Probably freezing his tukas off.
We just got back from the hole and it had to be thee coldest trip ever since we have been going over in '89.

Either that or he's ODeed on MacNut pancakes and sugary syrup at KKitchen?

Thanks for asking! I’ve been having a wonderful, relaxing time—but yesterday was a highlight. It had been cloudy and gray in the morning, but that gave way to glorious, perfect sunshine.

I strolled along the bluff at Sealodge and sat on a bench at the opposite side of the complex—in front of the “A” building. The color of the water was stunning and it was so clear I could see every detail of the reef. I was gazing out at the beauty when a whale leaped out of the water – unbelievably close to me. Then there was another one! I’ve NEVER seen whales this close to shore.

I’ve seen whale spouts (and one breech) every day from my lanai—and when I’ve walked my favorite path past Kealia Beach—but they’ve been in the distance. This was CRAZY CLOSE and I loved it. Wally & Wilma Whale put on quite a show for at least thirty minutes—splashing and showing me their tails and backs. While this was going on there were lots of other spouts in the distance. I felt so fortunate to be in paradise.

As Kal mentioned it’s been cooler than previous winters when I’ve been here. But that’s all relative. (There’s an ice storm in Nashville—and much of the nation is dealing with snow and sub-freezing temps.) There were many mornings and evenings when I wore jeans and a sweatshirt. But this morning, it’s too warm for the sweatshirt—and I’m not complaining!

I’ve walked at a beach most days—Hanalei, Anahola, Kealia, Anini … but haven’t felt like swimming because it wasn’t hot. But that might change today. It’s beautiful out and I think I’ll head to Ke’e. I love to walk along the surf between Tunnels and Ke’e.

For the rest of the details, you’ll have to wait for the trip report.

Believe it or not, five days after I leave here I’ll be teaching and performing in Ireland—and then Paris. (That will be a 12 hour time change!) AGGHHH. It’ll be freezing—but fun.

I’ve signed on again for fabulous the Kauai Music Festival (July 10 – 14) but I don’t know if I’ll get back again before then because I’ll be working for seven weeks in New Zealand and Australia! I live a charmed life—for a traveloholic!

I’ll be here thirteen more days—and I’ll already beginning to grieve at the thought of leaving and being away for so long.

Now … Ke’e, Tunnels, and Haena …

PS. You don't even want to know how many mornings I've eaten those banana/mac pancakes at Kountry Kitchen--followed by wonton saimin and a chicken BBQ skewer at Hamura's for lunch!

Songdoc: Have a relaxing and inspiring time! We will be there soon! Splitting our stay between Kauai and Oahu. I hope you have time to answer a couple questions I'm posting now. Especially would like advice on how BEST to spend a day-trip up to the north shore of Kauai. (Staying on the south of Kauai.) You can answer on my post if you want.

Songdoc-
Ireland, Paris...
7 weeks in New Zealand/Australia...
Then back to Kauai...I just have no words about all of this...

Indeed a charmed life!
Songdoc, I'm only looking out for you, so I'm thinking you need an assistant and I know just the girl...where can I send my resume?

Since our dates to Kauai are out of sync we could use that as an excuse to be there at the same time to meet and we both get an extra trip out of it!

As always, can't wait to read your report!

We were "shut out" at Hamura's 2x this trip.
Friggin' TOURISTS!!!

I am sorry, but the term "hellhole" is a registered trademark. Pay the royalty or cease and desist.

Not to make you jealous, but ...

The weather is spectacular today: bright, sunny, and 79--with barely a breeze. I parked at Kealia Beach and watched the surfers. Then walked five miles on the walking/bike trail and watched the whales put on a show. I took the same photos I've taken ten times before . It doesn't get much better.

Tomorrow, heavy rain is predicted for the entire island--yes, even "sunny" Poipu. So I'm soakin' in those rays today.

And yesterday I learned a powerful lesson. Do NOT feed the chickens at Ke'e beach unless you want them to bring all their friends and relatives. There was no snorkeling permitted because the water was too rough out by the reef. But swimming close to shore was fine. I had an amazing day.

louistraveler: I so appreciate your kind and selfless offer to work as my assistant. I'll be glad to add your resume to the long list of those waiting for my assistant to die.

