Reaching for the sky without doors

We start our day with a healthy breakfast. Last time we went shopping, Schahaatz suggested that we should have yogurt and fruits in the morning - and so it shall be. Unfortunately, there was only nonfat yogurt available here, which, in texture, reminds those of you who are older of Slimy. But not in green, but in white. Surprisingly, the base of Greek yogurt is also nonfat yogurt - I wonder how they put the 10% fat back in it.

After I was sick in the first week, Schahaatz in the second, and we were busy rebooking for 2 days, we are finally starting the action today. Today we're finally taking out our Frisbee discs from the suitcase and start playing.

We start at Lydgate Beach Park. An 18-hole course right by the sea.

The first 9 holes were quite easy, the last 9 were more challenging.

Which is a bit unfair, because on the golf course right next to the Frisbee course, the grass is cut short, and we have to battle through the bushes here. Hole 17 then swallowed Schahaatz's driver disc. What bad luck, now he has to buy a new one😉.

Because we look like little piggies, we definitely need a pit stop at the hotel before we start our highlight of the day.

A one-hour flight over Kauai in a helicopter without doors. Crazy. After checking in and the safety briefing via video, we head to the airport. The excitement is slowly building. When I asked at check-in if long pants and a jacket were recommended, the response was "People have very different perceptions of that." Great advice. However, our pilot Marcos recommended a jacket, as it can be a bit windy. And I'm so glad I had a jacket and a scarf with me because it was sooooooo windy without doors.

Now we're sitting at the airport, waiting for takeoff, when our pilot Marcos informs us that he can't get any fuel and we have to wait for another helicopter, and he hopes that it still has enough fuel. We hope so too.

Why can't anything go smoothly for us? With a 25-minute delay, we finally take off. Put on life jackets and seat belts, and put Mickey Mouse ears on.

Fasten the GoPro to the left wrist, the phone to the other, and then we're off. Amazing feeling and just wooow. And I'm so glad I have my jacket.

Occasionally, the wind gets into the helicopter and makes it wobble quite a bit, which I don't like so much, but unfortunately, I don't have a free hand to cling to the backrest of the front seat. Schahaatz compares it to a rollercoaster ride. And I hate rollercoaster rides. But our pilot is totally relaxed and sings along to the music he plays from his specially created playlist on the headphones, so it can't be dangerous.

In hindsight, I wonder why we had to put on life jackets, we were over land for 90% of the flight.

Hmm 🤔 maybe those weren't life jackets but belly parachutes.

But it was an incredibly amazing experience, despite the winds. The landscape is impressive.

Kauai has served as a backdrop for many Hollywood films, including Jurassic Park, Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean, or On Stranger Tides.

The Jurassic Falls (Manawaiopuna Falls) are located on private property and can only be reached by helicopter. Marcos also plays the appropriate film music. All that's missing is the T-Rex, the raptors, and Jeff Goldblum, and we're right in the middle of Jurassic Park.

The Waimea Canyon, like the Grand Canyon of Hawaii, only more beautiful than the original.

The Na Pali Coast. This landscape is particularly impressive and unique. It can only be reached by boat or helicopter.

The North Shore with Princeville (the neighborhood of the rich and beautiful) and Hanalei Beach.

And last but not least, the Wai'ale'ale Crater, where the rainiest area in the world is located, with numerous waterfalls. Today, it's partially in the shade, but the top of the crater is said to be almost always covered in clouds. It was unusually calm here, though, but it already feels uncomfortable when flying so close to the mountain.

The views throughout the entire flight are breathtaking.

A quarter of an hour later, we land at the airport, overjoyed with great photos and enough fuel in the tank, to the music of Top Gun.

As the grand finale of the day, we have poke bowl, a traditional dish in Hawaii.

Main ingredients are rice and raw tuna, alternatively with raw octopus. We end the day with a quick visit to Safeway, tomorrow we'll barbecue.