Kureiff's Big Island Trip Report
Jun 21st, 2012, 03:48 PM
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Kureiff's Big Island Trip Report
When: June 11, 2012 through June 19, 2012
Who: Me, my husband, and 8 year old daughter
Where we stayed: Fairway Villas Waikoloa Beach Resort. We rented a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo through VRBO. The condo was nice (with one problem described below). It's fairly new with a great kitchen with granite countertops, updated appliances, sharp and good quality knives; large master bedroom with king bed and bathroom with walk in shower, soaker tub, and large closet; second bedroom with twin beds and good sized bathroom; large lanai overlooking the golf course; and air conditioning with good cross ventilation, too.
What we did:
Day One.
We arrived Monday evening, picked up the car (Hotwired a small SUV for $240 for the week), and drove to Waikoloa. The condo was easy to find, and it was a quick trip from the airport. However, when we walked into the condo, we discovered that it hadn't been cleaned after the previous guests. Walking into a mess wasn't a nice start to our vacation, especially after flying and sitting in airports for the previous 12+ hours. I contacted the on-island property manager, and she was mortified. It was too late to get a cleaning person in that evening, but she made arrangements for someone to come in by 8 the next morning. We found some extra sheets and remade beds, and we also found the previous guests' leftover Longboard Lager, so we helped ourselves and went to bed. The beer was the saving grace to a poor arrival.
Day Two.
We were up early. I had an email from the owners letting us know that they were refunding our first night's stay. It sucked to walk into a dirty condo, but we did appreciate the owners' and the property manager's prompt responses.
We headed to the Mauna Lani Resort to check out Makaiwa Bay. We were hoping to do some snorkeling at the Bay, but the water was fairly cloudy and the surf was a little too high to see much. The waves were fun, though, and our daughter had a great morning boogie boarding and swimming and playing in the sand. She was thrilled to be back in Hawaii and back to digging giant holes in the sand. We liked the Bay and the fishponds surrounding the Mauna Lani Resort. It's a wonderful area, and I think the condos in the resort area would probably be our first choice of accommodations if we make it back to the BI again.
We had lunch at Napua, the beach side restaurant at Makaiwa Bay. I think we split some ahi poke and kalua pork nachos, had a couple glasses of wine and shared a drink, and the daughter had chicken fingers and fries. Lunch was around $100.
After lunch and a little more beach time, we stopped at Foodland Farms in the Mauna Lani shops for a few groceries (more poke, champagne, breakfast food, coffee, etc.). The prices are decent for being in a resort area. I noticed that some items were a couple dollars more than Safeway in Kona, but most items were pretty comparable. We made it back to our condo around 3 pm. It was very clean, and the housekeeper had left flowers and a gift basket. The property manager had also left a $100 gift certificate to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
We unpacked, watched the new Muppet Movie (manamana), drank champagne, at some ahi poke and were in bed by 7:30, I think.
Who: Me, my husband, and 8 year old daughter
Where we stayed: Fairway Villas Waikoloa Beach Resort. We rented a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo through VRBO. The condo was nice (with one problem described below). It's fairly new with a great kitchen with granite countertops, updated appliances, sharp and good quality knives; large master bedroom with king bed and bathroom with walk in shower, soaker tub, and large closet; second bedroom with twin beds and good sized bathroom; large lanai overlooking the golf course; and air conditioning with good cross ventilation, too.
What we did:
Day One.
We arrived Monday evening, picked up the car (Hotwired a small SUV for $240 for the week), and drove to Waikoloa. The condo was easy to find, and it was a quick trip from the airport. However, when we walked into the condo, we discovered that it hadn't been cleaned after the previous guests. Walking into a mess wasn't a nice start to our vacation, especially after flying and sitting in airports for the previous 12+ hours. I contacted the on-island property manager, and she was mortified. It was too late to get a cleaning person in that evening, but she made arrangements for someone to come in by 8 the next morning. We found some extra sheets and remade beds, and we also found the previous guests' leftover Longboard Lager, so we helped ourselves and went to bed. The beer was the saving grace to a poor arrival.
Day Two.
We were up early. I had an email from the owners letting us know that they were refunding our first night's stay. It sucked to walk into a dirty condo, but we did appreciate the owners' and the property manager's prompt responses.
