39. Hawaii – Part 5

Month: December 2017

Location: O’ahu & Big Island

I took a ‘Lyft’ to my hotel, and as we drove there, it was more apparent than ever that Honolulu is very different than Hilo or Kona.  It seemed that everyone has descended on the island this week, particularly Waikiki Beach.  With the traffic it took us some time to get to my hotel, ‘Ohana Waikiki Malia’, which was located right in the heart of the busy Waikiki Beach and a block away from the main street with all the shops.  While the location was better than ‘Ala Moana’, the hotel itself was…well, quite ordinary.  And it was more expensive, just showing how location makes a huge difference.  As I checked in, they gave me a “beach bag”, and proximity to the beach is probably why people stay here.  I dropped off my bags and then set off for a walk, minus the beach bag.

The busy 'Waikiki Beach'

I arrived at the beach and you could hardly see the sand, since every inch was taken up by the people.  I wasn’t planning to stay here for long, but wanted to do one thing before leaving.  I wanted to touch the Pacific.  Well, that was easier said than done, since I had to first make my way there through the crowd.  I did manage to touch the water, but some poor judgement on my part also meant that my shoes and socks got wet.  Considering that I wasn’t going back to the hotel, I would just have to deal with for the rest of the evening.  I walked through some of the shopping malls and thankfully they weren’t like your typical mall layouts, but they were still crowded.  This was basically to kill time, and soon I was ready to proceed to my first stop of the evening.  I wanted to call a ride, but the challenge was now the pickup point on a very busy street.  So I did my usual trick of finding a hotel nearby and calling the ride from their foyer, which is much easier for everyone.

'Tchin Tchin! Bar'

I was going to a place called ‘The Manifest’ and it was located in Honolulu’s “Chinatown”.  The neighborhood had narrow one-way streets and so my driver was a bit confused.  But I made it there and it wasn’t exactly bustling.  I got a drink there and then went across the street to a place called ‘Tchin Tchin! Bar’, and yes the exclamation is weirdly placed.  It was trying to be a speakeasy and so had a simple door, which took some time to open.  Stairs led upstairs to a wide bar area in a bright room and a decent looking patio terrace.  It was supposed to be a popular place and especially crowded at night, but it was quite early and I was one of the few there.  I had an interestingly titled drink called “Mack The Knife” and left.

The fantastic 'Hi Brau Room'

I called a ride and once again, due to the one-way streets, it was an adventure finding each other.  Once we had sorted that out, I was dropped off at ‘Aloha Beer Co.’.  No, I wasn’t going there, but rather to a ‘speakeasy” above it called ‘The Hi Brau Room’.  Now, this was a cool bar with a cozy ambiance and definitely the best place I had visited today.  I struck up a conversation with the bartender, who was from Brisbane, Australia.  He recommended a drink called "The Laborer’s Lift’" which was a cocktail incorporating one of their beers.  The way to their restroom took one past their brewery and what looked like an indoor “food truck”.  I enjoyed my stay here and then called a ride to go to my dinner stop.

The uniform patterned design of '53 By The Sea'

I was going to another restaurant next to the beach and this one was called ‘53 By The Sea’.  Starting with the door, everything about it was exquisite and the interior had a pattern which was replicated in their window panes, their paintings, their curtains and even the handrails on the stairs.  The dinner was excellent and they even served something called “Adult Nuts” as accompaniment to their “Mai Tai”.  I was pleased that my last full night in Honolulu was in this restaurant.  I came back to my room after stopping to get a bottle of water in a nearby grocery store.  This would be my last decent sleep for almost 48 hours.  Well, that did not go so well, since my cough that had been building up for the past month was at its worse and made for an extremely uncomfortable night. 

The shopping center next to 'Kitchen and Meatery'

The next morning I packed my bags for the last time in Hawaii and dropped them off at reception.  I was leaving for the airport at night and was worried that they may raise a stink.  But they did not ask me and so I got out of there fast.  I took a ride to a restaurant called ‘Kitchen and Meatery’, which was located in a neighborhood which looked new.  The architecture was contemporary and everything was…clean.  There were restaurants and shops, but it wasn’t touristy.  It was more like a place the young people of Honolulu would live and hang out.  The restaurant – surprise surprise – was meat centric, with an open kitchen and I could picture the chefs grilling chunks of meat on an open flame at night.  But this was breakfast time, though they had done a good job of integrating their theme into the classics.  I came out of the restaurant using another exit and found myself inside a very charming shopping center, with boutique shops.  Often on these trips I picture myself living in specific neighborhoods of the towns that I visit and for Honolulu, this was it.

The 'Iolani Palace'

I called a ride into downtown and that took me through some rundown streets, polar opposite of where I had just been.  I was going to ‘Iolani Palace’, the only “palace” in United States…well unless you count the tiny ‘Hulihe’e Palace’ in Kona.  I had planned on visiting that, but the timing didn’t work out.  However, I had purchased tickets for a guided tour for this one and arrived ahead of time, which was good since there was a short video that we were encouraged to watch prior to going inside.  The video told the story of Queen Lili’uokalani, the last ruler of Hawaii before the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.  In fact, she was later imprisoned in a room in her own home and we would be seeing all of it today.  While in there, I was trying to control my coughing, so as to not disturb my fellow visitors. Maybe they thought that the tears in my eyes were due to me being affected by the story!  Fortunately, it was over soon and then we were outside, waiting for our turn to enter the palace.

