Tuesday 29 March 2016
Melbourne photography
As some have requested, I've returned from a trip to Victoria. Here is a collection of photos from Melbourne. It's been a while since I've been back to mah hood, and even longer since I've actually been to any attractions. It was nice to go up Skydeck, walk to the MCG and through Southbank:
Tuesday 2 February 2016
Two weeks in the Garden Isle
So, the two weeks we spent in Kauai were so busy that the blog just sort of, well, fell by the wayside. Not to say that the sightseeing fell by the wayside. Kauai is just about the most stunning place I've seen. Ever.
It all started with the drive from the airport, in the southeast corner and the trading hub of Lihue, to the north shores and condos of Princeville. Bridges constructed over mountainous outcrops of stunning naturally sculpted trees.
We split up our visit, almost equally, into the north shore, east shore, and south shore. While our plans changed over the course of the two weeks, managing permission to shoot over FIFTY places in 2 weeks, we figured that was the best way to see everything the island had to offer.
For me the main attractions on the north shore were the variety of lookouts and beach scenery offered. From a lighthouse that doubles as a bird sanctuary, with stunning cliffs within touching distance, to lookouts over Hawaiian taro fields, to variations of beach overlooks, the north shore had it all:
Another star attraction was the caves. For the less brave, there is a dry cave that stretches out for several hundred feet, but if you're feeling a bit more energetic you can clamber up a ridge line and down into a cave that has a small lake at the bottom. Absolutely stunning, and not only that, I managed to not catch leptospirosis from the water in the lake:
Fast-forwarding to our time on the east shore. In the area of Wailua, there is a river and state park, and a couple of really nice hikes. The state park has a few waterfalls, the most well-known being Wailua Falls. It's really a sight to behold, on the day we visited there hadn't been much rain, yet the falls were still well supplied with water:
Sleeping Giant Trailhead is spectacular. It's within spitting distance of most of the hotels on the east coast of the island, and at it's amazing that at only 3.5 kilometres in length, the top affords 360-degree views of the island:
While on the east cost, I had the opportunity to take a helicopter tour of the island. Something that, while expensive, I highly recommend, as on a clear day the scenery will absolutely blow your mind. The tour takes in all the major scenic attractions of the whole island, including the red rock cliffs and valleys of Waimea Canyon State Park:
And the geographically impossible Na Pali Coast. The coastline is full of church-spire shaped formations, hundred-foot vertical rock walls shaped only by nature's hand, and centuries-old collapsed underwater caves:
Moving on to the south shore now. On the way, we went past a tiny heritage town called Koloa. Here there are arts and crafts (and other hipster) shops, and this fantastic tunnel along a road shaped only from eucalyptus trees:
One of the other highlights (or lowlights, depending on how good one's sea legs are), was a day-long excursion along the Na Pali Coast. Being on a boat gives you more perspective into the sheer size of the formations, while the helo tour just gives you an overview of its impressive scenery:
Another fantastic Hawaiian sunset, in case you were bored, this one from Spouting Horn:
The remaining few days were spent seeing more great scenery. Further exploring the area around Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Park proved an experience in patience. The weather changed so dramatically in the space of a few hours, from the early morning low cloud that hung around for several hours, we managed to get lucky at Kalalau Lookout, with a rainbow forming in the perfect location:
On the way back down the mountainside, there were plenty of stop-off points, including a chance to snap a scene of typical Kauaian "red dirt", which is what these shirts are dyed with. Amazing Martian-type landscapes:
And off in the distance is nearby Ni'ihau:
Some other things of note on this island: the museums are fascinating. The history of Kauai is surprisingly rich, with Captain Cook, the Russians and Polynesians all playing an important part.
The island's main drawcard is tourism, but before that point farming was its main source of income. Because of this, the traditional family luaus, and plantation farms are well preserved. You'll experience traditional Hawaiian festivities, and see what life was like for the higher brow of Kauaian society in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The birds will piss you off! Kauai is the only island without a native mongoose population, meaning that the nene (Hawaiian geese) and chickens have far less natural predation. The nene are just plain thick - standing in the middle of the road seems to be a popular pastime. The chickens are far more inquisitive, and you'll see them all over the roads and in parking lots. We even saw one or two just waltzing through open doors into shops in Koloa.
That's what you can expect from Kauai! I have no doubt I'll go back if I'm in the area, I think I'll find the scenery and culture too hard to resist! I can't recommend it enough to anyone thinking of going to Hawaii. Save up some money though, it is slightly more expensive than Hawaii's already expensive lifestyle.
Felicity says:
Agree with Matthew, it really is worthy getting a hire car and driving around as much of this beautiful island as possible - the scenery is spectacular, even if one didn't do the aforementioned "hikes". The hire car and accommodation are, however, much more expensive than my regular haunts on the Big Island so it wouldn't be a regular repeat trip.
The "lowlights" Matthew referred to? That was me - I now reminiscently call this the "Vomit Cruise Day" - if I had but known, I would cheerfully have forfeited the cost and stayed onshore. It was very rough mind you, and I wasn't the only suffering soul, and the coast was spectacular ... but I could have just looked at Matthew's photos.
In my dozen or so trips to Hawaii I have never been to Kauai but it's always been on the wishlist, and much better to drive yourself than take a tour (having a navigator is a huge benefit though!).
