Thursday, April 08, 2010

Best tour ever

When K and I started talking about what we'd like to do on our trip to Hawaii this time around, I knew that I wanted to visit the macadamia nut farm ER and I had toured on our trip a few years ago. It wound up being our favorite part of the trip.

Somehow, after living on the island for over a year, CG hadn't been on the trip. After K and I finished hiking the crater, we headed toward the farm.




Our tour guide took us on an open bus around the farm, telling us about all the different varieties of plants they had on the ground. It was a pretty nice botanical tour, and CG was impressed with it alone. 

(I didn't take many pictures during this part since I'd taken a lot when I'd been on the tour before.)



Besides, I knew I wanted to save all the energy in my shutter finger for my favorite part: Chief's performance. 

Chief had put on a great show when ER and I had visited the farms. I hoped he'd still be there, but considering my first visit was 5 years ago, I didn't expect it. But I wasn't disappointed!

Chief signaling the start of the feast. 


He started a fire with two sticks!





He used the fire to light a torch ... and then he twirled it while the other members of the tour played the drums!





He threw the torch way into the air ... 


... and then he caught it!




For the finale, he threw the torch to our tour guide, who effortlessly caught it!



While Chief performed, our guide made headbands for everyone. (CG was laughing hysterically during Chief's entire part of the tour.)


Even the guys got headbands!




As if that wasn't enough for the tour, they took us onto a boat next. On one side of us was the island where Gilligan's Island was filmed. On the other side was land that has been in a number of movies and shows -- everything from Lost, Jurassic Park, and Tears in the Sun, to 50 First Dates, Fantasy Island, and Along Came Polly!

Does our background look familiar?


This building has been in a number of movies & shows, but the one I know best is 50 First Dates. It's the Hukilau Cafe! 



When we were leaving the boat, I stopped to take a picture of some beautiful ginger flower bouquets nearby. One of the guys on the tour gave me one for both me and CG!



Back at the market area, they even gave the three of us bananas fresh off the tree! I think they liked us!



Once the tour was over, I was so glad to hear K and CG had loved it as much as ER and I had when we'd visited. CG plans to take her guests there now! It's a tour I'll definitely be recommending to anyone I know going to Oahu!

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