Big Island Trip

* NOTE: So, I was doing this post in sections. (two cameras and two camera phones...) As I went back to insert more pictures, I discovered I am "out of photo space" here on my Blog - guess I'm gonna have to figure out what to do soon. However, here is a partial post on our vacation, just to get you started.
 
 Eric had some block leave, and actually got almost 2 full weeks off from work. Hooray! We had talked about a few options; and decided we wanted just some R & R time together, not on the mainland, not with friends or family (don't fret, we still love you all). When we got married last November, we had just a day and a half for our honey moon. Then we went to Indiana in December, which Eric said doesn't really "count" as a honeymoon; so we had planned on going to another island after a year or so of marriage. Actually, this leave time proved perfect - we decided to go to the Big Island for a bit of a honeymoon. The time was picked by Eric's leave. I told him he could plan this trip, so he booked our flight, got a place to stay, and reserved the car rental. As the end of June approached, we both found ourselves more and more excited.
  I didn't really know what to expect from the Big Island, but was mainly excited to explore someplace new with my favorite Travel Buddy. Tee he he.
  Monday morning came EARLY, as we left our house for the airport before 5 AM. For a moment, we thought we wouldn't get on that flight (which would have worked out well, in fact); but, at the last minute, two others didn't show up and we were told to board the plane. The flight was about 40 minutes. Travel was went smoothly. We got our baggage, got the rental car, and were off for new adventures!
  Since we couldn't check in for a few hours, Eric drove me around the island a bit to see the landscape and mountains. We also got some groceries and whatnot.

  Driving around a bit, yup, that's my husband!

 I find trees simply fascinating.

 The ocean!

 Beautiful island:

 The road is ours... to explore the island!

 Much of this place looks like a desert:

 Then we found a Train Museum:

 The Laupahoehoe Train Museum, of course:

 It looked interesting, but I thought it was a bit spendy.

 So, instead of going in, we walked around the grounds 

and I just snapped a few pictures there.

  Then, it was time to check in, see where we would be staying, and get settled a bit.
Here we found the opposite of the desert environment. A lush, green, colorful rain forest!
  Our first view from the car of our new "home away from home":

We took a little nap - which is a serious luxury for my diligent, hard-working Eric.

Then it was off to find the hot springs.

We drove and hunted and tried to follow the little map.

 We did find this part of the ocean,

beautiful with the rocks:

 Eric, just chill'n:

 Just as when I was a kid, I still like rocks and things to climb:

 Eric likes to walk on the ledges, too:

 Don't look down!

 Eric is one handsome man!

 This is where we walked:

After some inquiries to a few locals, we found the WARM springs. 

They were off to the side of this, back in the woods a bit.

It wasn't the hot springs for which we were looking,

but it was still something new to explore. Together.

Eric, getting ready to go into the warm spring:

 The view of the ocean, from the middle of the hot spring:

 He likes it. I like him.

 So there was this cave thing off to the side.

This was as close as I would get into it.

 It's like I am a butterfly!

 Then Eric wanted to be inside the cave.

Exploring the warm springs. Together!

Oh my! He is SO handsome.

 Here I am, so gracefully climbing out of the warm springs.

It was a bit slippery. I was thankful that we got me some water shoes.

 Then we walked around through the edge of the trees 

and looked at the ocean some more.

Day 2: We went to the Volcano National Park.
  Driving up, looking at the steam vents:

 Steam vents form where volcanic heat exists. Yes, I read most of the signs:

 Walking a bit closer.

 Beautiful landscape, with something interesting to see:

 The crater, venting:

 Eric, posing for a picture. Crater in the background.

 It's great to see new life growing in such a desolate environment.

 Flowers and trees, and steam vents!

We drove a bit, then got out and walked around to see another crater:

 Getting closer to the museum area:

 Yup, that's me, just hang'n near the larger, venting crater.

 It's a desolate land, yet so much life is still growing there.

 Looking at the crater from the viewing area near the museum.

 Looking out in the other direction.

 We went into the museum and looked at the different kinds of lava rocks.

 Yes, lava pours into the sea. This creates new land. This is how Hawaii is still physically growing.

 A neat painting here. Notice that, when looking at it from the right side, it appears that the boat is headed straight towards the volcano.

 However, when walking in from the left side, it looks like the boat is steering away from the volcano.

 This optical illusion is because the original painting was moved, and actually put here popped out from the wall. The artist did not intend for this, but now it is part of the picture.

As we went up in elevation, of course it got a bit colder. Eric relished this excuse to wear his hat. However, driving around, I thought he looked a bit thuggish. A handsome thug...

 Driving around the National Park. Also note that the National Parks now give free annual passes to military members and their families. It is not too likely that we will get to the Mainland to go to more Parks within the next year; but it is super nice that the National Parks appreciate the sacrifices made. THANK YOU, National Parks. THANK YOU to other Military service men and women, and their families.

 We only saw a few Nenes (birds, similar to geese); but the signs still made me giggle. As we drove, I liked to remind Eric to, "Watch out for mongooses and nenes!"

We drove around the National Park some more.

