Kaui - rugged, untouched and beautiful

           The Hawaiian islands mean different things to different people.  To many the pristine beaches are wonderful for family vacations and swimming and surfing.  To others, the beautiful oceanside resorts are a place to decompress and escape from the vagaries of the everyday routine.  And to the outdoor enthusiasts, the rain forests and other rugged areas have a rich choice of hiking.  That is what I have always loved about Hawaii - that anyone can find something to love in these islands, and in spite of the occasional crowds in popular places, there is a place for everyone.
           Not being much of a swimmer myself, to me the beach is often a place for reflection and looking to photograph the best sunrise and sunset.  I have found Hawaii to have some of the best sunsets of all the places I have photographed.  On a recent trip to Kauai, I wanted to focus on the more untouched areas.  I am glad that a large part  of the Napali Coast has been preserved and one has to work a little hard to see parts of it.  Having always had a love of exploring canyons, I finally found a chance to hike around the less traversed Waimea Canyon in Kauai.  I found it to be very beautiful and different from the Grand Canyon, even though it is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale's summit.  With a lot more trees, varied vegetation and red volcanic ash, it has a character of its own.  It was well worth the strenuous hike to observe different parts of it.
            We often watch helplessly as many beautiful places in all parts of the world get destroyed with too much careless urbanization.  One can only hope that Kauai will remain as it is.