39. Hawaii – Part 4


Month: December 2017
Location: O’ahu & Big Island

Everyone loves looking at the stars at night and I am no exception.  It’s not as if do it every day, but when I do look at the skies, I am spellbound.  But, the one thing I have always wanted to do was look at the ‘Milky Way’.  Back in school I even bought a telescope and even though I tried to use it as much as I could, it ended up being a glorified coat rack.  The problem was the ambient light.  Once, a couple of buddies and I took it in the middle of a field away from the lights.  After an hour we realized that what we thought was Mars, was actually a ball of dust on the lens.  I worked at ‘Adler Planetarium’ in Chicago, but even over there; the telescopes are not as effective because there is just too much light.  Years ago my buddy told me about this place in Hawaii, where they take you on an expedition up a mountain.  You go above the clouds and then they turn off all the lights and you wait for your eyes to get acclimatized.  Then you see it.  You can actually see our galaxy.  When I planned to do these travels 4 years ago, this was the one thing I wanted to do in Hawaii.  So back in February, right after I booked my travel to Honolulu, I booked an inter-island flight to The Big Island and immediately following that I got a seat on this tour.  That was 10 months ago.  Yes, I was here as a part of “51 in 51”, but this was the main reason I came.  I wanted to see the ‘Milky Way’.

'Kailua Bay'
I pulled into the parking lot of ‘Kona Seaside Hotel’ and as I parked, a gentleman told me that I couldn’t park there.  Well, I would have to figure it out at check-in and they told me that all of their parking spaces were taken for the night and that I would have to go to a public lot.  There was a map on how to get there and so after putting my stuff in the room, I went looking for that parking lot.  Well, that was full too and I was now looking up other parking lots in the area.  An older gentleman who looked like he was a surfer came soon and fortunately got into his car and left.  As I parked in that spot, I saw a sign which said that there would be no parking between the hours of 2 am and 6 am and that the violators would be towed.  So I left my car and went back to the hotel to ask about that.  The lady at the reception told me that they sent all of their guests over there and no one has ever been towed.  Okay then.  I guess I would know tomorrow morning.

Live music at 'Gertrude's Jazz Bar'
My hotel had a path leading down to the waterfront and boy that was a cool area.  There was a mile long road along the ‘Kailua Bay’ and it had restaurants and shopping areas – not the commercial chains, but local artisans and products.  The evening had set in and people were out enjoying themselves.  There’s something very surreal about walking along a bay in the evening, with splashing water on one side and the lights on the other.  I stopped at a place called, ‘Gertrude’s Jazz Bar’, which was located on the 2nd floor of a building, with a nice patio facing the waterfront.  But, I am more of a cozy room person and so went up to the bar in the back and struck up a conversation with the bartender Hillary.  She was from New Hampshire and had moved to Hawaii a few years ago and stayed.  We talked about some of the bars in Manchester that I had visited and about her life on this island.

Looking in towards 'Don The Beachcomber'
Live music had started playing as I left and headed further down the bay.  I was going to a place called ‘Don The Beachcomber’, which was part of a hotel and as stated, it was on a beach.  They claimed to be the “Home of the original Mai Tai”, though the one I had left some scope for improvement.  Nearby, was a place called ‘Huggo’s On The Rocks’ and I headed there for dinner.  The place was full and yes, they also carried something called “Huggo’s Famous Mai Tai”.  These folks have to get more creative with their naming!  For the first time since coming to Hawaii, I tried the "Poke” and it was definitely better than anything I have tasted elsewhere.  The place was closing at 9 pm – which was way too soon in my opinion – and I decided to walk back to my hotel.  It was a perfect evening and I stopped at a shop to get some water.  There were some ladies getting souvenirs and a gentleman, who looked homeless, came over and asked them if they could buy him a small bottle of alcohol.  And they did.  This is a different kind of place than anything on the mainland, that’s for sure.  I returned to my hotel, not knowing if my car would still be there the next morning.

