Waimea Valley

One of the things that Toni and BJ wanted to do while visiting us was see waterfalls.  O'ahu isn't like the other islands where you can just drive down the road and see a waterfall.  The only waterfall I had seen while living here was on the way to Kaneohe Bay, it was pouring down rain so hard you could barely see out the windshield.  I saw a waterfall pouring down the side of the mountain.  That only happened once in the two years I've lived here.  So I researched on the computer and found a spot called Waimea Valley which has a waterfall.  It actually is a spot where LOST was filmed.  For those of you who are fans might enjoy knowing it's where Kate and Sawyer went swimming by the falls.  I have no idea because I never watched the show, but Toni is a big LOST fan so it thrilled her that we were going here. 

The walk through Waimea Valley was absolutely beautiful.  There were a bunch of botanical gardens and streams.  It was very peaceful and felt very "Hawai'i."  It was quite a haul to get to the waterfall but well worth it.  I couldn't believe people were actually paying to have a golf cart drive them to the falls.  The walk was seriously too pretty to miss.  Once we got to Waimea Falls I couldn't stop taking pictures.  It was just so cool.  I felt like such a tourist!  The waterfall made a natural spring pool.  We all took turns hopping in and swimming over the waterfall.  Trey took Riley in while I stayed with Hadley.  The water was rather chilly so Riley wasn't a fan at first.  But then she grew fond of the pool.  That is until Trey swam her over to the waterfall and she started screaming.  He had to bring her back and then swim back over so he and BJ could pose under the fall.  I always thought it would be fun the let a waterfall pour over me.  When Toni and I swam out to the waterfall and tried to climb up it felt like we were going to drown.  That waterfall seriously pounds on your head so hard you have to keep your eyes closed and can't see anything.  But it was a totally fun experience!

I'm so looking forward to taking my mom and Aunt Terry here next month!