Sunset Strolls

Confession time- I don't think anything can beat a sunset on the beach. Have your doubts? Try out the view from the pier by the Hilton Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki. Get out there and enjoy nature everybody :]

Perusing the Pali

Despite having been back on this island for three years, before Saturday I had never taken a trip to the Pali. So after a quick trip to my trusty googlemaps for directions (and a brief detour to pick up my adventure buddy), I set off to see if the windiest place on Oahu was going to live up to it's name. One dropped phone, misread maps, and an hour of traffic later, we finaly managed to park and trek the three yards to the lookout.

The view is amazing! But just standing around trying not to be blown away while listening to the southern drawl of a sunburned father trying to get his entire family into a group shot is not necessarily exiciting. How could we fix this problem? Well, our solution was to trek up the side of the mountain to try and getting a less crowded and windblown view. And although I informed my friend every five minutes that he was going to die as he climbed up to get the best view ("Facebook picture!") it did make the Pali Lookout more entertaining. I"m not sure if I will be going back anytime soon, but if you're on the Pali highway and want to take a quick break with a beautiful, then nothings better then the lookout.

Paddling Out at Kaikos

As much as I enjoy hiking, I must admit that there are days when it is just too hot outside to trek up the side of a mountain. But despite the heat, I still want to get out of the house and explore. The solution? Pick up a couple friends, load up the van, and head over to one of the many surf spots here in Oahu. I made my last attempt at catching waves over at Kaikos (right next to Cromwells), which is by Diamond Head. After fitting three long boards, a short board, myself, three friends, and everything we could possibly need at the beach-including some firewood my brother had left in the trunk- we set off to hit the beach. Although the waves were choppy and not as good as we had hoped, since we had failed to check the surf report before heading out, we still managed to have an exciting time, as the current held my sister and one of our friends prisoner for a while as they attempted to paddle in. However, the adults we were surfing with handled the situation well, and our adventure did not include emergency vehicles of any kind. I did have an irritated mother on my hands, but that was easier to deal with then explaining why a surf session had lead me to the hospital. Despite our minor scare, we all agreed that Kaikos is beautiful, and while we may not plan on heading out there again any time soon, another surf session is a must. Guess we'll just have to go find a new one!

Conquering Koko Head

It seems that everyone on this side of the Island- who are into hiking- wish, at some point, to be able to say that they conquered the beast known as the Koko Head hike. It sounds simple enough, being only a mile long and a straight stair case to the top. Wrong! My two friends and I decided to trek up this trial in the early morning, so we could watch the sun rise from the helicopter pad at the top. However, we were not prepared for the seemingly endless stair case that awaited us. No matter how high up we went, the trail didn't seem to be getting any shorter. And of course, all the people running up the trail with the ease of an Olympian taking a leisurely stroll in the park did not do much to improve our mood. But once we reached the summit, we understood why everyone talks about hiking Koko Head. The view is AMAZING! Especially as the sun is just beginning to peak over the ridge. Just getting to the top was a reward in itself, but the added glory of the sunset made it even sweeter- and the Tagalongs we brought up with us didn't hurt much either. Going back was an adventure too, since the steep incline makes it hard to walk at a steady pace, but this hike is intriguing. Even though we all swore we never wanted to hike it again, I have the feeling that eventually, we will pull a dawn patrol just one more time to get another glimpse of that awesome view.