Hawaii 2012

Sometimes the best made plans sometimes don’t come to fruition. . . As in blogging DURING our Hawaii vacation.

Frankly, even had I had a full sized keyboard I wouldn’t have bothered to blog, as I was whipped each and every day of our 'restful' vacation.  So, If I didn't have the energy to blog I suppose it is only fair that I couldn’t expect Audrey to feel any different.  Afterall, she did even more than me.

So, what I’ll do right now is highlight the trip while it is ‘fresh’ in my mind (Cough.  Cough.  Cough).  In so doing I'll share with you some of the “wish we hadn’t did’s” with the “wish we did’s”.  And, when you visit the Big Island this information may be helpful in allowing you to have a 'restful' time.

News Flash:  Sunday, August 19th, 2012 - Audrey did make two blog entries; for the first two days of the trip.  Here they are:

Hawaii Vacation

August 7, 2012, Day One

Audrey Writing!

Ugh, takeoff.

It’s one of my worst enemies. So bad, it’s way up there with cuttlefish, knives, and watermelons. Yeah, that bad.

You go fast, then you go slow, then the pilot decides he wants to scare you out of your skin again and goes super fast and you start going into the air and your stomach decides to go in your throat. There’s a reason why they have barf bags on the plane. Then, just to top it all off, your ears pop and you get a headache, but gum helps.

But, before all of that, you go through the safety briefing. I barely listen to it. They could be speaking Russian for all I care.

“And now,” Vladimir, the Russian flight attendant says. “You put dis mask string thingy on your head and pull de other strings. Then-“  Vladimir suddenly stops, noticing that everyone on the plane had fallen asleep and he throws the oxygen mask on the floor in anger “I give up! No one cares!” He then stormed into the back of the plane, the other flight attendants comforting him.

Anyway, other than the terrible takeoff, there’s the length of the flight. Almost 6 hours long. 6 hours! Imagine trying to entertain yourself for six hours! Sure, I had my handy-dandy iPod and that entertains me for a while but when the songs get old (dare I say it) and then you’re just plain bored! My poor dad had to suffer from my boredom. I ended up playing patty-cake with his knee and discovered new ways to just annoy him in every way.

After landing (again, ugh), we finally got to the Big Island. Now, Hawaii’s beautiful without even trying. The airport itself was open to the warm air and made up of those cool huts and had colorful tropical flowers. Palm trees blew lightly in the breeze.

I prayed that a coconut didn’t fall on my head, which would be bad.

If Hawaii is nice, the locals are ten times better, they all “aloha” to you where ever you are. They all smile! Maybe it’s the sunny weather, in Washington; we need a very good reason to smile because the weather’s always rainy.

After getting lost three times in our Dodge Charger (rented), we made it to the Sheraton in Keahou Bay. As usual, the workers were nice and the hotel was very fancy. We got free shell necklaces and a kind man showed us to our room above the pool and waterslide. After having a wonderful dinner at Sliders, we went back to our room to take naps then we’ll go to the pool.

You were probably expecting more writing from me but it was our first day so not much happened except for the long plane ride.

Goodbye.

Love,

Audrey.

Hawaii Vacation

August 8, 2012 Day Two

Audrey Writing!

Today, my body told me to wake up at 5 o’clock Hawaii Time. My mind replied, Urgggggggggh.  To you otherworldly people, 5 o’clock sounds like one of the worst possible times to get up but this is Hawaii Time which is three hours earlier than Pacific Time.

Oh, you’re thinking. That’s logical.

Yeah, I know that. That’s the reason why I got up then.

Anyway, I got up early and started doing puzzles on my mom’s Kindle and almost finished them off until Hannah woke m e up and made me stop. After Hannah took a bazillion hour long shower, it was my turn. It took me about twenty minutes to figure out the temperature control because the labels were on backwards. I was about to take a cold shower when I accidentally figured out how to change the temperature.

The rest of the family took their showers and we went downstairs to eat at the breakfast buffet.

I wish Audrey had continued to write the blog.  She's as hillarious with her writing as she is with her speaking (Bernadette is afterall a Filicsky and is descended from Bernard and Gus).  Perhaps I can talk her in to writing more, but with school on the horizon her focus is elsewhere (SHE LOVES SCHOOL AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK)

 

The Trip to the Big Island of Hawaii

So, on day one:  I wish I hadn’t taken an Ambien to make the flight more bearable.  Most meds don’t agree with me, and this one definitely falls in that category.  I was zonked, but not rested for more than a day.  The smart travelers in the family (everyone but me) did just fine as they passed the time with word games, Kindles, and so on and so forth.  6 hours to them was pleasant as opposed to my own personal journey to the outskirts of Hades.

