We just got back from the Big Island of Hawaii. We're wiped
out. The cast: Mike, Kira(4), myself, my friend Mette and her kids
Kristian(13) and Malia(11).
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Mike, Kira, and I woke up at 4:45 to catch an 8AM flight to Hilo
(ITO). I really like arriving at the Hilo airport, it's so low key.
It's a 2-minute walk from the plane to the exit and the car rental
station is right across the street, so there's no shuttle. After a short
wait, we were directed to our car and we were stunned that as we left, there
was no kiosk we had to pass where they verify you are taking the right car,
like they do at LAX. Really small-town. From the moment we got off
the plane I don't think it was 20 minutes before we were in our car and on our
way.
We stopped in Hilo town, 5 minutes away, to pick up some groceries
and breakfast. While picking up groceries at Safeway, I asked an employee
where he would go for a casual local-kine sit-down place and he recommended Kuhio(?)
Grille. It’s a place across the street
and down a ways in the same general shopping complex. It reminded me of
Times Coffee Shop, but their fried rice wasn't as good. Still, breakfast
and the service were good and we all left happy and full.
Next up was the zoo. It's a non-profit, run totally on
donations. It's a little run-down in some parts, but others were really
nice. The playground was awesome and the tiger enclosure beat the pants
off of the Honolulu Zoo. The white tiger was going to town on a
meat-sicle. Good thing for the tiger as it was sweltering. We were
all hot, sweaty, and tired, and just not getting as much out of this place as
we normally would, so we finally called it quits and headed for the car.
I really liked this zoo and would love to try it again sometime, but only
when it isn't quite so hot. We stayed about an hour and a half, and while
we "saw" everything, we didn't really absorb it. In cooler
weather we likely would get a lot more out of it.
We got to the car, turned on the AC, and then realized we had nowhere
to go. Kira clearly needed a nap, but we didn't yet have our room.
We were staying at the Kilauea Military Camp, but we had plans to go up
to Mauna Kea for the stargazing tonight, so if we went to KMC in the hopes that
our cabin would be ready, it would be a 90 mile drive vs. a 40 mile one.
With Kira being known for getting car sick, we didn’t like those odds, so we
ended up laying Kira down in the backseat and just sitting in the car for an
hour and half while she slept. I feel bad about the environment, but I
really didn't see another option, that poor kid was toast.
When she woke up, we were all feeling better and after a stop to
pick up snacks, we started heading up Mauna Kea. The drive there is
fascinating. I really liked seeing the terrain/ecosystem change as we
headed higher and higher. We started in the rainforest and eventually it
changed to an alien landscape that makes you think you are on the moon.
Unfortunately, the weather was almost as inhospitable. While it was
really cold, estimating about 35 degrees, the worst was the wind. It was
whipping and made everything seem so much colder. I was shaking and poor
Kira was just trying not to get blown over.
When we arrived, we finally met up with Mette and the kids but
then they headed up to the observatories. I would have loved to have done
that, but kids under 13 aren't allowed up there, as their bodies can’t handle
the altitude, so no go for us. Instead, we hiked up a nearby hill to
watch the sunset. The hike itself was no big deal, but the wind and cold
complicated things immensely. Kira was a trouper and did it without
complaint although I don't think she thought the reward was worth the pain.
The sunset was beautiful though, and I really liked seeing the clouds
moving in to the valley below us, meaning even the clouds were below us.
After the sunset, we practically ran back down to the car. With
all the wind, there was a lot of dust and Kira got some in her eye.
Fortunately, her tears washed it out, but I feel bad about it. Not sure if taking her up there was a great
decision. It was memorable for us, but I
don’t think Kira got much out of it.
After we warmed up in the car for a while and ate a few snacks, we
ventured out again for the stargazing.
There were telescopes set up and people giving laser guided talks about
the constellations and planets. I wish
we could have reveled in it all, but truthfully, much of it was lost on
us. Kira and I were so cold, and with me
worrying about trying to keep Kira semi-comfortable, it was hard to focus. Still, I learned a few things and finally got
to see the Southern Cross, which is something I’ve always wanted to see, so I’m
happy about that.
Going with a four year old isn’t something I would recommend after
this experience, unless you have the clothes and the kid is really into stars. I really want to go back again when Kira is
older, this time with true winter clothes.
I think we’ll wait until Kira is old enough to go up to the summit to
check out the observatories. Also, I
think we’ll try to plan for a non-holiday weeknight next time in the hopes that
fewer people will be there. I think the
locals come out on Friday/Saturday nights and with it being the 4th
of July weekend, there were a lot of neighbor islanders there, too.