It all started with the drive from the airport, in the southeast corner and the trading hub of Lihue, to the north shores and condos of Princeville. Bridges constructed over mountainous outcrops of stunning naturally sculpted trees.
We split up our visit, almost equally, into the north shore, east shore, and south shore. While our plans changed over the course of the two weeks, managing permission to shoot over FIFTY places in 2 weeks, we figured that was the best way to see everything the island had to offer.
For me the main attractions on the north shore were the variety of lookouts and beach scenery offered. From a lighthouse that doubles as a bird sanctuary, with stunning cliffs within touching distance, to lookouts over Hawaiian taro fields, to variations of beach overlooks, the north shore had it all:
Spectacular north shore lookouts
Another star attraction was the caves. For the less brave, there is a dry cave that stretches out for several hundred feet, but if you're feeling a bit more energetic you can clamber up a ridge line and down into a cave that has a small lake at the bottom. Absolutely stunning, and not only that, I managed to not catch leptospirosis from the water in the lake:
Kauai's stunning cave complexes
Fast-forwarding to our time on the east shore. In the area of Wailua, there is a river and state park, and a couple of really nice hikes. The state park has a few waterfalls, the most well-known being Wailua Falls. It's really a sight to behold, on the day we visited there hadn't been much rain, yet the falls were still well supplied with water:
Wailua Falls
Sleeping Giant Trailhead is spectacular. It's within spitting distance of most of the hotels on the east coast of the island, and at it's amazing that at only 3.5 kilometres in length, the top affords 360-degree views of the island:
Sweeping views from Sleeping Giant Trailhead
While on the east cost, I had the opportunity to take a helicopter tour of the island. Something that, while expensive, I highly recommend, as on a clear day the scenery will absolutely blow your mind. The tour takes in all the major scenic attractions of the whole island, including the red rock cliffs and valleys of Waimea Canyon State Park:
Flying into stunning Waimea Canyon
And the geographically impossible Na Pali Coast. The coastline is full of church-spire shaped formations, hundred-foot vertical rock walls shaped only by nature's hand, and centuries-old collapsed underwater caves:
Na Pali. So beautiful
Moving on to the south shore now. On the way, we went past a tiny heritage town called Koloa. Here there are arts and crafts (and other hipster) shops, and this fantastic tunnel along a road shaped only from eucalyptus trees:
Eucalyptus Tunnel near Koloa
One of the other highlights (or lowlights, depending on how good one's sea legs are), was a day-long excursion along the Na Pali Coast. Being on a boat gives you more perspective into the sheer size of the formations, while the helo tour just gives you an overview of its impressive scenery:
From the ocean around the Na Pali Coast
Another fantastic Hawaiian sunset, in case you were bored, this one from Spouting Horn:
Spouting Horn sunset
The remaining few days were spent seeing more great scenery. Further exploring the area around Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Park proved an experience in patience. The weather changed so dramatically in the space of a few hours, from the early morning low cloud that hung around for several hours, we managed to get lucky at Kalalau Lookout, with a rainbow forming in the perfect location:
Spot-on timing at Kalalau Lookout
On the way back down the mountainside, there were plenty of stop-off points, including a chance to snap a scene of typical Kauaian "red dirt", which is what these shirts are dyed with. Amazing Martian-type landscapes:
Martian landscapes
And off in the distance is nearby Ni'ihau:
The Forbidden Island lurks in the distance
Some other things of note on this island: the museums are fascinating. The history of Kauai is surprisingly rich, with Captain Cook, the Russians and Polynesians all playing an important part.
The island's main drawcard is tourism, but before that point farming was its main source of income. Because of this, the traditional family luaus, and plantation farms are well preserved. You'll experience traditional Hawaiian festivities, and see what life was like for the higher brow of Kauaian society in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The birds will piss you off! Kauai is the only island without a native mongoose population, meaning that the nene (Hawaiian geese) and chickens have far less natural predation. The nene are just plain thick - standing in the middle of the road seems to be a popular pastime. The chickens are far more inquisitive, and you'll see them all over the roads and in parking lots. We even saw one or two just waltzing through open doors into shops in Koloa.
That's what you can expect from Kauai! I have no doubt I'll go back if I'm in the area, I think I'll find the scenery and culture too hard to resist! I can't recommend it enough to anyone thinking of going to Hawaii. Save up some money though, it is slightly more expensive than Hawaii's already expensive lifestyle.
Felicity says:
Agree with Matthew, it really is worthy getting a hire car and driving around as much of this beautiful island as possible - the scenery is spectacular, even if one didn't do the aforementioned "hikes". The hire car and accommodation are, however, much more expensive than my regular haunts on the Big Island so it wouldn't be a regular repeat trip.
The "lowlights" Matthew referred to? That was me - I now reminiscently call this the "Vomit Cruise Day" - if I had but known, I would cheerfully have forfeited the cost and stayed onshore. It was very rough mind you, and I wasn't the only suffering soul, and the coast was spectacular ... but I could have just looked at Matthew's photos.
In my dozen or so trips to Hawaii I have never been to Kauai but it's always been on the wishlist, and much better to drive yourself than take a tour (having a navigator is a huge benefit though!).
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