The BIG Island

What better way to kick off summer than a trip to Hawaii?!  I have been looking forward to this vacation with the kids for awhile.  We all needed a chance to regroup, recoup, and getaway.  My main hope as we were leaving was that there wouldn't be any major travel disruptions.  I almost got my wish.  We boarded our Southwest flight as a family (thank you little Dax), and were ready to go.  Unfortunately we sat on the runway for an hour while some weather cleared.  The kids were still excited and didn't mind the delay.  However a delay on one end means there's a delay on the other end.  When we finally landed in San Jose our connecting flight was already boarded.  We ran with 24 other passengers to the plane and had to choose whatever leftover seats were available.  A very kind man gave up his seat so I could sit next to the boys.  Cambrie was a few rows ahead and McKenzie was just behind me.  Jeremy was farther back.  

When we landed in Kona it was late and we were tired.  Luckily our bags all made it, which I wasn't sure they were going to do.  While we waited for Jeremy to pick us up with the van we couldn't help but noticing that the streetlight leeched all of the colors out of our bags.  It was very surreal feeling like we had just walked into a black and white television (the camera actually added color back in.  It was more monotone than this!)

Shops close early on the island, so we had to drive to Kona to find the one burger shop that was still open for dinner.  The next morning the grocery store didn't open until 9:00 so we had to scrounge in our backpacks for food until then.  But as soon as we could we headed to the grocery store to stock up for the week.  We ate almost all of our meals out on our lanai.  I love the resort we stayed in because we had a tropical garden in our backyard.  It was so relaxing!

I've grouped together some of our bigger stories into their own posts, but so much of this trip was straight up exploring the island, that we have a lot of single photos that made up most of our memories.  Here they are!  Feeling peckish after our morning at Volcano National Park, we stopped at a little bakery and picked up some scones and muffins.  We found an overlook and sampled all of our delicacies while watching the waves crash and the clouds roll in.

In that same scenic overlook the kids found a giant tree.  We could only imagine the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse we could build in that thing.  The kids climbed as high as they could with the wet, slick park and we captured the moment.  Isn't it a striking tree?

We veered off the beltway onto a scenic driving road.  We found a path that led down a cliff, so naturally we stopped to follow it.  Daxton was the only one of us who read the warning signs on our way down.  

The rest of the crew didn't seem too worried.

As we walked down the path the kids carried a giant palm frond, because why not?

At the coast we found a beautiful scene awaiting us: slick black rocks covered with bright green moss, and just enough light coming through the clouds that made the crashing water seem to glow.  It was so pretty.  The kids set out exploring.  We found a lot of crabs, unique plants, and perfectly smooth rocks.  Daxton also found a rock that reminded him of a turtle shell.  We also found a vine that was perfect for swinging.

We hiked back up the steep, dangerous path and climbed back into the car to continue our drive down the scenic road.  We found a waterfall pouring out of a cave.  Well that deserved some exploring too.  Jeremy was the first one to make his way down under the bridge, and along the cliff edge to the waterfall source, followed by the boys and then McKenzie.  Cambrie and I stayed up top to make sure everyone was going to return in the same shape they went down in.  

Further up the road we found a much taller waterfall, Akaka Falls.  The girls tromped on ahead, not patient enough to wait for their slower footed brothers. I have been assured that they are going to share the photos they took while on their hike.  The boys and I were tired enough that I didn't make them stop for a single picture.  This one picture of the falls by themselves is all I have to prove we were there.  (Now I'm wondering if maybe Jeremy has the proof the rest of us were there.)

For tradition's sake, we picked up a coconut at Akaka Falls and needed a place to enjoy the sweet water before heading back home.  It was also past time for our sack lunch and we needed some fuel.  We parked at the end of a road which turned out to be a property that was for sale.  I found myself googling the property and wondering if it was even in the realm of a pipe dream.  The home had four acres of land right on the edge of a cliff.  The edge of the property as a waterfall that cascades off down into the ocean.  The view and ocean breezes were a perfect way to cool us off as we ate.    

On Wednesday we took advantage of the farmers' markets around the island.  We stopped in Kona first where Daxton and Cambrie both decided they wanted ukuleles for their souvenirs.  Cambrie's is a really nice one and she spent every minute of our drives from there on out playing for us in the van.  It was better than any song on the radio.  Kelton ended up choosing a giant wooden Maui fish hook.  And McKenzie picked up a carved wooden pua (pig).  

It was an easy place to pick up tourist gifts, but the market we really liked was farther down the coast.  This market was very much a local artisan market.  A local musician was singing with her ukulele as we browsed booths that held T-shirts designed by a boy based on his family history on the island (including his grandpa who rode sharks), handmade soaps, fresh honey and honeycomb, amazing photography of the island, pottery, jewelry, and food.  We ended up spending a long time there chatting with the booth owners and learning about their products.  When we got hungry we ordered some fresh empanadas and mangos with sticky rice, and sat down to listen to the music.  At one point she called up all of the kids in the audience and they played musical chairs.  McKenzie made it pretty far.  Cambrie had a smile plastered to her face the entire time.  These are her kind of people, creators and craftsmen.  

Eating on the island is a little bit of a gamble.  Food isn't always exactly when and where you want it, so you have to be flexible.  We found a taco truck/shanty where we picked up lunch one after the market.  We tried mango salsa and fish tacos for the first time.  The keiki burritos were bigger than the adult ones!  They were huge.  We sat out on the balcony and enjoyed yet another ocean view while we ate.  That was kind of the theme for the trip: food with a view.

We drove past these lava fields dozens of times coming and going from Kona to our condo, and Jeremy finally decided that he was going to stop so he could walk on them.  It was sharp a'a lava and as the boys climbed out to follow Jeremy we warned them to be very careful.  Not two minutes later Kelton came back to the car bloodied on his leg and hand.  I guess it's time for an emergency trip to Wal-Mart.

We had hoped to have time to attend a ward on Sunday before we left.  Unfortunately the connection was just too tight.  We did have time though to stop and visit the temple before jumping on the plane.  One day I'd actually like to do a session there.

It was another long day of travel returning home.  Our flight out of Kona was delayed, make another tight connection in LAX.  We didn't land in Denver until after 1:30am, then we still had to get the bags, get the car and drive home.  This is how we found Daxton when we pulled in around 3:00am.  Me too buddy.  Me too.