Island Hopping

Kathy and I have been here in Hawaii for six months now....so, we thought it was was time to see some of the other Islands (there are eight).  For a week we cruised around and explored, here is the pictorial summary for you...

OK OK... we are a little excited !

First stop Maui

This is a very popular destination for Mainland visitors.  All of the islands seem more rural and slower paced as compared to Oahu...which by comparison is slower paced and more rural than our home in the North East!  Anyway ... waterfalls, volcanic rock shoreline and spectacular views were common.

Dramatic coastlines like this are very common

Black volcanic sand...felt great!

Spectatcula Akaka Falls 800 feet

On to the BIG ISLAND of Hawaii...We spent a day on the Hilo side (East) and a day on the Kona side (West)  Volcanoes, Lava Tubes and once again spectacular views...wow

In front of a volcanic crater...note the steam rising.

Active volcano crater on the Big Island

Exploring volcanoes, we hiked across the base of this crater... some areas had steam rising ...hot enough to cook on

When lava flows is burns right through rock and earth on it path down to the Sea...leaving this lava tubes to explore...here I am entering about a 300 foot tube

Inside

Church in Kona ...first one...missionaries left Long Wharf Boston in 1805...now Catholic

                                                                         Now onto Kauia...the Garden Island

Kathy enjoying a beautiful waterfall...look at those dopes under the Falls

Especially that Big One on the right !

Mark Twain dubbed it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific...Waimea Valley...we hiked along the top amazing, amazing, amazing

Helicopters fly in for tours...they were below us !

Always Amazed by Flowers

Finally we Kayaked and hiked in an area common to hollywood for filming...

Also the opening scene of MASH where helicopters fly into the medical base over the green (Korean) mountains

Red soil in a some areas...looks like the Southwest...maybe?

Finally, an ugly tree with beautiful flowers is the subject of an awesome Hawaiian Legend...tell you when we get home...ALOHA