Want to go for a helicopter ride?

...over waterfalls and lava?

Keep your eyes on the right half of the screen.

lava!

Middle of the night, after a hike through the wind of Volcano National Park, alone. We were camped just 1/2 of a mile away and the view was breathtaking. (Note: Tanya was the tripod here which is pretty incredible being that my shutter was open to the Kilauea Crater for 10 whole seconds.)

Kapoho Tidepools

On the big island, guide books suggest that you go to the sunny, Kona side of the island for snorkeling...but like everything else on our trip, we did this backwards and found some of the best snorkeling on the rainy, Hilo side. In fact, while standing at the airport trading out rental cars (due to a cockroach infestation:), two independent TSA employees approached us out of the blue and suggested these tide pools.

The tide pools are all different sizes and temperatures. Some are hot spring fed -- mmm-- while others get more input from the ocean and the marine life within them changes accordingly. Most of the water is crystal clear and there is stunning coral to be found here.

On a personal note, it is also an excellent place to burn one's butt. :) Beware the bikini.

Look at the size of those leaves!

Despite the fact that this place looks like a botanical garden, it is just one of many state parks. It's called Lava Tree State Park because when the lava came up from under the ground into this area, the existing trees acted like molds.

Some of the trees burned up once encased by the lava and others slowly degraded away leaving only a perfect tree mold, entirely made from lava rock. (See below.)

Underwater cameras are awesome!

Hilo time

One more night at Robert’s house. I lay in this tropical mobile home surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest. The coKEE (properly spelled coqui) frogs cry out for mates incessantly. The geckos chirp here and there and the neighborhood dogs erupt in frequent bouts of barking, one attempting to outcall the next. It’s a complicated world of communication out there – a complex world of messages that I can only ignore with earplugs, a necessary tool round these parts for sleepy visitors. Robert says he doesn’t notice any of these sounds anymore. Now that’s a local.

Today, T and I spent the day breaking the rules. We quickly caught onto the fact that when Hawaiian signs say, “don’t go here”, that is likely to be the very spot you’ve been awaiting. So, we swam in beautiful pools of cool river water beneath tropical rains and towards gorgeous waterfalls. We climbed along slippery ledges coated in jungle mud. The gigantic leaves all around coated us in cool rainwater as we dripped with humid sweat. We came out from this mass of green to find ourselves standing atop another beautiful waterfall – but don’t go there. It’s not allowed.

on the road to Hilo

Waipi'o Valley floor

Waipi'o Valley lookout...we'll climb down next week. You have to have a 4WD vehicle to get down there...it's a 25% grade.

Waimea

First stop -- Waimea, a centrally located big island town that has the most mixed up weather I've ever seen! Shoshanah, my sister, has friends who live up here (I say up because we're at about 5000 feet) and that's where we're beginning our Hawai'i trip.

It's sooooo beautiful here. Kami and Beth's house happens to be up and up and up from "downtown" Waimea and then, it sits on the top of a very steep driveway at the end of a dead end. What does this all mean? We we have an amazing view of Mauna Kea (if it peaks out) and/or the Hawai'i cloudscape from our bedroom window.

They also have four freakin' cute dogs, one of which is only 8 weeks old! His name is Goose and I'm in love...with Birdie too but as you can guess, the puppy stole the camera.

We tried to go snorkeling with turtles -- we saw several, but not by snorkeling. The visibility was poor and the turtles were feeding off the coral and rocks that we couldn't get to. It was a perfect day by our Portland standards though -- warm, but not too much direct sun. Oh, and we "snuck" onto a resort to experience it.

So below is a 5 star resort (virtually empty) which we just walked into and through to their private beach access. Of course, the beach itself is public so what are they going to do...kick us off out of their loungers when there are hundreds empty? It was great lounging time. Yes, we got froofroo drinks and they were great!

The resort raises the young turtles as part of the state's conservation efforts and they swim through the hotel's open inner courtyard under extravagant fountains and such. Then, when they are old enough, they release them into the ocean to have better survival chances.

heading to the big island

Last night, we stayed at Mark and Sandy's house, just minutes from the Seattle airport, and this morning I got to wake up to a very happy baby named Kate. She is quite the morning person and I'm guessing from the giggles that she took great pleasure in drooling on my freshly showered face as I flew her around over my head. I suppose in baby world, that was quite an honor :)

Now, we're onto LAX where we have reserved a couple hours to study the southern California culture and then ... on to Hawai'i !!

Tonight, on the big island we're staying with Kami and her wife -- thank you Shoshanah. I can't wait to get to some warmer weather, some laid back people, and some good old volcanic action. yeah.

Pictures will be coming soon.

Bandon, Oregon (almost to California border)

We made it to Southern Oregon in our first day which was a feat because Tanya was sick. We didn't leave Portland until around noon because we couldn't decide if we should postpone the trip or not. In the end, she decided that she would rather be sick with a view of the California coastline than her bedroom wall. So we left. She did great and her cold improved at the speed of light, in part due to the fantastic first night's sleep at Bandon's Seastar Guesthouse which used to be their local hostel. Not so anymore. For a very good price, we had a really nice bed in a super quaint room and a flat screen tv. We were across the street from the harbor and in the center of old town and there was a coffeeshop just next door. It was a very nice introduction to Bandon and an excellent start to our trip.

We are sooooo close to Cali!

I can smell it.

Bandon's harbor

California coast road trip - Day 2

Come, enter into the Redwoods, land of giants.

They are friendly.

I don't suggest jumping into the icy, aquamarine Smith River though.

Thank goodness Tanya was there to appreciate the small stuff too.

California coast road trip - Day 1

Cute driver...(new to stick shifting by the way)

cute car...(freshly outfitted with the "rocket box")

cute house...(we decided to buy it :)

and an amazing freakin' view!

Still in Oregon by the way -- can't you tell by my wool hat? In case you're wondering, I'm trying to balance on the wind.

Tanya and I went to Chicago to visit my mom for Chanukah '09

That's me and my great Uncle Jerry. He looked great and it was really nice to see him at my mom's Chanukah party.

In case you have no idea what you're looking at above, that is my mom, Jill, and Tanya silhouetted against the 40' tall television screens now planted in Chicago's Millennium Park.

It's a Shedd Aquarium sea horse!! (I forgot their proper name.)

Dykes on Bikes

That's my friend, Trish, who got to ride with her mom in the parade :)