Unnatural Kauai

Chickens are not indigenous to Hawaii, but like so many animals and plants, they were brought to the islands. Now, they're everywhere. This chicken family was at Po'ipu Beach State Park, doing their best to live off the land.

(I felt kind of bad for them and slipped the dad a twenty.)

Did you know that the roosters in Kauai crow all day long? I read about this in one of those travel books my doctor told me not to read.

"Oh, come on!" I said. "Roosters are natural beings. They're wise enough to know when it's dawn and when it's midday and when it's after dinner. There's no reason in the world why Kauai roosters should crow all day long and other roosters only crow in the morning. So, if you're just trying to get me to go to Kauai to see for myself, well, the joke's on you, Travel Boy. I was going anyway!"

Scout heard me and giggled knowingly from her little doggy bed.

Scout with commemorative squirrel

from Taxidermy R Us.

Turns out, Scout, and Travel Boy were right. The roosters DO crow all day and night.

I got used to it, but I only had to put up with it for a week. And I wasn't going to bed early, anyway. But I have a feeling the locals may get pretty tired of it and do a little target practice now and then.

I heard that hunters on the island like to go after wild boar.

But how can they? Look at these little piggies!! They're so darn cute!

We went on a train ride during a plantation tour. While the train was parked, so the kids could get off and feed the wild boar, a couple of the piggies decided it was time to get amorous, right there in front of everybody. (Those boar are Wild, I tell you!) The gentleman in the plaid shirt, here, saw what was happening, looked at the guests and their children, then looked up at me and shrugged. What are you gonna do? Like the screaming roosters, there are things in Kauai you apparently have to put up with.

Later on the same tour, we took a 'nature walk' through the plantation, to see the wild ginger, the wild mushrooms, and the vicious banyan tree, which lives off other trees and kills them by wrapping itself around the host tree until it dies. Here's a murder in progress:

While I was looking up at this, I almost stepped on a poisonous toad. Our guide picked it up and showed it to us. He said that, not only does it release poisonous venom when threatened, it can carry a small car in its mouth.

And it looks so friendly. That's how it gets you.


After the walk through the wild ginger plants, I noticed that I'd missed a spot with the bug spray.




To think: just two bites from a gruesome death, and our walk was over.

As beautiful as the plantation ride and nature walk had been, I admit I was relieved to be done with the organized activity, and back to discovering Kauai on our own. We drove up Waimea Canyon Drive, and, as is our wont, decided to get out at one of the trail heads. We were walking a bit, when I saw this sign. Actually, it's more of a 'collection of signs', since there's apparently a shortage of poles.

Because Blogger won't let this picture expand, I'll tell you what it says:

"Hunting season is now open on weekends and holidays.
Non-hunters are advised to wear bright-colored clothing and stay on established trails."

Since I was wearing my demure peach silk gown with sneakers, and walking outside established trails, I decided to get back in the car and drive away.

I had started riding with the windows rolled up.

By the way, Kauai has quite a few quaint little cemeteries at the sides of the road. With little fanfare, you may just glance out the window, and there's another one.






Did someone recently tell me that helicopter transport is a relatively safe way to travel? And I laughed?