Waterfalls and flies!

Now it's finally going to happen: I want to try zip-lining! Unfortunately, it didn't work out on Kaua'i due to time constraints, so now here on Big Island, a new attempt.

We drive north to the Hamakua Coast. There's a provider in Honomu where you can zip-line over a river and a large waterfall. We drive the Pepaékeo 4-Mile Scenic Drive, a beautiful, narrow, and winding road that follows the coastline and - once again - offers great views! At the end of this road, we return to Route 19, and shortly after, we arrive at the zip-line provider. I'm lucky, there's still an available spot for 2 o'clock, the excitement is rising! And the nervousness. Hopefully, I won't get sick when we go that far down...

Since we still have 2 hours, we drive to Hilo and visit the Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots. The waterfalls sometimes offer beautiful rainbows in the morning, but not today, they're still beautiful though. There's a big cave under the waterfall, but unfortunately, you can't reach it.

The Boiling Pots are basically smaller pools in the riverbed where the water heats up. The access is closed because there have been several deadly accidents in the past, as swimmers underestimated the current (especially when it rains) and were swept away. And then the waterfall comes shortly after... Of course, someone is still swimming in it, but there's not much water in the riverbed today.

Then we drive back to the zip-line meeting point. There are 6 of us and 2 guides accompanying us. Felicity and Allen are super nice and explain how it works. Everyone has to sign what feels like a thousand documents, stating that they understand everything, that they can die, that they have to hold on, etc. A suffocating feeling wants to rise, but I suppress it and distract myself by getting to know my companions. It's a colorful group, an older couple, around 70 years old, but very fit, is also there. The ice is quickly broken, and after putting on the equipment, we get into a minibus and head to the countryside.

Real countryside, bumpy lava roads, grassy paths, only short sections are paved (and full of potholes). We are shaken vigorously. Allen explains that this road used to be the old sugar road, where the sugar cane was brought to the railroad tracks (the current highway) with horses and later with trucks, and then shipped to California for further processing.

Today, bananas, pineapples, ginger, taro, and much more are grown here. Cows graze in between, and wild boars devastate the roadside and sometimes fields (just like with us!).

Finally, we arrive at the first of a total of 7 zip-lines. It's playground-sized, for acclimatizing. We climb a few steps to a platform, a guide attaches the pulley to the steel rope, hooks up the carabiners, gives a brief instruction on where and how to hold on, push off, and land, and off we go. It's easy and ends too quickly. The second line is similar, a bit higher, a bit longer.

With the third one, it gets more exciting. After two steps, you're practically hanging over an abyss, and you swallow when you look down. Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Slowly, it starts to be really fun.

Lines 4-7 not only increase in length but also in panorama. The last one goes over a deep river valley, you can see the big waterfall, and you're in the air for a really long time! Man, that's fun, we would love to do it all over again...

Meanwhile, Hajo went to the nearby Akaka Falls, where you have a nice view of the waterfall and the jungle with giant bamboo plants from the parking lot via a short hiking trail.

After having an ice cream, we start our way back to have dinner with Pascal at the Thai restaurant. It started raining in the meantime. No, it's pouring!

And it doesn't stop all night, but that's another story!