And FYI, I will be working hard in these places. But I do get plenty of time off--only Paris is pure vacation because it was only $56 to fly there from Ireland!

Kal: how do you get "shut out" at Hamura's? Do you mean the line was too long? It's always long--unless you go at odd times.

Sorry, have to get back to my whales ...

'doc...yes.
Counters were full and small line. Even when we went off hour, approx. 1-2pm.

Wound up at Kalapaki Joe's once and Kilaeua Fish Mkt back at our hotel. Both good meals but missed mah' noodles and stix!

Do NOT feed the chickens at Ke'e beach unless you want them to bring all their friends and relatives.
Some returnee friends like to hit the Kealia overlook and watch the tourist busses stop and laff when they feed the chickens and get overrun.
Like the tourists in Venice who pose with pigeons all over.

Sondoc: Always love reading your great reports - and you certainly beat the weather here in San Diego - which drizzled - not too rainy - but the PGA Golf Tournament Tiger Woods is leading out at Torrey Pines -- was canceled today (3rd round - postponed really)- due to Fog. Geesh.

Have tickets for tomorrow - when they will try to fit two rounds in. Doubt we will stay for all of that but it's fun to go out for a while. If it's sunny - the views are amazing, sometimes looking out from the cliffs and seeing Whales, or the ubiquitous Hang Gliders.

And your great fair to Paris - is that with Ryan Air? I had a great fair from Shannon Airport in Ireland to London - but had picked up so many mementos along the way - I was over the 20 Kilo (44 lbs) limit - and my extra baggage charge was way more than my ticket.

wekewoody: What is the royalty to use "hellhole"?

louistraveler: round trip first class for two and a suite at the St. Regis is the going rate. A real bargain!

Shouldn't we consult a Hastings Law School grad? I wonder if anyone on Fodor's graduated from Hastings? Hmmmmm

wekewoody and louistraveler5, I do believe the royalty should be awarded to the one who will be celebrating a birthday on the "hellhole" in the veeeery near future!!! And, not just any birthday, but a birthday ending in zero!!!!! Yes, I admit it....I will be 40!!!! whew

For my two cents, I would vote for a Hawaiin native - such as
kauaistyle. He's got some good Ohana and also is long on local knowledge.

BTW - it was beautiful out at Torrey Pines today - here in San Diego - following three days of rain/fog.

Almost as pretty as the North Shore of Kauai.

Hey - even got a very rare nod/smile from Tiger Woods by the putting green/practice area - before the round started this morning. Tiger popped off the golf cart he was riding back from the driving range and I said - "Go Cardinal" (the Stanford mascot) - and he smiled and gave me a nod and said "Yes". Double .

He then went out and finished winning the tournament - his 8th time here - more than anybody in golf history has won any one tournament.

icee: 70 also ends in zero. smooch!

If I was there when you are going, I would bake a cake, bake a cake, bake a cake. . . or pie?

http://rightslice.com/

or cake?

http://www.cakesbykristin.com/

or pie?

http://hawaiidaisuki.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/lilikoi-chiffon-pie2.jpg

iceeu2: Happy early Kauai birthday!!!
I'm catching up to you in trips made to Kauai. In 115 days, not that I'm counting, it will be my 5th trip to Kauai!!! I'm busy scheming to make it a 6th time perhaps in Sept or Oct!

wekewoody: For now, I will cease and desist until I reach elite status...how many trips will that take? I have no problem going to Kauai as many times as needed...!

24x since '89 for us. Usually Nov/Dec or Jan trips but once we went in June for the Taste of Hawaii. Well worth the June trip.

I think after 15x you are considered a "#ellhole buff".

Hey - I remember Jim Harbaugh (now the coach of the Super Bowl bound 49ers) winning the NFL QB challenge at Vidinha stadium by Lihue. (Now more known for their Farmer's Market -see below - but also close to where we caught a great helicopter ride with Jack Harter. )

Drove down for that from our timeshare at the Cliffs Club/Princeville - while my wife hung out at the pool.

