Balabanova All Over

Monthly Archives: August 2024

[Wainiha, Kauai, Hi, Feb 20, 2024] Kalalau Trail is the only way to get up close and personal with the Na’Pali Coast. There are two ways to experience the 11-mile trail. Day-use visitors can do the first 2 miles of the trail by getting a reservation to enter the trailhead at Haena State Park. There is an option to do a side trail to the Hanakapia’i Waterfall, adding another 2 miles one… Read More

[Waimea, Kauai, HI, Feb 19, 2024] After Ash’s experience with the sunset tour yesterday, he understandably didn’t want to get on a boat again for a while. But he had pre-booked a snorkeling tour for that morning while I was going to hike in Waimea Canyon. We stopped by the charter company to inquire about cancelling it right as they opened at 7 am. They did end up giving him a refund,… Read More

[Poipu/Port Allen, Kauai, Hi, Feb 18, 2024] My friends reminded me that Kauai is the chill island, so we obliged and had a very leisurely morning on our first full day in Hawaii. I enjoyed my morning coffee on the balcony overlooking the ocean and basked in the warmth of the sun. The only thing we had on the docket was a sunset boat tour of the Na’Pali coast, which didn’t start… Read More

[Kapa’a, Kauai, Hawaii, Feb 17, 2024] Hard to believe that I was above the Arctic Circle a month ago, and now I find myself in 75F/24C on the island of Kauai! This is my 5th trip to Hawaii but my first to this island, and I am excited to get out of the cold and gloomy weather in Portland! Kauia is the oldest and northernmost Hawaiian island, and it’s also the smallest… Read More

[London, UK, Jan 20, 2024] On our last day in London, we took things pretty easy. We had booked a James Bond movie tour with our London City Card. It was a hack we discovered to help “extend” the card’s validity. Although our cards were only valid for 3 days, we booked this tour for after the card’s expiration. Besides, even though we aren’t huge Bond fans, we thought the tour would… Read More