After our experience with a GPS in Thailand we were not too happy not to have a physical map. Anyway

DH and I are in our 60s - one retired, the other soldiering on. Forced to take some recreational leave and not able to take the usual five weeks, we fell back on a trip planned first in 1996 and then in 2006 and put off again. boston red sox 411 tickets for sale We are middle of the road travellers - no high end glamour for us and no flea bags either. Happy to stay in a good hostel, B B or hotel, but prefer apartments where we are staying more than 3 days. Interested in history, architecture and nature.
We used our initial research and quickly updated it while at the same time checked out airlines. Only Qantas and Air New Zealand flew out from Melbourne. Qantas was far too expensive, Air New Zealand had an 11 hour lay over in Auckland - unacceptable. So it was Hawaiian Airlines out of Sydney with a flight up from Melbourne. The limited time made it difficult to have everything fall into place as I like it to happen. In the end we decided to fly into Honolulu and then fly immediately to the Big Island. Thank goodness we did that. We got to see what we think is the real Hawaii and not the glitz of Waikiki first. Which island did we like the best? Each is different in its own way and we have special memories of each one.
Sounds like a long day - sure was. An early morning start - 4am to get some last minute purchases for our trip. Then the sudden discovery - I had forgotten to apply online for the new esta visa (had not needed it the last time we went to the USA). Quickly contacted Hawaiian Airlines and was given the weblink. Got on the link and tried to get two visas. Oh no - they need two separate e-mail address - OK we can manage that. Then the next surprise - the site needs two separate credit cards and AMEX is not acceptable. The same credit card can only be used 72 hours apart - I didn't have 72 hours merely 2 hours! Saved by my mother's credit card - but the cost was $78.78 each- astronomical! (more on this later).
Drove to the local station boston red sox 411 tickets for sale and took the suburban train to Spencer Street boston red sox 411 tickets for sale (Southern Cross) Station and then walked over to the Sky Bus. Missed the first bus but got the next - every 20 mins. We knew that US airlines charge for checked in luggage so we packed boston red sox 411 tickets for sale only one wheelie and placed a lightweight bag (no wheels) inside boston red sox 411 tickets for sale for later use. A small wheelie for my carry on and a back pack and computer for DH.
Breezed on to a Qantas flight to Sydney, took the TBus (poorly signed) to the international airport and then tried to find the Hawaiian Airlines counter. Thinking that we were really early we almost missed the snaking queue for our flight as we thought that we had plenty of time for a meal before having to check in. No, this was our flight and it was going to be full by the look of the queue.
Checked boston red sox 411 tickets for sale in and then went to find something to eat - decided on Taste of Thai - good idea. Had heard that HA was a cold airline and had prepared for that and our Volcano trips with a fleece jacket. That was not enough. Fleece jacket and two blankets were not enough. I passed on the chicken (DH said it was a good thing I did) and then found that breakfast boston red sox 411 tickets for sale was icy crossants as the ovens had given up the ghost.
An Indian man who spoke virtually no English was travelling from Sydney via Honolulu to Seattle. He did not seem to have a proper ticket, only an itinerary and no one seemed to want to help him. So with my limited Hindi I took him from counter to counter to try and get someone to assist him. Finally had to leave him with a member of HA staff and hope for the best. Confronted withthe electronic weigh-in and check-in machines we had to request help and the help said that we did not have to pay for check-in luggage as we were flying Hawaiian boston red sox 411 tickets for sale all the way. Why did we not know this before hand, we would have brought two wheelies and been able to manage them better than the one without the wheels. Anyway this was good news for the rest of the trip.
We collected all the tourist information we would lay our hands on in the departure lounge and DH insisted on paying good money for bad Starbucks coffee. Wandered around the beautiful little garden at the airport, snapping the crotons, boston red sox 411 tickets for sale heliconias and hibiscus - colour, colour every where.
At last on to our Hilo flight - just a POG for refreshment. Flew over Maui but was on the wrong side of the plane to see Haleakala but on the right side to see Molokini and Mono Kea and Mona Loa rising above the super white clouds.
After our experience with a GPS in Thailand we were not too happy not to have a physical map. Anyway use the GPS we did to get us to Volcano and it actually got us to the Holo Holo Inn. A surprise boston red sox 411 tickets for sale indeed for us. The owner was a Japanese man who had travelled widely and had decided to settle down in Hawaii. He and his Indonesian/Thai/Cambodian(?) wife ran this little hostel in tropical suburbia. He built the wing we were going to stay in himself. What he failed to do was install some heating. It was April, boston red sox 411 tickets for sale but it was freezing boston red sox 411 tickets for sale cold. It rained 80% of the time there and everything outside was soggy. Yet, we could see we were in rainforest territory - beautiful orchids and tree ferns everywhere. So thick you could barely see the house next door. Shoes off outside boston red sox 411 tickets for sale Japanese/Hawaiian style and clump upstairs to our tiny pine lined room and ensuite. Well lit and with plenty of hot water. Use of laundry and dryer, kitchen and computer. No wifi.
