travel Archives - Page 22 of 31

November 28, 2012

It’s for the Birds: Kilauea Point Lighthouse, Kauai

Kilauea Point Lighthouse

Never wanting to miss a lighthouse in our travels, after a nice hike in the Northwestern part of Kauai, we stopped over at the Kilauea Lighthouse on the way home to our rental. Due to the title of the blog post, you might be thinking that it was a terrible experience with a less than noteworthy lighthouse to view. Thankfully this was not the case! Right along side the Kilauea Lighthouse is a National Wildlife Refuge, and happens to be one of the best places to view nesting seabirds among the Hawaiian Islands, so it really is…For the Birds! We were delighted to see and learn about the birds native to the area. We also happily realized that our entrance to the lighthouse and refuge would be free in celebration of Veteran’s Day.

Aside from the usual jungle fowl, we saw and learned about three birds in particular.

The NeNe (Hawaiian Goose)

Protected under the endangered species act, this Hawaiian State Bird was actually the easiest to spot. We were able to get up close, and they didn’t mind (too much) being harassed by our overly-friendly toddler. We often saw them in pairs. Thanks to some more observant visiting photographers, I got to see one hiding in the bushes below the visitor’s center.

The ‘Iwa (Great Frigate Birds)

To see the ‘Iwa, we just had to look up. We spotted them soaring above probably in search of food, but they also seemed to go wherever the wind took them. We learned that their Hawaiian name (‘Iwa) actually translates to thief! While they can get their food from grabbing fish and squid from the surface of the water, they also are known to snatch food away from other birds, probably due to their inadequacies at fishing blamed on their short legs and large wing span. This body structure makes it hard for them to take off from the water.

The ‘A (Red-Footed Boobie)

Can you spot some red feet in the second picture?

We saw these guys from afar roosting in the trees across the bay. If we looked closely (or just used the provided telescope), we could just barely make out the signature red feet. They are the smallest of all the “boobie” birds, are great at flying, and are also pretty good at fishing.

Our short and sweet visit to Kilauea Point Lighthouse & Wildlife Refuge proved to be the perfect little stopover. It was easy and safe for Bergen to run around, and we got to see and learn all about some very special natural features of Hawaii. Inside the visitor’s center is a 3-D map of all of the Hawaiian Islands, and gives a great perspective of the island chain as a whole. We also used it to help us decide which island to visit next!

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November 26, 2012

Travel Memories: How to Preserve and Cherish an Unforgettable Trip

After returning from an incredible vacation when everything is unpacked, and the laundry is tackled, we look forward to finding ways to relive those memories. I’ve compiled just a few of the ways we preserve and cherish, and hope that you’ll add to this list with your comments!

1. Albums. Whether we print our own photos and use a traditional sleeved photo album, or create a photo book using one of the online companies such as shutterfly or snapfish, it’s always worth the effort to put together pictures from one of our journeys or adventures. They are great for sharing with kids, and we love pulling them out when we have friends and family over for a visit. It’s also fun just to go down memory lane with each other, and reminisce.

Photo Albums using an online program.

2. Photos. We’re running out of space on the walls, and shelves, but I love choosing special photos from our travels to frame. They are all over the refrigerator too. Most of the photos are in glass frames, some we’ve framed on wood photo panels, and most recently we gave canvas prints a try.

3. Souvenirs. This is always tricky. Our house is small, and we strive to keep it uncluttered. Food souvenirs, as long as they can travel safely back with us, are great to relive a travel destination. We also love it when we can find something useful that will hold a memory, but also do a job. When in Maui, we found a handy wood carved rice scooper. Slaed loves a good t-shirt to show off where he’s been, and we also try to find unique toys from our travels for Bergen. He recently came back with an awesome drum from our trip to Kauai!

Somebody got a pretty cool shirt showing his love for a Kapa’a, Kauai Burger Joint (Bubba’s Burgers)!

4. Get Crafty. I need a lot of encouragement in this department. I love to scrapbook the traditional way though with a little guy running around, it’s hard to find and justify the time to lug out all the supplies only to put them away again. However, it’s such a beautiful way to share our adventures! For Bergen’s room, I created some wall art using travel-inspired scrapbook paper, and a Seattle puzzle map that we received as a gift awhile back. I’d love to do the same for a city or country that he has traveled to recently.

Page from a scrapbook album created before Bergen…

5. Blogging. I started to get down on myself for not being more attentive to Bergen’s baby book, and for not scrapbooking as I described above. Then I realized something! I’m blogging more than weekly all about his life and adventures. I feel like I’m held accountable, and I love the conversation and feedback created. Also, here in Seattle we are far from immediate family (and so many of our close friends), which is another reason why we’ve embraced this technology. Our relatives count on it to keep up to date!

What are some ways that you keep your travel memories alive? Please share your stories and ideas!

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November 21, 2012

Flying with Young Toddlers: Lessons Learned on a 5-hour Flight from Kauai

Our thinking was…if you plan everything just right, and come prepared, then things will go smoothly. Maybe there will be bumps in the road (or air), but since we’re prepared, we’d be able to face any problems head-on. This was Bergen’s 7th round-trip flight after all. This wasn’t our first rodeo.

