Kayaking in Hawaii!!

VIDEO HERE: 

http://youtu.be/NKlIISTZ-Tk

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ALOHA! SO glad you are still reading with us!! We have had so many amazing adventures, and MORE still to come!! (Feel free to scroll back through the blog on what we have done so far in Hawaii), and stay tuned for more! This like my own personal diary each week, full of excitement that I am sharing with you! We couldn't bring Kodiak on this adventure (I don't think he would have enjoyed it anyways). 

SO KAYAKING! Kailua is the #1 recommended place to Kayak here on Oahu. Why? Because the ocean is a beautiful, turquoise, the waters are smooth, and there are 2 islands (the Moku Lua Islands), you can paddle out to! Just for kayakers! 

Starting off the day, we took Bus 57 towards Kailua/Sea Life Park, and got off in Kailua near the Beach Park. Near there, there's a couple places to rent Kayaks/paddle boards/even segways from. We rented from Kailua Beach Adventures...MAINLY BECAUSE (get this), I looked up a cheaper place online called Endless Adventures, went to go find it, and it wasn't there! I don't know if it was reservation only or what but the address it led us to was like, a neighborhood. So we had to settle for a little more expensive, but it was still worth it. For $70 we got the Kayak for a 1/2 day (with the carrying wheels part, back rests, and paddles), life jackets (required), and a locker to put our things in. 

So we pulled our kayak out to the ocean which isn't far from the rental place, got in, and started to paddle out!! It takes you a little bit to get used to rowing at the same pace, and to really get things going, but it wasn't long before we were paddling strong through the ocean! It's actually a pretty good workout! You're arms get tired easily, but you can also stop for a breather whenever you want, and enjoy the view! You pass Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach, and head towards to Moku Lua Islands!

We kayaked to the island on the left, which seemed to be the more popular one. There's a plain-in-sight beach where kayakers can paddle on shore to, get out and explore (just not past the signs-part of the island is a reservation area). We explored the right side of the island from the beach. SECRET: Wear some sort of slippahs (flip flops), or water shoes if you do this! It is very rocky/hot; we went in bare feet-NOT a good idea lol. But we did see some fish, cool rock formations, sea urchins, etc. 

My only regret is when I found out there was a place to cliff jump on the OTHER side of the island and we totally didn't know that! Man! Oh well, we hung out on the beach, swam in the clear blue water, then headed back. 

It has been very hot in Hawaii recently (go figure, I know), so activities like this are SO worth it! Nice, and refreshing!! We paddled back (jumping in the water at one point as well), and wheeled the Kayak back to the rental place. 

This is definitely on our recommended list of things to do!! We loved it, and had a GREAT time!

If you are in Hawaii to relax, DON'T do this haha. You gotta be awake and ready to get your arms tired. 

Here is the video and pictures of our adventure! Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/NKlIISTZ-Tk

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Manoa Falls Hike!

VIDEO HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HQwvfrX-sY
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This is the second time I have done this hike with Kodiak, and we absolutely LOVE IT! It's easy to get to, a short drive or bus ride, it's a hike for beginners/intermediate, it's jungly, lush, green, cool, shady, and so much to see!!

TO GET HERE, simply look Manoa Falls up on Google. I take the bus everywhere, so I took Route 5 towards Manoa Valley. About 15 minutes bus ride from Waikiki and you're there! The bus driver usually tells everyone "Manoa Falls", when you arrive at the bus stop, and it's a straight shot up the road from there! You'll pass a restaurant called "Treetops", which you can eat at afterwards (I haven't been there, but feel free to try it for me!), and the concrete road continues, winding around the rainforest!

PARKING: You have 3 options! (I took the bus so these didn't apply to me)

1st: FREE: Park in the residential neighborhood (before Treetops restaurant) and walk a couple minutes to get there.

