Our flight to and from Hawaii was exceptionally long as we had booked quite literally at the last minute on points.
And so, we left Kona at 10:00 PM, arriving in Los Angles at 5:00 AM. It was pretty early, and yes, we could have taken a morning flight to Vancouver on points. However, Hilary wisely thought it would be best to find a hotel to get some sleep before starting our final journey to Vancouver.
And so, we took a shuttle to the Marriott Courtyard, only minutes from the airport. We experienced a bit of frustration when the night clerk said, "Oh yes, we have your reservation you booked yesterday for checkout at noon today. You didn't show up last night, so we charged the room. However, our computers won't let us give you the room since you have come in the following day!
It took a half hour of 'reasoning' with him, but finally another receptionist arrived with a bit more common sense. We got the two rooms we needed, and managed to get some rest
In the end, Hilary's idea to stay overnight in Los Angles worked out really well. When we woke, we were refreshed and found a brilliant morning waiting for us.We had breakfast at the nearby Shereton, and then Hilary and I set off for a short adventure, taking a quaintly fitted tourist trolley bus out to Manhattan Beach.
Hilary and I had never been to this part of Los Angles before. What a nice surprise
<--entering the Manhattan Beach area
Manhattan Beach is located here (click here to enlarge)-->
<--Walking down Highland Blvd towards the beach
Manhattan Beach is huge, with white sand stretching in both directions from where we were, as far as the eye could see.
The pier is a favorite destination and viewpoint to watch surfers, cast a line to catch fish, or just to go for a stroll.
Stan and Hilary on Manhattan Beach Pier-->
<--Lifeguard house on the pier
Looking down from the pier to view surfers getting ready to catch the next wave-->
<--Surfing at Manhattan Beach. Click on the photo to enlarge
The surfers out there were pretty good!-->
Fishing at the end of the pier-->
<--Cyclist riding past the Rock'n Fish restaraunt on Manhattan Blvd, not far from the beach
We were told that the Rockfish restaurant is famous for its seafood. We were not disappointed - the prawns and Ahi tuna, served on a bed of ice, was amazing-->
After lunch, Hilary and I wandered among some of the interesting shops along Highland Blvd, then took the trolley back to our hotel.
<--On the shuttle to the airport, for our last journey home.
At last we were back on the plane to San Francisco, connecting, eventually to Vancouver. We arrived home near midnight, tired, but happy with some wonderful memories.
After yesterday's huge excursion around the Island, we were all agreed that today would be totally lazy. Hilary and I enjoyed a morning croissant and coffee at the Marriott while the kids slept in. Later, I took my rented Cannondale bike up the coast for one last time before before returning it to the shop. Basically, I did the same route as yesterday so I took only one or two photos.
Along the way, I found another 'modern' petroglyph on the side of the highway, left by someone who is either looking for Chai tea at Starbucks, or was celebrating the Hebrew "Chai"(חי), meaning "Life!!". -->
Later, Hilary, Rebecca and Naomi enjoyed the sunshine and played on the beach. No photos today - they were busy snorkeling!
<--Waikoloa Beach, in front of the Marriott
The day went by quickly. Soon we were packing for home, then out for dinner for one last time at the excellent Sushi restaurant we found in Queens Market. The taxi to take us to Kona Airport was waiting for us when we got home. Time to leave this beautiful Island.
Our flight left for an overnight flight Los Angles.
Naomi (above), Rebecca and Hilary, boarding the plane. We're coming home! -->
What a day - the longest, and perhaps most interesting of our trip. Knowing we would soon be on a tour that would keep us in a car for most of the day, I woke up early and left for a quick ride up the coast before dawn. The sun was not quite up, but the pre-dawn sky was more than sufficient.
At this hour, it was still warm but not scorching hot as it was during my long ride on "Day Four" of our holidays. I didn't have enough time to go as far as I did then, however, I made it to the turn-off on the way to Hawi before doubling back.