The "Throne Room" inside

I was waiting under a spectacular looking tree, which had a dense covering of leaves and a trunk that looked like it was made of a collection of vines.  At 11 am we were invited to climb up the stairs and before going inside the house, were given a short history lesson and also some plastic booties to put over our shoes.  There was a wide wooden staircase that led to the upper floor, but we were told that we wouldn’t be taking it today.  Apparently the only time that visitors are allowed to use it was during special events such as the celebration for the Queen’s birthday, when the palace would be open for evening tours.  While not as opulent as some of the mansions of Newport, this was an impressive residence, with sprawling rooms; including the main throne room with the "crown jewels".  We took an elevator upstairs – obviously a more recent installation – and saw the room where the Queen had been imprisoned.  Also on display was the quilt that the queen worked on during her long hours in here.  It was a nice, informative tour and we were done in little less than an hour.

The fantastic road to Kailua

When I was planning how to spend my last day in Hawaii, I thought about hiking to the viewing area of ‘Diamond Head Crater’, which presented both, a view inside the crater and also Honolulu from an elevation.  However, more than one of my ‘Uber’ drivers over the last week had said that it was a typical tourist destination and there wasn’t anything special to warrant a trip.  They had instead recommended that I go to the town of ‘Kailua’ on the other side of the island.  It was a 30 minute ride there, though I had been told that it was worth the drive.  It wasn’t easy to set a pickup location since all roads around the palace were busy.  I found an alley nearby and waited there, watching the map and my driver took a long time to navigate through the traffic.  Once he was able to pick me up, we were on our way out of the busy downtown.  The drive to Kailua was a pleasant one, showcasing the true beauty of O’ahu.  Mountains run through the center of the island and we had to go through them to get to Kailua.  It was amazing that a few miles away from the concrete jungle of Honolulu was this paradise.  Plus there was rain in the air, making it even more alluring.

Main street of Kailua

My driver was a nice chap and we had a good conversation all the way there.  He mentioned that I would have a good time in Kailua and told me that I had to visit the beach.  Since I had no particular destination in mind, I asked him to drop me off on the main street.  Looking around, I liked what I saw.  It was a lively street with shops and restaurants on either side, but very much like a small town rather than the bustling Waikiki Beach.  I saw a sign that said “Visitor’s Center” and went over for some information.  The lady gave me a map and gave me some vague directions on how to get to the beach.  I was going to have to figure it out myself.  I visited some of the local shops and walked around a few blocks, including side streets.  I also found a ‘Whole Foods’ store - the first one that I had seen in Hawaii – and this one was quite busy, as was the rest of this town.

The pristine beach at Kailua

I plotted a route to the beach, which was little over a mile away and would take me through a residential neighborhood.  I started off towards it and now the skies were looking threatening.  I saw a “General Store” which had some local products, including ice cream, and the line was the only thing that prevented me from getting some.  I arrived at the beach and it was an extraordinary sight that awaited me.  Unlike the crowded beach at Waikiki, this one had few people and it looked pristine.  Now, this was the beach that one sees in postcards from Hawaii.  I saw what looked like a fallen tree trunk and sat there, soaking in what I was seeing, while listening to the waves.  This was worth crossing the island for…crossing the ocean for.

The "jungle" inside a shopping mall

On cue, it started drizzling as I headed back towards the town, and while I got drenched a bit, the rain wasn’t long lived.  I came back to the main street and called a ride back into Waikiki.  Once again, I had a good driver and we talked about how Kailua appeared to be a much better place to live than Honolulu or Waikiki.  I had seen a much younger demographic over in Kailua, and my driver said that many people commute to work from there to Honolulu.  It took us a bit longer to get back and as he dropped me off in Waikiki, the place looked busier than yesterday, if it was even possible.  I entered a shopping center and one thing to be said about the shopping areas here was they were unique.  For example, this one seemed to have something like a "jungle" in the center, with multiple levels for kids to explore.  I was going to the top level where all the restaurants were located.  I went to a nice looking place called ‘Herringbone’ and got a drink.  Then it was time for my last dinner in Hawaii.

A perfect end to the trip

When I had first moved to Chicago, a block away from where I lived was a restaurant called ‘Roy’s Waikiki’, though I never considered going there.  When I was researching places over here, I came across their main restaurant in Waikiki, and it was highly recommended.  So I read about it and being impressed, made a reservation.  I was looking it up on my phone for directions, and it said that it was closing soon.  Considering that I had a reservation, I wasn’t sure what was going on, but since it was just a couple of blocks away, decided to go anyways.  While it was nearby, it took me some time to navigate through the increasing crowd.  It now resembled the “Vegas Strip”, and I had to crisscross my way through the people, including a huge group of high school kids.  When I arrived at the street where the restaurant was located, I found that some places were on an upper level; meaning finding this wouldn’t be that easy.  I eventually located it and it was open, the information online being incorrect.  That was a good thing since it was a fantastic meal, ending with a “Chocolate Soufflé and Vanilla Ice Cream”. Now I was ready to leave the island.

