Jurassic Chicken
Posted in Romantic Locations, Scenery, Travel | By Shelley Gillespie | Tags: Hawaii, Islands, Travel
Sometimes you can travel to a place and they never prepare you for the realities of what you might experience. That was the case when we landed in Kauai. We were never alerted to the overpopulation of chickens.
Our plans were to spend a quiet day exploring the undeveloped and breathtaking Koke’e State Park and Waimea Canyon. The drive provided scenery that made you want to get out of your car (we rented one) to see it.
Eventually, we settled in at the Koke’e Lodge to grab some lunch. The menu had an eclectic mix of items including soups, chili, sandwiches, salads and, of course for Hawaii, coconut pie.
http://www.kokeelodgekauai.com/
What we hadn’t counted on was the entertainment. At that time, we didn’t know that chickens had been supposedly swept away in a major storm and were scattered everywhere in Kauai. They bred – a lot.
Outside of the open door where we were eating, several of the roosters began to fight over one of the chickens. It was quite a spirited fight with a rousing chorus of squawks. I don’t remember who won, but it was unexpected.
Fighting rooster
Next stop waterfalls and…
After lunch we followed a leisurely drive down the mountain, stopping regularly at pull-outs and larger stops to see the cliffs and waterfalls. The proliferation of waterfalls and the many curves had us paying attention.
Waterfall in Waimea Canyon
When we stopped at a larger parking area, we spent some time in photographing the cliffs and enjoying the deep green growth juxtaposed against the reddish earth.
Finally ready to call it an afternoon and head back to our cottage in Old Koloa Town to plan dinner, we did not expect what came next…
An advancing phalanx of chickens, roosters and chicks came swarming toward us, relentlessly following us as we headed to our car. They weren’t to be deterred with a “shoo” or two.
We hurried our pace. They kept coming. Just as I reached the car, jumped in and closed the door, they reached the door, too. I was breathless from running at the end of our retreat. I think I know how the people felt in Jurassic Park when the dinosaurs were after them. They didn’t want to quit.
When we started the car, they took off, but they were persistent fowl. I had felt a moment of utter panic. If I had carried something to feed them, perhaps they could have been pacified and would have left us alone. We didn’t have any food with us.
The scenery was great, but the fowls were foul. I think they are conditioned to be fed by tourists, but we weren’t fulfilling their expectations. I was surprised at the sheer number.
Ever had an army of chickens come after you?