2nd: $5.00: Paid Parking right at the trailhead after Treetops restaurant

3rd: FREE: Pass that paid parking lot and there's another parking lot on the left that's free if there are spots available.
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Okay enough with the info! Let's get to the hike! When Kodiak and I went, it was sprinkling almost the whole time. But it doesn't even matter much because the trail is shaded 99% of the time with huge trees! So if it'd due for rain, I would go anyways, just wear clothes/shoes that can get wet!

With this in mind, bring proper clothing, as well as a plastic bag and some extra slippahs (flip flops). Chances are, it will be very muddy! There is a hose at the trailhead, AFTER the hike, that's a perfect opportunity to take off dirty shoes (put them in the plastic bag), wash your feet, and put on those slippahs to get back in the car/bus.

ALSO of course bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray!

This hike is FULL of cool things to see. Huge trees, trees with initials carved into them, little bridges, the stream that runs by it, a bamboo forest, and of course the Manoa Falls at the end!

There are lots of people that hike this trail, so be friendly, a meet someone new! Everyone, and I mean everyone, was SUPER nice about Kodiak passing them and lots of people would stop and say hi to him. Especially kids. Kodiak likes to go fast (especially on the way down), and so people were extremely nice to let us pass.

We did the hike pretty quick (it took us about 20 minutes each way). You get to the falls and there are people hanging out, resting, and taking pictures.

I was bad and went past the DANGER: STOP HERE sign. As did most everyone else there so i didn't feel any guilt. The pool at the base of the falls is cool and refreshing. You can wade in it, it's just slippery. I took off my clothes and got in all the way. Not many people do this, but man does it feel good and you are nice and refreshed for the hike back down! Kodiak also got in as well.

It started to rain pretty good when we were there, so we packed up and headed back down the trail, got all muddy, but we were both happy!!

I love this hike because it is close to Waikiki, but feels like another world completely! Definitely recommend for any age. (I've seen everyone-from babies to old folk!)

Here are some pictures, and be sure to see our video!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HQwvfrX-sY
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Rope Swinging at Waimano Falls

VIDEO HERE:

http://youtu.be/lXS7HV1YDlw
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If you know Brad, Kodiak and I, you'll know we love jungly hikes in Hawaii! Lush, green, rainforest trails that lead to beautiful waterfalls! And that's exactly what Waimano Falls is!

TO GET TO WAIMANO FALLS, you drive to Komo Mai Dr, (near Waimano Home Rd), and go all the way down until you reach the Komo Mai Dr culdesac. And the trail is RIGHT there, you can't miss it!
We took the bus there, but had a bit of confusion as to where to get off and didn't realize there was another bus that could have taken us almost straight to it. So in order to avoid OUR mistake, take bus 53 (Towards Pacific Palisaides) and it's the very last stop on Komo Mai Dr. There's a stop right across the street as well for coming back so you won't have a problem finding it; it just might be a little wait depending on your timing.

Anyways lucky for us, as we were waiting for another bus, a local drove up in his pick-up and offered us a ride to the trail head, which we were SO thankful for!! As Brad said in the video, we haven't been called "How-lees" yet at all here on Oahu. (He did however, on Lanai-but those guys were drunk and weird). Most locals are super nice as long as you respect the island and them as well! Brad tried to pay him, but he wouldn't accept. Another thing about people here. Even lots of the homeless people won't accept food/money.

We get to the trail head and start the hike! It starts off paved then gets dirty! You quickly pass a water tank on you right, then some power lines (which look like they would be awesome to zipline haha), then you get near the top of the hill. That's the easy part. The HARD part is coming down! It's muddy/steep/slippery, especially after it rains! There are lots of roots which kind of help your footing, but it's also easy to trip on them haha. I fell twice...on my butt! Brad had many close calls but never made the plunge.

The trail gets very narrow and shaded by rainforesty trees, and rocky as well. (Oh yes, be sure to wear tennis shoes that you don't care about getting dirty! But bringing an extra pair of slippahs (flip flops) in your bag for the falls is a good idea too.

