the turquoise trail

Hawaii; the big island I like to think of the big island of Hawaii as the rural island; it's raw, far less developed & has lots of wide open space (relative, of course.. you can still drive across the island in less than 2 hours..).  This is the island to come to if you like getting off the beaten track and nature is more your thing!  Some of my favourite things from a week on Hawaii.. {hiking} Kaumana Caves Park I did very little hiking during my stay on the big island.. the hiking I did do was mainly short sight-seeing type hikes.  Unfortunately, the Waipio Valley was closed due to a dengue fever outbreak, but I hear it has great hiking!  Kaumana Caves Park is just outside of Hilo and has a lava tube that you can follow for at least 1km!  It's really neat to see.. I'd recommend taking a light & coming back through the lava tube - the surface trail isn't well maintained or marked.  Green Sand beach is on the southern part of the island and...

Maui; the valley isle Maui was probably my favourite island; it features a huge variety of landscape & packs in a multitude of things to do!  It's absolutely gorgeous, and completely different around every bend!  From rainforest to desert, lava rock to white sand beach, quaint country towns to artsy boutique towns.. this island's got it all.  Some highlights from 7 days on Maui.. {hiking} Haleakala Crater There are some fantastic hiking trails scattered over Maui; the highlight for me was Haleakala.  The different minerals left behind from the volcano are displayed in the variety of colours in the crater.  It's a sight to behold, and well worth the trip up - try to go on a clear day!  There are plenty of other opportunities for nature hikes, beach walks & window shopping, no matter what area of the island you're on.   {food} I didn't actually eat out too much during my time on Maui, but there are plenty of farmer'...

Oahu; the gathering place Aptly named, as everyone from everywhere was gathered on Waikiki Beach, taking selfies.  Oahu is a gorgeous island, but it's very touristy and extremely busy in Honolulu & Waikiki.. to truly experience this island, get yourself out of town & off the beaten track - you won't be disappointed!  Some highlights from nine days on the gorgeous island of Oahu.. {hiking} Diamond Head Crater The island of Oahu offers plenty of opportunities for working on that beach bod (better late than never..), hiking being one of my favorites - specifically, the views which are often the reward of a good hike.   Mauawilli Falls First up was the Diamond Head Crater; it is a decent hike up, but it won't kill you.  Unless you go in the middle of the day with no water.  Then, it might.  But with a little planning (it's mostly shaded in the afternoons), it can be a pleasant stair climbing excursion, with a stunning overlook of Waikiki...

Week 8: My favourite part... I thoroughly enjoyed the town of Trois  Rivière Miles... 1063  Day 47: Quispamsis, NB to Fredericton, NB 79 miles  Not feeling too great this morning so I got off to a slow start, but I still made it up the stairs to church. After church a few stayed for a delicious lunch, although I was really wishing I felt better. I capped off the afternoon with a sunny nap on the patio hammock, then packed up and headed to Fredericton. I got into my friend C's around 6 for dinner and the evening with her... Hammock naps.. Day 48: Fredericton, NB to Trois Rivière, QC 465 miles  Today got off to an early start with a trip to see what downtown Fredericton has to offer.  From there I hit the road and headed homeward, making quite a few stops to rest and  stretch the bum. I stopped for lunch in Grand Falls and by mid-afternoon I found a little beach, the sun was shining, and it was hot... all at the same time! Ten...

Week 4: My favourite part... I got to see an iceberg!!!  Miles. .. 1263  Day 19: Port Hood, Nova Scotia to Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia  173 miles  Got up around 8 this morning, got all our gear packed up and got ready to head for the Cabot trail! We stopped off for breakfast at a restaurant in Whycocomagh (pronunciation, anyone?) and took a few minutes to clean off the windshields... gross! From there, we continued across to join up with the Cabot trail in Baddeck and followed the it all the way up the east side, making several stops along the way and taking in the sights. We took a detour 6.5kms down a gravel road to see Mary Ann waterfall, and stopped off for fish and chips.  The roads were winding back and forth, up and down all day long which made for a fun and interesting ride along the coast. We got into the hostel in Pleasant Bay around 6, and a shower felt so good. I made toasted tomato sandwiches for dinner, and spent the rest of the evening r...

Week 3: My favourite part... Having the opportunity to see the red sand beaches of PEI! Total miles... 715 Day 12: Beresford, New Brunswick to Miramichi, New Brunswick  88 miles   I said goodbye and left shortly after 8 this morning to take my bike down to the convention for the last day. The rain forecast didn't look too promising, but I went anyways to be an hour further down the road anyhow. Early afternoon the rain did come, and come, and come.  I caught a ride out to visit Gram and witness her critique her grandson's sock selection.  From there I hopped in with another friend, S, and a few of us went for dinner at Boston Pizza.  After dinner, I hitched yet another ride to stay with some other friends for the night. Their cottage is right on the ocean and even with the rain, has a stunning view.  Day 13: Miramichi, New Brunswick to Stratford, Prince Edward Island  210 miles  Rain, rain, and more rain. Slept in...