We arrived on Hawaii with bits of precipitation around us but not on us directly.  Meaning, it kind of reminded us of home.  Rain around us but not in the “Blue Hole” of the North Olympic coastline.  The Kona Airport was an ‘outdoor’ airport.  We debarked down steps that made one feel as if we were flying on Air Force One (I have a vivid imagination at times.  May I suggest it had something to do with the Ambien)?  And, instead of picking up our checked baggage (Twenty bucks a pop) in air-conditioned splendor we picked it up in something akin to a grass hut.  Audrey loved it.

Three hour time changes are no fun to this boy.  Two are a piece of cake.  Three.  I hate ‘em.  So, after a pleasant Ambien produced sleep, my biological clock went off and I was wide awake at 02:50.  Ambien or no Ambien this boy is up at 05:50 (Port Angeles time).  The only solace was the pool was open 24 hours and then later; the joyous cacophony of our avian brethren began.  I love the tropics for a lot of reasons, but high on the list is the birds and the flowers.  Especially the former.  Their singing is fabulous to these ears.

Yes, speaking of birds, Hannah and Audrey were quick to notice that we were at the ocean but there wasn’t a seagull to be found.

Hapuna Beach

Ralph S. had suggested that we go to Hapuna Beach State Park.  So, when a native Hawaiian suggests that you do something while in Hawaii, you take it to heart.  We did and we were glad of it.  Hapuna turned out to be a beautiful beach with pristine blue water.  Hannah and I snorkeled as Audrey and Constance enjoyed swimming.  At the south side of the beach H and I discovered a ‘secret’ undiscovered cove (well, that’s the game we played, that nobody had ever been here before) and we rode a swell into a cave that extended further than we cared to venture in the blackness.  H loved it and I was glad we headed back out to the sunlight.  The swells were enough to drive me back to lounging on the white sand as motion sickness was knocking at my door. . . about this time I generally say, getting old sucks, but this has been my plight since being a child riding in the ’62 Chevy to Cayuga and throwing up each and every trip.  Dramamine and Bonine and their cousins do very little for me other than making me groggy so I avoid them unless I know my stomach is going to be above my head.  The beach was beautiful, Hawaii is fabulous and as a quick side note I read that Hapuna Beach was where the USMC prepared for the Iwo Jima Campaign.  It made sense to me.  A similar beach as on Iwo.  Similar lava formations.  Close proximity.  It’s a fact.  All these years after WWII there are still signs on the beach that warn of undetonated ordnance.  FYI: During their preparations the Marines camped on a nearby cattle ranch (the Quonset Huts are still there). 

That evening we had a great meal at ‘Sam Choy’s in Kona and the waitress gave us a multitude of suggestions.

Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park

So, on the second day we implemented the waitress’s suggestions.  First stop: Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park.  This is he “City of Refuge” where the Hawaiian King lived in the days before Caucasians wreaked havoc on the land.  (Actually, I still dream of islands yet to be discovered being discovered by yours truly in his kayak or what not).  The interesting feature of the site was the nearly 1,000 feet long wall that surrounded an area known as “The Puuhonua”.  This is where defeated warriors, law breakers (the penalty was death), non-combatants during times of battle, could find sanctuary.  For once inside of the walls, you were safe (kind of like the ultimate game of tag . . . you’re it!).  There was also the ‘Hale o Keawe’ where the bones of former kings are kept.  In so doing, it was believed that their bones would evoke good medicine (mana) on the people.  The grounds were beautiful.  The Polynesian culture and heritage was fascinating, and we were all glad to have made the stop.

South Point

From the City of Refuge we drove further south to ‘South Point’ the southernmost point in the United States (further south than the Florida Keys).  There, wind and waves have eroded the lava rock to form blow holes beneath our feet (see the photos on Flickr).  Hannah and I hiked to the southernmost point which has a Marine navigational marker and light.  The light sits atop a 40 ft. tower and there is a high ladder whose first rung is about 9 feet off the ground.  Hannah was on the ladder before she asked my permission (I would have granted it) but the wind was howling so she was reluctant to move to the tippy top of the thing.  Here is where I plead old age as I didn’t bother.  We walked on down to the tidal zone just to say we were as far south as you could possibly go and still be in the United States.  Yep, Con and Audrey didn’t go that far south.  But, H and I sure did.  As far south as you possibly could go in the United States.  Hannah and me.