We eventually started to head to KMC and bed. Our plan was to make a quick stop in Hilo to
grab some things for breakfast (eggs, ham, cheese) since it was on the
way. Kira was sleeping but the moment we
pulled into the parking lot she started making a moaning noise that both Mike
and I know the meaning of all too well.
Kira was pulling out the plastic bag we keep tucked in to her car seat
for just such an occasion and I dived into the back seat. Mike swerved into the nearest parking stall. She threw up a bit, but we caught it all in
the bag and used her burp cloth to clean her up. After this, we took Kira out of her seat and
I took her to the bathroom at the nearby Target while Mike bought the necessary
groceries. The walk seemed to do her
good and by the time we came back to the car, she was her normal self. I was leery about the remaining 30 minutes of
driving, but fortunately she fell asleep again and didn’t wake up until the
next morning, even with a transfer to bed.
Our cabin at KMC is nice.
It’s not luxury, but comfortable and really all you need. Some of the furniture and cookware are way
past their prime, but for the price and location, I would happily stay there
again. The camp is right in the heart of
Volcanoes National Park, you really can’t beat it.
Sunday, July 2
For our first morning, we thought we might get to sleep in
given that even Kira didn’t get to sleep until after 10, but no luck. 6:30AM and our little girl was up and
bouncing. I bribed her with a movie on
Mike’s iPad and we got a little more sleep, but not much. Soon we were all up and eventually got
ourselves ready for the day.
We spent a little time exploring the camp: checking out the
café, general store, and leisure center.
Also got our parking pass. After
this we all piled in to the cars and went to the Thurston Lava Tube. I love this place. My only criticism of the park in general is
that I always want to know more than what is provided. Things like who discovered the lava tube (I
imagine his name is Thurston) and how it was found. This place is buried in the forest and
while it’s easily accessible now, I can’t fathom how someone would just stumble
upon it. I suppose there is a book
somewhere in the gift shop with all this info, but a series of booklets about
each spot would be nice. A full book
would be a bit much to carry around.
Perhaps they have such things, there is one for the Kilauea ‘Ike trail,
so maybe they do and I just didn’t see it.
Anyway, the lave tube is pretty awesome. The entry way is gorgeous, you are in a
stunning rainforest and I love all the moss on the rocks and the fern
trees. Just inside the tube was a group
of people listening to a woman talking about the formation of the tube. I stopped and listened for a bit before Mette
pointed out that this was a tour. I
honestly thought the woman talking was a park employee there to tell visitors
about the place. Whoops. My unintentional eves dropping taught me
something though. I knew about how the
tube formed in the first place (the lava flows along the ground but as the
surface cools, it forms a crust which thickens over time while the lava keeps
moving below it. Eventually the lava
flows out, leaving the empty tube), but I didn’t know about how the gases in
the lava would push the ceiling of the tube up.
The tube itself is just a short tunnel that drips water on
your head. I thought it was really cool,
but not on the scale of something like Carlsbad caverns. Mike told me that there used to be
stalactites, but people broke them off as souvenirs. I guess this was decades ago before
conservation was a thing. Talk about
being loved to death. One thing I thought
was neat was how you could see lines on the walls from which you could tell the
heights of various lava flows through the tube over time. It would form little shelves of sorts along
the walls.
I wonder about the floor of the tube though. It was so smooth and flat down the
middle. I’m assuming someone smoothed it
out because I didn’t see lava that flat anywhere else.
Next up we started the Kilauea `Ike trail. Mette and the kids were going to do the while
thing, but we knew four miles would be too much for Kira. Our hope was to accompany them down to the
crater floor (1.2 miles), look around a bit, and then go back up. Kira had other plans. First she said she was hungry (she had a huge
breakfast and ate a banana 5 minutes earlier), then thirsty (had drunk so much
that morning I was worrying about her needing to go potty during the hike), and
finally started doing the zombie walk (hunched over and dragging her
feet). That was it, we called it quits
and said goodbye to our friends. Kira
was so upset, saying she wanted to stay with them, but we had already told her
that we were going to stop if she didn’t shape up and we held firm. We let her have a melt down on the side of
the trail for a bit and then we headed back up and to the cabin for a much
needed nap for Kira. She crashed for a
few hours and was back to being happy, although by this time the day was mostly
done.
Our friends returned and regaled us with their stories of
the hike. Kristian showed us his
accidental purchase of a trail guide.
Since they had done the trail “in reverse” from what most people do, at
the very end of the trail he spotted a box with trail guides in it and another
box next to it in which you put your $2 to pay for it. Being a curious soul, he pulled out a booklet
to see what was in it. That’s when he
realized there was no way to get the booklet back in the box. With that, he became the accidental owner of
the trail guide and was two dollars poorer.
