With the full day open, we figured that Monday would be the best day to take the drive up to Waimea Canyon. Waimea is known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, as it measures to 10 miles in length and is over 3,000 feet deep. Geological facts aside, the site is simply breathtaking:
We drove from the South Shore (where we’re staying), up to the west side of the island, then took the 18 miles road that took us up to the top of the canyon. The drive was a sport in itself, especially in the convertible:
This was the easy part! As we drove we encountered road construction, where Bethany made the comment “You can’t escape road construction, even in paradise.”
After a very steep and bumpy drive, we finally made it to the top. Bethany assured me that that view would be well worth it, and my wife was definitely telling the truth:
Bethany put it best when she said that you can’t even tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins on the horizon. We took a series of incredible pictures which we’ll post on Flickr, but we wanted to post proof that we made it to the top:
We drove our way back down the canyon (which Bethany documented in a video that we’ll be posting), taking the scenic route. At this point we were very hungry and ready for lunch. We hoped to stop by Brick Oven Pizza (as our guidebook lists it as the best pizza on the island), only to find that they were closed. We went to a deli across the street and enjoyed a Mango Smoothie and turkey sandwiches.
The long drive with the top down took its toll on Bethany, and she napped in the afternoon to recover. We enjoyed a swim in the resort pool, throwing a football around in the water. We then freshened up for our dinner at Roy’s: a great restaurant that featured steak and various fish. We both enjoyed a four-course “sampler” meal, which offered very delicious – but modest – portions that left us satisfied.
Jeromey committed a Honeymoon No-No by forgetting to wear his wedding ring to dinner. These late-afternoon showers throw off his routine.
We finished the night by taking in another movie (this time it was “Pure Country” featuring Bethany’s handsome cowboy George Straight) – along with some wine we snuck down to the hot tub in plastic kitchen cups (very classy.).
Next Up: Relaxation at the Spa, relaxation at the resort.