A beautiful evening

Not quite, since this had been one of those rare times where I had dinner this early and there was still a lot of time before my flight.  Next to my hotel was a bar called, ‘Genius Lounge’, which was known for its cocktails.  As I walked there, it had turned into a beautiful evening and I was appreciating this area more now, especially with the lighted streets and people enjoying themselves.  I went to the 2^nd floor, where the place was, and bypassed the outdoor balcony to take a seat at the bar.  The bartender was a friendly chap and said that they were known for the “Mojito’s”.  So, that’s what I got and by this time my battle with the cough had reached a stage where I was feeling sick and starting to have a bad headache, which isn’t the best thing before a long flight.  The bar was festive and they even had a Christmas tree in the corner, though this one had been decorated using beer cans as ornaments.  I finished the drink and left for my hotel.

Beer-Can Christmas Tree

It was still early for my flight, but I decided to go and wait at the airport.  I gathered my bags and took a final ride back.  Now, this was the time that I needed both of my bags to make it through as “carry-on”, since I was leaving the plane in LA.  My gate area was quite empty, which wasn’t surprising since there were over 2 hours for our departure.  By this time I was struggling with my cough and headache and I was constantly gulping down some throat lozenges and hoping for the best.  Soon people started coming in and we boarded our flight for a 10:30 pm departure.  I told the gate attendants that I was not planning on making my connection in LA and they said that I should just mention it to their counterparts over there.

This wasn’t as big of a plane as the one that brought us here, and their “First Class” was like any other domestic airlines, and not the one with reclining chairs on the flight here.  I had actually contemplated paying the obscene difference and upgrading, but seeing this I was glad I didn’t.  Well, that made for a very unpleasant night for me as I can never sleep properly on a flight, and my cough was acting up.  Plus, there was enough turbulence throughout such that even an upgraded seat wouldn’t have helped.  At one stage it felt like panels of the plane were being stripped off by the wind and it was by far the worst flight that I have been on in recent memory.  As we approached LA – which was still dark – I could see a thin sheet of fog that enveloped the entire city like a blanket.  I was glad to be on the ground and with my luggage in hand, I set off to find the gate for my connection to Chicago.  I told the agents there that I wasn’t going to be on it.  They asked if I had any luggage checked-in and when I said that I didn't, they thanked me for informing them.

I had decided that rather than spend the entire day like this, I would go and pay the fee for a day’s pass in “American Airlines Admiral’s Lounge”, specifically to use their shower.  I got the pass and went upstairs to find the showers.  Then I learned that I needed a key and had to come back to get one.  Fortunately, one of the private showers was available and while the water wasn’t as warm as I would have liked, I totally appreciated it.  My bags were open and my dirty clothes from the past week were spread out.  However, I still had 3 more nights in San Diego and so I consolidated and went outside for some breakfast.  They had a few items to choose from and I saw many people waiting for their flights in the lounge.  I charged all my devices for the next 20 minutes contemplating the last 8 days. It had been my longest and most eventful trip. Hawaii had always felt a bit out of reach.  Thanks to “51 in 51”, I had made it there and boy was it rewarding.  I had seen sights of nature like never before and had learned more about the events in Pearl Harbor that have shaped this country…and the world.  Yeah, I missed out on the one thing that mattered the most to me, but there will be another day when I will do that.  But for now, I still had next few days in Southern California to look forward to.  The last thing I heard as I left the terminal to head to the rental car area was my name being called on the “PA system” for immediate boarding to Chicago.  Good luck with that!

39. Hawaii – Part 4

Month: December 2017

Location: O’ahu & Big Island

Everyone loves looking at the stars at night and I am no exception.  It’s not as if do it every day, but when I do look at the skies, I am spellbound.  But, the one thing I have always wanted to do was look at the ‘Milky Way’.  Back in school I even bought a telescope and even though I tried to use it as much as I could, it ended up being a glorified coat rack.  The problem was the ambient light.  Once, a couple of buddies and I took it in the middle of a field away from the lights.  After an hour we realized that what we thought was Mars, was actually a ball of dust on the lens.  I worked at ‘Adler Planetarium’ in Chicago, but even over there; the telescopes are not as effective because there is just too much light.  Years ago my buddy told me about this place in Hawaii, where they take you on an expedition up a mountain.  You go above the clouds and then they turn off all the lights and you wait for your eyes to get acclimatized.  Then you see it.  You can actually see our galaxy.  When I planned to do these travels 4 years ago, this was the one thing I wanted to do in Hawaii.  So back in February, right after I booked my travel to Honolulu, I booked an inter-island flight to The Big Island and immediately following that I got a seat on this tour.  That was 10 months ago.  Yes, I was here as a part of “51 in 51”, but this was the main reason I came.  I wanted to see the ‘Milky Way’.