Papokolea Green Sand Beach

Then we headed off to the Green Beach, so called for the green sand that gives the beach its distinctive and very unique color.  As we were driving on the very primitive road (perhaps an old Military installation) we came across foundations of old buildings, rusted out hulks of cars and trucks, and other assorted what not’s that provided a rather surreal feeling to the experience.  As, in this could be the scenery in a post apocalyptic movie set.  You know the kind where cannibals flourish.  I thought to myself, “Where are the other tourists?” 

Eventually we maneuvered our Dodge Charger to a parking lot at the trailhead.  There, some folks stuck in 1968 were attempting to fund their drug habit and offered to take us the final 3 miles to the beach for $15 a head.  60 bucks.  3 miles.  In the back of a rusted out 1968 Ford 4WD Pickup truck.  They didn’t say anything about a two-way trip either.  They merely said, “We’ll take you to the beach for fifteen bucks each.”  To which I said, “We’ll walk”.  To let the truth be known, visions of Morlocks danced in my head (just in case you are wondering who the Morlocks are, remember the subterranean creatures in Jules Verne’s ‘The Time Machine’.  Yeah, that’s right, they scared me when I first watched it way back in the fifth grade (or, was that last night?).

After about a hundred yards of walking into the 35+ mph headwind Audrey said that she had had enough and I was glad she did even though I may have said something like, “What?  No daughter of a Marine is going to turn back after only a hundred yards!” 

And the remaining three in the family said, “Dad’s nuts.  We’re going to feed him to the Morlocks.”  Reluctantly, we decided to pass on the Green Sand Beach.  If you’re interested, I suggest you Google it “Papokolea Green Sand Beach”. 

On the hundred yard trek back to the Dodge I may have mentioned how easy it would have been to have driven a JEEP over the trail to the Green Sand Beach.  You know you can actually rent Jeeps instead of Dodge Challengers around here.  But, the comment fell on deaf ears, or should I say ‘discerning’ ears.  And, there was no comment by any of the girls in reply. 

Only Hannah smiled.

The return to Kona and the Sheraton was rather uneventful.  A side trip to get Smoothies at a Native Plant Store somewhere around 3,000 feet.  The road was high.  In fact I was surprised by how far the road was above the water.  Geez.  But, the temperature was pleasant, there was a pleasant tropical breeze and I thought to myself, “Why did Ralph leave here?”

Punaluu Beach  (Black Sand Beach)

After being dissuaded to see the Green Sand Beach by the Morlocks we decided to include a trip to the Black Sand Beach on our drive to Volcanoes National Park.  

This was further north along the east coast of the island and it also had its fair share of wind.  But, tropical breezes to this boy are a good thing.  It’s what makes the 85 degree temperatures quite comfortable.

Punaluu Beach was formed when molten lava flowed into the ocean and was quickly and explosively cooled by the seawater.  The result is fragmentation of the rocks into smaller and smaller pieces until it is cooled.  The small fragments then wash up onto the beach and create the ‘black sand’ (albeit there is no silicon (sand) involved).  The black sand is actually coarser than what you and I consider ‘sand’ to be.  Still, it is quite striking to see.  A palm tree grove is just beyond the beach and these trees blowing in the tropical breeze are quite striking.  An easy one mile detour from the main highway was well worth the time and effort.

Volcanoes National Park

From black sands beach we continued north on Highway 11, climbing gradually and more or less without realizing it to an altitude of 4,000 feet.  Lava fields are the predominate landscape here as Mauna Loa’s east flank is immediately to the left of the road.  In a short while you and countless other tourists enter Volcanoes NP at the Kilauea Visitor Center. 85 degrees is down at sea level, up here the temperature was a cool 60 in August, near the equator, in tropical Hawaii.  To get a lay of the land and plan our day in the park we discussed our options with a Park Ranger, read the displays (Audrey insists that we take the time to read each and every display as she expects to learn something) and watched a video.  From there we drove the Crater Rim Drive to the Jaggar Museum on the rim of the still active Kilauea Volcano.  Lava couldn’t be seen in broad daylight but steam and smoke rose steadily from the cauldron of the volcano.  We all thought it was interesting and worth the time and drive simply to see this 

From the visitors center we continued along the ‘Chain of Craters’ Road stopping from time to time to see the MANY craters (Mauna Ulu, Kealakomo, Napau, and Holei Pali).  Before leaving  Crater Rim drive we stopped at the Thurston Lava Tube and hiked to this somewhat familiar site (very similar to Ape Cave, south of Mt. St. Helens which we have explored twice before).  If you haven’t seen a lava tube before this is worth the stop but for all of us except Hannah (who loves caves) the highlight was the forest that we hiked through.  Ferns, trees, flowers, and birds were diverse and abundant.  The aroma was that of a fruit stand that needed the fruit to be replaced (a strong fruity smell from a plethora of varieties, where none could be identified individually . . . as in saying “oh, that’s a banana”). 