It is National Park Week, so it is free entrance to the park. The Park HQ is a really nice building in lovely grassed grounds. Toilets, theatre, gift shop and sort of nature museum boston red sox 411 tickets for sale showing the native boston red sox 411 tickets for sale birds and vegetation. There is a TV set up showing various scenes of the area. The two Kilauea Volcano documentary videos that are shown in the theatre boston red sox 411 tickets for sale are really worth the short time.
We hung around to find out what ranger led walks were on tap and talked to some of the rangers. We were still early so we drove to the Jagger Museum to the Kilauea lookout. It was still cold and rainy - we thought we had come to a tropical boston red sox 411 tickets for sale paradise! boston red sox 411 tickets for sale Thank goodness for the fleece jackets every Melbournian knows to carry.
The Jagger Museum lookout was obscured by the rain and mist, so after a few quick photographs of the rising steam and the caldera, we went inside to look at the interesting (especially for someone with a scientific mind) museum and bookshop. Bought some trail mix for the walk and some magnets. The Crater Rim Drive is closed from the Jagger Museum onwards due to noxious fumes - and so we are unlikely boston red sox 411 tickets for sale to see any nene geese.
On the way back to the Vistors Centre, I decided that my hands were too cold so we rushed back to Holo Holo to get my gloves (yes I was somewhat prepared for the weather). The walks were just being posted by the time we got back and I decided on the 8 mile walk. This walk includes the Kilauea Iki walk and more. DH was a little dubious about the length but soon agreed that it was the most interesting since we would be walking through the caldera.
Charlene Meyers takes this walk only every six weeks. If you are at all interested in a really interesting, informative walk, then this is the one you should build your visit around (as did one couple boston red sox 411 tickets for sale who had done a walk with Charlene the previous year).
We were the only Australians in the group of about 10 led by Charlene and another volunteer ranger. Despite the inclement weather some people did not have warm or rain weather clothing and also wore inappropriate footwear. The trail is often very rough and slippery and good tred enclosed footwear is essential.
Charlene is a font of information and keeps up a good pace of both walking and information. She is also a photographer and has taken the photographs for the excellent Kilauea NP Calender for the last 5 or more years.
We passed steam vents (Wahinekapu) and walked down the caldera wall onto the caldera itself, keeping to the marked path ofcourse (more about this later). It was so pleasant walking down through the lush forest that one forgets that what goes down must come up! Unfortunately the native forest boston red sox 411 tickets for sale is invaded by the Kahili ginger plant which is very difficult to eradicate. Charlene said that the person who imported boston red sox 411 tickets for sale the plant had said that they would keep it contained - what they forgot is that every seed is carried by the wind and the conditions boston red sox 411 tickets for sale are just right for the ginger to spread like wildfire forming dense mats that exclude all native plants.
The steam from the steam vents is not actually smoke coming up but is caused by the rain water seeping down to where the rocks are still hot. The vents increase in size and Charlene said it was really important not to walk close to them as the edges could collapse at any time.
Then we came out into the caldera to see the red flowering puff ball ohia trees and ferns getting a hold in the crevices. It is just amazing how they can grow in such a harsh environment. Walkers are advised not to take any lumps of lava with them - it is also considered bad luck.
Across the cladera with Charlene boston red sox 411 tickets for sale explaining how it came about. Then we are faced with walking up the other side of the wall - my excuse for being slow was that there were so many beautiful sights, that I just had to stop and take photographs! boston red sox 411 tickets for sale At the top we stopped boston red sox 411 tickets for sale for lunch (every bit of paper or cans, bottles boston red sox 411 tickets for sale has to be taken out - no refuse is left here). This is also the bush toilet stop.
We then climbed down into the second caldera boston red sox 411 tickets for sale where Charlene pointed out the cinder cone Pu'u Pua'i that had closed the road. She also told us that the news had just come over her radio that the lava flow had once again crossed into NP territory. Some people thought boston red sox 411 tickets for sale that the would like to see this and left the walk. They would have had to return to their car and then drive to the point on the Chain of Craters Road and then walk 5 miles each way to see the lava. Charlene pointed out that this was dangerous as you would only have the markers to follow and once it got dark if you did not have an adequate torch it would be very dangerous boston red sox 411 tickets for sale as you would not know where the t