After exchanging stories, Mette made us an amazing
offer. She and the kids would watch Kira
tomorrow so Mike and I could do the trail and have some kid-free time together!
This is a big deal to us, and I was
giddy at the thought.
To finish off the evening, we went to the Volcano House for
dinner followed by a visit to the Jagger Museum overlook. Dinner was lovely. The view of the crater is stunning and I
loved watching it change colors as the sun set during our meal. Mike and I had the Mauka to Makai (steak and
lobster), Mette had the lamb, Kristian had chicken, Malia had the kid’s pizza,
and Kira had grilled cheese. Kristian
and Malia split a Caesar salad and I was very impressed with their salads. Even split they each had a sizable serving
and it looked really good. Our steak and
lobster was perfectly done and good, although nothing beats Mike’s steaks. Mette and Kira enjoyed their meals, but
Kristian didn’t care for the feta in the stuffing in the chicken and Malia said
there was way too much cheese on her pizza.
The cheese was actually in two layers and she ended up peeling off the
first layer. I’m not sure how that’s
possible, but there it was. Anyway,
dinner was generally a hit and it was our treat as a thank you for inviting us
along with them to the Big Island. Mette
wouldn’t let us help pay for the cabin, so this was the best we could do as a
thank you.
After our lovely dinner, we made a stop at the cabin to drop
off our leftovers and take Kira to the restroom, then we headed up to the
Jagger Museum. The Museum itself was
closed, but we were there for the viewing of Halema’uma’u crater where
sometimes lava can be seen. Tonight
though, there was no visible lava, but the red/orange glow and smoke and steam
is still a beautiful site. One thing
that particularly reached me was as we were standing and looking out to the
crater, a man behind me quietly sang an oli.
Of course I don’t know what he said, but those always seem to leave a
stillness behind. It’s a moment that’s
going to stay with me.
We had taken 2 cars up to the Museum, but when we looked
around for our friends, we couldn’t find them.
We stuck around for a while and looked at the stars and did a little
satellite tracking, and eventually headed back finding them at the cabin. Turns out their visit to the overlook was
abruptly cut short as Kristian had wandered away from his mom while they were
there.
Monday, July 3
Today was a big day for Mike and I as Mette and the kids
were still maintaining they’d be happy to watch Kira while we had a day to
ourselves. We got Kira’s things together
and then ourselves ready and said our goodbyes.
We started with another visit to the lava tube as we could really
explore it this time. After that, we
started the hike. Kristian’s mistake
with the trial guide became our blessing as we got to use his guide. We intentionally did the hike in reverse of
the trail guide as Mette pointed out that if we did it the normal way we’d have
the sun in our eyes the whole time. We
kept an eye out for the box with the guides and sure enough it was at the very
end of our hike. Poor Kristian. Later, when we were back at the cabin, I
asked Mette if I could pay Kristian for the trail guide as we totally got our
$2 for it, she said no as it was a learning experience for him, but we could
give him a $1 “rental fee,” which we did.
As for the hike, it was amazing. There are certain other events in my life
which have formed vivid memories for me, like the Alaskan Glacier hike, or
standing in the Roman Coliseum, and I think
standing on the floor of the crater is one of those. It was like the surface of another
planet. It truly gave me a sense of the
power of the earth. All these massive
chunks of stone broken apart and stacked like it was the Greek Gods’
play-ground. The descent to the crater
was lovely, we reveled in looking around and reading all the informative signs
about the native plants along the trail.
We were able to figure out what some of the plants in our yard are
called and learned a bit about them.
The forest ends abruptly and you walk out into the
crater. It’s just amazing. We sat down and pulled out the guidebook and
read the whole thing. We figured since
we were going in reverse we should just read it all so it would make
sense. We also thought it would be hot
out on the crater floor and we wouldn’t want to stop. Turns out the weather was perfect. While it was sunny, there was a steady cool
breeze which kept us comfortable the whole time. We couldn’t have had a better day. We ended up taking a ridiculous number of
pictures of rocks. I realize most of
them will likely be deleted as how many pictures of rocks do you really want to
see, but I just couldn’t help myself. I
was just enthralled.
The official estimate for the hike is 2 to 3 hours and we
came in right at 3 hours. Considering we
stopped and looked at every sign and marveled at every sight, I’m amazed we
still came in within their estimate. It
was a fantastic 3 hours.
After the hike we drove down to Volcano town for lunch at a
thai restaurant. The food, pad-thai and
red curry, was nothing special, but decent, and we enjoyed ourselves.