We headed to the Mauna Lani Resort to check out Makaiwa Bay. We were hoping to do some snorkeling at the Bay, but the water was fairly cloudy and the surf was a little too high to see much. The waves were fun, though, and our daughter had a great morning boogie boarding and swimming and playing in the sand. She was thrilled to be back in Hawaii and back to digging giant holes in the sand. We liked the Bay and the fishponds surrounding the Mauna Lani Resort. It's a wonderful area, and I think the condos in the resort area would probably be our first choice of accommodations if we make it back to the BI again.
We had lunch at Napua, the beach side restaurant at Makaiwa Bay. I think we split some ahi poke and kalua pork nachos, had a couple glasses of wine and shared a drink, and the daughter had chicken fingers and fries. Lunch was around $100.
After lunch and a little more beach time, we stopped at Foodland Farms in the Mauna Lani shops for a few groceries (more poke, champagne, breakfast food, coffee, etc.). The prices are decent for being in a resort area. I noticed that some items were a couple dollars more than Safeway in Kona, but most items were pretty comparable. We made it back to our condo around 3 pm. It was very clean, and the housekeeper had left flowers and a gift basket. The property manager had also left a $100 gift certificate to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
We unpacked, watched the new Muppet Movie (manamana), drank champagne, at some ahi poke and were in bed by 7:30, I think.
Jun 21st, 2012, 06:27 PM
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While your arrival at the condo surely was a disappointment with regards to the condition; it certainly seems that the manager handle the matter with a high concern towards good customer service!
Hope this was the only glitch in your trip. Waiting for next installment.
Hope this was the only glitch in your trip. Waiting for next installment.
Jun 22nd, 2012, 07:01 AM
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Thanks for the comments! I wish we were still there; although, home in the summer isn't so bad, either. 
Day Three
We were up early again; I really love the time change and the early mornings in Hawaii with coffee on the lanai and listening to the birds while the sun comes up.
We had made plans to snorkel Kealakekua Bay that morning. We wanted to kayak the Bay, and the County has instituted a permitting system for the Bay to help control access and limit human impact in the Bay. Prior to our trip, my husband obtained permits for us to kayak the Bay. The permitting process is pretty simple. You email the County. They email you the application for the permit and you fill in the dates and times you want, sign it, scan it, and email it back. The County then emails you back your permit.
We drove to Captain Cook and stopped at Kona Boys to rent a three person kayak. They are one of the licensed kayak operator for the Bay. There are several other unlicensed kayak rental dealers, and it's less expensive to rent from an unlicensed dealer, but it's also illegal. The guy at Kona Boys was great; he had worked at a dude ranch for a few summers near where we live and raft in MT. He had us outfitted with a 3 person kayak, life jackets, paddles, collapsible cooler, and dry bag for $87 for the day. He helped us load the kayak on the roof of our rental. And he also gave us a great run-down on the Bay, coral and reef etiquette, where it's okay to land a kayak and where it's not okay to land, how best to launch the kayak from the boat dock if we wanted to do it ourselves or how much to tip the locals at the boat dock if we wanted their help.
We headed down to the boat dock but stopped for ice cream at the food co-op on the way down since it's not vacation unless you have Tropical Dreams ice cream before 10 am, right?
Day Three
We were up early again; I really love the time change and the early mornings in Hawaii with coffee on the lanai and listening to the birds while the sun comes up.
We had made plans to snorkel Kealakekua Bay that morning. We wanted to kayak the Bay, and the County has instituted a permitting system for the Bay to help control access and limit human impact in the Bay. Prior to our trip, my husband obtained permits for us to kayak the Bay. The permitting process is pretty simple. You email the County. They email you the application for the permit and you fill in the dates and times you want, sign it, scan it, and email it back. The County then emails you back your permit.
We drove to Captain Cook and stopped at Kona Boys to rent a three person kayak. They are one of the licensed kayak operator for the Bay. There are several other unlicensed kayak rental dealers, and it's less expensive to rent from an unlicensed dealer, but it's also illegal. The guy at Kona Boys was great; he had worked at a dude ranch for a few summers near where we live and raft in MT. He had us outfitted with a 3 person kayak, life jackets, paddles, collapsible cooler, and dry bag for $87 for the day. He helped us load the kayak on the roof of our rental. And he also gave us a great run-down on the Bay, coral and reef etiquette, where it's okay to land a kayak and where it's not okay to land, how best to launch the kayak from the boat dock if we wanted to do it ourselves or how much to tip the locals at the boat dock if we wanted their help.