 It is an interesting place.

 We kept stopping to get out and walk around parts of the lava fields.

 Here I am, holding up some lava.

It was VERY windy!

 Tada! Here I am!

 Just sitting out in a lava field...

 Here is Eric, climbing around the big lava rocks.

 I wanted to climb in the big rocks, too!

 This was one of my favorite parts of the lava fields, 

right next to the ocean.

 Someone took our picture for us,

along with the coast line.

 Careful. It's a long way down.

 Contemplating...

What a fun place to climb around like a little monkey!

 The vegetation here is beautiful!

 Then we hiked down to the lava tubes...

 Actually, we went all around once, then went back to get this picture on the bridge into the cave-like tubes.

    After the National Park, we tried to go to this pizza place that Eric likes. It was closed, but then we had it in our head that we wanted pizza. So, we went into "town" and walked around a bit. We got a HUGE pizza and a slightly disappointing salad. As we wondered around Pahoa, we found a little museum there. The highlight there was that Eric decided he wanted ice cream. He got one scoop of Kona (coffee ice cream) and one scoop of an amazing white chocolate ginger ice cream. He is still talking about the ginger ice cream. Yummy. I chose an iced mocha shake thing, and then we were off to a little bookstore on the corner. Then it was back to the house for the evening. I took a nice long bath in the huge tub and did a little reading. Also, we played a few games of chess, something we had not yet done together until this trip.

(pictures here)

  Day 3: We wanted to try to actually find the hot springs.
     Success! We found it! (right up the road from the warm springs, by the way)

Here is Eric, in the hot spring:

 

 This hot spring was huge.
We swam laps in it.

 We played in the water a bit, then walked around:

 Trees are fascinating.
God sure had fun.

 They put up yellow tape.
This usually suggests to me that there is something
really fun on the other side - we often go around barriers.

Lava rock.

 A swamp-like area next to the hot spring, just beyond the ocean.

 Eric said, "Look over there."

I still looked at him. Tee he he.

 Okay, so I looked for a second to take a picture.
We walked along this wall ledge thing.

 The ocean, with rocks.

 More to see!

 Neat flowers.

   Eric wanted to show me the tide pools, where we would also have my first adventure snorkeling. On the way, we decided to also squeeze in the Lava Tree area. It's really a State Park, and has a short trail around which to walk. I think it's less than a mile, but some of the trees are really neat to see.

 Eric ventured off the trail...

 I like that he likes to explore.

 Eric, looking at lava; with me, looking at Eric.

 Just out for a bit of a little stroll.

 Of course, this was before it POURED on us.

It's okay. A little rain keeps it all green.

 The trees here are fantastic.

 Later, it was off to the tide pools. I liked the trees along the way.

 Trees, and the other vegetation.

Wednesday afternoon, we finally got to the tide pools:

You walk out on THIS:

 Again, thankful for my new water shoes.

 It is very serene.

 First time snorkeling for me. Ever.

So neat under water.
Also thankful for Eric's under-water super nifty camera.

 Snorkeling. I like it.

Well, mostly. I had to do a few adjustments.
Breathing only through my mouth is difficult.

 Beautiful place though.

I enjoyed my first time snorkeling, and I like that I shared that with Eric and that we got to explore the tide pools together. However, it was a bit of a rough day for me. Among other things (which we won't talk about here), some of the rocks in that area did beat me up a bit. My poor little knee!

After snorkeling, we went back to the house for a bit.

This is the yard of the house where we stayed:

 We kept seeing trees with these nifty little dangling flowers:

 Then we showered, changed, and headed out to the Market.

When traveling, I really enjoy going to the local market. 

Here I can see how people there really live, like what they eat and make and do.

Driving over to the Market.

 At the Market, there was some really interesting fruit.

 This is a JackFruit. The guy let us sample some. 

It really does taste like Juicy Fruit gum!

 The nice guy, cutting us a sample.

 This is called Mamey Sapote.

 It comes from, I forget where, maybe South America, 

and it is delicious!

 Of course, no market would be complete without a little Hawaiian music.

We got some food (local bbq, some sort of stew, etc.) and sat down.

Eric even knew someone else here at the Market!

 The Market is on the edge of the lava field and ocean. There are a few windmills here, harvesting the power of the wind.

 Our rental car was super nice. I liked that it has a start/stop BUTTON. 

   After the Market, we drove out to the Public Viewing Area to see the flowing lava. You drive to the end of this little road, then park and walk out. They "suggest" having a flash light, for which they then will sell you, overcharging of course. Nice.
  We got the flashlight and hiked out into the lava field, about a five minute walk. It was night, dark. You look out into the lava field and, about 3.5 miles away, you can see some orange glowing on the side of a volcano. Is that magma flowing? It's difficult to tell; this isn't that exciting from here. (especially to what we would later see, on Friday) However, this is the Night Viewing Area for the public, and we did see, from a distance, flowing magma on the volcano into the lava field. Then it was home for the night, as we had more plans for Thursday.
  Thus will begin another post, mainly on the adventures of Thursday and Friday.