Ummm... rocks anyone?

Molokai has about half a dozen restaurants, and since we'd already eaten at most of them, we had to have breakfast at the "most famous" one on our last real day on the island. We cruised up to the center of the island for breakfast and then made it down to Kalupaa Lookout (where you can see the leper colony) and Phallic Rock. Phallic Rock, exactly what it sounds like, is supposed to be a good place to go to get pregnant (and so Morgan avoided it like the plague). Jonathan and Josh, however, were very interested. Since we'd prepared for a hike- camel-baks, shoes, vibrams and water bottles- and only had a five minute walk to phallic rock, we decided to wander down the hill past the rock, where we stumbled upon the um, counterpart, of the more famous rock. Mike was way more interested in this.

Josh and Jonathan with Phallic rock.

Not sure what Jonathan is doing here, but we decided to wander down the hill from Phallic Rock...

And we found the um... counterpart to Phallic rock, if you will :)

In front of Kalapaa lookout.

Kalupaa (the leper colony).  You can see a small town with a few houses and even a school bus!

We finished the day with another trip to the west side and down to the last beach on the road. Traveling all roads and furthest points on the island, check! This beach was much more swimmable and we played in the slightly cool water for awhile, before heading back for one more meal and some local (and pretty bad) beer and wine.

Ignore the writing, look at the pictures

The boys loading the boat.  Morgan and I were not allowed.

I can't put into words how amazing this day was, but I'll try. Really, the pictures tell more of the story, but even then, so much of this beauty is missed if you didn't experience it.

We got up early to drive out past mile marker 25 and meet Walter. He was going to take us out on his fishing boat to see the cliffs of the north shore of Molokai, which are pretty much inaccessible from land.

The ride up the shore was fast paced and crazy. We leapt over waves as Jonathan and I clung to a cooler we were sitting on at the front of the boat. I was pretty sure Walter had it under control, but the times that he said "woah" got me a little worried.

After cruising the coast and seeing all the waterfalls from the shore, he stopped the boat and we all jumped in and swam to shore. We climbed smooth, slippery rocks to get to a freezing waterfall (that again, only Mike could stand for long) and played around shore for awhile. On the way back, we stopped at Turtle Rock for some amazing snorkeling.

Waterfalls from the boat

Josh, me, Jonathon, Morgan & Mike on the boat.  Kauai north shore in the background.

Waterfalls from the boat.

Walter teaches Morgan spear fishing.  

Jonathan and I try to get back in the water.

Mike underneath the waterfall.

View from the end of the boat.

Lunch & beers at a tiny little plate lunch place, and on our way to Halawa Valley, the furthest point you can drive to on the East Coast of Molokai.

Jonathan smiles... Mike can't be interrupted!

Cheers!

 You really just have to look at pictures to understand the beauty of this drive:

Nene crossing!

Morgan is a Pringles duck... we were either bored or drunk!

Random Christmas tree decorated along the road!
(Yes, this is the same drive.  Crazy change in scenery, right?)

View of the last valley at the end of the road.  Amazing!

At the end of the road, we swam in brown water, which may be why we all feel sick a week later! Jonathan, the only one with any sense, slept through this little excursion.

I'll leave this day with a sunset from our lanai. Full disclosure: Josh snapped this picture.  I tried, but none of mine turned out as well!

Don't Touch the Pilot!

So, it wasn't a road trip, exactly, and it wasn't just Mike and me... But it was our first trip together, and it is breaking up the time to get to this summer trip (which seems SO far off) so it needs to be added to this blog.


6:30 am: We leave Makaha to head to the airport for a 9 am flight

6:45 am: stop at Starbucks to get coffee so cranky people can handle the morning

6:55 am: I put in my headphones and ignore everyone for the rest of the drive because they are trying to bring me into their funk!

Pacific Wings plane (at the Molokai airport)

7:15: we arrive at the airport. Pacific Wings doesn't open until 7:30.

7:30: 5 minutes to check in at PW and record our weights (to balance the plane), 3 minutes to go through security, and...

7:38 am.... Waiting in the airport. Imagine teenagers in a car, instead of "are we there yet?" it's more "is the plane here yet?"

9:15 am: Our pilot, having already fueled the plane, loaded our bags, and checked the airplane, comes to take our tickets and walk us out to the plane. Total passengers: 6. Our new friend, an older veteran who has an interesting mix of western farmer low speak and pidgin, boards the plane with teachers gone wild. Poor guy.

After a 30 minute flight, we arrive in the airport (really, one small building with no security), our pilot unloads our bags and we find the rental car. The group is now hungry (very audibly so), so I attempt to use the GPS on my phone to find a place to eat.
...2 dirt roads later, we end up on Uncle's farm. He comes out on his riding mower to warn us not to go down the roads to the beach, as they have flooded, and we ask where to get food. He explains, very in-depth and Hawaiian style, how to get to the nearest (and only open) restaurant on that part of the island. More driving...

After breakfast at the coffee shop, we set out for white sand beaches. On the way, we stop at Santa's kite shop (despite Mike telling me for days that he wouldn't stop there) only to find that Santa must be on furlough, or maybe a DLWOP (pronounced delwop) day. Despite this setback, we headed on to Papahoku Beach park, the longest uninterrupted stretch of white sand beach in the islands, where we were pelted with sand and Mike was the only one brave enough to swim in the pounding waves. Finally, Morgan and I decide to bribe the boys with wine, and we convince them to head out.

Mike & I at Papahoku Beach Park

On the way home, after cruising at 90 miles an hour (which Mike loved, I found kinda fun, and everyone else hated) we stumbled upon an organic farm and bought veggies that we proceeded to eat the entire way home! Fresh organic Tomatoes and Hawaiian salt are amazing!

After settling in at our place, we called the Molokai Hotel restaurant to make a reservation. Then we called back for directions and decided to walk there. Then, on our walk, we decided we must be lost and called again. We decide to turn around, go back and get the car, and set out again. We wanted to make sure we didn't miss our reservation, so we called again on the way there... And realized that we were maybe 100 yards from the restaurant when we turned around on our walk.

We walked in... to a completely empty restaurant. So glad we made the reservation! Who should we find at the bar but our friend Paul! We bought him a drink, ordered some wine, and proceeded to probably entertain and/or annoy the staff with our crazy joking and Jonathan and me singing Hedwig songs.

Later that night, after dark, we snuck down an alley for one of Molokai's "secrets": hot bread. Seriously, it sounds ridiculous, but if you wander down this little alley between 8pm and 3 am, you can buy this amazing bread with all sorts of gooey fillings that you can only get at night. Even though I'm really not supposed to eat wheat, I ate way too much of this bread (and was sick the next day... not sure if it was worth it or not).