We headed down to the boat dock but stopped for ice cream at the food co-op on the way down since it's not vacation unless you have Tropical Dreams ice cream before 10 am, right?
Jun 22nd, 2012, 07:39 AM
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Just to clarify about Kona Boys, yes, they are licensed to operate in Kealakekua Bay, which means they can legally rent kayaks there. But kayak renters need to themselves secure permits to land the kayaks near Capt. Cook monument.
Jun 22nd, 2012, 09:16 AM
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Yes, thanks for the clarification, 22tango. I didn't make that very clear. They don't provide the permits, you have to get those from the County or go with a licensed tour operator that has a permit.
We went to the dock/kayak launch area, and there were several local guys directing traffic and offering to assist with kayak launches. They were also selling kayak rentals (illegally) and openly smoking weed (probably could have purchased some of that, too). They weren't exactly pushy, but they definitely gave the impression they were in charge and they would be unloading and launching all kayaks. We thanked them for their offer to help, but said we had it covered, and they backed right off.
I had done quite a bit of research about kayaking the Bay, and the various illegal kayak operations at the boat launch, and I knew what to expect when we got there. But I think it would be intimidating to get to the launch and not know what to expect.
I know the County states that they want to lessen some of the human impact on the Bay, but they don't have anyone stationed at the launch or at the Monument checking for permits. And it seems like they've turned a blind eye to the illegal rental operations at the dock. It's also annoying to be hustled for money at the dock. And the open drug use at the dock is also pretty annoying.
Anyway....
We took our time paddling across the Bay, and it took us about 25 or 30 minutes. This was our daughter's first experience snorkeling in the ocean (she practiced some in the pool prior to our trip), so I was curious to see how she'd handle hopping off a kayak into deep water with her snorkeling gear. I hopped off the kayak first, and then she joined me in the water. It took her a few minutes after hopping in to slow her breathing down, but she got the hang of it pretty quickly. There were so many fish and the coral was beautiful; I think the fish helped distract her from being scared.
One of my favorite moments of the trip was Kate picking up her head after her first six or seven minutes of snorkeling to exclaim: "Wow! I didn't know snorkeling would be like this! This is even better and more amazing than I thought!"
My husband and I took turns sitting on the kayak and snorkeling with our daughter. We had a lot of fun, and we ate a picnic lunch while floating in the kayak. We spent about four hours snorkeling, floating, and paddling in the Bay. It was amazing!
After we finished kayaking, and re-loaded and dropped off the kayak, we stopped for a second lunch at Annie's Burgers. What a great place for lunch. The burgers were fantastic! I shared a burger with my husband along with garlic fries. Our daughter had chicken strips and fries, but these chicken strips were homemade and not pre-frozen. Fries are hand-cut. We shared a beer and glass of wine. Lunch was around $60.
We made a quick stop at Safeway in Kona to pick up a few more grocery items, and then ate leftover ahi poke for dinner and watched another movie, Disney's Robin Hood this time (ooh de lally), and went to bed early, again.
We went to the dock/kayak launch area, and there were several local guys directing traffic and offering to assist with kayak launches. They were also selling kayak rentals (illegally) and openly smoking weed (probably could have purchased some of that, too). They weren't exactly pushy, but they definitely gave the impression they were in charge and they would be unloading and launching all kayaks. We thanked them for their offer to help, but said we had it covered, and they backed right off.
I had done quite a bit of research about kayaking the Bay, and the various illegal kayak operations at the boat launch, and I knew what to expect when we got there. But I think it would be intimidating to get to the launch and not know what to expect.
I know the County states that they want to lessen some of the human impact on the Bay, but they don't have anyone stationed at the launch or at the Monument checking for permits. And it seems like they've turned a blind eye to the illegal rental operations at the dock. It's also annoying to be hustled for money at the dock. And the open drug use at the dock is also pretty annoying.
Anyway....
We took our time paddling across the Bay, and it took us about 25 or 30 minutes. This was our daughter's first experience snorkeling in the ocean (she practiced some in the pool prior to our trip), so I was curious to see how she'd handle hopping off a kayak into deep water with her snorkeling gear. I hopped off the kayak first, and then she joined me in the water. It took her a few minutes after hopping in to slow her breathing down, but she got the hang of it pretty quickly. There were so many fish and the coral was beautiful; I think the fish helped distract her from being scared.
