The Left Lane
O'ahu mac nuts debut

Tropical Farms, a macadamia nut farm outlet at Kualoa Ranch, opened last month.

The outlet sells nuts from the only working macadamia orchard on O'ahu, a 25-acre spread of 1,600 trees in Waialua on the North Shore. Flavored and plain nuts are brought to the outlet fresh each day and sold by the half-pound and pound at prices "well below the shelf prices in most stores," said Chrissy Paty, who owns and operates Tropical Farms. Honey, coconut, garlic, onion and regular roasted nuts are on sale.

Visitors also get to see the antique but fully working husking machinery for shelling the nuts and can get a complimentary tasting cup of mac-nut flavored Kona coffee at the adjoining coffee gallery.Kukui nut products from Waialua, gift items and plants also are on sale.

Tropical Farms is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Traveling man

Theroux's "The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia," is No. 2 on the list, which appears in the April issue. His book about the Pacific, "The Happy Isles of Oceania," comes in at 71. His other works on the list include books on train travels in the Americas and China.

The magazine definition's of a travel book is loose and wide-ranging. It includes everything from Hunter Thompson's "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" (7) to "Across Asia on the Cheap" (33) to Saul Bellow's "Henderson, the Rain King" (87).

And the No. 1 travel book of all time, according to the magazine? "The Innocents Abroad" by Mark Twain, another sometimes Hawai'i resident.

The whole list is available at the www.travelocitymag.com Web site.