Following lunch we stopped at the Visitor’s center, which we
hadn’t yet seen. We looked around and
watched a 50’s era film with footage of the eruption. I’m glad we did the hike before seeing the
film as I don’t think the film would have been as interesting otherwise. It also showed how many of the rock formations
we had seen happened.
Next we drove up the Jagger Museum where we were stunned to
see lava splashing around in the crater.
They had telescopes set up and we took turns at that. Really just a spectacular sight. We were so fortunate to have seen this
because we found out there was no lava
to be seen the next day. At the Museum, we bought a few presents for
our friends as a thank you for our fabulous day, along with a few things for
Kira and ourselves (Hawaiian bananagrams game, puzzle, kid’s books on volcanoes
and Pele).
We finally made our way back to the cabin where we were
stunned to find they managed to get Kira down for a nap. We were less surprised after they told us
what they had done for the day. They had
started with exploring around the camp and then hiked up to the Jagger Museum
where they had a picnic lunch and then hiked back. This is about 2.5 miles total. We knew Kira would do better hiking with them
than with us but we were still impressed.
Mette let Kira wear her GPS sports watch, which Kira
loved. She really enjoyed reading off
the distances, although she had no real idea as to what it meant, but it made
her feel like a big girl. Mette also
made up games to keep the kids entertained along the way. She made clues about where to go next (like
“listen for the flag” as the flag was making a clanking noise in the wind and
led them towards the trail head) and having the kids pretend to be different
animals along the way (monkeys along a railing or picking up sticks to be Moose
antlers). I wish I was good at that sort
of stuff. I’m not very creative and I
tend to be serious and goal-oriented. I
could learn from Mette about enjoying the journey more.
When they reached the overlook they found a place down a
ways to have lunch. Someone else walked
by and Kira announced to him that they were having a picnic! She loves picnics, so that was a hit. While up there they also spent some time in
the Jagger Museum where Mette bought Kira a book about volcanoes. Kira loves it and has been wanting to read it
daily since then.
Unfortunately, their hike ended on a down note. I’m not sure why, but Kira changed into her
sandals on the way back and ended up getting a splinter in her foot. Poor Mette had to carry her home, and Kira is
over 40 pounds! Mette tried to put Kira
on her shoulders but Kira said she was afraid of heights (she’s not, but her
legs hurt after the two times Mike put her on his shoulders and now she won’t
do it), so poor Mette had to carry her the hard way. She claimed it was a good workout.
When they got back to the house, Mette convinced Kira to
take a nap and told her that I would get the splinter out when I got home. Mette glossed it over, but I gather from Kira
that she was upset we weren’t there and she really wanted us. I feel bad about that, but Mette had it under
control and handled it all beautifully.
Once she got Kira to sleep, she went to the store and bought a sewing
kit and used the needle in it to get out the splinter while Kira slept! I’m impressed. When Kira woke up she announced that she felt
much better and she was delighted that we were finally back and she could tell
us all about her adventures of the day.
Backing up a bit, when we first got back to the cabin, Kira
was still napping and Mette and the kids were telling us about their day when
we had to interrupt and ask if they saw the lava. The blank looks gave us our answer and when
we told them there was active lava erupting and visible in the crater there was
a mad scramble to gather their stuff and run to the car. We tossed our binoculars into their hands and
off they went. Later they returned and
we were delighted to hear that they got to see it. This is about the time Kira woke up. She was thrilled to see us and told us all
about her day. Then got her ready and
headed back up to the overlook so she could see the lava which was still
visible.
Back to the cabin, and with Kira refreshed, we all ate a
little something and then headed out for a drive down Chain of Craters
road. The drive was lovely, although I
wish we had left earlier so we could stop at some of the sights. There was at least on crater that looked
really cool, and many spectacular views, but we headed down to sea level where
we parked and took a walk. Turns out
it’s a 6 mile hike out to where the lava meets the sea, which wasn’t going to
happen, so we explored a little and watched the sunset over the mountain before
heading back. We had walked out about
2/3rd of a mile and on the way back Mette and Malia took off their wraps
and turned them in to colorful flags/banners with Kira and they pretended they
were leading a parade. Mike and I walked
behind and we all waved at the imaginary adoring crowds. Yet another example where making something
fun gets far better results than my “just do it” approach. Working on it.
Back at the cabin for our final night. Got pizza from the bowling alley restaurant,
it was decent and hit the spot for all of us.
After a pleasant evening together, we all took our showers/baths and
turned in. Another late night followed
by an early morning.
