To put my tree house and swing vine to vine and be one with nature. Maybe not anytime soon, but at least now I know the place where I would do it. Today was an early morning that commenced with a drive towards the east to Hilo, the wettest city in the US. (274 inches of rain a year!) Our drive to Hilo was an amazing one filled with crazy climate changes from rainforest to desert and spectacular views of waves crashing into the jagged black coastline. At the halfway point of our journey we were welcomed by the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; the site of the most active volcano in the world, Kilauea. We were able to drive around the massive crater where the volcano last erupted in this particular spot in 1982 and see the sulfur and steam coming up out of the ground. The locals believe that there Goddess lives in this crater and is the life blood of the islands. It was a very sacred and ere place. We did not get to see any lava flowing since it is deep in the park and only viewable by helicopter.
Kilauea crater and a local offering
After arriving in Hilo and doing some shopping at the local farmers market, we finally set off on what I had been waiting for the whole day; WATERFALLS! First up was Rainbow Falls. This 80 ft. waterfall was just north of downtown Hilo and right next to an elementary school. Very pretty and powerful as all the water fell uninterrupted into the pool below.
Rainbow Falls
Just upstream about a mile were The Boiling Pots; named this because in spots they are boiling due to the hot rocks below the river bed that are superheated by the flowing lava underneath them. Holly and I got a little dirty trying to get a better look at the boiling pools.
The Boiling Pots
Last but not at all least was Akaka Falls. This place was utterly amazing and the site of my future tree house. On the walk to the main attraction were numerous small waterfalls that flow through a tropical paradise filled with bamboo trees, birds of paradise, and crazy ferns taller than anything I had ever seen. As the rumbling gets louder the cliff drops straight off, you turn the corner and there it is; Akaka Falls dropping almost 500 feet down a lush green background. It was a top ten site for these eyes. I felt satisfied with the day and glad that we had gotten in all we had set out to do.
Holly and I in front of Akaka Falls
Tomorrow has the chance to be even better, with a trip to the top of the world. Time will only tell. Mahalo.
2 comments:
So pretty!!!
So cool! I'm glad that you found your big boy place to put a tree house. heehee
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