<--Just before sunrise at Waikoloa Beach
Nearer to the equator, sunrise (and sunsets) happen much more quickly than in Vancouver. Within minutes the sun was blazing hot and casting long shadows as I rode.
<--Eureka, I've found a modern petroglyph!!!
Back 'home' again-->
Time for me to get a quick shower... then, we're off to see the volcanoes!
Hi, Naomi here.
Yesterday we had an early start and went to Roy's Restaurant to meet up with our tour group and tour guide. For the beginning of the tour, we went (in a van) to the other side of the island to get to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. At the park (at about two in the afternoon), we saw smoke and a red line coming out of the crater. It was quite a sight but, the sulfur smell was disgusting.
Becca, Dad, and I found a seismometer. We jumped up and down to see what would happen on the seismograph.
<--What happened when we jumped. EARTHQUAKE!!!
Stan writing:
Our trip to the Thomas A. Jagger Museum at the edge of the Kīlauea crater, (or, more accurately, a caldera) was great introduction to the incredible forces that created these islands. Kīlauea, which has been erupting continuously for over eighty years, is the most active volcano in the world. Lava oozes from its slopes like thick toothpaste, down the mountain, and capriciously destroying everything in its midst.
We stood on the edge of the crater, knowing that just below the hardened crust was molten rock, streaming down in underground vents. As rains fall on the mountainside, which it frequently does, steam can be seen rising from the earth.
Steam coming up from the earth, through cracks where rain water touches hot lava-->
When molten lava comes up from the earth, the outer layer cools into hardened rock, leaving an inner core that is still liquid, flowing through subterranean vents that eventually emerge from the side of the mountain. When the lava emerging from the inside of the mountain ceases, or is redirected, the vents will drain, leaving the hardened outer shell that results in caverns or tubes, that can be big enough to walk through. We did exactly that!
Rebecca, entering the lava tube-->
<--This lava tube is about 400 years old, and is a third of a mile long. Electric lights show the way down the long tube created not by miners or erosion but through liquid volcanic rock flowing through it, down the mountain.
Stan, emerging from the other end of the tube-->
When we made it up out of the lava tube, we found ourselves in the midst of a tropical rain forest. Massive hapu'u ferns and flowering trees formed a canopy over our heads, where multi-colored birds chirped and sang continuously. The forest was full of life, flourishing even as it clings to the side of a mountain that is awesome in its destructive potential.
Naomi writing: Afterward, we loaded the van again and headed down to the macadamia nut farm where we tried numerous kinds of macadamias, honey, fruit, and had a delicious dinner.
<--The farm where we had dinner was filled with many varieties of tropical flowers and trees.
Hibiscus-->
<--Bananas, ripening in the tree. Most varieties of fruit and flowers are not native to Hawaii, but were imported from other tropical countries.
Stretching our arms and legs before getting on the bus again-->
After dinner, we quickly stopped by the ocean to take pictures and then headed up to where the lava river was.
<--The place where Scott, our guide, took us to was truly beautiful.
Stan, enjoying the view-->
Rebecca and Naomi-->
<--This used to be Kaimū Bay, a place now filled with black lava.
Only a short distance from this beautiful spot, we saw evidence of what Kīlauea can do. Kapalana Black Sand Beach was a favorite place for local residents, a beautiful beach shaded by coconut trees. A place where children played and families had picnics, until lava started pouring from Kīlauea in 1990. It filled the bay with twenty feet of lava, extending for a quarter of a mile into the sea.
<--Tree mould, formed in 1990 when molten lava encased a coconut tree.
Lava mould of seed pods,-->
<--The new beach at what was Kaimū Bay
We walked along the length of the lava bed, and were surprised to find a brand new beach had formed at the water's edge. Our guide explained. When molten hot lava hits sea water, it quite literally explodes, resulting in fine particles of sand.
Over time, much of this sand, instantaneously created on the day lava reaches the sea, is eroded away. However, in quieter waters they remain to form the black sand beaches of Hawaii.
Within a few years of the volcano eruption, ferns and grasses starting growing in crevices left in the lava. Since then, residents have planted coconuts from Tahiti. Children are now playing there, once again.
