Day 7 - Goodbye Kauai

We went to breakfast at Java Kai one last time today.  I got Kona coffee again (can you tell I really like it, LOL) and a bagel.  Todd got the carrot cake and a brownie, and ate the carrot cake for breakfast, saving the brownie for later.  Went back to the condo to pack up the last of our things.  Last day of vacation is always kind of a bummer, isn't it?  It isn't so much that I didn't want to leave Kauai, but I dreaded the responsibilities awaiting me when I get back home and to work.  We checked out of the condo around 10am.  Then we drove down the street one block to the Pono Market to pick up some lunch so we can eat it at the airport.  Jessie from yesterday's chocolate farm tour told us that the best local Hawaiian food around town was at the Pono Market.  I looked it up on Yelp and everyone just loves it.  They supposedly had the best ahi poke, so I felt it was my obligation to try it out on our last day in Kauai.  "Ahi" is Hawaiian for yellowfin tuna.  "Ahi Poke" is raw yellowfin tuna cut up, marinated with salt and seaweed and onions.

We pulled up to Pono Market and was able to park right in front of the store, on the street.  It's part of the charm of Kauai that I love.  There was never any parking problems for us.  Although, Kenny, our waterski boat driver from Tuesday, told us that the island gets really busy with tourists from the day after Christmas to about mid-January.  I guess we went during a lull in their tourist season.  Todd took a look inside Pono Market and decided pretty fast that he was going to find his lunch elsewhere, LOL.  He's not a fan of raw fish, octopus, squid, or sushi type of foods.  He also doesn't like a lot of local Hawaiian foods, like plate lunches and saimin.  I love it all!  I guess that's part of my problem with weight.  Basically, I like almost all flavorful foods.  :-|   Not only were there lots of choices for me at Pono Market, but this good stuff was cheap!  I finally decided on a spicy ahi bowl and a teriyaki chicken musubi.  All this food for under $7, I was so stoked!

Me, standing in front of Pono Market, musubi in hand, and spicy ahi bowl in bag.


Very close to the Pono Market was the Hee Fat store. Todd thought the store was insulting him.


Next up, we wanted to buy some Hawaiian stuff at Hilo Hattie.  We found some Christmas gifts, but we can't show them since the recipients might read this blog.  I really wanted to buy some Coconut Macadamia Herbal Tea from Hawaiian Islands Tea Co.  I discovered this tea when we went to Maui three years ago, and ever since I've always had some in my tea cupboards at home.  I love it so much!  But Hilo Hattie was all out of them!  Thank goodness there is a Hilo Hattie in downtown San Diego, so I can get it there if I get desperate. 

Todd with the Hilo Hattie loot.


On the way to the airport, we saw some goats in a forest of palm trees.


Along with the sign that they were for sale. Kauai goats anyone?


We didn't know where the car rental return place was for National Rental Cars, so we followed the National shuttle bus until the driver came out and gave us directions. Car return was quick and painless. Another short shuttle ride later, we were at the Lihu'e Airport. Whenever you leave Hawaii, you have to go through an extra luggage check by the United States Dept of Agriculture. They do not want you to bring any plants or fruits back into the mainland, unless they were pre-certified. Hawaii has fruit flies and other critters not on the mainland, and they don't want the fruit flies to take a ride on the plane and start multiplying on the mainland. After USDA check, we checked our luggage, went through security, and went to our gate. We were early, so we settled into the seats in the waiting area, and I whipped out my spicy ahi bowl.



Let me tell you, I had never had this before, and it was SO delicious! It made me a little sad that I didn't discover Pono Market until our last day on the island. I savored every last bite of that spicy ahi bowl. Todd had to go find some chicken fingers elsewhere in the airport. After we got on the plane, he got out his brownie that he got at Java Kai in the morning, and he loved every bite of it. He said he was sad that he didn't get this brownie every day while on the island! So we have that in common today.

The flight back to Los Angeles was only four hours and forty minutes. (Flight to Kauai from LA was six hours.) I guess the air currents really make a big difference! I saw the most beautiful sunset as we headed east, with the sun behind us.


Thus ended our wonderful week in Kauai. We got home safely around midnight. It was good to be home, but I'm going to purchase and download some of the Hawaiian Christmas songs that we heard on Island Radio 98.9 on Kauai, so the aloha spirit can linger on for a little while longer.