Visit Kona: Kona Sea Salt

Kona Sea Salt offers tours for those interested in the salt-making process.  As part of Naʻau, we got an abbreviated tour with Melanie, Chief Salt Maker, who graciously spent time explaining the process as well as the history of the salt farm.

 

We started the tour with a refreshing glass of water and some of their Magnesium Drops, which we learned was produced during the salt-making process.

The location of the farm allows Kona Sea Salt to access nutrient-rich sea water 2200 feet deep.  

It was very interesting to learn how different salt crystals were produced during the drying process, how long it takes, as well as the production of nigari (what is used to make tofu).

The heat was intense, so if you have an umbrella (or even a neck fan), it's highly recommended!

Kona Sea Salt offers all sorts of salts and magnesium products in their store or online.

We didn't have time for a salt tasting or a foot soak, but hopefully next time!

Kona Sea Salt

73-907 Makako Bay Dr

Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

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Visit Kona: Big Island Abalone

If you're looking for something interesting and educational to do while on the Kona coast, book a tour with Big Island Abalone!  

We were hosted for a tour as part of Na‘au, and there turned out to be several tourists who joined the tour, and they were very interested in abalone, asking a lot of questions and taking lots of pictures!

We learned about how the access to deep sea water and the abundance of sunlight creates an ideal environment for abalone production.  Big Island Abalone produces over 100 tons of abalone a year!

We saw lots of live abalone of all different sizes.

Big Island Abalone producers Ezo abalone, a type of abalone found off the Hokkaido coast, and they feed on dulse, which Big Island Abalone also produces.

At the end of the tour, we got to taste some abalone.

During the week, they have a truck from which you can order abalone dishes!

Big Island Abalone
73-357 Makako Bay Dr

Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

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Visit Blue Mountains: Beyond the Black Top Adventures

Disclosure: Our family was a guest of Blue Mountain Tourism and Beyond the Black Top Adventures.

If you're visiting the Blue Mountains, I would highly suggest Beyond the Black Top Adventures for a thrilling experience.

Owner Paul, who was also our driver and guide, took us on a 3-Hour Army Truck adventure on a 6-seater "Wombat," which is an open air Ex-Australian Army Land Rover.

We buckled in, and began our adventure in Katoomba, where we were picked up at our hotel, and then we visited a few stops (since we visited in the middle of winter, it was very, very cold riding on the Wombat, but we did get two blankets each to help keep us warm).

The first stop was Landslide Lookout.  We walked a short trail, and came upon a cliff with amazing views.  It was quite anxiety-inducing because you are literally standing right near the edge of the cliff, but it was quite exhilarating too.  

It was too amazing for words.  

The landscape was vast, with thousands of trees, and it was just pretty mesmerizing.

We could see and hear hundreds of cockatoos flying around.  

We saw thousands and thousands of eucalyptus (gum) trees.  The trees are a source of oil, which is one reason why bush fires grow so rapidly in the area.  

It is these same oils that when emitted, create the blue haze that gives the Blue Mountains its name.

Another stop was the Wind Eroded Cave in Blackheath.  To think that it was once under water is pretty hard to imagine.  It was such an incredible sight!

It was really neat getting to see all of the nooks and crannies created by time and nature.

My youngest son and husband, along with Paul, did a short climb up part of the cave. 

The trail for Anvil Rock Lookout was right next to the Wind Eroded Cave's trail.  Named after its shape, the lookout offers stunning views of Grose Valley.

It's hard to describe the feeling when you're gazing at thousands of trees in peace.  It's even harder to imagine the devastating bush fires that consumed so much of the Blue Mountains just a few years prior.  The experience definitely gave me a deeper sense of appreciation for our natural surroundings. 

I'm always intrigued by plants whenever hiking or in the outdoors, and I was busy snapping away during the adventure.

It was neat to see plants native to New South Wales, and ones that even thrive on bush fires.