One of my favorite moments of the trip was Kate picking up her head after her first six or seven minutes of snorkeling to exclaim: "Wow! I didn't know snorkeling would be like this! This is even better and more amazing than I thought!"
My husband and I took turns sitting on the kayak and snorkeling with our daughter. We had a lot of fun, and we ate a picnic lunch while floating in the kayak. We spent about four hours snorkeling, floating, and paddling in the Bay. It was amazing!
After we finished kayaking, and re-loaded and dropped off the kayak, we stopped for a second lunch at Annie's Burgers. What a great place for lunch. The burgers were fantastic! I shared a burger with my husband along with garlic fries. Our daughter had chicken strips and fries, but these chicken strips were homemade and not pre-frozen. Fries are hand-cut. We shared a beer and glass of wine. Lunch was around $60.
We made a quick stop at Safeway in Kona to pick up a few more grocery items, and then ate leftover ahi poke for dinner and watched another movie, Disney's Robin Hood this time (ooh de lally), and went to bed early, again.
Jun 25th, 2012, 02:05 PM
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Day Four
I got in a 4.5 mile run around the Waikoloa Beach area. I did get pretty lost running around the Hilton; that place is huge and it took me a while to find my way out. I like running in Hawaii (well, as much as one can like running) because there is so much air to breathe...very different from running at home in Montana.
After breakfast and coffee on the lanai, we drove the Kohala Mountain Road to Hawi and then over to the Pololu Valley Overlook. We did the hike down to the black sand beach. On our way down the trail, we met a family coming back up the trail. Their 3.5 year old daughter stopped and warned us: "Do not go down the trail. There is nothing to do down there. You can only walk. You! Will! Be! Bored!"
She cracked me up, and reminded me of our daughter when she was 4 years old and could not understand why we would spend even a minute in the car or hiking on Maui, when one could be at the beach instead. Four years makes a big difference, and she was much more cooperative about drives and hikes this trip.
The trail down to the Valley is in good shape, and it's a fairly easy 15 to 20 minute hike to the black sand beach at the bottom. We walked around the Valley a little, and Kate swung on a rope swing hanging from a tree. The hike up back up was hot and humid. As our daughter said, "I'm not used to this kind of air," as we live in an area with very little humidity.
After our hike, we stopped in Hawi for Tropical Dreams ice cream. Then we took the road along the Kohala Coast back towards Waikoloa. On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Kaunaoa Bay at the Mauna Kea Resort. This beach has incredible sand, and it's fairly protected. You do have to get a beach pass from the guards at the gate of the Mauna Kea Resort to use the beach. There are 40 beach passes available, and we never had trouble getting a pass, but we were usually getting there in the late afternoon. We stayed and played in the waves for a couple of hours, and Kate built a gigantic sand castle.
We stopped at Foodland at the Mauna Kea Shops and picked up some mahi mahi to grill for dinner. My husband grilled fish and a hot dog for our daughter, and we ate on the lanai. After dinner, we walked to the Hilton and checked out the dolphins. They were being particularly playful, and we had fun watching them for an hour or so until it was too dark to see them. We took the train back to the hotel entrance (a highlight for the 8 year old) and walked back to our condo and went to bed.
I got in a 4.5 mile run around the Waikoloa Beach area. I did get pretty lost running around the Hilton; that place is huge and it took me a while to find my way out. I like running in Hawaii (well, as much as one can like running) because there is so much air to breathe...very different from running at home in Montana.
After breakfast and coffee on the lanai, we drove the Kohala Mountain Road to Hawi and then over to the Pololu Valley Overlook. We did the hike down to the black sand beach. On our way down the trail, we met a family coming back up the trail. Their 3.5 year old daughter stopped and warned us: "Do not go down the trail. There is nothing to do down there. You can only walk. You! Will! Be! Bored!"
She cracked me up, and reminded me of our daughter when she was 4 years old and could not understand why we would spend even a minute in the car or hiking on Maui, when one could be at the beach instead. Four years makes a big difference, and she was much more cooperative about drives and hikes this trip.