Coconut trees, planted by the path leading to the new beach at Kaimū -->
The 1990 lava flows were especially destructive. The nearby towns of Kalapana and Kaimū were totally destroyed, as was a large section of Route 130, which now ends abruptly at the edge of the lava flow, beyond which a subdivision of Kalapana once stood. Some residents managed to move their homes, and even a historic church out of harm's way, with only hours to spare. Others were not so fortunate. In all, over sixty homes ignited one by one as molten lava flowed slowly but relentlessly until it was too late to save them.
Hilo, the largest city on the Big Island (pop. 60,000), barely escaped a similar fate in 1984 when Mauna Loa erupted sending lava heading in it's direction. Residents were terrified of methane gas explosions and smoke from trees set on fire as the lava advanced at speeds up to 30 kph. To their relief, the lava flow stopped four miles away from the city.
<--The oceanside park in Hilo, which includes one of the largest Japenese gardens in North America. We stopped for lunch there.
Hilo, situated on the west side of the Big Island (map, click here), has had more than it's share of disasters, even if the volcano didn't exist. Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a sitting duck when ever an earthquake strikes anywhere on either side of the Pacific Ocean. Hilo has been hit not once, but twice with Tsunamis. The first was in 1946, when an earthquake near the Aleutian Islands caused a fourteen meter high tsunami that hit Hilo five hours later, killing 160 people.
Seventeen years later, another earthquake, this time off the coast of Chile hit Hilo, destroying most of the downtown area and claiming 61 lives, many of them, apparently, because they failed to heed warning sirens. Today, there is a large park along the beach where the downtown centre, now moved to higher ground, used to be located.
Naomi writes: Unfortunately, we couldn't see the lava flowing but we did see the lava from a distance. At the end of the day, we got some necklaces from a shopkeeper, and two baskets that we got for free. Finally, we were dropped off at our condo and got ready for bed.
Tomorrow, we are spending our last day down at the beach and then are going to go down to the airport to go back to Vancouver. Can't wait to come home but are sad to see our wonderful vacation come to a close,
Naomi
Stan writes:At the little place the shopkeepers gave the girls two baskets, I was introduced to a frail old man, walking up towards a nearby cafe. He had the most beautiful, engaging smile and clasped my hands enthusiastically with his frail hands. I later learned that Alfred Huang, who lives on Maui and is now 89 years old, survived 22 years of hard labor and later imprisonment in China during the Cultural Revolution. A scholar and Taoist master, he went on to write a major English translation of I Ching and the commentaries by Confucius. It is remarkable who you can meet here.
Hey it's Rebecca here, my turn to write!
As Naomi said, it was a little disappointing not to be able to see the lava flow, but we distracted ourselves with the amazing view of the stars that we had. We lucked out with a perfectly clear night, and the array of stars was incredible. We met a nice couple from Boston with a stargazing application on their iPhone, so with them we tried to find some constellations. I'd never seen so many stars! I think that was the highlight of the day for me.
It was also pretty incredible to realize that the rock that we were walking on had just been formed three weeks prior. A lot of the cooled lava was so new that it was still glistening. Even watching the molten lava flow from a quarter of a mile away you could feel the blast of heat coming off of it. Pretty impressive stuff!
After we left the area where we could see the lava in the distance we ran across Kimball, a vendor who was selling volcano inspired glass works.
We got to talking to him and he told us that he recently broadened his scope of glass blowing materials, to blowing molten lava right off the lava flow. Sound crazy? He might have been, but his work was fantastic!
<--Here's a link to him in action. Click on the button on the lower right corner of the image to enlarge.
Stan writes:
We arrived back to our condo just before 11:00 PM. The stars were shining brilliantly outside. I took a few minutes to enjoy some stargazing before climbing into bed, exhausted. It was quite a day.
Tomorrow is our last day in Hawaii. We've had a wonderful time, looking forward to being home soon!
Our flight to and from Hawaii was exceptionally long as we had booked quite literally at the last minute on points.