Kodiak did incredibly well on the hike! He had no problems; he likes to lead the way the whole time, but always waits for us to catch up. The perfect hiking dog. There was another dog there too, and they got along. People love to see Kodiak on hikes, with his little backpack. He loves people too so everyone has a great time. I'm sure to lead him to the side for kids to pass, just in case they lose their footing or are scared of dogs. But hikes are Kodiak's favorite thing ever!

FINALLY THE FALLS!

You get to the falls and you are hot, muddy and sweaty so the first thing that happens is the clothes come off! (With swimsuits underneath of course!) We went to the lower part first, busted out the cameras and went straight in. While on person stayed with Kodiak, the other went to jump/swing. There's a rope you can climb up the side of the rocky area with (some muscle strength required), and then you are on a little ledge. Luckily there was someone there catching the rope as it swung back after someone used it. If there isn't, it can be a bit of a challenge to get it over to you.

You don't want to swing too close to the rocks..because ouch. But you don't want to swing too far into the shallow area. The trick is to swing out, then as you swing back a teeny bit, let go. But man it's so fun and so worth it! We did that a couple times, and then jumped in without the rope too. It is SO refreshing!

There's another way to climb around to get to the upper part of the falls, which has the bigger waterfall, and a little wading area. This is where the dogs would swim around in, and is perfect for pictures. I climbed up to the falls and got some cool GoPro shots right next to it. It feels so magical!

So after spending an hour or two at Waimano Falls, we made the trek back. The steep hill is actually called Cardiac Hill, which makes sense. It really gets your heart pumping! Be careful doing this hike with little kids, they WILL get tired, and it will probably take you twice as long. Coming back up we stumbled upon a cranky toddler (and wife) coming down. And they still had a long ways to go!

We got back to Komo Mai and within 5 minutes you are at a bus stop. A bus came within 20 minutes and we had to transfer once to get back to Waikiki. Be sure to research where you're getting on/off in advance.

Back home everyone had a shower (and Kodiak had a bath), and we were pretty tired after that. So a nap was in order, then we did a grocery run. The day was over just like that!

I am posting pictures below, and be sure to go see the video of our hike/rope swinging/fun at Waimano Falls here!:

http://youtu.be/lXS7HV1YDlw
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Swim with Wild Dolphins in Hawaii!

VIDEO HERE:

http://youtu.be/1z1D-AXrS20
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Aloha again! Sorry it's been a little longer than a week since my last post, we had some technical difficulties, but now we are back up to speed!!

Many people (including myself), have on their bucket list, to SWIM WITH DOLPHINS. And guess what?! Brad and I were lucky enough to finally do it! And I have to tell you, it's one of the most MAGICAL experiences we have ever had!! Pictures and videos just don't do it justice; you want that feeling again of being in the clear blue ocean, with these squeaky, majestic dolphins! It's INCREDIBLE!

I'll start from the top. We signed up online for this adventure in advance. (SECRET: you get discounts, and possibly a free camera if you do this!) There are multiple companies you can go through, but I heard that Ko Olina Ocean Adventures is the best. (Here is the website)

http://koolinaoceanadventures.com/

We did the Speedboat Dolphin Snorkel Tour; it was $125/adult, and DEFINITELY worth the money!
This included a shuttle ride from Waikiki, all the gear-life jacket, mask, snorkel, flippers, the 4-5 hour tour with awesome tour guides, a free underwater camera, and lunch afterwards! Bam!

Just FYI, if you are skeptical of swimming with Dolphins out in the big ocean, or have small kids that can't swim, try the Sea Life Park instead. It's more child friendly, and they have dolphins you can kiss/pull you across a small pool, etc. Wasn't for us because we wanted to see them in the wild, instead of in a small tank for like 10 minutes. But, the choice is up to you! Research both options! There was a spunky little 9 year old girl on the tour with us, so many ages can do this; it's probably based more on your own comfort level. The tour guides were extremely helpful to any person who hadn't snorkeled before or was a little scared. They will let you go at your own pace.

