Monday, August 25

One last malasada at Passion Fruit bakery, they really are delicious and worth the wait. We were there right when they opened at 7am, and there were clients ahead of us already. I had the cinammon with vanilla filling and Sandy had the cinammon sugar with ube filling. Yummy.

We checked out of the complex right about 9am.

Flights HA214 from LIH to HNL at 11:39 left a little early and HA18 from HNL to LAS departed at 3:05pm from the C7 gate. The meatloaf or eggplant dinner meal choices were really bleak. The Airbus 320 layout is very nice and comfortable, the food on HA really sucks. Interesting, that the layouts on the Alaskan first class suck, but their food is actually better. It’s nice to have StarLink on board.

Arrived early at 11:15pm. By the time we had baggage, got in the car, drove to South Point and hit the pillow was about 1:15 am.

A great family trip!

Sunday, August 24

Got to play in the HQP in the morning from about 10-1130 am. Made a total of 52 QRP contacts. Left after lunch to head down to Koloa and Poipu for some last minute shopping.

One last Mai-Tai at Brenneke’s and dinner at the Beach House. It didn’t disappoint with the macnut swordfish. A nice touch was a lei for each of us for our 45th anniversary!

Saturday, August 23

Played radio on 15 meters for the Hawaii QSO party. Made 14 contacts in the morning and 14 contacts in the late afternoon (the next day). The QSO party runs from yesterday at 6pm to Sunday at 6pm. Signals to the west coast, using the EFHW 15 meter lead snagged a few 10 meter contacts also. I used the SOTAbeams Tac-Mini and the X-Tenna 49, 56 and 64:1 transformer from KC8YBC. On 15, the 64:1 was slightly better, but not really. Good performance from the KX3 and the 3Ah Bioenno LiFePo battery.

There was a craft faire at the Veteran’s building in Lihue until 2pm and a stitchery display at the Kukui Grove Marketplace until 5pm. We did them both, with lunch in between at the Mariachi’s in Nawiliwili., a mistake with the fajitas, pretty greasy and tough. Bummed.

Dinner was flatbread pizzas (hawaiian and pepperoni) from the Island Country Market in the Coconut Marketplace. Nice and mellow.

Friday, August 22

Early rise for the Matthews family last sunrise. Rylan said to me that she would miss Nana and Papa and just melted my heart, again.

We packed up the family and made it out the door by 8:00 am or so and shortly after that to the airport. We parked and then unloaded the gear as a group. Agriculture, baggage check-in and then TSA-Pre. They were through by about 8:30 or so for their 10:50 am HA66 flight direct to Sacramento. The flight left a few minutes early!

Breakfast at Kauai Diner in Lihue, good stuff.

Stopped at the Singer Sewing Center for fabrics and the Kapaia Stitchery for cool knitting projects. Sandy had some materials and supplies shipped via USPS.

Flight HA66 landed at 3:30 our time, 6:30 PDT. Rosie and family made it home safely.

Dinner was a salad and leftover calzone and pizza from Bobby-Vs. This was actually one of our better meals.

Thursday, August 21

Gaylord’s and the KIlohana plantation farm tour at 10:00 am. It was entertaining and we topped it off with a Dole Whip ice cream soft-serv!

Back to the condo, with the girls asleep. Tommy grilled some burgers and hot dogs for lunch while Sandy and Rosie did some last minute shopping up in Kapaa.

Pool time afterwards for one last time, clean ups and then time for one last dinner at the Hukilau Lanai in the Kauai Coast Resort. This was the same place that we took the girls for Rosie’s high school graduation! The meals were pretty good, interesting we all had some type of steak, rather than fish!

After dinner packing and time for bed.

Wednesday, August 20

Breakfast with guava french toast and then packing up for a trip to Hanalei Bay for swimming and relaxing. Doug and Lauren checked out of their room, storing stuff in ours. Arrived before noon, already packed, but we found for 2 vehicles. The water was calm and beautiful, I think Rylan is a mermaid.

No lunch truck, (Paco’s Tacos, supposedly) but we managed to return to the condo by 3:00ish, clean up and head out to the Oasis for dinner at our 5:15 reservation. The swordfish was just as good the 2nd time, it did miss the cream sauce and mac nuts though.

Doug an Lauren’s flight is at 9:15 back to Phoenix, they left about 7:25 or so and arrived to return the little car and make their checkin. They left a few minutes early on AA648 and arrived in PHX right at 6:00 am.

Tuesday, August 19

Boys day fishing out of Nawiliwili hardbor on the Ku’Ula Kai from Apex Charters. Tommy and I agree that the seas, 6-8′, made walking around tough.

We were almost skunked on the trip, but a skipjack took a lure and we didn’t hear it click off. It was tonight’s dinner meal.

The girl’s had a spa day on site the Waipouli Beach Resort.

Monday, August 18

Douglas, Lauren, Rosie and Tommy went down to Port Allen for their Napali snorkel and cruise trip/ We had the girls all day exploriing the pool again. Our lunch with them was at Lava-Lava Beach club.

By the time we finished with lunch. the kids were coming back from their cruise trip.

Dinner at Bobby V’s Italian eatery lots of varieties. A good day!

Sunday, August 17

Flight HA65 left Sacramento 5 minutes early, Rosie and family on the way for a 9:15 am arrival. Papa can’t wait!

We went to Lilikoi Bar and Grill for a late breakfast/lunch/.