The trail down to the Valley is in good shape, and it's a fairly easy 15 to 20 minute hike to the black sand beach at the bottom. We walked around the Valley a little, and Kate swung on a rope swing hanging from a tree. The hike up back up was hot and humid. As our daughter said, "I'm not used to this kind of air," as we live in an area with very little humidity.
After our hike, we stopped in Hawi for Tropical Dreams ice cream. Then we took the road along the Kohala Coast back towards Waikoloa. On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Kaunaoa Bay at the Mauna Kea Resort. This beach has incredible sand, and it's fairly protected. You do have to get a beach pass from the guards at the gate of the Mauna Kea Resort to use the beach. There are 40 beach passes available, and we never had trouble getting a pass, but we were usually getting there in the late afternoon. We stayed and played in the waves for a couple of hours, and Kate built a gigantic sand castle.
We stopped at Foodland at the Mauna Kea Shops and picked up some mahi mahi to grill for dinner. My husband grilled fish and a hot dog for our daughter, and we ate on the lanai. After dinner, we walked to the Hilton and checked out the dolphins. They were being particularly playful, and we had fun watching them for an hour or so until it was too dark to see them. We took the train back to the hotel entrance (a highlight for the 8 year old) and walked back to our condo and went to bed.
Jun 26th, 2012, 02:35 AM
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Dear Lord: Please, please, please - the next time we rent a condo in Paradise - let it be a bit dishelved - but also let them stock it with beer and clean/extra sheets for the first night - and then give us a credit for that night's stay, and also bestow upon us a $100 gift cert for Ruth Chris and a gift basket and fresh flowers.
And then, please also give us the foresight to check out the restaurants ahead of time - so we can avoid the ones where they pick our pockets.
Seriously - love your trip report - and we have entered Kealakekua Bay from the south side - and parked and went swimming and did a little body surfing - but it's a very long swim to get to the prime snorkeling area/Captain Cook's Monument.
Another time - armed with a great book - 100 Hiking Trips in Hawaii - or some such -we parked up on the main road and were going to hike down - just in our bathing suits and carrying our fins and snorkels in a bag. Well, that year the elephant? grass (razor sharp) was head high (had apparently been a very wet year) and while I have hiked in some very challenging areas - this was like death by 1,000 cuts, so we turned around about halfway down.
Again, have alway wanted to snorkel there - so thanks uno mas for the great trip report, and might check out getting a Kayak permit next time.,
BTW - if you want - I can send you a great Poki recipe - and you can buy some ahi - mix it up - and have it at home for about 1/10th of the cost. Glad to see you cooked some Mahi Mahi for dinner - one of our favorite things to do, and sometimes - we even grill - or saute it for fish sandwiches at lunch. It's also good to have some Italian Sausages or hot dogs for the little one too - and this big one.
And then, please also give us the foresight to check out the restaurants ahead of time - so we can avoid the ones where they pick our pockets.
Seriously - love your trip report - and we have entered Kealakekua Bay from the south side - and parked and went swimming and did a little body surfing - but it's a very long swim to get to the prime snorkeling area/Captain Cook's Monument.
Another time - armed with a great book - 100 Hiking Trips in Hawaii - or some such -we parked up on the main road and were going to hike down - just in our bathing suits and carrying our fins and snorkels in a bag. Well, that year the elephant? grass (razor sharp) was head high (had apparently been a very wet year) and while I have hiked in some very challenging areas - this was like death by 1,000 cuts, so we turned around about halfway down.
Again, have alway wanted to snorkel there - so thanks uno mas for the great trip report, and might check out getting a Kayak permit next time.,
BTW - if you want - I can send you a great Poki recipe - and you can buy some ahi - mix it up - and have it at home for about 1/10th of the cost.
Glad to see you cooked some Mahi Mahi for dinner - one of our favorite things to do, and sometimes - we even grill - or saute it for fish sandwiches at lunch. It's also good to have some Italian Sausages or hot dogs for the little one too - and this big one.
Jun 28th, 2012, 09:58 AM
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Thanks for the comments!
Tom, my sister and BIL hiked the trail down to the Bay in May. They said the hike down wasn't so bad, but the hike back up was absolutely brutal.
Day 5
Another early morning and another early run and another confusing trip through the Hilton grounds. I ended up dead-ending in the area where the Hilton hosts its luaus and taking a service entrance/exit out of the grounds. That hotel is so big!