Anyways, the great thing about living in the heart of Waikiki is that we walked 2 minutes to the shuttle and relaxed the whole ride there. (Relaxing also as in...I worked grave shift the night before and got a nice little nap). We got there, got checked in; it was a very nice, smooth process! We waited for about 10-20 minutes at the harbor before the tour guides brought us on the boat, you leave your slippahs (flip flops) at the dock in a safe bin, and climb aboard!

They don't waste any time getting you out to the ocean and briefing you about the sea life creatures. They want you to spend most of your time IN the water of course! At your own speed, you get to enter the water and snorkel around for a bit. Our first spot had some cool fish and a sea turtle!

We got back on the boat and drove to another spot, where the dolphins are! Everyone is so excited to see them, but the tour guides can't stress enough, to STAY STILL when you're in the water. It's very tempting to follow the dolphins to try and get a better look, but you have to stay where you are. They slip you into the water as quietly/smoothly as they can, and tell you to just wait.

THEN, the magic happens! A group of over 50 dolphins swam right under us! Multiple times! They are so cool! We couldn't believe our eyes! We just stared! Incredible!

We got off and on the boat/back into the water with the dolphins for about an hour, they kinda migrate the boat to where the dolphins are hanging out and slip you in for a better look. The dolphins are super smart though, they know exactly where and who you are, and it's completely up to them if they want to come say hi. They stayed about 20 feet away from us most of the time, but it was still amazing!

Our last stop was near a reef with TONS of tropical fish! The tour guides gave us some fish food to feed the bright yellow fish, and we just swam around and enjoyed the snorkeling. At this stop they gave you the option of taking off the life jacket, which most people did, so you could dive under. The water is SO blue and clear; you will definitely want an underwater camera of some sort. GoPro is obviously the best! (Expensive though).

We headed back to the harbor after about 4 hours of snorkel fun! And they had yummy lunch provided! (When you check in, they give you options for your meal). Then the shuttle takes you back to Waikiki. There was only 5 of us who came from Waikiki; everyone else on the tour got their own transportation or was staying at the nearby resort.

It was an AWESOME experience! Stress free, and exciting! But relaxing at the same time! We loved it, and hope to do it again someday!!

Pictures are below, and be sure to check our the video here of our experience!! SUBSCRIBE TO SEE NEW VIDEOS EVERY MONDAY!

Video of us Swimming with Dolphins!

http://youtu.be/1z1D-AXrS20

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Hawaii Lantern Floating Festival 2015

VIDEO OF HAWAII LANTERN FLOATING FESTIVAL 2015 HERE:

http://youtu.be/j9m65SendaU
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Obviously you are here to read about our experience going to the Lantern Floating Festival in May 2015, perhaps you are planning on going on a future date; whatever the case, thanks for taking the time to read, you are awesome!!

Honolulu holds this festival annually on Memorial Day with a huge ceremony that ends with people floating lanterns out on the ocean at Ala Moana Beach (near Magic Island). Each lantern represents a loved one that has passed away, whether military or not.

I decided, since it is Brain Cancer Awareness Month, to go gray for Liam Webb. He's a little boy I used to babysit (along with his older sister). He was a sweet, loving, happy kid! A couple years ago he was diagnosed with brain cancer and passed away later that year from the effects of his chemotherapy treatments. His family is so strong for going through such a trial; they started a foundation in honor of him called "Link Up for Liam" to help out other families (emotionally and financially) that were in their same situation. You can go to their facebook page and "Like" them here

https://www.facebook.com/linkupforliam?fref=ts

Rewinding back, we got to Ala Moana Beach around 9:30am by bus (Routes 8, 19, and 20) come from Waikiki to here very frequently). But oh man! I guess you have to come super super early because we knew there was no way we would get a lantern for Liam. The lanterns are free, therefore everyone wants one, and people will get there super early and camp out until it opens at 10:00am. So we decided to just chill on the beach instead of waiting in line for hours, only to possibly not get a lantern. I respect all of those people though for actually waiting out in the heat for hours, because I knew they had the thought of their loved ones in their hearts. That's probably what kept them going.