'Kailua Bay'

I pulled into the parking lot of ‘Kona Seaside Hotel’ and as I parked, a gentleman told me that I couldn’t park there.  Well, I would have to figure it out at check-in and they told me that all of their parking spaces were taken for the night and that I would have to go to a public lot.  There was a map on how to get there and so after putting my stuff in the room, I went looking for that parking lot.  Well, that was full too and I was now looking up other parking lots in the area.  An older gentleman who looked like he was a surfer came soon and fortunately got into his car and left.  As I parked in that spot, I saw a sign which said that there would be no parking between the hours of 2 am and 6 am and that the violators would be towed.  So I left my car and went back to the hotel to ask about that.  The lady at the reception told me that they sent all of their guests over there and no one has ever been towed.  Okay then.  I guess I would know tomorrow morning.

Live music at 'Gertrude's Jazz Bar'

My hotel had a path leading down to the waterfront and boy that was a cool area.  There was a mile long road along the ‘Kailua Bay’ and it had restaurants and shopping areas – not the commercial chains, but local artisans and products.  The evening had set in and people were out enjoying themselves.  There’s something very surreal about walking along a bay in the evening, with splashing water on one side and the lights on the other.  I stopped at a place called, ‘Gertrude’s Jazz Bar’, which was located on the 2^nd floor of a building, with a nice patio facing the waterfront.  But, I am more of a cozy room person and so went up to the bar in the back and struck up a conversation with the bartender Hillary.  She was from New Hampshire and had moved to Hawaii a few years ago and stayed.  We talked about some of the bars in Manchester that I had visited and about her life on this island.

Looking in towards 'Don The Beachcomber'

Live music had started playing as I left and headed further down the bay.  I was going to a place called ‘Don The Beachcomber’, which was part of a hotel and as stated, it was on a beach.  They claimed to be the “Home of the original Mai Tai”, though the one I had left some scope for improvement.  Nearby, was a place called ‘Huggo’s On The Rocks’ and I headed there for dinner.  The place was full and yes, they also carried something called “Huggo’s Famous Mai Tai”.  These folks have to get more creative with their naming!  For the first time since coming to Hawaii, I tried the "Poke” and it was definitely better than anything I have tasted elsewhere.  The place was closing at 9 pm – which was way too soon in my opinion – and I decided to walk back to my hotel.  It was a perfect evening and I stopped at a shop to get some water.  There were some ladies getting souvenirs and a gentleman, who looked homeless, came over and asked them if they could buy him a small bottle of alcohol.  And they did.  This is a different kind of place than anything on the mainland, that’s for sure.  I returned to my hotel, not knowing if my car would still be there the next morning.

A nice day in Kona

I got a call from ‘Mauna Kea Summit Adventures’ to confirm that I knew where my pickup would be this afternoon.  Once we had sorted that out, they said that the road to the summit was actually closed, though their weather projections were clear and so they expected the road to open soon.  That was a bit worrisome and so I asked how confident they were that this wasn’t an issue and they said that their tours were rarely cancelled, and certainly not on a clear day like today.  Well, we would find out soon and I had other plans prior to that.  Before leaving the hotel I checked if they had parking available for this night, which they did for a fee.  Thankfully my car was still there, and I wouldn't have to worry about it tonight. I went over to get some coffee at a nearby place called ‘Menehune Coffee Company’.  They claimed to have “100% Kona Coffee” and if there was any place to get that, I suppose Kona would be it.

The lush location of 'Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation'

Speaking of coffee, I was headed inland to ‘Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation’.  As I went further away from the coast, I could feel the tropical forest getting denser, and soon I was driving through lush green trees on either side of the road.  There was a tour of the facility at 11 am and I was cutting it close, especially since I was stuck behind an extremely slow moving truck and only managed to reach on time owing my trusted GPS finding an alternate route.  There were several cars parked by the roadside just outside the plantation and having seen this in Hilo, it seems like random parking is perfectly acceptable in Hawaii.

That's what coffee starts as

I went inside and saw a number of people sitting around.  There was a gift shop, where the tour would start, and a steep path leading down to the plantation.  Our tour today would not take us there, but would rather touch upon the processing aspect of coffee.  Our guide showed us the actual coffee berry on the vine and it looks very different than what we know as coffee.  We touched upon the sorting and roasting aspects of coffee, including the styles and their taste; as well as quality control and packaging.  It was an informative tour and there were some samples in their gift shop.  They said that their coffee was not available in any stores and the only way to get it was through them.  Well, I had no place in my bags, so I guess I would have to order it online.

Homemade sauce in a Rum bottle?

I did not want to go down to the plantation, so I started back toward the city.  The intersection to get on to the busy main road did not have a traffic light and so taking a left turn was a challenge, especially since people weren’t that accommodating.  I still had time to spare before my pickup for the “Stargazing Tour”, but decided to go there so as ensure that I had the right spot, and also get some lunch.  The said spot was located behind ‘Kona International Market’, which is a place where one can find island crafts and gifts.  The other major landmark over there was ‘Target’, which made it a bit easier to locate the place, though it took me a few drive arounds to locate it.  There was a restaurant nearby called ‘Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering’ and they specialized in Hawaiian cuisine.  The people were friendly and the food was hearty and good. I still had time to spare and since they had recommended that we carry water on the trip, I went over to ‘Target’ and got a bottle.  It was full and being inside the store, I couldn’t tell if I was in Kona or in Chicago.  With water in hand I was about to go explore the market, when I got the call.