After breakfast and coffee, we headed out for some snorkeling at Two-Step near the Place of Refuge. We snorkeled for about 2 or 2.5 hours with breaks to warm up and eat a picnic lunch. The snorkeling was excellent. Our daughter saw her first sea turtle...big highlight! We saw two while out in the water, and another sea turtle was floating around in one of the tide pools. We saw several varieties of fish, a lot of coral, and one eel.
I was a little nervous about how our 8 year old would handle the entrance and exit into the water at Two-Step. The surf was a little high when we were there; it wasn't bad for snorkeling, but the waves were definitely hitting the two lava steps pretty hard. She got knocked down when she was exiting (a little clumsy with the fins and slippery lava) but she didn't complain.
After we were finished snorkeling, we walked over to the Place of Refuge and did the self-guided walking tour. They have an informative and interesting self-guided tour, and the Place of Refuge is really a not to be missed site.
We stopped for more ice cream at the antique store in Captain Cook on our way back to Waikoloa. We also stopped in Kona at Hayashi's You Make the Roll for some sushi to take home for dinner. There was a 35 minute wait for the rolls, so we walked around Kona for a while. It was hot, humid, cloudy, and crowded. I was cranky by the time we got the rolls (and the rolls weren't very good: too much rice, not fresh fish, but they were cheap). Then we had to stop at Costco for gas and wine and a footlong hot dog for our daughter. She inhaled the hot dog; the snorkeling must have worked up her appetite. I tend to end up irrationally pissed off after a visit to Costco in the best of circumstances, and combining the Costco visit with a too hot and too humid stop in Kona, left my husband and daughter wondering why they had bothered to bring me along to Hawaii.
We did make it back to the condo (finally). A shower and a glass of champagne improved my mood. Funny, how well champagne does that. We ate the sushi rolls on the lanai, drank more champagne and a bottle of wine, and enjoyed the breeze.
Tom, my sister and BIL hiked the trail down to the Bay in May. They said the hike down wasn't so bad, but the hike back up was absolutely brutal.
Day 5
Another early morning and another early run and another confusing trip through the Hilton grounds. I ended up dead-ending in the area where the Hilton hosts its luaus and taking a service entrance/exit out of the grounds. That hotel is so big!
After breakfast and coffee, we headed out for some snorkeling at Two-Step near the Place of Refuge. We snorkeled for about 2 or 2.5 hours with breaks to warm up and eat a picnic lunch. The snorkeling was excellent. Our daughter saw her first sea turtle...big highlight! We saw two while out in the water, and another sea turtle was floating around in one of the tide pools. We saw several varieties of fish, a lot of coral, and one eel.
I was a little nervous about how our 8 year old would handle the entrance and exit into the water at Two-Step. The surf was a little high when we were there; it wasn't bad for snorkeling, but the waves were definitely hitting the two lava steps pretty hard. She got knocked down when she was exiting (a little clumsy with the fins and slippery lava) but she didn't complain.
After we were finished snorkeling, we walked over to the Place of Refuge and did the self-guided walking tour. They have an informative and interesting self-guided tour, and the Place of Refuge is really a not to be missed site.
We stopped for more ice cream at the antique store in Captain Cook on our way back to Waikoloa. We also stopped in Kona at Hayashi's You Make the Roll for some sushi to take home for dinner. There was a 35 minute wait for the rolls, so we walked around Kona for a while. It was hot, humid, cloudy, and crowded. I was cranky by the time we got the rolls (and the rolls weren't very good: too much rice, not fresh fish, but they were cheap). Then we had to stop at Costco for gas and wine and a footlong hot dog for our daughter. She inhaled the hot dog; the snorkeling must have worked up her appetite. I tend to end up irrationally pissed off after a visit to Costco in the best of circumstances, and combining the Costco visit with a too hot and too humid stop in Kona, left my husband and daughter wondering why they had bothered to bring me along to Hawaii.
We did make it back to the condo (finally). A shower and a glass of champagne improved my mood. Funny, how well champagne does that. We ate the sushi rolls on the lanai, drank more champagne and a bottle of wine, and enjoyed the breeze.
