Kauai

We have made it to Kauai!   It was a long flight from Seattle - 5.5 of Wriggling Wren and ipad.   Hawaiian airlines was adequate.   There were lots of Aloha's and mahalos but no free consigned luggage or in seat entertainment.  Even headsets to listen to the distant TV screening were $5, portable DVD players, $15.  We did receive a quiche and muffin for lunch and Josh and I did the Jack Sprat

Being a veteran of trans-Atlantic flights, I was woefully underprepared for this 'small hop' into the Pacific and suffered the grumpification of Wren as a result.

Even so, we were complimented on both legs on our lovely and well-behaved child.  Huh!  The flying public has such a phobia of young-airborne kids that their standards are through the floor.

Now, Kauai is great.

We saw over 20 chickens just driving to our house from the airport.  The house is stunning.  Remarkable.  We are thrilled by the heat and the flora - its just like Durban!   Trees tangle with vines, sugar cane and cacti fill in any gaps in the landscape and huge blossoming spathonios color the green hills.

"Is that a hill or a mountain?" Frost asked, as the road cut through a deep valley.

"Its a hill in Hawaii but it would be a mountain in England." answered Josh, remembering the diminutive Mount Snowdon from a long ago trip involving no children, a hot pie and beer beneath that illustrious non-peak.

Driving from the airport in our rented SUV Chevy Traverse (which is exciting the kids more than Kauai, so far) we oo'ed and ah'ed at the chickens and ignored the 9 mile long traffic jam due to construction on the main road out of Lihue.  Mum and Natasha had already arrived and drunk a $25 gin-and tonic pair at the Hyatt, which is a short walk away.  

We all fell asleep by 9.30pm Hawaii time and I slept well till 3.30am when I rooster, disturbed in his rest, started crowing into the humid night.

Later, we were woken through the night by the belching honk of a vast frog which has set up home in the ornamental pond outside our bedroom window. 

At 5am I heard a little "I have a sore tummy.  Is it morning yet?" from Wren, sleeping on the tatami mat by our bed.  Frost woke an hour later.

Frost is very into the ADVENTURE side of tourism.  Before breakfast he says "can we go through the mile long tunnel to the North Coast.?"  Can we go on a Helicopter ride?  Can we go in a microlight?   Did you know there is a ZIPline!"

Argh!  I am thinking of beach and hiking on misty volcanic slopes.

Now, it is still dark but its time for pancakes before the beach.  The dawn chorus heralds the day.