Instead of 'Mauna Kea' , this would be the
afternoon view from my hotel room

The road to ‘Mauna Kea’ was closed and so my trip was being cancelled.  The good news, as stated by them, was that it was expected to open tomorrow and there was a seat available if I wanted it.  I was a bit numb at this news and I told them that I was leaving tomorrow and this had been the main reason for me coming here.  They really couldn’t do much about the weather and they said that while the road to the summit was closed, I could drive halfway up to the visitor’s center.  There wasn’t much point to that, meaning I had the rest of the day available to me.  I sat in my car in the parking lot thinking about how much I had been looking forward to this.  Yeah, I had booked this back in February, but the dream had always been there.  I went back to my room and tried to decompress.  It’s a weird feeling when you lose something that you have wanted for so long, but now I had a choice to make.  I could either wallow in self-pity or plan some activities for the evening. 

And my evening view...though this I am all for

There were a few options available to me.  About 15 miles north was a resort with restaurants, and further away was a shopping area with variety shows.  I called the resort and they said that they were completely sold out as far as their dining rooms and bars were concerned.  So that was out.  I saw online that there was a walking tour of Kona, so I called them and left a message.  They called back a bit later saying that there wasn’t a tour this evening.  Next on the list was a Submarine that took you underwater – yes, that’s right.  Parked at the bay, it took people down to see the aquatic life.  That sounded interesting, so I looked at the pictures and it was quite well done, with glass windows and seats facing outward.  I was intrigued, though the interiors looked claustrophobic and the ticket price was quite high.  So I decided to skip that as well, meaning that I would indulge in my usual activity of walking around the town, visiting bars and restaurants.

The busy 'Kona Brewing Company'

Nearby was ‘Kona Brewing Company’ and while it appeared to be just across the road, the way to get there was convoluted.  Only when I started walking did I realize that since it was located on a short hill, I would have to follow the road as it wound up after half a mile.  Luckily, I saw a short opening in the wall by the roadside, allowing me to climb up the slope and save myself a hike.  The brewery was packed to the brim, with people waiting to get seated and a crowded bar area.  I found a small corner to stand and ordered a beer called “Pipeline Porter”, which was really quite good – having hints of Kona coffee – and served perfectly chilled.  It was a lively place with a great ambiance, though I just stayed for one drink.

Artisan shops on the bay

It was getting dark as I walked towards the waterfront and since I had a great time chatting with Hillary yesterday, went back to ‘Gertrude’s Jazz Bar’.  Once again, while there was live music on the patio, I sat at the bar as Hillary commiserated with me on missing my trip.  She told me that there was a perfect cure for this and it was called “Kava”.  Initially I thought she meant the sparkling wine, but apparently this was a drink that put one in a heightened state of relaxation.  Sounded like something passed around at a party. She told me that there was a place further down the road that served it.  We talked for a bit and I left after a beautifully titled drink called “Kona Nightingale”; telling her to look me up if she was ever in Chicago.  I walked by the waterfront and even spend some time exploring the stores and the marketplace.  I came across something that looked like a store from outside, but was actually a hotel called ‘Kona Inn’.  The bar area was overlooking the beach and it looked like a perfect place to relax.  This was a busy place as well, with their dining area – which was right on the beach – being full.  I stayed for a drink called “World Famous Lina Inn Mai Tai” – once again, how can everything here be “world famous”?

Beach Volleyball, away from the beach

I was going to a place called ‘Foster’s Kitchen’ for dinner and it was located above a floodlit “Beach Volleyball Court”, which was being used.  Also, behind the court was the infamous “Kava” bar, though I wouldn’t be stopping there this evening.  The restaurant had a few people there and even though it wasn’t located on a beach like some of the other places, it still had a nice ambiance.  They were known for their cocktails and something called “Stairway to Heaven” did not disappoint, though I could have done a better job with my food selection.  In any case, it wasn’t a bad place to hang out.  Just like last night, I decided to walk back to my hotel. By the time I called it a night, my disappointment at missing the trip was diminished, for it had been a good evening.

Final morning in beautiful Kona

It was beautiful morning and there was no doubt in my mind that the trip to ‘Mauna Kea’ would be on today; while I was leaving this afternoon. I walked over to the nearby ‘The Fish Hopper’ for brunch, and then got in my car to head to the airport.  I debated going to a place called ‘Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies’, which was on the way to the airport.  But once again, my lack of luggage space meant there was no point to it and so I decided to arrive early at the airport and wait.  That decision was one of the best that I have made since it was an adventure finding a gas station to fill my car.  I had found one on the map, but there was a lot of traffic on the way, once again owing to a 3-way intersection without a traffic light.  Once I arrived at the gas station, I realized that it was part of ‘Costco’, meaning I could not buy gas without a membership.  Now it was getting late and I saw another gas station on the map, though it wasn’t the easiest place to get to.  After a few wrong turns, I finally found it and filled gas in a hurry, making it to the airport later than I would have liked.