Jun 28th, 2012, 12:02 PM
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Kuriff, why do you get pissed when at Costco? We don't have one locally but have been told by people who live in Kona that we definitly want to join as soon as we get to the island because their food and gas will save us lots of $$
Jun 28th, 2012, 12:46 PM
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cd, it's me, not Costco. We have a membership at home, and I don't like visiting the one at home, either. It's always crowded, there are too many items to look at, I get overwhelmed, tired, and cranky.
But it's the best place to buy wine and gas.
We have a membership at home, and I don't like visiting the one at home, either. It's always crowded, there are too many items to look at, I get overwhelmed, tired, and cranky. But it's the best place to buy wine and gas.
Jun 28th, 2012, 12:47 PM
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cd, I don't think you would save enough to cover the cost of your membership.
k - your admission to crankiness in paradise is endearing! And just the thought of mediocre sushi in hawaii makes me cranky. I hope to someday return and snorkle where you have snorkled. That was the plan until I broke my wrist on our last trip!
k - your admission to crankiness in paradise is endearing! And just the thought of mediocre sushi in hawaii makes me cranky. I hope to someday return and snorkle where you have snorkled. That was the plan until I broke my wrist on our last trip!
Jun 28th, 2012, 02:43 PM
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Costco also often has a really nice selection of fresh fish. Ono!
I think that if you were on the BI for a couple of weeks, by the time you finished buying fish, fruit, steak, booze, and gas, you might very well save more than the cost of the membership.
To those who don't want to, or physically can't, do the hike or maneuver kayaks, there are lots of boats that take you right to the monument for the spectacular snorkeling; several of them do 2 stops, one there and one at Place of Refuge. Prices can be flexible (ask if they have discounts; once they laughingly gave me one for being right handed).
I think that if you were on the BI for a couple of weeks, by the time you finished buying fish, fruit, steak, booze, and gas, you might very well save more than the cost of the membership.
To those who don't want to, or physically can't, do the hike or maneuver kayaks, there are lots of boats that take you right to the monument for the spectacular snorkeling; several of them do 2 stops, one there and one at Place of Refuge. Prices can be flexible (ask if they have discounts; once they laughingly gave me one for being right handed).
Jun 28th, 2012, 03:16 PM
#18
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Yeah, I think if you were on the island for a while and had a family with you, you could make up the price of the membership. We didn't get to Costco until we were four days into our trip so we only bought wine and some fish (and the footlong hotdog) and gas. They do have really good prices on wine and fish and gas. We use Costco at home for several items, too, and the employees are nice and helpful and their products are great. I just hate shopping there for the same reasons I hate shopping in a big department store...I get overwhelmed by all the options.
Anward, we had a three person kayak, so if I was swimming my husband was in the kayak, and he'd steady it by leaning when I reached across to the other side of the kayak and pulled myself up and back in. It wasn't too hard because the kayak sits low to the water, so you don't have to hoist yourself up very far to get back into a kayak. We raft a lot, and I have a hard time getting back into a raft from the water because the sides are high and it requires some good upper body strength, but the kayak was really pretty easy. You just need one person in the kayak to help keep it steady.
Anward, we had a three person kayak, so if I was swimming my husband was in the kayak, and he'd steady it by leaning when I reached across to the other side of the kayak and pulled myself up and back in. It wasn't too hard because the kayak sits low to the water, so you don't have to hoist yourself up very far to get back into a kayak. We raft a lot, and I have a hard time getting back into a raft from the water because the sides are high and it requires some good upper body strength, but the kayak was really pretty easy. You just need one person in the kayak to help keep it steady.
Jun 28th, 2012, 03:58 PM
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Gotta love cooling off with a glass of bubbly for an "attitude adjustment", eh? When I am feeling "sticky" - I I also like to just jump in the shower for a quick "chill" - and then - having a libation makes it all the better.
Hey - I love browsing around Costco - especially during the noon hour - when they have free samples. And their Polish/hot dog option - with a drink (and a small container of sauerkraut if you ask) can't be beat for $1.50.
Keep up the great trip report. You are ocean going warriors, and kudos to your daughter for being part fish.
Hey - I love browsing around Costco - especially during the noon hour - when they have free samples. And their Polish/hot dog option - with a drink (and a small container of sauerkraut if you ask) can't be beat for $1.50.
Keep up the great trip report. You are ocean going warriors, and kudos to your daughter for being part fish.