He was also the most mobile of the QB's back then.

Kal - that was in 1988.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League_Quarterback_Challenge

and http://thegardenisland.com/news/nfl-qb-challenge-funds-reallocated/article_84ad6a7e-3903-5737-9bf6-5335c31d99b6.html

and http://www.local-farmers-markets.com/market/1213/lihue/vidinha-stadium-sunshine-markets

Kal - that was in 1988.
BC or AD?

Loved watching those competitions on TV. That and the the old Master Card PGA Tourney of Champs of Golf at Poipu GC.
The golf meant we were closer to returning.
The NFL competition meant we had just been.

LOL. Can't remember if it was AD or BC.

And amen to watching the golf pros at Poipu. Will always remember Greg Norman and Nick Faldo - looking at and commenting on how beautiful waves the waves were - while taking a break when they were playing their rounds at Poipu.

And good old Jim Harbaugh - hope he and the Niners win the Super Bowl. Got to know Jim a bit when he was coaching here at the University of San Diego (he also played a couple seasons for the Chargers) - his first head coaching job - and helped out a little bit when he later was back down here recruiting for Stanford.

Hey Songdoc. Hope you like golf and/or football?

uno mas for S'doc...
Doubt if mini-golf is your thing but the landscaping at the little putt putt course by Kilauea sure has GROWN. Wow.

Mrs Ster and some local pals have golfed there when it first opened but now....
Heard it's now like a mini-Arboretum.

I don't watch much football and I no longer golf. These days, the only sport that gets my heart pounding is looking at Kauai real estate!

I found my absolute fantasy ... I'm only a half a million dollars short! I'll soon be opening a website where you can all contribute: "The Mid-Life Orphan's Kauai Real Estate Fund." In exchange for $10K you get to stop by and look at the view. For $50K I'll throw in tickets to a luau and a helicopter ride. For $100K, heck--I'll write you a song and maybe even let you stay there when I'm traveling. I could put a plaque on the wall with all your names--and you'd have the pride and pleasure of knowing you made a dream come true. Who wants to be the first??? HAHAHA.

Kal--thanks for the info re: the Kilauea mini course. It looks beautiful when I drive by. Will probably do that with my sister on her next visit.

I've been busy, busy, busy! But you'll have to wait for the trip report to learn about my very different--but wonderful--trip .

But I will say that after one rainy day and one cloudy one, yesterday's weather could not have been more perfect!

We have been shocked over the RE prices on Kauai the past few trips. Shudda bought the ocean view condo in Poipu for $50k post-Iniki.

Safe travels, bragh.

Hey - my check is in the mail. And I'll take the Mauka facing lanai for my visits pleez

Wow - $50K-ish for a condo post-Iniki? Didn't know they got that low, but if you saw these pics - you probably were not thinking of buying. http://tinyurl.com/ae92dm5

Was on island two? weeks after Iniki for a board meeting up at the Cliffs Club/Princeville - and was amazed at how it looked. It was as if a giant lawn mower had been lowered from the sky - and everything over about 30 feet had been uniformly trimmed down. They had cleared the roads but there were still big trees lying by the sides of the road. The fearsome wind had supposedly gusted up to 175 mph out at sea - dropping to a mere 160 mph gusts as it passed over the western end of Kauai. http://www.drgeorgepc.com/HurricaneIniki.html

All things considered - Cliffs Club fared ok - (mostly broken glass/water damage/roof repairs) - but years later - residual mold was discovered, worsened of course by Iniki.

Had looked at buying a house in Princeville way back when - late 80's - and you could pick them up for under $200K. No longer - that's for sure.

Actually - in the late 70's - one of my law school classmates - who was living on Oahu - said he was thinking about buying an ocean front home - and the last place you could find one under $150K - was on Kauai. Fairly modest style - nothing like the estates being built today - but you were ocean/beachfront.

He/they bought a nice place out at Hawaii Kai/Oahu instead - and made out very well, but nothing like if he had picked up an ocean front place on the Garden Isle.

