Tag Archives: Big Island

The Volcano Tour Begins

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Evidence of Volcano Activity  is Everywhere

As we made the rounds to the various resorts we passed remains of past volcanic activity. Lava turns into very rich topsoil but it doesn’t happen overnight.  The Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands. There are six volcanoes that have worked together over the last (give or take) one million years to create the Big Island. These volcanoes formed one after the other and partially overlap. From oldest to youngest their names are: Mahukona, Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Three volcanoes are still active: Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Kilauea is currently erupting while the other two could erupt at any time. Mauna Kea is dormant, Kohala inactive and Mahukona has probably never breached the ocean surface.

The lava flows we passed on the Kona Side were from Mauna Loa’s last eruption is 1984

 

Lava flow to the ocean

Kona Coast

A Snow Capped Volcano

Halfway to Hilo we pulled into a picnic area. This was a former boy scout camp. It was clean and well maintained. The only negative was another tour had arrived before us and took the only handicapped table. Zane, our tour guide , and the young Aussie men pulled another table over to the edge of the paved walk way. This worked to allow our handicapped guest a way to wheel up to a table. Lunch was a excellent boxed lunch. The sandwiches and cookies were amazingly fresh. Zane explained that everything in the lunches from the fruit to the bread to the cookies were all local grown. In fact he had to wait for the cookies to come out of the oven this morning before he picked us up. It was cool while we picnicked. We were in the saddle between the 2 volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. We could see the snow on the mountain tops.

Snow Capped volcano

 

Rainbow FallsHilo and Rainbow Falls

Zane told us that it would rain once we got to Hilo. Hilo is part of the rain forest and it rains every day. We skipped Akaka Falls and headed to Rainbow Falls. Sure enough it started to rain. When the sun is out there are rainbows over the falls caused by the spray, hense the name, Rainbow Falls. We’d just have to settle for the falls today, no rainbows.

tour bus

Touristy Kona

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Kona Hawaii

Royal Kona from the ocean

Royal Kona from the ocean

Kona Hawaii is often referred to as the dry side of the Big Island. Then you hear that the tourists like it because it’s sunny. What I noticed first was that there are resorts, shops and restaurants everywhere along Alii Dr. Parking, if present at all, is at a premium.  Walking or taking a trolley is the preferred method of getting around here. (With my bad back the walking was a problem) It reminded me of South Beach. Florida. If you recall I didn’t care much for South Beach and I was feeling the same way about Kona. My first day in Kona and I was already missing Sea Mountain. The loyal locals told me it was School Break which was why there were so many kids, families and young adults. I hadn’t even noticed that!

The Royal Kona Resort

When I booked this trip I was told I would be in a hotel room, not a condo. I agreed. I was also told that there were two restaurants. They made it sound like I wouldn’t miss a kitchen at all. Maybe if my name were Trump or Rockefeller. I wasn’t about to spend $22.00 for a breakfast buffet. It wasn’t even that special, just the usual eggs, meat (bacon & sausage,) maybe pancakes or waffles depending on the day. I had spotted a MacDonald’s on my drive in from the airport. Their breakfast was just fine with me and a lot less expensive. On the map above my room  was overlooking the Lagoon Terrace.

Lagoon Terrace

 

The Smoky Aroma of the Imu

As I headed out to retrieve my car I recognized the unmistakable smell of a charcoal fire. The Imu for the luau is right near my room. The staff gets the fire stoked up bright and early so the fire can burn down to coals and the Imu pig be readied for roasting for the luau that night. Good thing I like the smell of charcoal!

Firing up the Imu

 

Back to the Big Island

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The Big Island of Hawaii

After 11 years I’m returning to the Big Island of Hawaii. In many ways the Big Island is Hawaii to me. It’s more rural and it has active volcanoes. It was the first Island of the chain that I ever visited. It was time to see what had changed. And if I tell the truth I wanted to see the lava from Kilauea pouring into the sea. When we made the visit 11 years ago we stayed at Sea Mountain Resort on the wet side of the Island. This time I was staying at the Royal Kona resort in Kona, the dry side of the Island. We had a beautiful condo with a lanai at Sea Mountain. At the Royal Kona Resort I was in a standard hotel room. It had a big bed and the slider to the lanai were covered with sliding wooden panels rather than tacky drapes. 