The Chain of Craters road ends about a mile short of a lava flow that covered the highway beginning in 1983 (yes, the mountain has been spewing lava continuously since 1983).  Back in 1983 the Rangers weren’t sure of the direction and volume of the magma so they blocked the highway and made a turnaround about a mile shy of the lava.  We hiked this distance with a number of tourists from the US and Japan.  Along the way we passed by a palm tree oasis that was somewhat striking as the palms are the only trees amongst the miles upon miles of black lava.  Also, there is a sea arch near the ‘trailhead’.  Arches National Park isn’t the only place this feature can be seen, and this one is above the ocean.  It was neat to see but I imagine it would be super cool during a winter storm.

From there we drove back on the Chain of Craters Road and exited the park, stopping at Volcano Village for supper.  The kids love the local fare, especially ‘Loco Moco’ which is actually a breakfast item of rice, with a hamburger patty on it, an egg on top of that, and brown gravy over everything.  The weather at Volcano Village was cool, in the upper fifties. 

The Saddle Road

We returned to Kona via. Hilo and the Saddle Road.  Back in the mid-nineties when Con and I were last here on the Big Island car rental companies forbid folks to take their cars on this road.  So, that of course made me want to drive it.  This time, nobody said anything, so I pointed the Dodge Charger westward from Hilo on Highway 200.  The road was a NEW four-lane super highway for miles upon miles upon miles.  The strange thing was there were VERY few other cars east or westbound, while earlier on Highway 11 there was hundreds of cars leaving Hilo on a Friday night.   Hmm, I wondered.  What’s the deal?

The road is so named for it crosses the saddle between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea (somewhere around 6600 feet).  The tropical forest near Hilo is wetter than on the Kona side and the trees are huge and fascinating.  Reminding Connie of ‘The Tree of Life’ in the movie, Avatar. 

The road was exemplary and Con said, “What’s the big deal?  This is a GREAT road.”  All the while having an ear to ear grin. 

After we started our decent towards the Kona coast we passed an old WWII Army Air Base.  Quonset huts and all. 

Shortly after the airfield the new construction ended and we found ourselves on a very narrow two-lane ancient road that was probably the same one used in the 40’s by the Airmen.  The speed limit was still 55 mph but all of the sudden you came to the first of many (probably ten) one-lane bridges where we, being on the downhill side had to yield to the uphill vehicles.  So, from 55 we came to a dead stop, in order to cross the narrow (even for the Dodge Charger) bridge, in this very hilly terrain (the Flat Iron Road on steroids).  Sometimes the bridge was at the base of a draw and you stared up perhaps 50 feet towards the opposing traffic and hoped that everyone was paying attention.

Con was by this time saying, “I hate this road.  I hate this road.  I hate this road.”

Believe me; we got it the first time.

Hannah and Audrey were howling with laughter with that feeling in your stomach similar to riding a rollercoaster (which is what the road was). 

Further down on the road we saw hundreds of wild black goats, cattle, beautiful horse pastures, grouse, and even wild turkeys (more than I’ve seen in my entire life). 

Darkness was upon us as we finally left the Saddle Road for the final stretch into Kona.

This road was interesting as well.  Dropping down into the center of Kona, the road went more or less in a straight line descending the final 2,000 feet.  Not a single switchback.  A narrow, shoulder-less road with heavy traffic, pedestrians walking along the shoulder, and teenagers on 49cc scooters trying to coax their mounts ‘up’ the highway to ‘home’.  And, no runaway lanes for trucks when their brakes overheated and failed. . . Geez.

Finally back to the hotel, we headed for the pool.

The Key Fob Thing-a-ma-jiggy

So, the plan was a simple one. 

Go to the grocery store, and procure a few items to place in the cooler for a day at the beach. 

Perfect.  Simple.  Sweet.  Easily accomplished.

We did this and then returned to our Dodge Charger with groceries in hand. 

I was the driver and I had the key fob in my short’s pocket.  I removed said key fob from said short’s pocket.  Since, there isn’t an actual key, simply this fob which must be in close proximity to the ‘start’ button to actually start the engine.  Modern automobiles want to be like racecars these days and racecars don’t have keys.  Geez. 