I'm going to be in Kauai late June through late July and would like to know more about the music festival you mentioned you were playing at July 10-14.

Thanks!

Like everywhere else real estate is higher than it was back in the day ... but the things I'm looking at are wayyyy down from 5 or 6 years ago. When I started staying at Sealodge the tiny one-bedroom condos were going for $749K; the 2-br units were around $950K. Now, the primo 1-bedrooms are around $400K -- with one that is set farther back and doesn't have great views -- carrying an asking price of $289K !!! I saw some beautiful 2-bedroom units with good oceanfront views at Ali'i Kai for under $500 - $600K.

Unfortunately, I am hopelessly in love (or is it lust?) with a 2 bedroom unit at Pali Ke Kua with drop dead OMG views and no expense spared. But it's a leasehold--and that's something I won't do. If it were fee simple it would be around $1 million. The problem is that nothing under a million comes close to this place. Damn! I'd better go write a hit song!

Speaking of which ... Kim, the music festival info is at www.kauaimusicfestival.com. It made me fall in love with Hawaiian music. There are always amazing artists there from both the islands and the mainland who do shows (open to the public)--in addition to the seminars and educational/networking opportunities. The "headliner" still hasn't been announced. It's an awesome event.

And FYI, today was PERFECT.

Yo Songdoc: We all have different takes - but IMO - not all leasehold deals are necessarily bad. I think it's an amalgam (like that $20 word? ) of functions - such as how much you want to enjoy a particular place, how many years are left on the lease, what kind of financing, if any, plus as you noted - the difference in the price for the lease v. buying a full ownership/fee simple place

There might also be some tax advantages in a leasehold deal?

On a much smaller basis - when we bought our 2 BR timeshare at the Cliffs in '86 - it was on leased land - but the Timeshare Owners Association eventually bought the fee from the land owner, and you had the option of purchasing the fee for a grand or so - or continuing lease payments of $50 a year or some such.

Any idea who owns the land at the Pali Ke Kua?

I can't imagine what the tax advantage would be - I'm not even sure a lender would lend on a leasehold, would they? I do know that in Newport Beach and in Foster City, as well as many places in Hawaii, many leaseholds (those in Newport were held by the Irvine Company and those in Foster City were held by the original developer, I think a lot of the Hawaii leaseholds were originally owned by Dole) eventually expired and it cost the owners of the leaseholds a pretty penny when time came to negotiate extensions/purchases. I'm another one who would never buy a leasehold.

Songdoc, the reason you're not buying is the same reason we don't own a place in Lake Tahoe. We could never decide between the lake and the mountains so we never bought. Stupid!!

Stopped by to see what's going on at the h*llhole.

Kal--sorry you had cold weather, but guessing it's better than the year that we had all rain.

Songdoc--you kill me. Travelling to all these wonderful places and constantly visiting Sea lodge..I am a little envious. Looking forward to the trip report. Can't imagine seeing the whales! What a bonus!

Icee2--Hope you enjoy your "0" birthday..I won't tell anyone that it's not the one that has a "4" in front of it.

For me, probably have to wait another year for my 9th visit..trying to work in a quick Mother's day trip this year. My husband has golfed in an outing the past few years during that time, just not sure it will work for me to go this year. (little one is school, etc.) Darn, my DH will proabably have his 12 visit if he goes..I need to catch up!

PS--Any of you watch Hawaii Life on HGTV? It has seemed like prices have gone down, especially in Princeville. I am still about 600K short though!

Any of you watch Hawaii Life on HGTV?
Oh #ellhole yeah!
We drove by the little (maybe 900 sf) one bedroom house located just on the fringe of Kapaatown several times and drooled.

We kept the "Kauai Kold" in it's proper perspective everytime we rcvd pix from our realtives with pix of their dash board/iPhone temps of 4 degrees in ORE and 25 degrees in Newcastle. Now THAT'S cold!

SF7: Yes, there is financing available for leaseholds - or there certainly used to be - and the possible tax advantage could be if you considered it a depreciable asset - say 20 years left on the lease - and wrote off 1/20th every year, but I would want to consult a Tax Attorney/CPA for that.

