We arrived on the big island Saturday afternoon around 4 pm and drove our rental 4X4 Trailblazer up to the camp where we were staying, elevation 4,000'. After getting our 2 bedroom with a fireplace cabin, we decided to tour the camp ground. We checked out the rec room filled with video games, pool tables, a mini theater and a mini bowling alley. We ate dinner at the cafeteria, and saw a movie that night. Sunday morning we drove back down to Hilo which is where we flew into, a lovely 45 minute drive to eat breakfast and go to the zoo. The zoo was very small and took us less than an hour to tour, but in that time we came face-to-face with some neat animals. I had an instant love affair with Zoe the blue macaw. We left the zoo and decided to visit two unique beaches, one black and the other green. Reaching these beaches we had to first drive on highway 11 through some serious volcanic wastelands...it got old fast. Black sand beach was very easy to find and it being a Sunday very popular with the locals and tourists. The beach was littered here and there with green sea turtles just snoozing away. We left there feeling fine and ventured on. Now reaching green sand beach proved to be more challenging, but a memory filled one. We passed our turn and ended up at the end of the road (Literally), which happens to be the most southern point in the USA, from there we did some off-roading to reach the parking area to the beach. I don't know what came over Jeff and I, I can only describe it as a total Griswald experience. To reach this beautiful experience we had to hike 2-1/2 miles over lava rock and scrub terrain. Sounds relatively easy right? No water, no lunch, improper footwear and wet sand covered clothing made it the walk from hell, that took almost 5 hours to complete, barely making it back before dark. Yeah, laugh all you want, but I'm still having nightmares!
Monday we drove to location of the most recent lava flow, to reach it you drive over a lava field that goes on for miles. Shockingly there were homes being built, and land for sale, the For sale by owner sign cracked me up. From there we drove on a one lane roller coaster road along the coast to reach a natural volcanically heated pool, the temp was about 91, blissful bathwater. The local bathers was a little scary at times. After lunch time we drove to Rainbow falls, and while the boys (all 3 of them) climbed to the top, I stayed below and listened to ukulele music. Late afternoon we drove back to the crater our camp is located in and from there viewed a huge active volcano vent. Tuesday was our day for driving, as we wanted to drive to the top of Mauna Kea (white mountain) which is over 13,000' above sea level and from Dec-Mar is covered in snow. At the top there are observatories that study astronomy. It was actually really BORING at the top, but the drive up and down (4X4 only) was AMAZING. My favorite thing of all was the sign posted cautioning: Beware Invisible Cows! Truly, I am not pulling your leg. From the mountain we drove around saddle road towards Parker Ranch, a 225,000 acre working ranch, the size of which is equal to 2/3 of Ohua...WOW! We visited another water fall - Akaka Falls. We drove back to where the lava has been flowing and walked the mile long route of lava rock to the water, but luck wasn't with us...no lava flow that day. Disappointed and road weary (9 hours worth of driving) we went up to the crater to do some exploring. We did a very easy and pleasant hike up to Thurstan Lava tubes and that was cool and scary knowing you were under ground in a cave that was formed by lava flow. After dinner that night we went back to see the active vent at night, and it was frightening to see it lit up like a huge bonfire. Wednesday, our last day we spent the last couple hours before our flight driving down crater rim road, stopping at different craters and lava areas that have occurred at different times in the past. At the very end of this road it is blocked off and deserted, signs telling you to not stop and to just turn around. Oh hell no, not the Griswalds, we park get out and hike over dangerous lava rock with deep fissures to peer over the edge at a part of the island that's not there anymore, it crumbled in during an earthquake. But, interestingly enough off to the right we could see "Laze" (lava + water) this was the active lava flow entering the ocean that at that time was only visible from air. Our vacation ended with a 40 minute flight back to our island, where we literally ran to our Jeep, through luggage in back and sped off to get the dogs from their vacation at Nalowinds kennel before they closed. Please enjoy the photos I have added, and know we love and miss everyone!