Furthermore, the Rental Company apparently has had instances where renters have dropped the key fob into the ocean and then after retrieving it (a commercial hard hat diver may have been used in said action) the dang thing had been rendered inoperative.  Shorted out by all of that saltwater.  So, the car rental company had signage on their fob, “Do Not Get Wet”.  Simple enough to accomplish, I always disrobe before I shower. 

Anyways, back to the grocery store parking lot. . . .  

Since there isn’t a key to open a trunk I retrieved the fob and pressed the appropriate ‘trunk’ button. 

“Pop” went the trunk.

Con said, “Hold these so I can get the cooler.”

“Yes, dear” I dutifully replied. (36+ years of blissful marriage has made me quite dutiful).

She handed me the groceries she was carrying as to free her hands to procure the cooler (which was on her side).

The beautiful children were already bouncing around to the glorious sound of the music as they had their earphones in their ears and they were somewhere else.  In a dreamland.  In fantasy land.  Somewhere, anywhere but helping their parents carry the groceries to the car. 

Requiring my two limited hands to hold the groceries I placed the key fob onto the left rear fender of the Dodge Charger with the opened trunk. 

The parking lot of the grocery store was a normal parking lot.  Rather nondiscript.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Flat (as shopping carts still don't have brakes on them).  Asphalt.  Pretty white lines painted to designate the various parking spaces. 

I turned my attention to assisting my beloved, dear wife.

As I did so I noticed that the car was moving violently as the girls were gyrating to the beat of the band.  Hannah likes bass, and I'm pretty sure the Charger's windows were even vibrating as they strained to not shatter into millions of tiny little fragments. 

The movement of said vehicle caused the key fob to slide off onto the ground.

I watched the slide of said key fob thingy ma jiggy with my well developed peripheral vision (so attuned all those years ago as to detect an enemy offensive guard who was closing in to block me).  No biggy.  The key fob thingy ma jiggy simply slid onto the pavement, I would procure it in short order.

I continued to assist my beloved bride of 36 blissful years.

Completing the task I turned to procure the key fob thingy ma jiggy from the nearby pavement.

NO!  NO!  NO!

This can’t be!!!!

Said pavement contained a stragetically placed (put their by Satan himself) storm drain.

There was the faint sight of miniscule waves diminishing where the key fob thingy ma jiggy had entered the blackened, foul smelling water.

Adrenaline flowed into me as air flows into a newborn babe.

I yanked the storm drain cover off and observed the ten feet of space between me and said depths of water and other stuff in said water, including the key fob thingy ma jiggy.

I contemplated chimneying down into the drain and the blackish water when I remembered the "Do Not Get Wet" warning label on the fob.  My reason slowly but surely returned and I realized that even had I been able to locate and retrieve said key fob it would most likely be inoperative and ultimately useless.

I calmly explained the scenario to my beloved bride of 36 years (perhaps this would be the day where said streak would end???)

Instinctively, I ducked.

Said bride calmly walked around to her unlocked car door, stepped inside, opened the glove compartment and obtained. . . . (I was ducking and covering by this time, albeit about 600 yards distant, as my aged and tired feet had become fleet as an antelope) the car rental papers.  She then telephoned the company who said they were going to locate the spare key fob and have some dear person bring it right out.

I slowly made my way back to the car and tried to explain my need to exercise to said bride of 36 blissful years.

She ignored me as she has grown accustom after 36 years of blissful marriage with me.

After a relatively short period of time said representive from the car rental company called my bride and informed her that the key fob couldn’t be located so they were sending a tow truck with a replacement car.

The Chevy Impala arrived in short order and it actually had a key.

A real key.

Meanwhile, the gyrating children were still in the back seat of the Dodge Charger and looked up with a bewildered, perplexed, non-understanding gaze, when they were asked to remove said bodies from the Dodge Charger and reposition themselves to the Chevy Impala.

"Why dad?  Why?  Why?  Why do we have to?"

Music is a wonderful thing.  It sometimes provides a great escape from the realities of this harsh and cruel world.

FYI: Our car was rented through Alamo Car Rentals.  They were very helpful in assisting us during our self-created dilemma.  Many kudos to the fine folks at ALAMO!!!





Kekaha Kai Bay State Park

The Chevy Impala was a bit louder than the Charger (I know, you’re probably as confused as I am), and the Chevy didn’t have as much get up and go as the former, but it did go as opposed to sitting in the sweltering Tropical sun.