As for Dole - they came later - as the leaseholds in Hawaii traditionally came mainly from the "Big 5" - and their trusts - which were in no small part the companies/descendants of the "Missionary" families that first came to Hawaii and founded the Sugar Cane companies, etc. They were Castle & Cooke, Alexander & Baldwin, C. Brewer & Co., American Factors (now Amfac) and Theo H. Davies & Co..

see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_(Hawaii).

Today - the Fed Govt and state of Hawaii own the most land - and Bishop's estate is still one of the largest private landholders (one of my law school classmates handled a number of the Bishop Estate transactions) - and others - such as the Robinson family (whom my old boss enjoyed fishing for trout with while he was The Coast Guard officer on Kauai after WWII) - still have a lot of land on Kauai - and believe the Robinsons also owned Niihau at one time, and of course, there is the Parker Ranch on the Big Island.

Here is one list of the current 10 largest landowners. http://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/alohafriday/article/Hawaii-s-top-10-largest-landowners-3671077.php

gmac: iceeu2 is busted, I was going through posts and stumbled upon an older post from iceeu2 about a certain birthday dinner. I promise, iceeu2, on the Kauai red dirt that I will keep your secret...!

"Any of you watch Hawaii Life on HGTV?" I love and hate Hawaii Life all at the same time. I love seeing glimpses of Kauai and the other islands but I hate it because it is torture and I'm envious of those that get to live there!

Hawaii Life is to blame for Kauai being found out...
I've only been taking trips since 2007 so perhaps some of the elite (all of you that have spent more time than my 4 trips) can comment as to how true this may be.
For example, I know more tourist aren't to blame for the high airline tickets but this upcoming trip is over $1000 for tickets!! We've never paid that much for tickets and the plane is almost full! Also, although cliche, we always rent a convertible and several companies are already sold out. We also paid more than we ever have for our car rental.
What's going on...so many people are flocking to our island!!

Airlines are cutting flights/code sharing etc, to make sure the flights are full. I do know that. The prices are high, they were that price last year, guessing fuel prices are big factor. Also have been reading that tourism in Hawaii is booming, mostly non-Americans, that could be driving the prices and availability up.

Hawaii Life is to blame for Kauai being found out
And, Icee2 is busted!!

Yes...icee is quite busted...

Wow. I look away for one day and there are all these comments!
I'm grieving as my trip comes to a close . (sniff, sniff) It has been sooooo wonderful. Tomorrow I'll be cast out of paradise. (But the good news is that next week I'll be in Europe!!!)

Re: airfares ... I've been doing a lot of poking around because I'm thinking of returning to Kauai in April and flying from Honolulu to Brisbane Australia. (I'll be working for seven weeks throughout Australia and NZ.) The point is that I found really cheap airfares from Nashville to HNL. It might be wayyy cheaper in this instance to fly to HNL, stay a day or two, then continue to Kauai, and return to HNL when it's time to fly out. I'm still researching.

Re: leaseholds ... my personality (and finances!) are such that no matter how much I love the place (and I do!!!) I won't spend almost half a million dollars for the right to pay rent for the next twenty-seven years--without knowing how much that rent would be--and with the full knowledge that at the end of the lease it is a definite possibility that my half a million dollars might be worth zero. The current lease is $800/month--but it will go up in 2015, 2025, and 2035. At least with a mortgage you know what your payments will be--and they won't go up. I could say "It's worth $479K and $800/month to live the dream" --but what if that $800/month goes to $1500, then $2500/month?

My fears are that in my old age if I needed to sell, or to take a home equity loan in ten or fifteen years that it would be impossible. (This place is a showplace and they haven't been able to sell it in the past nine months because of it being a leasehold.)

I'd rather keep looking until I find a fee simple place that I love -- or at least really like -- and hope that the investment will appreciate, which is something that is not going to happen with a leasehold.

FYI, I'm really just doing research at this point. If I found a place I couldn't live without I might buy it and rent it when I'm not using it. But I probably can't move to paradise full-time for around 2 - 3 more years.

I never heard of Hawaii Life. I guess I'm about to have a new addiction.