 

my basic hotel room

Basic Hotel Room

View from the Lanai

I didn’t get to see the view the first night since it was pretty dark by the time I located the resort. They also didn’t quite meet Diamond Resorts standards for service either. But after some pushing and prodding I managed to get a bell hop to assist with my bags. Parking was tough. Although they had a huge lot it was all up hill. The best I could do was to park on the grass next to the tennis courts. I had plenty of company parking there. My room was an ocean view  on the second floor. I could hear the waves crashing on the shore. First thing the next morning I threw open the sliders to the lanai to a gorgeous water view. This was one room that was truly an ocean view.  It was going to be hard to leave the deck to go exploring!

Lagoon surf

What’s in Store for 2018

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2018 Plans and Trips

It’s 2018. Time for new plans and trips. This year I will mark my 5th anniversary at my company. That earns me a bonus week of vacation. So I’ll have 4 adventures to share this year. Of course I’ll be exploring local sights and scenes in between trips. So what do I have in mind for this busy year?

Surf's upHawaii Big and Small

First up is Hawaii. I mentioned in my last post that I am headed back to Maui in February. You won’t have long to wait for those details. In March I’m heading back across the Pacific to spend a week on The Big Island. The Big Island was what started all this travel. It was my first real vacation back in 2007. My mom and sister joined me at Sea Mountain Resort  on the windward side of Hawaii (The Big Island). This is the lush, rain forest side of the Island. It’s also quite close to Volcano National Park.  We only took one tour, a plane ride over the island. The rest of the time we rented a car and Big Island Waterfallexplored. We searched for everything from black sand beaches to erupting volcanoes and I was hooked. I fell in love with both travel and Hawaii. This trip will be to Kona on the dry side of the island.

Wyoming Again

After my March vacation the busy season starts at work. I’ve tried taking vacation then but it’s not easy so I plan to limit myself to weekend excursions until the End of September. I have unfinished business in Yellowstone. Originally I tried to get accomodations in Idaho so I could enter the western side of the park but nothing was available.  That means I’ll be going back to Teton Village in Jackson. It will mean alot more driving to reach the park sections I want to visit but the condo at Teton Village is gorgeous so I’ll make the sacrifice. One change, I plan to rent an SUV this trip!

An Active geyser

The Bonus Trip

I still have one more trip to plan. It’s my bonus vacation. I think that deserves a post of its own.

 

 

My Favorite Experiences

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Let’s leave the supernatural behind. I’ve got a long list of places I visited over the years so I thought I’d mention some of my favorite experiences.  That’s not as easy as it seems. but at least it’s fun to reminisce.

The very first trip I took was to Hawaii on 2007. My Mom and Sister went with me. We went to the Big Island. In a way I wish I could get that innocence back.

akaka-falls

I think I spent the whole vacation with my mouth open. Everything amazed me from the condo overlooking the golf course and the ocean waves to the Chain of Craters Road in Volcano National Park. Everything was new and fresh.

kona-hawaii-hotel

The following year I went back to Hawaii. This time to Oahu.  This time my sister went with me  but my mom stayed at home. We were in a high rise building only a block from Waikiki Beach. And we saw rainbows ever day, morning and afternoon!

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That trip had so many highlights. Of course there was Pearl Harbor. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, everyone should go there and pay their respects. It is such a moving experience.

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I snorkeled in Hanauma Bay, a volcanic crater. What an amazing time!

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We spent a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, another don’t miss stop and nearly got blown off the “pali ” (cliffs) at Nuuanu Pali State Park, our first experiance with the trade winds.

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Jump to the fall of 2008. I was in a use it or lose it position with my time share points so I took another vacation. On a shoe string I booked Sedona, Arizona. This time I was traveling alone.

Snoopy Rock

Snoopy Rock

The Red Rocks of Sedona are breath taking but nothing prepared me for my first sight of the Grand Canyon.

On the South Rim, Grand Canyon 2008

On the South Rim, Grand Canyon 2008

I stepped off the tour bus and my head spun. I had to step back. The sight made me so dizzy. My mind kept telling me it wasn’t real. Nothing could be that spectacular.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

It’s fun to think back like this and almost embarrassing to look at my pictures. I’m happy to say I’ve improved in that department!