A nice day in Kona
I got a call from ‘Mauna Kea Summit Adventures’ to confirm that I knew where my pickup would be this afternoon.  Once we had sorted that out, they said that the road to the summit was actually closed, though their weather projections were clear and so they expected the road to open soon.  That was a bit worrisome and so I asked how confident they were that this wasn’t an issue and they said that their tours were rarely cancelled, and certainly not on a clear day like today.  Well, we would find out soon and I had other plans prior to that.  Before leaving the hotel I checked if they had parking available for this night, which they did for a fee.  Thankfully my car was still there, and I wouldn't have to worry about it tonight. I went over to get some coffee at a nearby place called ‘Menehune Coffee Company’.  They claimed to have “100% Kona Coffee” and if there was any place to get that, I suppose Kona would be it.

The lush location of 'Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation'
Speaking of coffee, I was headed inland to ‘Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation’.  As I went further away from the coast, I could feel the tropical forest getting denser, and soon I was driving through lush green trees on either side of the road.  There was a tour of the facility at 11 am and I was cutting it close, especially since I was stuck behind an extremely slow moving truck and only managed to reach on time owing my trusted GPS finding an alternate route.  There were several cars parked by the roadside just outside the plantation and having seen this in Hilo, it seems like random parking is perfectly acceptable in Hawaii.

That's what coffee starts as
I went inside and saw a number of people sitting around.  There was a gift shop, where the tour would start, and a steep path leading down to the plantation.  Our tour today would not take us there, but would rather touch upon the processing aspect of coffee.  Our guide showed us the actual coffee berry on the vine and it looks very different than what we know as coffee.  We touched upon the sorting and roasting aspects of coffee, including the styles and their taste; as well as quality control and packaging.  It was an informative tour and there were some samples in their gift shop.  They said that their coffee was not available in any stores and the only way to get it was through them.  Well, I had no place in my bags, so I guess I would have to order it online.

Homemade sauce in a Rum bottle?
I did not want to go down to the plantation, so I started back toward the city.  The intersection to get on to the busy main road did not have a traffic light and so taking a left turn was a challenge, especially since people weren’t that accommodating.  I still had time to spare before my pickup for the “Stargazing Tour”, but decided to go there so as ensure that I had the right spot, and also get some lunch.  The said spot was located behind ‘Kona International Market’, which is a place where one can find island crafts and gifts.  The other major landmark over there was ‘Target’, which made it a bit easier to locate the place, though it took me a few drive arounds to locate it.  There was a restaurant nearby called ‘Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering’ and they specialized in Hawaiian cuisine.  The people were friendly and the food was hearty and good. I still had time to spare and since they had recommended that we carry water on the trip, I went over to ‘Target’ and got a bottle.  It was full and being inside the store, I couldn’t tell if I was in Kona or in Chicago.  With water in hand I was about to go explore the market, when I got the call.

Instead of 'Mauna Kea' , this would be the
afternoon view from my hotel room
The road to ‘Mauna Kea’ was closed and so my trip was being cancelled.  The good news, as stated by them, was that it was expected to open tomorrow and there was a seat available if I wanted it.  I was a bit numb at this news and I told them that I was leaving tomorrow and this had been the main reason for me coming here.  They really couldn’t do much about the weather and they said that while the road to the summit was closed, I could drive halfway up to the visitor’s center.  There wasn’t much point to that, meaning I had the rest of the day available to me.  I sat in my car in the parking lot thinking about how much I had been looking forward to this.  Yeah, I had booked this back in February, but the dream had always been there.  I went back to my room and tried to decompress.  It’s a weird feeling when you lose something that you have wanted for so long, but now I had a choice to make.  I could either wallow in self-pity or plan some activities for the evening. 

And my evening view...though this I am all for
There were a few options available to me.  About 15 miles north was a resort with restaurants, and further away was a shopping area with variety shows.  I called the resort and they said that they were completely sold out as far as their dining rooms and bars were concerned.  So that was out.  I saw online that there was a walking tour of Kona, so I called them and left a message.  They called back a bit later saying that there wasn’t a tour this evening.  Next on the list was a Submarine that took you underwater – yes, that’s right.  Parked at the bay, it took people down to see the aquatic life.  That sounded interesting, so I looked at the pictures and it was quite well done, with glass windows and seats facing outward.  I was intrigued, though the interiors looked claustrophobic and the ticket price was quite high.  So I decided to skip that as well, meaning that I would indulge in my usual activity of walking around the town, visiting bars and restaurants.