A unique airport terminal

There was a queue at the security, and once I was through it, a weird and wonderful sight greeted me.  The airport terminal and the gates were like an open air mall, with big canopies covering the seating areas.  Only in Hawaii!  This meant that you could see planes coming in and hear the loud sounds of the jet engines - there were several flights leaving for various islands. Fortunately, I was able to get my bags on board without having to check them in.  As we took off, my window was facing away from the island, meaning that I wouldn’t even be able to look at ‘Mauna Kea’.  Perhaps it was better this way.  Sure, I had not done what I come to do, but the 3 days on this island had truly been amazing.  I had seen miracles of nature at ‘Volcanoes National Park’ and Kona was a picture perfect image of a coastal town.  Now it was back to the concrete jungle of Honolulu, but I had some interesting things lined up.  I said goodbye to this place but not before making a promise to myself that someday I would return, for I had some unfinished business.  One day, I will see the stars from the summit of the tallest mountain in the world.

To Be Concluded…

39. Hawaii – Part 3

Month: December 2017

Location: O’ahu & Big Island

Up and away

I was glad that I had booked a day flight to Hilo because the view was just spectacular.  First, it was the blue ocean, and then as we flew over the islands of Moloka’i and Maui, it was just one incredible sight after another.  The flight attendants went around handing out prepackaged cups of juice or water, and before we knew it, we were over The Big Island, or its real name, Hawai’i.  It was overcast as we landed and there was rain in the air.  The airport itself was very small and I went searching for the rental car booth, which was outdoors.  The lady was nice and she not only upgraded me to a SUV, but when I told her that would be driving to Kona tomorrow, plotted the route and the stops.  The car was parked right behind the booth – this was literally on a median – and after spending some time trying to figure out how to open the trunk, I was ready to go.

Trail to 'Akaka Falls'

It looked like all the hotels were located next to each other, around a curved road and mine was called ‘Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel’.  After checking in I stopped by the concierge to discuss some sightseeing options for this afternoon and she gave me a few suggestions, including printed directions with maps.  I dropped off my bags in the room and set off for my first stop, ‘Akaka Falls State Park’.  It was approximately 16 miles away and a beautiful drive, part of which was along the coastline. I finally felt like I was on a tropical island.  Plus, it was drizzling on and off, showcasing the greenery even more.  I turned off the main road and drove along a narrow path to the gates of the State Park.  I saw a lot of cars parked by the roadside and so I did the same.  As I entered through the gates and into the parking lot, I saw that there were plenty of parking spaces.  A guy was sitting there and he said that I could pay $5 to park in the lot, or as many people had done, leave my car outside.  That made sense to me and so I left my car outside, paid the $1 entry fee, and set off on the trail.

'Akaka Falls'

There was a fantastic 1 mile path – paved all the way - leading to the falls.  I got the feeling that I was entering a tropical forest and it took me through the foliage and across streams, till I reached the viewing area, with the falls in the distance.  The falls themselves weren’t as impressive, but I had enjoyed my walk getting there.  It was a loop, meaning there was a different route to get back and soon I was back in my car, ready to head back.  It was starting to get dark and so I decided to skip the “Botanical Gardens” – one of the places my concierge had suggested – and decided to make a quick stop at ‘Rainbow Falls’ instead, since it was located close to town.  I arrived at the park and it was threatening to rain any moment.  There was a short path leading to an elevation, which was called the “Rainbow Falls Lookout”, and it really was stretching the limits as a tourist attraction.  You could hardly see the waterfall and after taking one look I returned to my car, just as it started raining.

and 'Rainbow Falls'

There were a couple of places in downtown that I wanted to visit and so I found a parking spot.  Well, downtown was being extremely kind to it since there was a main street with some business’s, all of which looked closed.  After all, it was Christmas evening, and sure enough the places I was looking for were closed as well.  So I drove back to the hotel and saw that the parking lot was full.  I was lucky to find a spot in the basement of a garage and the reason for the crowd was that the restaurant in my hotel was hosting a “Christmas Dinner”.  I had booked my seat a month ago and was lucky to get a table at 8:30 pm.  As I came inside, I saw lot of people gathered outside and since it was still early, I went to the hotel bar, ‘Wai’oli Lounge’ and had some colorful looking cocktails, one of which was called “Saddle Road Sunset”.  The bar was attached to the restaurant and so many of the dinner folks were bleeding into the room, carrying their buffet plates that were filled to the brim.  It was disheartening to see that many did not bother that most of the things on the plates were left untouched and going to waste.  The bartender asked if I wanted to eat at the bar and I said that I would come back for my table later and so went back to my room to wait for an hour.

The bright colored drinks
of 'Wai'oli Lounge'

I returned back to ‘Queens Court Restaurant’ and the rush had started to subside.  Having a later seating may not have been the best idea since they weren’t keen on refilling some of the stations, especially the desserts.  In fact, the people before me had done a number over there and there was mess all over the place.  There is something about a buffet that brings out the worst in people, especially the holiday specials.  I mentioned to the staff that they should be more diligent in refilling, especially if they are going to have late seating’s.  However, this was a stressful evening for all of them and it should not be forgotten that this was their Christmas too.  I called it an early night, knowing that I would have a long day tomorrow.

