Tuesday, October 28, 2014

There's a whole lot going on down there.


Now I have been to the aquarium I can see what the snorkelers are looking at down there, we are used to there not being a lot of sea life close to the shore but having seen a couple of fish through the clear water swimming past my legs, and the coral washed up on the shore, I know there must be a lot more down there than I had realised!









This one underneath looks like it has being practicing sewing patterns


Had to lose a bit in colour, to capture the detail






Sneaky, hiding in gravel like that!




Sharks! Nobody told me there were sharks down there!


This seaweed is everywhere


After years of trying to capture Jellyfish, I think I have finally cracked it !








These ones are glass not real ones






A soon as you arrive at the airport, you know you are in Hawaii because you see all the Coconut palms bent over in the breeze, they are the tallest thing on the island because no building is allowed to be higher than a coconut palm






Over in the West they seem to be particularly short changed for sunsets, at home you can casually amble up to a beauty spot and take your time, here and in the US in general, blink and you will miss it.
As the sun goes down and the clouds turn pink and silver, you can actually feel that you are on some little island in the middle of the pacific, this feeling of isolation, as the clouds turn the same grey as the mountains, you kind of "get" Hawaii.


The sea is still crashing and in the pauses between waves there are turtles popping their heads up and a shoal of fish leaping out of the water in an arc as they head east along the shore.



Monday, October 27, 2014

Garden of Eden

  Time for another go at the road to Hana- I decided I am not going to drive the whole way, just as far as the Maui Botanical Garden 10 miles along it.
 as I was toddling along the road, I couldnt help noticing that I was making rather better progress than some of the other drivers, I suppose with most US roads having very few turns, they are short on strategies for endless curves, one lane bridges and changes of camber, they tend to attack each corner as an individual rather than get into a rhythm. The Dodge Charger convertible that they try to upgrade your rental to at the airport isnt the most agile of beasts and considering every other car you see is a  Charger there must be a lot of people struggling a large car round a set of tight curves. Both the cars I have had are Ford Focus, small and innocuous.

This isnt my photo but you can see that the road is a bit wiggly, my leg ached after 10 miles each way so I am glad I didnt do the full round trip. You can get T shirts with "I survived the road to Hana" so it must be a challenge.



Finally after navigating the 10 miles half out of the windscreen and half out of the side window I got to the botanical gardens, its called the "Garden of Eden" You'll see why in the photos.
I like to visit gardens and see all the different trees and plants,especially some I hadnt seen before like Banana palms and Rainbow Eucalyptus.
I spent most of the day there so I will just post some of the photos I took .






Breadfruit


Bananas





Rainbow Eucalyptus- mad isnt it





















Crazy chicken lady strikes again, I was just leaving in the car when this chap came right up to see me


On the way home I stopped at Ho'okipa beach, without  even knowing that it is the Mecca for windsurfers and surfers , world renowned apparently!







When I got back to the beach house, I wouldnt wait to change and get to the beach and in the water- and me a non beach person !!