Kauai Island: Thanksgiving Break 2024

 The day began with a groggy 6:15 a.m. wake-up call—our third early morning in a row, and boy, did it feel like the hardest. But once again, the reward was a dazzling, technicolor sunrise that made every bleary-eyed moment worth it. We powered through a quick breakfast (better than anything in the HPA cafeteria, hands down!) before hopping into our trusty minivans. Two minutes into our drive, we hit an essential pit stop: the campground coffee shed. The coffee? Let’s just say it was more functional than flavorful, but it got the job done, fueling us for the adventure ahead. This was also the first—and sadly the last—coffee of the trip, so we savored every bitter sip. Our main event of the day awaited on the other side of the island: Koloa Zipline! After a scenic drive along the coast, we met our instructors, Ed and Koa, who kept us laughing with their cheesy dad jokes and “unsolvable” riddles. As we zipped from one platform to the next, our confidence grew, and so did our daring t...

This morning we started off with a treat, we got to sleep in until after sunrise and wake up at 7:30am. We g athered together at the pavilion and had some Chobani's yogurt, cereal, croissants, wraps, amongst other tasty things and hopped into the vans to start the day's adventures. We headed to Hanalei town for surfing lessons where we met an interesting instructor called Rick. He taught us that aloha means much more than just hello and goodbye. Rick said, “no man, aloha means one with breath” . He explained that surfing is often more simple than people think, that we should “try hard not to try hard ” and follow the flow. Rick was full of little insights and had a high standard for surfing excellence. We went behind the shop and practiced standing up on our boards and then headed to Hanalei Pier for our lessons in the water. Right after we arrived to the surf beach we divided our amazing group into smaller groups of three. After that it was time to ride the waves, we are luc...

Happily written by : Adela, Andre, Anna, Clement (with Julian distracting the entire time, but pretending to help.) (Pics at the end) An Epic Journey Along the Nā Pali Coast The day began with an unforgiving 5:30 a.m. wake-up call, a moment far too early for anyone’s comfort. Groggy but determined, we shook off the dregs of sleep and gathered for a breakfast so delicious it momentarily erased the memory of the rude awakening. Fueled and ready, we loaded into our two trusty minivans, bracing ourselves for the adventure ahead. As the engines purred to life, we embarked on a stunning one-hour drive, winding through roads kissed by dawn’s golden light. The anticipation was palpable as we approached the trailhead of the legendary Nā Pali Coast. Standing at the edge of the trail, we felt a mix of excitement and lingering fatigue, but the promise of what lay ahead pushed us forward. The journey began with a demanding 3.2 kilometers of relentless ascents and descents. With each step, the trail...

 Aloha! Today marked the beginning of our exciting Thanksgiving adventure in Kauai. From the moment we landed in Lihue, the beauty of Kauai set the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable trip. We started with a scenic drive to the Wailua River, where we enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch by the water. Fueled up and ready for adventure, we launched our kayaks and paddled upriver, soaking in the lush greenery and the dramatic mountain vistas that make Kauai so unique. The students were amazed by just how green and vibrant the island is, a stark contrast to what many had imagined. Our journey included a short hike through the jungle to Secret Falls. Despite the name, it wasn’t quite a secret with other groups sharing the trail, but the waterfall was the perfect way to start our 5 days of adventures. The return kayak trip tested our group’s determination, as we paddled against the afternoon winds. Thankfully, the weather was on our side—sunny skies and cool breezes kept us energiz...

 Hello and welcome to the Kauai Island Thanksgiving Blog!  Our group will be gathering together on Friday, November 8th for our first meeting about the trip.  During the meeting students will be refreshed on our daily itinerary for the trip and we will do some team bonding activities and then discuss how to pack and prepare!  Our adventures begin on Wednesday, November 27th.  Our first day on the island is very busy!  We will land at the Lihue Airport and head right over to the Wailua River for our kayaking adventure.  It'll take us some time to arrive at Kumu Camp and settle in for the night, so we anticipate our first blog will arrive late on Wednesday night.  Stay Tuned!