12/7
After a rough start to our trip, missing our first flight out. We were finally on our way!!!We had been scheduled to fly out at 6:20am and got to the airport an hour early, but we were told we were too late to check our luggage by 8min. even though boarding was still 45min away. They rescheduled us for a flight out the next afternoon that would get us to Hawaii the following night, but Jon and Maria found a flight leaving the same day to L.A. that would get us there the next day in the afternoon. So we got to the airport with plenty of time only to find the flight had been delayed another 4 hours. we finally got on the plane then had to wait another 45min for someone to come and fuel the plane up. We got into L.A. at around 1 in the morning and got a room to get a few hours of shut eye before our flight the next day at 7 something. It was a long trip getting there but well worth the wait once we got there. Phoebe and Ryden did great on the flights without much fuss at all.
12/8 The next day we spent the morning at the Saturday Market then went to Spencer Beach where Ryden learned how to snorkel and then took a quick walk to Kiholo Bay to see the Queens Bath and to search for sea turtles.
Endangered Nene bird hanging out at Spencer Beach
Papa and Phoebe enjoying the water
Gecko at Mare and Joyce's place
Sea turtle found!!! It was getting dark when we found it and nearly stepped on it thinking it was just a rock.
Queens Bath
Beach 69
12/10 The next day we took a trip to Volcano National Park to see the extensive lava flows and to get some birding in. A large portion of the park was closed due to the last lava flow, but we did manage to drive down to the ocean, as well as visit some old petroglyphs.
Waterfall we found on the way to the park.
View at the end of the road in the park.
Trail hike in the park to do some birding
Waterfall Zia found on our drive to the park.
12/11 The next day we took a drive down to Waipio Valley down a very steep and narrow mile long road, that the rental company brochure said not to drive down, but I felt comfortable enough doing so in the 4x4 we had rented. We drove down to the bottom then spent some time on the beach and did a short hike up a zig zag trail on the other side of the valley to get a view. Afterwards we attempted to drive to David Douglas' memorial, a botanist, who died on the island after falling into a pit and got gored by a bull. A mile from the memorial the road got too bad and it was getting too dark so we decided to turn around. Zia did manage to see some birds along the 28mile bumpy dirt Mana rd.
View of the Valley from the zig zag trail
Made it back up to the parking lot glad the jeep made it.
View from the zig zag trail
Down on the beach
Point where we hiked up to on the zig zag trail
View from the beach.
short eared owl found along Mana rd.
12/12 The next day Zia went on a guided birding trip while me and the kids spent the day at the Hilton hotel playing at the pool and seeing the dolphins. She got to see some great birds including the elusive IIwi.
12/13 We spent back at Spencer Beach taking it easy from the previous long day, then picked up some fish from the Market and had dinner with Mare.
12/14 We went to a few more farmers markets then drove to Polulo Valley and did another hike down to the beach to spend the day playing in the sand. When we got back up to the top of the trail. I noticed an older couple having trouble starting their rental car. We offered our cell phone so they could call the company, but were only getting voice recordings, so we ended up driving them back to their hotel an hour away. Then had dinner at another resort that had a spotlight set up on the water to see the manta rays swimming at night.
Playing down at Polulo Beach
Family photo in Polulo
Papa and Ryden
fun eating sand
Hike back up to the top parking lot.
12/15 Ryden really wanted to go back to the Hilton to play at the pool for the day, so we went back and spent the day at the pool, then drove down to Kahaluu Bay to watch the sunset.
Fake waterfall tunnel at the hotel
Sunset at Kahaluu Bay
12/16 Our last full day on the Island we took a drive back to some areas Zia had gone to on her tour to hopefully get better photos of Iiwi and see some other birds.
Short break at a rest area to stretch our legs
Iiwi!!
12/17 Our last day on the island :( We packed up our stuff and said our goodbyes to Mare. Since our flight wasn't leaving until the evening we grabbed a bite to eat at Texs' then spent the day back at Spencer Beach, where while playing in the water , we were visited by a sea turtle that kept popping his head out of the water to say hi. We drove closer to the airport and said our last goodbyes to the island. It was a great trip but we did not manage to do all the things we wanted . I guess we'll just have to plan on going back.
Saying goodbye to Mare
Eating Malasadas and French toast at Texs
Last day at the beach
Saying our goodbyes and viewing the final sunset on the island.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and we are all wishing you the best in the coming year!!!!
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