Unfortunately, it’s just not that simple. Children are unpredictable, and The Young Toddler, we’re learning, is tricky. Too old to be held and sleep like an infant; too young to be entertained by movies and games. We thought we had it figured out though.

With an arsenal of new and exciting toys, and a stash of “highly valuable” food, we were ready to soar for more than 5 hours across the ocean to paradise with our little guy in tow.

On the way out, yes, we actually did fine. Passengers even remarked at Bergen’s great behavior. Flight attendants complimented us on our toys and distraction tools. This positive experience occured despite the fact that Bergen only slept for 30 minutes (in a 12-hour period).

On the way home however, we were in for a rude awakening. Again, we brought our toys and food. We even made a 1 & 1/2 hour nap just before we got to the airport happen, so that Bergen’s sleep bank was as full as we could get it.

Things were going along well with Bergen snacking, checking out books, and flirting with his fellow passengers. Then out of nowhere, all of the sudden, he vomited. This was no small spit up. It was the most we’ve ever seen in his 15-months here with us.

After the quickest clean-up in history, hoping the smell wouldn’t linger for too long, we tried to move on. We were also thinking that maybe it actually gave Bergen some relief. Smooth sailing ahead. Boy, were we wrong.

After some minor fussing, things just kept escalating until we had a maniac on our hands. Full on top-of-his-lungs screaming occurred.

He didn’t want to eat (anything).
He didn’t want to drink (anything).
He didn’t want to play (with anything).

We tried things our fellow passengers suggested. We accepted suggestions just so that we did indeed try everything, and exhausted our resources. Due to continued turbulence, we were also confined to our seats most of the time. The Alaska Airlines flight attendants were so very patient and helpful.

Finally after about 45 minutes of non-stop screaming, the poor guy passed out in my arms.

He gave the plane about an hour of peace and quiet before he woke up and started up again. Same level of noise. After 20 minutes though, I fortunately got him distracted by my phone. A phone with actual buttons. A smart phone it is not, but Bergen loved it, and relaxed enough for us to get some fluids and food into him. He was on the mend.

By the end of the flight, he was back to playing peek-a-boo with those sitting behind us. They were cautiously amused. A little late there, buddy. Better late, than never though, right?

After the worst flight in history, one might think we should just throw in the towel. Maybe wait until Bergen is a 5 or 10 year-old to fly with him again. Absolutely not. We learned some important lessons:

You can never be prepared for everything, so don’t get too stressed out about bringing everything, and thinking of every single thing.
Bumps will occur. Hunker down, and know it can’t and won’t last forever.
Most importantly, I know that the pain we endured was worth it because of the experience we got to share as a family. I’m so very thankful that we are able to travel. Those passengers around us, who were given ear plugs and free drinks because of Bergen, will soon forget all about our disgruntled passenger, and move on with their lives. We only have so many years before Bergen is at the mercy of the school calendar and then before we know it, he’ll be all grown up. We also only have so much time before it no longer makes sense for me to stay at home and have a flexible schedule. Who knows what the future will hold. I want to help my son see the world.

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Favorite Swimming Spot: Baby Beach: Kapa’a, Kauai

While we were lucky to visit many beautiful beaches on our Kauai travel adventure, there was one in particular where we spent the most time: Baby Beach in Kapa’a. In one form or another we visited this spot each day of our vacation. By the end of our trip we had figured out the popular visiting days and hours, the best shady spot to set up camp, and when the tide would be high or low.

Bergen certainly followed that rule.

Why did we spend so much time here when there was a whole island to explore?

First, there’s the convenience reason. The beach was just steps from the cottage we rented, making it a perfect location. Like most young toddlers, Bergen takes his best naps at home in his crib, and also likes to “sleep-in”. So on most days after a fun morning, he napped away, and we took it easy relaxing with our toes in the sand, or enjoyed the sunrise on those sleeping-in mornings {with the baby monitor perched next to us}.

Sunrise on our first morning in Kauai.

Aside from the handiness of location, as the name implies, it’s a perfect place for little swimmers, as well as older swimmers who might be nervous about entering the ocean. A natural rock wall offers protection from the rowdy surf acting as a buffer, and providing a calm wading pool-like environment. We were happy to meet fellow travelers with their little ones as well as many locals who visit the spot on a regular basis. Bergen was delighted to share his sand toys, and we marveled at how brave and carefree the young residents were in the water.

Bergen and his new buddy.

Even if we weren’t staying as close as we were, since the beach is situated near “Kapa’a Town” we weren’t far from restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, and other local shopping spots. On a couple of occasions, Slaed was able to go off on foot to find lunch to bring back while I manned the monitor or enjoyed some beach play with Bergen. It’s also just a block or so away from the start of the phase 2 Ke Ala Hele Makalae, an amazing shared-use path that runs along the coastline.