Mountain Devil

Wattle

Throughout the tour, Paul identified various plants, gave us the history of the different areas, told us all about the bush fires, and even pointed things out that we would never have noticed on our own - like the home of one of the deadly spiders in Australia - the Funnel Web spider.  

I also thought it was really neat to see the spectrum of colors on the rocks (the red is rust!).

Throughout the tour, charred remains were constant reminders of the bush fires.  It was a powerful reminder of the fragility of our eco-systems.

Beyond the Black Top Adventures offer a number of tours in varying lengths, and you're sure to find one that suits you and your group.  

They offer an ideal way to visit areas of the Blue Mountains that you may not otherwise have access to, especially without a car.  

Beyond the Black Top Adventures was a memorable experience!

To book a tour with Beyond the Black Top Adventures, click here.  
 

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Visit Seoul: DMZ Tour

One of the biggest tourist attractions in South Korea is the DMZ, or demilitarized zone.  I looked through Facebook groups and saw that many people had great experiences on tours booked through Tripadvisor, so we found a highly-rated tour, and booked through VVIP Travel.

A tour bus picks up at two different hotels before heading out to the DMZ.

The tour bus was comfortable, with air conditioning, cup holders, and charging ports.

Once on the tour bus, we met our guide, "Jenny" (she gave herself an American name so tourists can more easily remember her and pronounce her name), who told us all about what to expect, and also gave us the history about the DMZ.

We first ended up at Imjingak Park, which is home to numerous memorials and other significant objects of the Korean War.

Peace Train

Statue of Peace - honoring the victims of sexual slavery during WWII

Mangbaeddan Memorial

Prior to heading out to the tunnel, we browsed some of the area at Imjingak Park, which included an old train from the Korean War, ribbons of hope and peace, the Mangbaeddan memorial, and more.  

A touching monument dedicated to a show that reunited North and South Korean families was adorned with photos from the show, and would play a song "30 Years Lost."

It's pretty heartbreaking when you think about how so many families became separated, most never to see each other again.

After touring the grounds a bit more, we got a bite to eat (there are several eateries onsite).  

Pre-pandemic, 5-thousand visitors were allowed daily.  When we went in October, only 700 were allowed daily, and it was literally a mad scramble amongst tour guides for tickets.  

Each guest must bring a passport, which is verified by soldiers going into and out of the area, as well as at the ticket office.

Pictures are not allowed at certain places, once of which is the 3rd infiltration tunnel, created by the North Koreans.

Our tour guide told us about the discovery of the tunnel, and how it is actually quite challenging to traverse, as it is an 11-degree slope down and then back up.

When we got to the tunnel, she jokingly said "Welcome to hell."  I thought she was exaggerating, but let me just say, it was one of the most difficult walks I've ever experienced.  Going down was not so bad.  

At the end of the tunnel is a hole where you can get a peek into North Korea.  

Then you turn around and make the trek back up.  Going back up was torture.  It wreaked havoc on my legs.  There were several on our tour who had to stop and rest at some of the benches throughout the tunnel.  Everyone must wear helmets, as a portion of the tunnel is very low (North Koreans are said to be shorter in general than South Koreans).  If you're tall, you have to crouch down while squatting through the tunnel. 

I was so glad to have made it out of that tunnel!  We took some touristy pictures outside before we headed to the Odusan Unification Observatory, where we could see North Korea.

You can see both the North Korea and South Korea flags.

The North Korea flag was made to stand taller than the South Korea flag.

We then did a quick stop at a cafe and gift shop, where we indulged in Black Sesame Ice Cream, and I bought bottles of a ginseng drink to bring back home.

Coincidentally, while we were on the tour, North Korea fired its first missile in years over Japan.  I didn't know this until we got back to our hotel, but while on the tour bus, our tour guide stated that the missile firings don't bother them.  

What happened and continues to happen between North Korea and South Korea is tragic, and I feel for the families who have been separated since.  

The DMZ Tour was informative and enlightening, and I highly recommend going on one to get a better understanding of the division between North and South Korea, and the impact it has had worldwide.
 

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