So, the Chevy became our steed for the remainder of the vacation.

I surmised that we had had enough bad fortune for our week in Hawaii (due to our Encounter with the Morlocks and the Misplaced Key Fob thing a ma jiggy) so I decided that it would therefore be safe to snorkel in the ocean.  The Tiger Sharks in the vicinity would surely munch on the guy from Tennessee instead of us.  After all, it was his turn to deal with adversity.  We were done.  Or, so my bride of  36 years exclaimed.  All the while she was excaliming, I was dutifully nodding my head in agreement.

So, in our Chevy carriage (Body by Fisher) we headed north along the Kona coast.

This time our destination was another State Park Beach, Kekaha Kai State Park which was but a short distance north of the Kona (Keahole) Airport.  The main entrance to this park is well marked, but our ‘secret’ beach was one that we had learned about from a ‘native’.  This beach was accessed from a road north of the Park’s main entrance.  This access road was unmarked but was directly across from the West Hawaii Veteran’s Cemetery (so, now you know now to get to this ‘locals only’ beach). 

The beach was teeming with locals.  Enjoying their Sunday afternoon on the beach.  Coolers in hand.  Umbrellas providing the needed shade from the sweltering tropical heat (about the same temperature as Seattle on the same date).  Everyone was greeting one another with “Aloha” and saying “Makalu” after being offered a beer.  I tried my best to look like a local but I don’t think anyone was fooled.

Someone who shall remain unnamed made the error of joking about Tiger Sharks on the drive to the beach.  This imparted a visual image into Audrey’s impressionable mind that absolutely prevented her from entering the vast, unknown, scary ocean.  So, she and her Mother erected their fancy new beach shade thingy and crawled in.  Pleads of common sense from father and sister fell onto deaf ears and the result was Hannah and her father spent a good hour and a half in the bay.  Chasing sea turtles, and a plethora of tropical fish including angels, butterflies, tangs, triggers, spotted puffers, trumpets, damsels, etc.  But, not a single Tiger Shark or any of its cousins.

The highlight was most definitely the Green Sea Turtles that were feeding on a reef that was no more than 30 feet off the beach.  The  beach side of the reef was a whopping 3 feet deep and the Oceanside of the reef was in approximately 6-7 feet of water.  It was fascinating to watch the four turtles being tossed about by the surf as they munched on algae.  A beautiful creature in its natural environment as opposed to being watched in an aquarium.

Hannah decided that it was absolutely imperative that she share this experience with her beloved, younger sister, and she, being the patient teacher and compassionate friend was eventually able to convince her Mother and Sister to venture to the water’s edge.  After shouts of joy when they saw their first turtle they were both able to walk waist deep into the vast Pacific Ocean and watch these wonderful turtles. 

Audrey was even able to enter the water in a four step process:

1.        She donned her mask only to decide it was too tight and therefore removed it.

2.       She entered the water until it was almost up to her armpits.

3.       She was so enthralled by the spectacle of the turtles and surmising that had there been a Tiger Shark in the vicinity the turtles would provide a more delectable snack (wrong, they were encased in their shell, she wasn’t) she entered the water and was able to lengthen the mask’s strap to make it actually fit her.

4.       She put her head beneath the water and was rewarded by a truly marvelous spectacle of nature. 

Audrey even swam around to the deep side and with her sister’s assistance was vastly rewarded by views of the turtles and very colorful tropical fish.

A great experience was had by all!!!

And, I’m pretty sure that if you were to ask Audrey what her favorite part of the entiore vacation was, it would be this very experience.  Swimming with the Sea Turtles.  She has already told me that sea turtles are 'now' her favorite animal,  with the exception of dogs.  So, we can safely say that sea turtles are Audrey’s favorite creature in the wild.  Dogs are thereby her favorite domesticated creature.

The Last Full Day

AM – We went out with a bang.  All four of us went aboard the Kamanu, a sailing catamaran out of the Kona Marina.  This very stable, comfortable sailboat held a crew of 2 and 24 passengers.  However, on our morning trip there were only 13 including 6 children (of which Hannah was the oldest).  We headed to Pawai Bay, but the conditions weren’t right for the skipper.  So, he and the mate discussed the options.  Turtle Heaven or Eel Cove.  They opted for the later as the former was frequented by sharks and the skipper was concerned that the sight of these fish would cause great concern for the kids.  I know that would have been the case for Audrey and as such, I appreciate the Captain’s consideration.

