The Big Update from the Big Island…

October 29 2009 by Darrin.

Thursday morning here, and I find myself at Kona Coffee Company in Kailua-Kona.  Yup. the same Kona we hate.  Too many people, WAY HOT and HUMID.  But the coffee’s decent (100% Kona, of course) and the internet is free.

Anna’s started her four-day course this morning, so I’m on my own for the rest of the daytime here in Hawai’i.  I left Anna here at the Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort and Spa.  Here’s what that looks like, from the road above…

[DAMN!  Forgot my cable.  Oh well…  Here’s one from where I’m sitting right now, a few miles away, from my phone instead…]

So what’s been going on for the last few days?  Beaches, relaxation, and listening to stories from home about the Blizzard of October, 2009!  (That’s not snickering you hear.  Really.)  To recap for you, Kona sucked(s).  But the cottage 30 miles south is really nice, and owned by a school teacher (art) from Pennsylvania, by way of 21 years teaching in Seattle.  It’s pretty tastefully done in an Indonesian style that Anna just loves.  Here’s what you find driving in.  The directions say, “turn right at the Buddha”…

And the porch, through the foliage…

Down below, there’s a meditation hut.  In the following pix, you’ll see the hut, a great airchair (for meditating with a beer, and the view from the chair.)

Flowers are everywhere (as are geckos, mongoose, tropical birds, turkeys, chickens, rats and bugs) and here’s the bouquet that greets us on the table…

Outside, it’s, well, tropical paradise…

We hung out at Makalani Cottage the rest of the day Monday, and Tuesday ventured just a few miles south to Maloli’i Beach.  From there, we took an intimidating 20-minute hike through spooky jungle and Hawaian burial grounds to Honomalino Bay.  It’s georgeous!  The hike it littered with “NO TRESSPSSING” signs, but our host and all the books assured us it IS legal, and public access.  The people just don’t want you in their front yards! Here’s the Bay that evening…

No - no sunset to die for.  We haven’t seen ONE since we’ve been here.  The mornings are beautiful, the heat and humidity come on at around 1000, and by 1300, it’s overcast and hazy.  Is it the time of year, bad weather, the location on the Big Island, or just Hawaii in general?  Where are those sunsets?

Yesterday, Wednesday, we planed a “big one”.  We headed for Hilo in the northeast of the island.  There’s a great farmer’s market there, and it was  packed with all sorts of stuff.  Coming out of the trees near Naalehu, Rt. 11 opens up by the ocean, and Honuapo Bay.  Here’s that, through the building haze…

 Hilo is a little more “homey” and less touristy than the Kona area, and there were lots of hippies there.  (Everywhere…)  At the market, veggies, foods, baked goods, Asian prepared stuff, and flowers overflowed.  These buckets were $5 each…

 After a Thai lunch, we headed for Rainbow Falls, just out of Hilo…

Feeding the Falls, you find the Boiling Pots.  Not sure why they’re called that.  The water’s not hot.  Just turbulent…

From Hilo, we headed back and on the way hit Hawai’i Volcanoes Nation Park.  It was mostly closed due to high levels of SO2 gas, which Anna’s trying to suck up.  Compared to Yellowstone, it’s oderless…

At least we could see Kilauea Crater…

The only other thing open to visit was a huge lava tube, which you can walk through.  Here are a few photos from that very cool experience.  Note Anna way down at the end in the last one…

And finally, on the way home, we hit Punalu’u Park - famous for the black sand beach.  The sand is rare, and is created when lava hits seawater and shatters like glass.  It’s then ground into sand by the crashing surf.  Absolutely gorgeous!  Here’s some lava as it approached the sea…

…and the beach just left (north-east) of it…

Oh well.  Enough for now.  I’m sweating into the keyboard as I type.  I’m going to get some fuel, hit Safeway for some more bagels, sausages, and half-and-half, and then head “home”.  After a nap, I think I’ll hit Honomalino again, this time with snorkel and mask.

Did I mention it was snowing in Wyoming.  Oh yeah, I did.  It’s breaking my heart.  But THANKS MOM for holding down the (snow) fort, watching the dogs and cats, and not complaining.  You never do.

 Until the next time, unless I’m eaten by a shark…

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