Developing a love of driftwood at a young age…

Have you visited Kauai? Where was your favorite place to swim? If not, where in the world is your favorite swimming beach?

Come along with us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!

Now go visit RWeThereYetMom? and Delicious Baby for more travel fun!

More Kauai Fun:

10 Things You’ll Want While Traveling in Kauai

A Quick Look: Kauai Adventure

November 15, 2012

10 Things You’ll Want While Traveling in Kauai

To give you an overview of our recent trip to the garden island of Kauai, I’ve compiled a list of 10 things one would need to bring from home in order to make their trip most complete and comfortable. Sure, some of these comforts of home might seem obvious, but you’ll also get the chance to see some of the spectacular backdrops we enjoyed from our too-short week long stay.

1. Sunscreen. At the top of the list, and coming from the girl who burned her back lifeguarding at an indoor pool. Okay, I was sitting by a door the was cracked open a bit, but still! Who gets sunburned at an indoor pool? Me. Protecting your skin anywhere, even in gray Seattle, is important, but especially crucial in Kauai where the sun is very intense.

Here it comes…and it’s fast! We had to be prepared.
Sunrise: Baby Beach in Kapaa

2. Raincoat. Funny that a raincoat comes right after sunscreen, but we were happy to have these around in the event of a seemingly random shower. The showers never lasted long for us, but they did happen. Depending on the time of year, and area of the island you are staying, you may need them even more. It was also nice to just have a light jacket around for the evenings when the sun goes down as fast as it came up, leaving us a little chilly (relative to the perfect daytime conditions).

Clouds rolling in at Waimea Canyon.

3. Earplugs. Kauai has some remarkable local birds. The most abundant being “The Moa” or “Red Jungle Fowl” or this one you might have heard of: “Rooster”. The locals don’t think they are too smart as they tend to crow at all hours of the day, and night, but most notably for us at 4:30 AM! For most, earplugs are a must if you don’t want to be bothered by the local alarm clocks.

These guys were everywhere!

4. Swimsuit. Yes, we did our far share of swimming while on Kauai. It was actually a good idea to bring two suits so we had backup while the other took a break get a little cleaned up and dry. Our favorite place to swim was at Baby Beach in Kappa’a. Mostly because all we had to do was walk out our door to get there, but also because it was ideal for Bergen. With a rock wall keeping the surf at bay, it was like swimming in a beautifully calm ocean wading pool.

Bergen contemplates the surf at Poipu’s Baby Beach, and dives right in at Kapa’a’s Baby Beach.

5. Hat. Our poor little guy is still working on getting some hair at 15 months old, so we had to be extra careful in protecting his creamy white noggin. Hats also kept the sun out of our eyes, shaded our faces from more burning, and came in handy during those funny rain showers. I also liked throwing a big hat over my not-so-pretty beach hair.

Bergen shows off his hat in Po’ipu.

6. Camera + Case. Another DUH! During our 7-day stay, I could not stop snapping photos. Most were snapped using my regular camera that was strapped to me {it seemed} at all times, a few here and there using my ipod’s camera so that I could post and email quickly to friends and family. We ran into some serious photographers on our adventures. Tripods, extra gadgets, and all. I like lingering around them because sometimes they spot things I am not likely to notice with a little toddler waddling around at my feet.

Slaed taking over camera duties at Hanakapi’ai Beach.

7. Water Bottle. Bergen’s liquid intake skyrocketed during our trip. Even back in Seattle it seems like he’s still on his Kauai liquid kick. Good instincts that boy has, and we always had bottle full of water (or two) at the ready for him. We always make sure to extra hydrate when we travel, and add the heat that we aren’t used to, it becomes doubly important.

Hydrating during our hike on the Kalalau Trail.

8. Sturdy Sandals. With all the beach time, flip flops might seem like the go-to shoe choice, but I was happy that I had my chacos. I still had the luxury of an open-toed shoe, but I also hiked 4 miles with a baby on my back with no problems. Keens (Slaed’s choice) or Merrill, whatever brand you like, a sturdy sandal covers you in so many Kauai activities.

Thankful to take a little break at the beach after hiking.

9. Sunglasses. Another item we rarely took off. If only we could find a pair that Bergen would keep on his face, I think he would really see the benefit too!

If only he realized how cool he looks in those shades not to mention the relief for his eyes…

10. Your Appetite. They sure do like to feed you in Kauai! From the luau we checked out, to breakfasts spots, to the traditional plated lunch, we were not lacking in the food department. In fact, many of lunches were just leftovers from breakfast.

Huge Pork Chili Verde Tamales at Kountry Kitchen in Kapa’a & the Hula Pie at Keoki’s Paradise in Po’ipu.

Have you travel to Kauai, or one of the other Hawaiian islands? What were you glad to have with you from home?

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November 9, 2012

A Quick Look: Kauai Adventures

Aloha from Kauai! I’ll post in more detail about all of our Kauai adventures, but in the meantime I wanted to give you a quick look at what we’ve been up to as we explore the island.

Sunrise Kapaa Baby Beach