If there was a better snorkeling experience than Eel Cove, I’d be surprised as there was great visibility, plenty of coral and reefs to provide structure.  Minimal swell and a plethora of tropical fish.  Including a school of yellow tangs that numbered in the hundreds.

Hannah was quickly in the water and awaited her sister.  Audrey joined her and immediately said, ‘It’s deeper than what I was expecting.’  Hannah did everything she could to comfort her sister and make her feel at ease.  The depth was somewhere around 30 ft. where the boat was anchored.

Hannah and I were partners as Connie and Audrey hung together.  They bobbed in inner tubes and enjoyed the view from the surface and the security of the flotation devices.  Most of the guests stayed in the shower water of the cove and Hannah and I headed for the reefs edge at a drop-off.  Swimming along the edge was thrilling to Hannah and she is simply ‘at ease’ in the water.  She never expresses or verbalizes any anxiety and she is an adventurer extraordinaire.  She wants to keep going to see what’s around the next corner, or over that edge, or on the other side of the reef.  I have to work to keep the reins on her.  But, I’m not complaining.  I just want to keep her close as it is a few thousand miles to Asia.

Now, whether we’re on a snorkeling trip, or a hike in the mountains, one of my favorite things is to make new friends.  And, on this morning we befriended a couple with an accent.  Andrew & Juliet from London, England.  He is a blogger for MICROSOFT and they travel a great deal because of his position.  That made for some fascinating stories and recommendations.   Julie felt at ease in the water as much as Connie did and that made Con feel that much more comfortable.  All is good in Hawaii.

PM – After returning to the Marina the swells had taken their toll on yours truly.  Hannah, Audrey, and Mom were all good to go, but I had even taken a Dramamine before the day’s outing began.  Nevertheless, the rise and fall of the ocean swells gave me that swimming, cork like feelings, and well, I wasn’t able to enjoy the lunch prepared by the staff for the return sail to the Marina.  Alas, the remainder of the family was just fine.

The highlight of the return was Hannah and Audrey lying on the trampoline of the cat.  They watched flying fish just ahead of the bow wake.  Both girls loved it; Hannah called it her favorite thing of the entire Hawaii trip.

Temps were great.  Water temp was a fabulous 79 degrees.  A slight breeze made the 85 degree air temperature quite pleasant.  Kona at its finest.

The Marine Radio of the boat was on and there was a fishing derby going on in Kona.  Boats were reporting their morning catches.  Boats were from Hawaii to Australia to New Zealand to California to the various Marinas around Hawaii.  About one boat in five had a catch to report.  Sailfish.

PM – Since the next day was going to be our ‘exit’ day, it was necessary to start packing for the return trip.  We did so, reluctantly.

That evening we attended a Luau at our hotel, the Sheraton Keauhou Resort.  Great food.  Great entertainment by ‘Island Breeze Productions’ of Polynesian Culture and Dance.  Ranging from Hawaiian mythology, Tahitian, New Zealand Mowry’s.  Before the evening’s entertainment began he girls learned to make a lei and both girls had temporary tattoos painted by the performers.  Audrey had a Sea Turtle.  And Hannah had a flower put on her shoulder.

The menu included sweet potato salad, fern shoot salad, ahi poke, and red ogo, fruit, steamed rice, mahi mahi, Teriyaki Steak, Roasted whole suckling pig, and taro rolls.  Plus dessert.

The highlight for me was the pork.

Yummy.

The Last Morning & Hindsight is 20/20

We awoke early.  I can’t say we were ‘excited’ as much as we were simply trying to be prompt.

After loading our luggage into the Chevy Impala we pondered breakfast options.  After a brief discussion we decided on Sam Choy’s, which is where we all enjoyed a traditional Hawaiian breakfast a few days earlier.

Arriving at the nearby restaurant we found the doors locked.  We were too early . . . hmm; there is something to the ‘Island Time’ mentality.  These folks are genuinely ‘laid back’.

What to do, what to do? 

Well, let’s go down on the Kona waterfront.  Surely we would find something there.

Yes we did.  Unfortunately, we didn’t find any parking for the Chevy Impala.

Somebody’s stomach growled.

Alright, alright, alright.  Stay calm.  The Chevy Impala is doing just fine.  We’re not stuck in some parking lot with the keys in the storm drain . . .

Then a light bulb went off.  Like a beam of light enlightening James Belushi in the South Chicago Church.

“McDonald’s”.

So, off we went to the McDonald’s Restaurant across from the Sports Authority store.  We had spied it a few days earlier.

