Today was bright, sunny and humid - just in time for us to leave Kauai! We did some last minute washing before checking out. We still had a couple of hours free so we drove to the Kilohana Plantation. This was a sugar cane plantation which opened in 1935. The mansion was home to Gaylord Wilcox, a sugar baron. The Plantation opened to the public in 1986. The mansion was restored and now houses some boutiques, galleries and restaurants. Some sugar cane is still grown on the estate and you can go around the grounds on a train. They also produce their own rum which you can taste on site.
It was lunch time when we left there so we found a huge Safeway across the road with a cafe inside. After a sandwich, we drive down to Nawiliwili Harbiur again - just wasting time before returning the car. Luckily we were early because there was a huge queue of people going through security at Lihue airport. Security was outside the main doors in the humidity which wasn’t pleasant.
The flight to the big island was less than an hour. We had a Jeep Wrangler booked but they have been recalled as there is an issue with their brakes. We got a car and headed to our hotel up on the north coast. It was obvious straightaway how different this island is to Kauai. The lush green vegetation has been replaced with black volcanic rock everywhere. But, we always new when a resort was coming up because palm trees suddenly appeared. The sun was setting as we drove along and although there were clouds, the sky was a beautiful shade of pink.
This resort we are at now is absolutely beautiful. It has been recently renovated. We walked into the foyer which was open and airy with a view straight out to the ocean and sunset sky. I think we will enjoy staying here! Just after our bags arrived, a staff member delivered a beautiful fruit platter - thanks for arranging that, Jane!
We didn’t get to do a helicopter tour in Kauai because of the weather but we may do one here over the volcanoes. After the New York East River tragedy, we have decided against a doors off helicopter. I am really looking forward to exploring this island.