Saturday 24th January
This morning we drove to Hilo, on the other side of the island, to see the farmers' market.
There was lots of produce, flowers, gifts and clothing.

A few miles south if Hilo is Kilauea, an active volcano, which we went to see. We drove around the crater rim and were amazed by the steam vents and the way we could go right up to them.

http://www.nps.gov/havo



Further around we visited The Jagger Museum where we got an even closer look at the crater. Some of the rim road further on was closed because of increased volcanic action.

At one part of the rim we walked down through rainforest jungle to reach the Kilauea Iki Crater.

We were able to walk across the active crater floor as the lava has cooled sufficiently.

Around the floor there are active steam vents but plants are gaining a foothold here.

Nearby was a short trail through protected rainforest where you are able to walk through a lava tube.

Water was dripping from the ceiling and some ferns and epiphites are growing near the entrances.

Friday 23rd January
We opened the curtains to discover one of the gardeners climbing a palm tree just outside our balcony. He climbed up using spikes on his shoes and a rope round the tree. He used a big machete to trim it back, then abseiled down.

We spent the morning relaxing by the pools in the sunshine - 85 degrees.

In the afternoon we drove to Hapuna Beach, one of the top 10 beaches of the world and spent an hour or two paddlind in the ocean, watching the surf boarders and enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

Later in the aftetnoon we walked over part of a 150 year old lava flow to view some petroglyphs created by Hawaiian islanders.

Just before dinner in the local square we watched a Lion Dance to welcome the Chinese New Year.

At the end of day, the sunset was the most amazing shade of pink.

Thursday 22nd January
Lovely hot day in the 80's but a bit windy - the foyer in our section is open air and has fountains and full sized trees.

We walked round part of the complex passing the hotel lagoon and bay just outside.

We found a good place for Glenys to relax by the ocean.

Guests travel from place to place in the hotel by boat, on footpaths by the lagoon or by covered walkways decorated wirh Oriental artwork.

After picking up a hire car we drove South to get a feeling of the island - the roadside is amazingly colourful with lots of exotic flowers and palm trees.

We spotted several gardens with oranges growing on trees.

Wednesday 21st January
Good flight from Houston to Denver where we had a 3 hour wait. There was a good view of the snow on the Rocky mountains in the distance

San Francisco was cloudy with rain but once we got out over the Pacific, the weather changed for the better and the view above the clouds was beautiful.

Glenys won the competition on the plane to guess the time it would take to get half way to Hawaii - she was 7 seconds out, and won a box of Macademia nuts and some applause in the plane.

Aloha! The temperature was in the 80's when we landed at 8.30pm - the baggage claim was in the open air.
The hotel complex is huge and after checking in we took a boat to our reception area.