Pool time wit h the lazy river and the 2 water slides, lots of fun for Rylan! Dinner was our steak dinner (from Costco’s).

Saturday, August 16 – Happy #45 Anniversary!

Lazy anniversary morning and brunch at the Break and Feast restaurant in Koloa. It really was quite good, with the banana-mac and loco moco getting great reviews by us.

We drove out to Eleele, Port Allen, Hanapepe and Jo-Jo’s shaved ice in Waimea. Took the highway up to the grand canyon of the pacific, the overlook was closed, but there were turnouts to view. Magnificent!

Auntie Lilikoi’s was a quick stop and a 5:15 dinner at Merriman’s in Koloa. It is really between Koloa and Poipu and the meal was the best yet. The A’u (long billfish-swordfish) was delicious.

Friday, August 15

Another relaxing day! Doug and Lauren took the car to explore and we had some quiet time. Breakfast burritos in the condo, they do have ease-bake tortillas at the Safeway.

Lunch at the Taps and Hops Eatery across the street. Beer selections were pretty good, mah-mahi fish sandwich was also good.

With a little time, I took out the KX3 and the mini Super Antenna for the 4pm 40meter.net net. The same old folks and the same old topics. WH6FC, Rick, gave me a warm welcome, nice to hear that and much appreciated. Receive signals were amazing for me, but my QRP transmitting signal was bleak, but actually heard! I didn’t have a 40 meter radial, but on the grass, with the 10,15, and 20 radial bunch, I was able to tune quite well.

Dinner at the Oasis on the Beach restaurant here on the property. It was delicious and should give Merriman’s a run for their money, tomorrow night!

Thursday, August 14

Tried the Kountry Kitchen in Kapaa for an 8:30am breakfast, not too bad, lots of varieties to choose from. Shopped in the town, lots of things to see.

Quick break at the condo and then a jaunt to the south coast, Brenneke’s for late lunch/dinner and exploring the Beach House restaurant, Spouting Horn and Koloa areas. The Tree Tunnel is still there and doing well! In Poipu, there is a Tommy Bahama’s clothing store and the Merriman’s, Kauai. We may try both out for dinner.

A nice and mellow exploration day. On the way back, we stopped by Lydgate beach, down the road from our condo. We’ll have to take a picture of the girls at the same beach we have a photo of Rosie!

Wednesday, August 13

A nice slow day. The kids went off to do their thing, Sandy made breakfast and we tried out the Island Craves malasada place up the road. Good stuff.

We took a Lyft over to Duke’s in Nawiliwili for lunch. Meals are best remembered from the past. My best fish has been the taco truck up the road. We didn’t even opt for the Kimo’s Original Hula Pie!

Dinner was our Costco chicken and fresh salsa, yummy!

Tuesday, August 12

Nice day to explore. Beautiful sunrise about 6:15, malasadas at Passion Bakery, delicious. You pick the filling, wait and they box them up for you!

Stopped by the Costco and the Target in Lihue for a few more items. Breakfast was the malasadas.

By the time everyone was ready, we decided to take a drive north for lunch. We found some food trucks in Kapaa for mahi-mahi tacos, good eats.

We continued the drive up the coast. Bubba’s Burgers and Ono Burgers (Anahola) are still there, drove through Kilauea, Princeville and Hanalei. Drove the coast line, to about the Tunnels location and turned around. Headed to the 1Hotel (the formerly St. Regis and the Princeville Hotel) for a view check and cocktail. Still a beautiful view of Bali Hai! For nostalgia, drove over to the Cliffs Club (Cliffs at Princeville now) for a quick photo op.

A quick return trip to the hotel and prime rib dinner, quick walk, at the Bullshed next door. It was better in the past.

My neighbor, Perry, took it upon himself to park his trailer right in front of our house. He parked it there yesterday, Monday at noon. I texted him this morning and asked him, nicely, to move it. He did. This guy continues to be pretty bold, annoying. He was pouring concrete this morning. I think he thought he could get away with taking up space so that things are convenient for him.

Monday, August 11
Came in last night to South Point, nice dinner and early rising for a 6:30 departure to the airport. Breakfast in the cafe but also continental onboard with POG mimosas, yummy!

It’s nice to have Starlink onboard the Airbus 330. HA31 from LAS to Kahului left 1 minute early, 8:49 am. Doug and Lauren left PHX and arrived about the same time. We connected with HA349 in Maui to Lihue.

Arrived in Maui right on time, but flight from Honolulu is running behind. Took off about 2:30 and met Doug and Lauren in the baggage area, with no baggage from the LAS to LIH flight. All LAS baggage (we weren’t the only ones) missed the connector from Maui to Kauai, groan.

Before arriving at the Waipouli Beach Resort, lunch/ dinner at Lava Lava Beach Club, nice but not like Waikoloa. We were in the happy hour menu, missed the lunch menu and not ready for the dinner menu, said the waitress, bummer.

After some mashing of teeth, baggage claim promised delivery to the resort, by 5, 8-9, 2am or so. You pick an answer. Around 5:30pm, I got a message and text that delivery was at the door to A-106, no answer, so she left. We were at the Safeway, but Doug and Lauren were out exploring the complex. Finally hooked up and baggage driver, on her way back to the airport, turned around and met us in the lobby. Finally, all good.

Drove over to the Safeway and picked up a few necessary items, it is literally across the street. The crowds were crazy in the market. Monday arrivals, I guess.