Breakfast at 'Ken's House Of Pankcakes'

It was bright and sunny the next morning as I checked out and headed to the nearby ‘Ken’s House Of Pancakes’ for breakfast.  It looked to be a popular diner that did traditional breakfast food, and they did it well.  This would probably be my only meal till dinner and so I did it justice. Then I left for ‘Volcanoes National Park’, which was 30 miles away.  It was a nice drive to get there and even though I had not spent enough time in Hilo, this was one of the main reasons that I had come here, well one of the 2 main reasons.  I arrived at the entrance to the park and as I paid the fee, the ranger told me that today was “cruise ship day”, meaning that the park would be full of visitors.  The first test of that would be the “Visitor’s Center” and sure enough, the parking lot looked full.  This would be one of those days where finding parking would supersede every other challenge.

The magnificent 'Kilauea Iki Crater'

I made my way to the main building to talk to a ranger and even though there were a few available, there was a queue in front of each of them.  After what seemed like a long time for a family to understand how to read a map, I finally reached a ranger and he looked like he would rather be anywhere than here.  Having to repeat something over and over and answer pointless questions is not a very enjoyable task.  I asked for things to do and depending on the amount of time one was here there were several activities, including a twilight show where the glow from the lava was visible.  I wasn’t going to able to see that, but I could definitely do some hikes.  One of the more fascinating ones was called ‘Kilauea Iki Trail’ which went through the rain forest around the ‘Kilauea Iki Crater’, descended into it, and then after a 2 mile hike inside the crater, you emerged out on the other side.  The total distance was a 4 mile loop and this would take most of the morning.  This sounded fascinating since you would actually be walking on the surface of a volcano.  That’s just brilliant.  I immediately decided to go on this trail, and then proceeded to make one of the dumbest mistakes of all time.

Through the forest... 

Before starting, I went to the gift shop and asked if they had any bottled water.  They did not, but were happy to sell me a water bottle, which I could then fill up with water from a fountain outside.  The bottle was branded and expensive, plus it was bulky and since I was already pushing the limits of my baggage, I decided not to purchase it.  As I would soon realize, that was just stupid.  I drove to the trail-head and fortunately there was parking.  I walked up to the viewing area and the sight which greeted me was breathtaking to say the least.  I was looking down into the crater and it was huge.  I could see a path running across it and tiny specs, which I assumed were people.  It was a long way down and I had no idea how I was going to do that.  But one thing was clear, this would be closest feeling to walking inside a lunar crater…well if I ignored the forest in the distance…and the blue skies…and the people.

...and down the steps

The first challenge was finding the entrance to the trail and even though I asked several hikers, no one seemed to know.  I made my best guess and started through the dense forest, with the crater to my left.  It was going downhill, though not as steeply as I would have anticipated.  Every now and then I would stop and find a clearing to look at the crater down below and it was amazing each time.  There are some sights which leave you speechless for no reason other than their scale and to think that I would be walking on this “magnificent desolation” – well, with caveats – was a bit intimidating.  I imagined myself down there on the wide open grey surface with no hint of vegetation and the elevated forest in the distance on all 4 sides.  But first, I had to get there and so I continued down the long trail.  At one stage there was a fork in the road, one leading to the visitor’s center and the other continuing down to the crater.  It really was a long hike and I thought that I had gone several miles, when in reality it had been less than 1.

The jagged lava rocks at the base

I finally reached an opening through the forest and I had walked the entire north face of the crater and now it was time to decent down the western slope.  The way that would happen was through a series of winding steps…a lot of winding steps.  Plus, this wasn’t a well-constructed, uniform stairway, but steps of stone, which were sometimes just slabs of dirt and some of them, were quite steep.  I was fairly tired by the time I reached the base and then I realized how much further I still had to go.  Before I could even get to the opening of the crater, there were sharp and jagged lava formations to navigate and that would take some balancing.  That stretched for a long distance and once I had safely passed those, I would need to cover the miles long crater to reach the eastern face.  Then I would have to climb back and up and complete the loop.  But the biggest problem was that I had gone just over a quarter of the way and the lack of water was catching up with me.  So I made a decision to turn back.  I knew that I was missing out on a special experience, but I wasn’t sure if I would have the strength to climb once I had walked through the crater.  I mean, I barely had enough stamina left to do it now and by the time I had reached the top, I was exhausted.

The interior of the lava tube

If I had forgotten how long of a walk it had been on the way here, I was reminded as I went back to my starting point.  Plus, now I was going uphill.  I arrived to the spot where I had parked my car, but I knew that this was my best bet to find parking.  So I decided to continue on the trail to ‘Thurston Lava Tube’, another tourist attraction.  It was a short trek through the forest and as I arrived there, I was glad that I had left my car behind.  There were tourists everywhere and rangers were on hand to guide the traffic.  I found a water fountain, which was lifesaving to say the least, and now refreshed, headed town towards the lava tube.  As I approached the tube, it looked like a tunnel that had been bored into the mountainside.  The main difference was that this was a natural formation, caused by lava flowing through it hundreds of years ago.  It was a surreal walk through the tube, especially since it was pitch black in places and quite wet, making it difficult to find your footing.  It also made me appreciate everything that miners do, since I had enough of being there after just 2 minutes.

