So its been a week since I got back to Prague so its about time I start to tell something about Hawaii. Here is a video from our hike on the Kalalau Trail read more below.
The highlight of the three weeks was without a doubt the four days we spend in the island of Kauai. Kauai is the oldest islands of Hawaii and also known as the Garden Isle because of the flourishing nature found here. Its one of the wettest spots in the world and the massive amounts of water has shaped the rock into what is called pali in Hawaiian. On this picture you can see the palis:
Fernando had gotten hold of permits for us to hike the Kalalau Trail. The trail follows the the massive windswept Na Pali coastline overlooking lush green valleys and towering rocky cliffs that rises almost 1200 meters to the deep blue pacific below. The trail is 11 miles (18km) long and winds it way along the cliffs in a very varied landscape with rain forest, desert and rocky cliffs. The trail is almost never straight but moves up and down, in and out. The view is spectacular and around each corner awaits new wonders.
It was hot and humid to do the hike so we drank a lot of water. Luckily there are plenty of streams and creeks on the trail so we could refill our bottles.
Also there were plenty of guava trees and a few mango trees so we could get some fresh fruit as we walked.
It took us 8 and a half hour to walk in and the reward was amazing. I was very busted and enjoyed just chilling on the beach for the rest of the day.
We had our camp in shade of trees close to the waterfall were we got fresh water and showers when it got to hot to sit in the sun.
And the beach was of course beautiful.
We spend a day on the beach and the hiked back the next day. Here was what we looked like after having walked back to civilization.
A truly amazing trip.
Comments
12 responses to “Walking to paradise”
Smukt! Det betaler sig, at rejse rundt i verden og møde folk, som får arbejde på Hawaii
Se bare hvor jeg er endt
Pernille (ESN Aalborg)
Hej Pernille, tak for hilsnen og fed side du har der. Jeg var ikke klar over du var flyttet til Spanien.
Og jep, når først man har set hvad man får ud a ESN, AIESEC og IAESTE i venskaber mm., så er det ikke til at stoppe igen
Hi, Michael,
I am from Czech Republic.I was in Kauai four years ago , it was in winter and Na Pali was beautiful. But I didn´t have strength enough to hike all the trail – so I hike somewhere to 8 km an back. Thanks to you i know, what is behind. Did you get on the end of the trail in one day?
What do you do in Prague?
Hi Marek, thanks for your comment. At Na Pali you need a special permit to stay over night at the camp at the end. The hike all the way in took us 8 hours in one day. The trip back out took 6 hours.
In Prague I work with my friend in my own company Arb Design, a software design company.
Awesome! Where are the other guys from? How did you guys all meet?
On the picture at the bottom its me (Denmark), Fernando (from Puerto Rico but living in Hawaii), Alberto (from Puerto Rico but living in Michigan) and Femi from Northern Ireland.
We met in Ann Arbor, Michigan the year before where Femi and I were interns through IAESTE and Fernando and Alberto were officers in the local chapter of IAESTE.
Very cool. I found your site here by viewing the video of the Kalalau hike. I’d wanted to do that hike for a while now!
I’ll ask here what I asked in the YT comments because I think better chance you’ll answer here:
1. Where did you start the trail? Pi Hea Ridge Trail – at the top?
2. What did you bring to eat?
3. Did you see anyone there on the trail?
4. How much climbing? Could girls that are generally unfit do it if we go slow?
Thanks much!
I featured your video on one of my upcoming posts at Aimforawesome.com – I think it’s set to go live on 11/23.
Thanks for sharing that very cool video.
Hi Vern, thanks for your comment! It’s been more than two years since we did this but still new people discover this video which is really cool.
I can’t see your comment on YouTube but I’ll reply here and drop you an email.
1. We started walking from Haena Beach Park at the end of Kuhio Highway (Highway 56)
2. I can’t remember it all now but some trailmix, ramen noodles, beef jerky, rice, flour and some freeze-dried hiker’s food.
3. The first section we walked until Hanakapi’ai valley (2 miles) is fairly easy and we met a number of families doing that. Further on you need special permits. The further we went the fewer people we met. So the last 4 miles before reaching the beach we didn’t meet anyone.
4. We were all in decent shape (me the least) and it was quite strenuous and took us about 8 hours focused walking to get to the beach. If you take longer you wont make it in day-light. There are some streams to cross and some scary, narrow paths to follow but I wouldn’t call it climbing. If you are unfit I would not go beyond the beach at 2 mile. The coastline is a remote area with no other access than the trail or by boat so there is no chance to regret half-way in.
Here is some info from the official state park site and all my pictures.
Thanks for the feature and let me know if you have more questions!
[…] Kalalau Hike Photos […]
Just got back from a 23 day trip in Kauai and did not get to do the Na Pali hike. I loved your video. It was nice to see what the trail looks like. You have song in it, i think it was the second one something about nothing ever being the same. Who is that ?
Thanks for Sharing,
Yvette
Hi Yvette, thanks for your comment!
The song you are referring to is “The Feeling Of Being Young” by a guy called Kagoshima Bay. He has since changed his artist name to Tristan Hawke. Back when I made this he had released “The Feeling Of Being Young” on an free, open license but I can’t find the song online now. Maybe you can find it in iTunes store if you use that. He also mention on his MySpace that you can download his old songs for free but the link doesn’t work any more.
The music in the clip is:
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole: Over the Rainbow; http://youtube.com/watch?v=2A2Jt4WOxN8
Duncan Beattie: Open Source C; http://ccmixter.org/media/files/duncan_beattie/3931
Duncan Beattie: Nice E;http://ccmixter.org/media/files/duncan_beattie/3942
Kagoshima Bay: The Feeling Of Being Young; http://kagoshimabay.mymusic.dk/diskografi/sang.asp?id=87679
Tremolo Beer Gut: Beer Hunter Theme; http://www.thetremolobeergut.dk
[…] UPDATE: I’m back from Hawaii, videos and pics are here. […]