We were right on Magic Island (which is where the ceremony took place later on), so we went to the beach which ironically wasn't crowded at all. We snorkeled but didn't see many fish, swam, and just spent a lovely time together just Brad and I. (Since it was Memorial Day he had work off)

After the beach we took the bus back home for lunch and a rest. It's important to give yourself a break when doing a full day of activities.

This reminds me of what MY parents did when my siblings and I were young, and they took us to Disneyworld. (Well, I don't actually remember this, but I remember them telling us the story). My parents would get us up early in our hotel, go to the park as it opened, spend the morning riding the rides, then leave the park before lunchtime. Weird right? Why not just stay the whole day? Here's why: There was just my 2 sisters and I, all under the age of like 7. They would take us back to the hotel for a nap, get up and possibly swim in the hotel pool (which was of course, all to ourselves), THEN head back to Disneyworld. My parents said as they were coming back in the entrance, many families were leaving with their small children because they were crying, cranky, hungry, and tired. Meanwhile we were as happy as can be, being fully fed and rested! We would spend the rest of the day at Disneyworld, up to the nightly fireworks! How smart are my parents!? :)

So we implemented that mentality, went back to our apartment, then came back around 5pm for the Festival! We took into account not getting good seats/a good view. If you want good seats, get there morning/early afternoon. Take into account it's hot, no food around (except for in the expensive mall across the street), and it'll be a long wait, just to be a little more up close than others. A lot of people set up EZ up tents and have huge picnics with a large group of friends or family. It's almost like they are tailgating in my opinion. But we sacrificed good seats with lunch and rest indoors, so sue us. I think it worked out well.

The ceremony started around 6:30pm, with Shinnyo (a buddhist priest), who is very famous from the looks of it, as well as other important contributors, and music. We couldn't really see from where we were.

LANTERN FLOATING BEGINS

Then at 7:15, as the sun goes down, they start lighting everyone's lanterns, and they go down to the water and float them off, taking a moment of remembrance and respect. Everyone is actually very respectful, there wasn't any pushing or shoving or yelling. But it is VERY crowded. I went down with all the people to get good footage for the video and it was dark by the time I got to the water. Everyone wants to be as close as possible, so the front of the crowd is waist-deep in ocean water! Brad didn't get that far because he didn't want to get his tennis shoes wet. But I really wanted to see it up close so I took off my flip flops (or slippahs-as they call them in Hawaii), and trek'd out into the water.

I got soaking wet up to my waist...but the view was worth it! I'm actually glad it was dark by the time I got up close because the lights were just spectacular on the ocean water! People were praying, or hugging, and you can tell they were taking time to remember loved ones. You could feel the love! Bring a camera, preferably a waterproof one like a gopro in case of waves or splashing of any kind. I took like 5 minutes to film, then headed back to the beach.

My recommendation is if you go (ESPECIALLY VISITORS WHO DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND), do NOT split up! Large groups, forget about it. It was way crowded! Parking there? Get ready for hours of traffic leaving. Buses and shuttles also had a hard time getting out. Brad and I texted to meet at a Walgreens that you had to go through the huge Ala Moana Mall to get to, which worked out pretty well because everyone else either waited for transportation from the Beach, or went INTO the mall. Luckily, we know our way around so we met up then walked home because we knew the buses would be crowded. Basically, set up a meeting place everyone is familiar with in case of separation, and park far away or get ready for a long walk/crowded bus.

That's really the one downfall of this festival, like any other huge event. But I DO recommend going at least once, it was a spectacular thing to see! There are pictures below, as well as the link to our Youtube video showing our experience! Be sure to Subscribe to see new videos every Monday! Aloha!

http://youtu.be/j9m65SendaU