The busy 'Kona Brewing Company'
Nearby was ‘Kona Brewing Company’ and while it appeared to be just across the road, the way to get there was convoluted.  Only when I started walking did I realize that since it was located on a short hill, I would have to follow the road as it wound up after half a mile.  Luckily, I saw a short opening in the wall by the roadside, allowing me to climb up the slope and save myself a hike.  The brewery was packed to the brim, with people waiting to get seated and a crowded bar area.  I found a small corner to stand and ordered a beer called “Pipeline Porter”, which was really quite good – having hints of Kona coffee – and served perfectly chilled.  It was a lively place with a great ambiance, though I just stayed for one drink.

Artisan shops on the bay
It was getting dark as I walked towards the waterfront and since I had a great time chatting with Hillary yesterday, went back to ‘Gertrude’s Jazz Bar’.  Once again, while there was live music on the patio, I sat at the bar as Hillary commiserated with me on missing my trip.  She told me that there was a perfect cure for this and it was called “Kava”.  Initially I thought she meant the sparkling wine, but apparently this was a drink that put one in a heightened state of relaxation.  Sounded like something passed around at a party. She told me that there was a place further down the road that served it.  We talked for a bit and I left after a beautifully titled drink called “Kona Nightingale”; telling her to look me up if she was ever in Chicago.  I walked by the waterfront and even spend some time exploring the stores and the marketplace.  I came across something that looked like a store from outside, but was actually a hotel called ‘Kona Inn’.  The bar area was overlooking the beach and it looked like a perfect place to relax.  This was a busy place as well, with their dining area – which was right on the beach – being full.  I stayed for a drink called “World Famous Lina Inn Mai Tai” – once again, how can everything here be “world famous”?

Beach Volleyball, away from the beach
I was going to a place called ‘Foster’s Kitchen’ for dinner and it was located above a floodlit “Beach Volleyball Court”, which was being used.  Also, behind the court was the infamous “Kava” bar, though I wouldn’t be stopping there this evening.  The restaurant had a few people there and even though it wasn’t located on a beach like some of the other places, it still had a nice ambiance.  They were known for their cocktails and something called “Stairway to Heaven” did not disappoint, though I could have done a better job with my food selection.  In any case, it wasn’t a bad place to hang out.  Just like last night, I decided to walk back to my hotel. By the time I called it a night, my disappointment at missing the trip was diminished, for it had been a good evening.

Final morning in beautiful Kona
It was beautiful morning and there was no doubt in my mind that the trip to ‘Mauna Kea’ would be on today; while I was leaving this afternoon. I walked over to the nearby ‘The Fish Hopper’ for brunch, and then got in my car to head to the airport.  I debated going to a place called ‘Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies’, which was on the way to the airport.  But once again, my lack of luggage space meant there was no point to it and so I decided to arrive early at the airport and wait.  That decision was one of the best that I have made since it was an adventure finding a gas station to fill my car.  I had found one on the map, but there was a lot of traffic on the way, once again owing to a 3-way intersection without a traffic light.  Once I arrived at the gas station, I realized that it was part of ‘Costco’, meaning I could not buy gas without a membership.  Now it was getting late and I saw another gas station on the map, though it wasn’t the easiest place to get to.  After a few wrong turns, I finally found it and filled gas in a hurry, making it to the airport later than I would have liked.

A unique airport terminal
There was a queue at the security, and once I was through it, a weird and wonderful sight greeted me.  The airport terminal and the gates were like an open air mall, with big canopies covering the seating areas.  Only in Hawaii!  This meant that you could see planes coming in and hear the loud sounds of the jet engines - there were several flights leaving for various islands. Fortunately, I was able to get my bags on board without having to check them in.  As we took off, my window was facing away from the island, meaning that I wouldn’t even be able to look at ‘Mauna Kea’.  Perhaps it was better this way.  Sure, I had not done what I come to do, but the 3 days on this island had truly been amazing.  I had seen miracles of nature at ‘Volcanoes National Park’ and Kona was a picture perfect image of a coastal town.  Now it was back to the concrete jungle of Honolulu, but I had some interesting things lined up.  I said goodbye to this place but not before making a promise to myself that someday I would return, for I had some unfinished business.  One day, I will see the stars from the summit of the tallest mountain in the world.

To Be Concluded…

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