Tuesday, July 4
When we were up at the museum yesterday, we asked about the
“Junior ranger” program after we saw a ranger having kids take an oath which
included eating their veggies and keeping their room clean J. The ranger took out a coloring book and told
us that the instructions differ depending on the age but for a 4 year old, she
has to color at least 2 pages and then bring it back to a ranger and she would
get a “Junior ranger badge.” This morning,
we gave her the booklet and told her about it.
She was very excited and put a lot of work into her coloring to make
sure the rangers would give her the badge.
This worked out perfectly for us as it kept her occupied
while the rest of us packed up and cleaned up.
Mette and the kids finished up and said their goodbyes as they were
going to grab breakfast and head to Kona for their flight to Honolulu. We ourselves left about 15 minutes after them
and headed to the Visitor’s Center where Kira was brave and did a good job
talking to the ranger who went over her work and asked her questions about the
things in the book:
Did you see lava?
Yes.
What’s that bird on this page, a chicken? Noooooo, it’s a Nene!
Have you seen one?
Yes. Ranger: Where? Kira: the zoo.
Did you go in the the
lava tube? Yes.
Did it drip on your head?
No. Ranger: you’re lucky.
He commended her on her good work and gave her the badge,
which she was thrilled about. It’s a pin
that looks like the ranger badges, it’s very cute. He then said because she had done more than 2
pages she could go in the back and pick out a poster and told us where to
go. This surprised us but after thanking
him for everything we found our way to the posters. It turns out they were there under a donation
box suggesting $5 for a poster. Even
though her had technically given it to her already, we put $5 in the box
anyway. Totally worth it for the time
the coloring book bought us and her delight over the whole process.
After a restroom stop we then walked over to the Sulphur
vents. The walk was pretty, but as we
approached the vents there were a few signs about how the gases could be
dangerous to young children. They didn’t
specify how young was young but we approached with caution. We went to the first viewing platform. You could smell it, but it wasn’t
strong. We talked to Kira a bit about it
and then headed back. I would have like
to have gone down and explored the area as there were walkways meandering
through the area, but it isn’t worth the risk.
Next we went to the Steam vents. We explained how the steam was created and
Kira liked running in and out of the steam.
Our final stop before heading to Hilo was the Devastation trail. We had an unexpected bonus as we found a
group of four Nene in the parking lot. I
saw the direction they were headed so we went a ways in front of them and sat
down in the shade. I told Kira to be
very still and the Nene walked right past us.
At one point I leaned away from one because it was coming so close. They came within a foot or two of us and
acted like we weren’t even there, it was so cool! We were all stoked about the experience but I
was so proud of Kira. She stayed
perfectly still, didn’t make a sound, and didn’t try to pet one. We did it one more time where we went ahead
of them and then quietly watched them pass us.
Truly a treat.
After watching the Nene go, we headed to the Devastation
trail. This was the area behind the fountain
eruption that happened about 30 years ago.
While all the lava went down the other side of the cinder cone the lava
fountain went up almost 2 thousand feet in the air and the wind blew some of
lava back to this area where it burned down all the trees and plants and
covered the area in a layer of cinders.
Even though that was so long ago, the plants are struggling to come
back. There are some ‘Ohia trees and
other plants, but it’s mostly a barren landscape reminiscent of the surface of
Mars.
With this, it was time to head home. We drove into Hilo, stopping at Safeway to
return some wine we didn’t drink and then went to the airport. I love the Hilo airport for the ease of
rental car drop off and pickup, and the mellow TSA (the guy gave Kira a sticker
badge, she was delighted). With the
laid-back aspect comes a negative, there’s nothing good to eat. There’s only one place inside TSA with any
food and it’s all pre-prepared and grossly overpriced. Don’t expect a Starbucks here for
decades. We succumbed to our reality and
paid up. Oh well. With that we headed up to our gate where we
discovered Mike knew the pilot, a fellow firefighter. This is his “side job.” For some reason that cracked me up.
Anyway, a short, pleasant flight home, and we were soon at
the car. This was the moment of truth
for something. We were told that
electric cars had free parking at the airport so we decided to try it. We had to write our name and the license
plate (and something else that I can’t remember right now) on the ticket and
give that to the attendant. It worked. She seemed annoyed, like we were getting away
with something, but she waved us through and we were soon home. We also wondered how the car would hold up
sitting unplugged for days, but other than a possible tiny drop in percentage
points (2 or 3?) it was fine. Don’t know
how long a trip I’d be willing to let it sit for though.
Unpacked, had pizza for dinner, showers, and off to
bed. Was a great trip but glad to be
home.
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