The restaurant had the normal fare, predictable.  Dependable.  The same in Kona as it was it PA as it was in Danville as it was in Bridgeport as it was in Daytona Beach.  Did I say predictable?

Now, on top of the normal fare the Kona McDonald’s offered some Hawaiian slants on their breakfast offerings. 

SPAM.

We had noticed that a number of the Big Island Restaurants offered Spam.  And, here it was on the McDonald’s menu.  Hannah and I ordered meals with SPAM on it.  These Hawaiians love their pork.  They brought pigs with them on their voyage from Polynesia.  Feral pigs cover the islands.  You can even hunt them.  Albeit one gent said you could only kill them with a machete (we all took a step back when he told us that).  These Hawaiians are tough hombres.  Hunting with machetes???  Hmmm.

Back to the McDonald’s menu: other offerings included steamed rice as a side dish in lieu of hashbrowns.  There was Portuguese Sausage instead of ‘normal’ sausage.  But, to our dismay there wasn’t a McDonald’s version of Loco Moco (rice, a hamburger patty on top of that, an egg on top of that, and brown gravy covering everything). 

So, at our McDonalds breakfast we more or less had a farewell breakfast that was traditional Hawaiian.  Everyone walked out with a smile on their face.  Even though the last meal that we had during our vacation was at a McDonald's.  Ho hum.

We filled up the tank of the Chevy and returned it to the Alamo.

Uneventful.

We rode the van back to the airport and checking in to the Alaska agent as well as US Customs was uneventful.  As we weren’t carrying any top-secret Hawaiian vegetables or fruit getting through the FDA inspection was a snap.

Then we all oohed and aahed at the Kona terminal.  Basically an outdoors terminal.  I love a place where the airport terminal is essentially outside.

Con picked up some local delicacies for the flight (5 ½ hours eastbound) and to share at home.  Among them, dark chocolate Donkey Balls.  Delicious.

Then we headed to our gate where we were reunited with our snorkeling friends from yesterday, Andrew & Juliet.  They were on our very flight for Seattle.

They shared with us some of their stories and travel photos.  Andrew is a computer geek and his hardware and knowledge is something to envy.  I especially loved his photos taken at the Observatory on Mauna Kea.  Sunset from near the summit of the world’s highest mountain (by relief) was absolutely spectacular. 

Going to Mauna Kea was my single ‘wish I had done’ event of this vacation.  Nuts.

The kids had snorkeling with the Manta Rays at the top of their ‘wish they had done’ list, but Andrew and Juliet had actually done that while we were at the luau.  They were skunked.  They hung on to the light ring for hours, and were rewarded by the need to shower off the saltwater.  Not a single manta ray bothered to eat the plankton fare.  Perhaps, they were instead chowing down on the SPAM at McDonald’s?  Stranger things have happened in Roswell, NM.

I wish we had rented a JEEP so we could have gone to Green Beach ourselves and drove up Mauna Kea at our leisure.

I realize that I brought too many clothes.  All you need are sandals.  Leave the shoes and socks on the mainland.  You don’t need them.  Leave the trousers as well.  Bring plenty of shorts.  All you need is shorts.

Take the Mauna Kea tour.  They provide the transportation and the warm clothing for the near 14,000 foot altitude.  That place is the premier astronomical site on the planet and the new telescopes that the professional astronomers use are even BETTER than Hubble.  Since the Kona Coast is the only place on the planet where you can see the elegant and unworldly Manta Rays feeding at dusk, you might as well see do that as well.

Finally, stay longer.

There’s a lot on the Big Island and we were only able to scratch the surface.

The weather is superb.  It may be warm, hot to this boy.  But, it is cooled by the tropical breezes. Even at sea level.  But, if you really want to cool down all you have to do is drive the island and you’ll eventually find an elevation that is the PERFECT temperature to fit your needs.  Somewhere on the island, it is always 72 degrees.

Now, during the flight home the 5 ½ hours flew by (literally and figuratively).  Audrey got out her Kindle Fire and all four of us took turns watching the movie ‘Ironman’.  It was fun and it sure passed the time. 

Unfortunately, one of my Donkey Balls fell onto the floor and rolled around the plane unabated.  I heard many a ‘What the heck is that?’  As the little brown blob rolled pass someone’s feet and for some reason was for some reason the source of extreme anxiety.

Some people drew their feet up onto their seats (not an easy task) and shrieked with fear as the brown ball rolled pass. 

But, once I heard a Donkey Balls connoisseur remark, ‘Hey, that’s a donkey ball’. 

To which someone else said, “A donkey ball?”