As far north as we go on this trip
An early start saw us assembled in the theatre ready to leave the ship at 8 am. The harbour really put on a grand welcome - lots of people to great us, bold large stickers shared freely to proclaim your love for the island to affix to your shirt or backpack and an Hawaiin band complete with the ladies of the hula troupe.
First stop was a view of the Opaekaa Falls. A drop of 150 feet today - actually thought it was a waterfall- unlike some of our previous little falls. Gave us sweeping views over the river.
Some height to these waterfalls
Subsequently joined the @Smith family for a cruise along the Wailua River and to take a short walk through a tropical forest to visit "Fern Grotto" a lava cave that is a natural amphitheatre. The barge setup was intriguing - flat bottomed vessels that slowly make their way along the muddy lower reaches of the river. There is a singer and hula dancer on the journey up and then on the way back, the Captain provides commentary. The grotto itself or now closed and visitors get to stand on the deck - apparently many weddings are held here each week. The performers present the Hawaiin wedding song here as entertainment.
Have to malke the comment that it is still disconcerting to be walking through the beauty of the rainforest only to be surrounded by the constant cock-a-doodle crowing of dozens of roosters and the proclamation every other minute that a hen somewhere has lain and eggs so incongruous.
Back to the back seat torture (more later) for a meandering drive to the northern most reaches of the island for a beach visit and lunch and then onto the Kilauea Lighthouse.
Picnic lunch beach side - still not our version of Australian beach
This wildlife refuge provided sweeping views of the stunning coastline and was home to hundreds of birds nesting, swooping and diving.
And now, reverting to the "luxury" bus details. Each time we do a bus trip we make an assement of the crowd and then head to an appropriate seat. Looked up and down and we had a few years on many, were more mobile than most and even smaller in width than some. Thought it would be more appropriate for us to take the back seat once again - we could manoeuvre into the space more easily. It was an unusual seat configuration with four rows of three and the back row of four seats. Not our usual roomy 5 seat configuration..
So this turned out to be a BIG mistake. We squeezed in the back seat, cheek to cheek, elbow to elbow, thigh to thigh. The back row was really only three and a half seats wide and the last person to board was the biggest person and we were literally wedged. And you couldn't put your feet on the ground in the corner seat because the floor space housed the protruding wheel well.
Hot box, limited view and wheel well! Luxury was definite misnomer - bloody torture chamber
And if that wasn't enough, the air-conditioning struggled to provide either coolness or airflow. It was hot and uncomfortable and from now on we will not be taking that back seat ever again. Every man for himself will be invoked.
Thank goodness we did have a few stops where we could get out and let the clothes dry out from the sweat!
Definitely felt we needed to rehydrate back on board so headed straight to the bar for a couple of the cocktails of the day and sadly caught up on the news of Queen Elizabeth. Don't mind admitting that I shed a few tears reading the stories of her passing. Found it very touching today that flags on public building and in private residences across the island were flying at half mast in honour of HRH.
For Queen Elizabeth
No hesitation in a little pre dinner snack that included two dessert samplings for @Mac before showers and dinner. Majority of cruisers were off to entertainment on the island tonight so really had the ship almost to ourselves and had no trouble at all waltzing into an 8 o'clock dinner slot. Still finding seafood on the menu and somehow eating and drinking our way through to the 9.30 show time.
Double menu choices tonight
Definitley on the run home now. A bit of cruising around the Garden Isle tomorrow and then we will be thinking about flights home. You know it is all coming to an end when they send you your luggage tags, the onboard expenses statement and a guide on how to tip your Conceirge, Butler and Stateroom attendant. I might have to see if I can do the washing up tomorrow to cover the incidentals because a quick scan of our cash stash revealed not much more than those single dollar bills. Mind you, conveniently, there is an ATM on board. Is it pension day yet?
Step Count: 10533
Weather: 26-22 - but about 40 in that glassed cell of the back-seat of the bus
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