Good afternoon everyone and welcome. A big wish of mine for the longest time has been to visit the Big Island of Hawaii. Finally, this year we went. This island is known for its four active volcanos and black sand beaches. We stayed in Kona near the island’s fifth volcano, which is dormant.
We arrived on a Friday and immediately knew we were someplace else. The salty humid air felt good against my skin. We’ve been having beastly hot weather in SoCal for weeks so we were grateful for the lower temps.
Everywhere we went the locals were friendly and what is even nicer is that the city of Kona is really clean. What I like is the slower pace. I found myself becoming in tune with life. Although the little city is mostly touristy, we found some really cool spots. One of which is the black rock beach near our hotel. There is no sand and unless you are wearing slip proof shoes, I’d recommend enjoying the view from the shoreline. We sat there one sunset admiring the sea.
One excursion that I wanted to do was go zip lining. I’ve done this before on Maui and loved it. This time the tour was longer and we got to go on nine lines instead of three. Also, it was much harder as we had to do more hiking, climbing, and walking on suspended wooden bridges. I have never been on one of these and found it to be a thrill. The entire time I was on the bridge I felt as though time stood still and nothing else mattered.
While riding on the zips, I tucked up my legs so that I could go at full speed. Again, free of anything except what was present in that moment. I had a blast and am going to do it again. The most thrilling part was when I had to stop. It was a huge rush of adrenaline.
You can’t go to Hawaii and not visit at least one beach. We spoke with one local and she recommended a favorite of hers, Hapuna State Beach. This beach is located on the northern side and has white sand. It felt so good to sink my feet into the granules as I walked over to the rushing water. Immediately I felt the warm water engulf my legs and I dove right in. The Pacific Ocean at home is often chilly. This was a real treat for us since we love to go swimming. Hapuna Beach has ample parking and a short walk down to the shoreline. Showers and restrooms are available. This beach is definitely a must when you visit this island.
On one day, we went to visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a 96-mile drive from Kona. We got up early and set out. It was amazing watching the scenery change along the way. In Kona it is pretty lush, but as we drove further it changed to more desert-like. Then there were the lava fields, which are mind-blowing. They have a wave pattern and are solid black. Mixed in are desert grass. The sight is so refreshing as it is nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Along the way we stopped off at a black sand beach and hung out for a while. The water here was cooler than Hapuna. I stood ankle deep in the rushing tide for a long time, my feet buried in the grainy sand. While there we saw a big turtle sitting on the sand.
Later, we arrived at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We were told that to see an active volcano, we would have to hike about four hours. We opted for a shorter walk to view some of the steam vents instead, as well as the crater in the below picture. It was eerie how the steam looked so much like smoke. The air had a slight sulfuric scent.
This was a very fun excursion and I definitely felt the energy. It was exciting to be so close to an active volcano. Still we’d like to see a live one. Next time we could take a boat cruise along the volcanic coast.
The best part of the entire vacation was the time we got to spend with each other enjoying the gorgeous sights together. It was so peaceful. It was nice driving around the island and having an ocean view for most of the ride.
We have now been to three of the Hawaiian Islands – Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii. They are such special places and I feel blessed to have been able to visit them. I am carrying the Aloha spirit wherever I go. I am recommending a stay at the Big Island.
Until Next Time,
Lynn
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Lynn Lawler's Creative Artists' Blog 