|
We had an
early arrival in Hilo Bay on the Big Island. While Kathy
opted to do an ATV excursion, Dad, Mom, Robin, Kris, and I rented a van
and headed off for the Park Headquarters of Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park. The Headquarters is the launching point for exploring the
Kilauea Caldera. The drive around the rim of the volcano crater
was magnificent, with great stop-offs and viewing platforms for
experiencing the crater up close. I was surprised at how close we
actually were allowed to approach the rim of the volcano. We
lingered awhile there, taking pictures among the sulfurous steam vents.
Word was out that the lava was
flowing down on the east coast, so we
calculated our route, packed into the van, and beelined for the
flow. The ride itself was an eye-ful of petrified lava flows and
scenic coastline. Unfortunately, what they did not tell us was
that once we reached the parking area for the lava flow, it would be
another 20 minute walk to reach the flow itself. That added at
least 40 minutes to our already short timetable, and would have put us
late back on the ship.
On the drive back to the ship we
stopped at the Thurston Lava Tube,
another fascinating geological formation where the lava created a
tunnel through the local terrain. Overall, even without seeing
the actual lava flow, the park impressed me beyond my expectations.
Meanwhile, Kathy was off having
a grand time, bouncing around on an
ATV, exploring the western slope of the Kilauea volcano-- an experience
she HIGHLY recommends to future travellers.
Our next stop would be a day and
a half away-- the Republic of
Kiribati...
|
|