Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [32]
Be sure to bring sun protection: sunglasses, strong sunscreen, a light hat (like a baseball cap or a sun visor), and a canteen or water bottle if you’ll be hiking—you’ll easily dehydrate on the trail in the tropic heat. Experts recommend carrying 2 liters of water per person per day on any hike. Campers should bring water purification tablets or devices. Also see “Staying Healthy,” later in this chapter.
Don’t bother overstuffing your suitcase with 2 whole weeks’ worth of shorts and T-shirts: Kauai has laundry facilities everywhere. If your accommodations don’t have a washer/dryer or laundry service (most do), there will most likely be a laundry nearby. The only exception to this is Kokee Park, so do a load of laundry before you arrive.
One last thing: It really can get cold on Kauai, especially if you are staying in Kokee. It’s always a good idea to bring long pants and a windbreaker, sweater, or light jacket. And be sure to bring along rain gear if you’ll be in Kauai from November to March.
THE WEATHER
Because Kauai lies at the edge of the tropical zone, it technically has only two seasons, both of them warm. The dry season corresponds to summer, and the rainy season generally runs during the winter from November to March. It rains every day somewhere in the islands at any time of the year, but the rainy season can cause “gray” weather and spoil your tanning opportunities. Fortunately, it seldom rains for more than 3 days straight, and rainy days often just consist of a mix of clouds and sun, with very brief showers.
That Long Flight to Hawaii: How to Stay Comfortable
The plane ride probably will not be the most fun part of your trip to Hawaii. Long flights can be trying; stuffy air and cramped seats can make you feel as if you’re being sent parcel post in a small box. But with a little advance planning, you can make an otherwise unpleasant experience almost bearable.
• Your choice of airline and airplane will definitely affect your legroom. Find more details at www.seatguru.com, which has extensive details about almost every seat on six major U.S. airlines.
• Emergency exit seats and bulkhead seats typically have the most legroom. Emergency exit seats are usually held back to be assigned the day of a flight (to ensure that the seat is filled by someone able-bodied); it’s worth getting to the ticket counter early to snag one of these spots for a long flight. Many passengers find that bulkhead seating (the row facing the wall at the front of the cabin) offers more legroom, but keep in mind that bulkheads are where airlines often put baby bassinets, so you may be sitting next to an infant.
• To have two seats for yourself in a three-seat row, try for an aisle seat in a center section toward the back of coach. If you’re traveling with a companion, book an aisle and a window seat. Middle seats are usually booked last, so chances are good you’ll end up with three seats to yourselves. And in the event that a third passenger is assigned the middle seat, he or she will probably be more than happy to trade for a window or an aisle.
• To sleep, avoid the last row of any section or a row in front of an emergency exit, as these seats are the least likely to recline. Avoid seats near highly trafficked toilet areas. Avoid seats in the back of many jets—these can be narrower than those in the rest of coach class. You also may want to reserve a window seat so that you can rest your head and avoid being bumped in the aisle.
• Get up, walk around, and stretch every 60 to 90 minutes to keep your blood flowing. This helps avoid deep vein thrombosis, or “economy-class syndrome,” a potentially deadly condition that can be caused by sitting in cramped conditions for too long. Other preventative measures include drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol (see next bullet).
• Drink water before,