We then wandered back into the Hyatt lobby in time to get coffee and pastries at the Seaview Terrace café and enjoy the Bird Talk. Afterwards we headed back to the Point to pack up and check out.
Bill and Nancy had scheduled a 12:45 Jack Harter doors off heli tour; we drove north with plans to eat lunch at Hamura Saimin and stop at a store in Lihue that supposedly sells the hybrid gDiapers we use.
Of course, ten minutes after leaving Poipu both boys were dead asleep, so we took the Puhi bypass and came into Lihue through Nawiliwili. There was an NCL cruise ship docked, and while I knew they were big, I had never driven right past one before – holy cow! We decided to skip Hamura’s, but I thought I could jump out at the baby store while Sam kept driving around the block to keep the boys asleep. I found the shop (called Baby Blutique) on Rice Street, but they had apparently sold their entire stock of gDiapers that morning.
Of course, ten minutes after leaving Poipu both boys were dead asleep, so we took the Puhi bypass and came into Lihue through Nawiliwili. There was an NCL cruise ship docked, and while I knew they were big, I had never driven right past one before – holy cow! We decided to skip Hamura’s, but I thought I could jump out at the baby store while Sam kept driving around the block to keep the boys asleep. I found the shop (called Baby Blutique) on Rice Street, but they had apparently sold their entire stock of gDiapers that morning.
Given that Jack was wearing his last diaper, we had no choice but to stop at Wal-mart. Sam drove around the parking lot while I did a quick loop of the store, picking up a rash guard for me, contact solution, some chocolate covered mac nuts, an insulated picnic/shopping bag, and a pack of Huggies.I also got a foam kickboard with a turtle on it for Ryan.
The boys were still asleep in the car, so we drove north with Sam totally bummed that we were not going to eat at Hamura’s, and trying to figure out another lunch option. We made it through Kapa’a traffic pretty painlessly. When we arrived at Princeville, the kids were miraculously still asleep, so DH suggested we drive BACK to Lihue to get Hamura’s. I said okay, anxious to give them the opportunity to get a good nap (do you sense a theme here?), and we turned around.
We just ordered the regular saimin – I wish I had remembered to get the special as the regular is not much to write home about. I was glad for the tip about the Chinese pretzels – they were so good! Kind of like fortune cookies but lighter and crispy. Ryan would have eaten the whole bag if I had let him.
I then realized that returning to Lihue had positioned us perfectly for hitting the farmer’s market at Vidinha Stadium at 3, scratching two of our Must-Dos off the list. We bought two strawberry papayas and two chicos, which I had never seen or heard of before but when the vendor said they tasted like cinnamon and brown sugar, I had to try them.
We got a bunch of apple bananas, too, and then I spotted a guy selling ice cold coconuts with straws. I thought Ryan would get a kick out of drinking right out of the coconut, so we shelled out the five bucks. The vendor told us to drink the water and then come back and he would cut it open for us. We even gave Jack a taste of the water, which he seemed to enjoy.
Ryan did not like it and Sam and I could not drink it all, but I thought it might come in handy in a rum-based cocktail later, so I emptied Ryan’s Klean Kanteen and poured the rest of the coconut water in it.We took it back to the vendor who used a machete to hack it open, then sliced the meat away from the shell.
Out of cash and getting a little crispy in the sun, we loaded back into the car (which was starting to feel REALLY small with all of our stuff in there) and headed north AGAIN. Of course, this time the Kapa’a traffic was getting backed up and the kids were tired of being in their car seats. Finally we made it through town and picked up speed at Kealia.
We arrived at Wyndham Bali Hai Villas just after four and checked into our unit. I called a week before we arrived to request a crib and to be placed in one of the upgraded units, and they did not disappoint (though oddly, we were assigned an accessible unit, meaning the countertops were lower, the sink shallower, and the cabinet open under the sink. It was fine, though lower counters meant Ryan could reach everything…).
Once we settled in (Bill and Nancy were in a unit next door, as I had also requested), Sam and Bill gave the boys a bath and put them to bed while Nancy and I drove to the Foodland. It is a MUCH nicer store than the Big Save – not sure if that’s a BS vs. FL thing or a Koloa vs. Princeville thing… WBHV has a basket of Maka'i cards at check in, which certainly saved us some $$. We were hoping to pick up bento or other hot deli items, but they were closing up the deli, so we just ordered four panini sandwiches which were quite good.
View more photos from today.
View more photos from today.
