noticed a large monk seal had come ashore to take a nap and it was about 5 ft away! Scared the both of them (her words). She thought it was a rock.
Jan 22nd, 2002 | 05:49 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
3:Grub:
Duke's- "Fish Taco Tuesday"...$2 for a taco and $2 for draft beer. Duke's also has one of then best salad bars we ever seen. $9.00. Not bad for Kauai.
Coconuts-Great fish, seafood paella, and the lobster raviolis are outta this world!
Lemongrass-Good sushi. Locals were giving it a bad rap, service poor, but we had great fresh fish and the server was a hustler.
BRICK OVEN PIZZA!-Need I say more?...Got the whole wheat "super pizza" with garlic butter crust! I hate to build this place up so some [people don't have wild-arse expectations but it's goooooood.
Oki Diner-Good pre-golf breakfast place...and I got a floor show when the server, Kay, pulled a total Don Rickles act on my fuss-budget bro in law. What a hoot! Homemade corned beef hash and the fried rice was "ono"!
Waimea Brewing Co-The Nui Nachos were even better than what I remembered! Kalua pork nachos, chipolte sour cream. Also made a pretty good ahi wrap we had to split since it was very big.
Paradise Seafood-More good fish tacos!
Margarita's-See above. Diff style than Paradise. Still good. Get there early or they run out of fish. Good passionfruit maggies too.
Bourbon Street Cafe-Eggs Creole for breakfast was up to "French Quarter" standards!
Whaler Brew Pub-BIG Disappointment. Mrs Kal wants to save our money and buy the place. Such an outstanding location that they have let severely deteriorate the past 3 yrs. We had a bill of around $45 and they couldn't break a $100 bill. The service was trying the best they could. Great place to watch the whales and the new, HUGE cruise ships that come and go into Nawiliwili Harbor. They have to Crisco up the sides of the ship to get them in past the breakwater.
Wailua Family Restaurant-Good meal for a decent price. Nice salad bar.
Lizard Lounge-Cheap eats. Great service.We watched Monday Night Football on the Sat-TV. Started at 4:00pm Kauai time. Cool.
Al & Don's-Same ol' place.
Eggbert's-Good food,good service. Banana pancakes w/ coconut syrup...yikes! Veggie omlette big enuff to last all day.
Hula Girl-Another place w/ good fish and pupus. Nice local entertainment, too.
Wake Up Cafe-Hanalei...Were were going to have pre-Napali hike b'fast at the Hanalei Gourmet since the ad said the opened at 8 for b'fast. Well, at 10ish, the seats were still on the tables and the guy was sweeping. Told me to come back at 11. Yeah...right. Wake Up Cafe was down and across the street. Very good. Hanalei service but worth the wait.
Mema's-Very disappointing. Usually great Thai food. Now in a new location right on Kuhio Hwy in the same center. We ordered 2 pupus and a rice dish, small soup and coconut chicken...Brought it all out at once! Spicy soup had a ton of ginger in it. Wrong spice!
Aloha Pizza-Second best pie on Kauai. Calzones good too.
Cafe Portofino-Finally ate there after all the years of saying we were. Actually pretty good pasta place. A bit pricey but nice portions. Good harp player for entertainment. Sit out on the deck.
Aussie Tim's BBQ-Really good BBQ. Excellent BBQ black beans. Southwest Mac and cheese was totally decadent! Tim was a kick in the arse too! It's a BYOB place so if you like beer and Q, bring it or go around the corner to the mini-mart or across the street to the Shell station.
I know I probably forgot something but I had a large piece of basal cell removed from my chest last Friday and I still have around 9 metal stitches in it so I'll blame my fading memory on that. ALWAYS USE A SUNSCREEN ESPECIALLY IN HAWAII ! Went thru around 10 bottles of SPF 45 while I was there. Better late than never!
Mahalo
The Kals
Duke's- "Fish Taco Tuesday"...$2 for a taco and $2 for draft beer. Duke's also has one of then best salad bars we ever seen. $9.00. Not bad for Kauai.
Coconuts-Great fish, seafood paella, and the lobster raviolis are outta this world!
Lemongrass-Good sushi. Locals were giving it a bad rap, service poor, but we had great fresh fish and the server was a hustler.
BRICK OVEN PIZZA!-Need I say more?...Got the whole wheat "super pizza" with garlic butter crust! I hate to build this place up so some [people don't have wild-arse expectations but it's goooooood.
Oki Diner-Good pre-golf breakfast place...and I got a floor show when the server, Kay, pulled a total Don Rickles act on my fuss-budget bro in law. What a hoot! Homemade corned beef hash and the fried rice was "ono"!
Waimea Brewing Co-The Nui Nachos were even better than what I remembered! Kalua pork nachos, chipolte sour cream. Also made a pretty good ahi wrap we had to split since it was very big.
Paradise Seafood-More good fish tacos!
Margarita's-See above. Diff style than Paradise. Still good. Get there early or they run out of fish. Good passionfruit maggies too.
Bourbon Street Cafe-Eggs Creole for breakfast was up to "French Quarter" standards!
Whaler Brew Pub-BIG Disappointment. Mrs Kal wants to save our money and buy the place. Such an outstanding location that they have let severely deteriorate the past 3 yrs. We had a bill of around $45 and they couldn't break a $100 bill. The service was trying the best they could. Great place to watch the whales and the new, HUGE cruise ships that come and go into Nawiliwili Harbor. They have to Crisco up the sides of the ship to get them in past the breakwater.
Wailua Family Restaurant-Good meal for a decent price. Nice salad bar.
Lizard Lounge-Cheap eats. Great service.We watched Monday Night Football on the Sat-TV. Started at 4:00pm Kauai time. Cool.
Al & Don's-Same ol' place.
Eggbert's-Good food,good service. Banana pancakes w/ coconut syrup...yikes! Veggie omlette big enuff to last all day.
Hula Girl-Another place w/ good fish and pupus. Nice local entertainment, too.
Wake Up Cafe-Hanalei...Were were going to have pre-Napali hike b'fast at the Hanalei Gourmet since the ad said the opened at 8 for b'fast. Well, at 10ish, the seats were still on the tables and the guy was sweeping. Told me to come back at 11. Yeah...right. Wake Up Cafe was down and across the street. Very good. Hanalei service but worth the wait.
Mema's-Very disappointing. Usually great Thai food. Now in a new location right on Kuhio Hwy in the same center. We ordered 2 pupus and a rice dish, small soup and coconut chicken...Brought it all out at once! Spicy soup had a ton of ginger in it. Wrong spice!
Aloha Pizza-Second best pie on Kauai. Calzones good too.
Cafe Portofino-Finally ate there after all the years of saying we were. Actually pretty good pasta place. A bit pricey but nice portions. Good harp player for entertainment. Sit out on the deck.
Aussie Tim's BBQ-Really good BBQ. Excellent BBQ black beans. Southwest Mac and cheese was totally decadent! Tim was a kick in the arse too! It's a BYOB place so if you like beer and Q, bring it or go around the corner to the mini-mart or across the street to the Shell station.
I know I probably forgot something but I had a large piece of basal cell removed from my chest last Friday and I still have around 9 metal stitches in it so I'll blame my fading memory on that. ALWAYS USE A SUNSCREEN ESPECIALLY IN HAWAII ! Went thru around 10 bottles of SPF 45 while I was there. Better late than never!
Mahalo
The Kals