The caldera of 'Kliauea Crater'

The next step was to head back on the trail towards my car and after one last look at the crater, I headed back to the visitors center.  By now the place was truly busy and I had to drive around the parking lot for a bit before I could find a spot.  I still wanted to spend some more time in the park and so asked a ranger for options.  He had just finished telling a gentleman about this 13 mile trail which was only accessible via bikes and from the sounds of it, they were planning to be their well past sunset.  Speaking of trails, there was one called ‘Devastation Trail’ and I suppose the name was enough for me to skip it.  I had 2 options, either drive down to the coast, a 20 mile drive with multiple scenic stops on the way.  One of them was called ‘Kealakomo Overlook’, which was a cliff with a precipitous drop and the ocean in the background.  The view was supposed to be amazing, and people could see the vast lava field that formed this island…and is still forming it.  The end of the road was the viewing area for ‘Holei Sea Arch’, which was a naturally occurring arch that had been cut into the cliff hundreds of years ago.  Getting there would take over 45 minutes and so rather than do a 90 minute round trip, I decided to choose the second option, go and see the ‘Kilauea Caldera’.

It is still an active volcano

I started driving on a road called ‘Crater Rim Drive’ and on the way saw a bunch of cars parked on the side and some steam rising up through the ground.  I pulled over and walked up to something called ‘Steam Vents’, where steam was billowing out like it was a sauna and smell of Sulphur was in the air.  If we needed a reminder that we were on an active volcano, this was it.  A little further away was my first look at the ‘Kilauea Caldera’ and this one put the earlier one to shame.  Not only was this massive, there was a giant opening through which steam was rising, as if the entire thing would blow up any minute.  I got back in the car and continued on to a better viewing area, which was named…well, ‘Kilauea Overlook’, and once again the sight of the crater gave one a sense of the scale of devastation that was possible.  The ranger had mentioned that no one, not even rangers, were allowed down there, let alone anywhere near the steaming opening.  The geologists would sometimes go in a chopper and lower some instruments for sampling, but that was it.  Nearby was a place called ‘Jaggar Museum’, which told the geological story of this place and it also had pictures of how spectacular the erupting vent looked at night.

At this stage I could leave the park and drive to Kona, but there was something about the view from ‘Kealakomo Overlook’, and I knew that I would regret if I never saw it.  So I decided to go up to that spot, which was halfway to the arch, and then turn back.  I started driving on the ‘Chain of Craters Road’ and boy, was that an extraordinary route.  There are roads that are pretty because of the scenery, but this was unique because it was carved through remnants of lava flow.  There were several mounds of tall and jagged volcanic rock on either side, along with signs having dates on when that had happened.  Most of them were from recent past, meaning that lava had been flowing like a river on the spot where I was driving.  Soon I arrived at my destination and even before I had reached the overlook, I knew that the trip had been worth the effort.  I was on a cliff that was hundreds of feet above the Pacific.  But between the cliff and the ocean was a stretch of black volcanic rock.  What seemed like miles below was a single road cutting through the rock and heading towards the ocean.  I saw a tiny bus on it and I suppose this was the way to the arch, which was the furthest that the road went.  Once again, as magnificent as the sight in front of me was, it was the scale which made it impressive.

The view from 'Kealakomo Overlook'

My drive would take me around the island

I started my drive towards Kailua Kona, which was on the Western shore of the island.  It would take me 2 hours to get there and I had been told that it would be faster for me to drive back to Hilo – which was on the exact opposite side of Kona, on the eastern shore - and then cut across the island.  But where was the fun in going inland, when I could take the solitary road that went south, around the apex of the island and then up the west coast.  It was a single lane road for most parts and I passed through a few sleepy towns on the way.  The most spectacular sight awaited me as I went around the southern apex.  I pulled on the side of the road and soaked in one of the prettiest views that I have ever seen.  All around me was the deep blue Pacific against a different shade of blue sky.  Plus, there was greenery of the lawn near the edge and if there ever was a postcard moment, this was it.  This was one of those sights where I could have stood for hours, just staring.  But, I had places to be and so onward I went.  This was the Hawaii I had heard of, not the glitz and glamour of Waikiki.

One of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen

As I drove up the west coast of the island, the road was elevated and I could see several towns pass by below me.  The numbers of cars on the road were increasing and the dreaded traffic lights were showing up frequently.  Twilight was setting in and even though the tranquility of the early part of my drive was gone, there was a different kind of charm now; with the lights of coastal towns in the distance.  It was almost dark as I saw my exit and pulled in to my hotel for the next couple of nights.  I was in Kailua Kona, and tomorrow I would get to do something that I had waited my whole life for.

To Be Continued…