In some ways, the Hawaiian Islands are similar to the
Galapagos and Easter Island that we enjoyed so much. They're located in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean, were created by volcanoes, and their earliest inhabitants
were Polynesian. But unlike the Galapagos and Easter Island, over the last half
century, the Hawaiian Islands have been part of the USA and have developed in lockstep.
The Hawaiian Islands were not always just a vacation destination though, they were
a strategic military location during the Second World War. Since they became
the 50th State in 1959, they've been front and center in the minds of North Americans.
Hawaii Five-O and numerous movies have given Hawaii a high profile for decades.
Now it's described as very developed and over developed in places. Therein lies
the challenge for Marlene and I. When we travel, we like to get beneath the
tourist veneer and feel the real way of life, but maybe in Hawaii it's just all
about the tourists; another Disneyland.
We'll be staying on two of the lesser developed Islands, Maui
and Kauai. We've been doing our research; we bought the Fador's Travel Guides, been
searching the Internet, and chatting it up with people who've been there. So
far, we think we've found a few nuggets of interest. On Maui, there's a road
that hugs the rugged northwestern coast of the Island. Part of the route is paved,
but the most northerly 15 kms, where the mountains drop directly into the sea,
the road is reduced to a single track carved into the mountainside. Reviews on
Trip Advisor describe it as "although
dangerous at times this is the most beautiful drive in Maui, and maybe even the
world". Internet photos of the area are spectacular.
According to Fador's
Kauai, there are great snorkelling sites including "shipwrecks, reefs,
craters and sea arches just off shore" and " a shy octopus may drift
along the ocean floor beneath you". We've also taken note of the shark
warnings. Apparently there are some relatively secluded sandy beaches around
the coast, and spectacular hiking up the dormant volcano and in the Waimea
canyon. Once again, we've seen some great pictures that have us excited.
We don't know how
much of this is just tourist hype, but we'll see, and share our experiences with
you.
This is your invitation to join us in Hawaii for 9 days on Maui
followed by a week on Kauai for some fun and adventure in search of island treasures.
Click here for our Maui stories:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2014/09/arriving-in-maui-feeling-hawaiian.html
Click here for our Kauai stories:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2014/09/kauai-too-much-to-do-and-not-enough-time.html
