15. Day - day 15 (for english scroll down)

Travel day 😊 Packed the car and off to the airport. Quick stop to fuel the car – or maybe not so quick. Opening the fuel cap can be quite a challenge depending on the car brand… Zoe blissfully relaxed with iPods in her ears, feet on the dashboard, somewhere in dreamland, blissfully unaware that mom is not searching for Easter eggs, but for that strap… oh and now I have that catchy tune in my head: "You just have to pull the strap through the loop and turn the little crank all the way up…" Elena, stay focused, don't be defeated. Well, rather embarrassing – but giving up is not an option. After what felt like forever, I emerged as the victor of this battle. But winning a battle doesn't mean winning the war. American gas pumps are plastered with so much information, Tolstoy's 2000-page epic "War and Peace" pales in comparison. Beads of sweat slowly formed on my forehead, whether it was the heat, the menopause hot flashes, the time pressure, or the challenge itself, I don't know – I just wanted to get out of this situation soon! So, a woman does what women do: she asks the nearest person for help. Works like a charm. With a full tank, the helpful Hawaiian waves and says: Mahalo & Aloha (Thank you & Goodbye). Great, into the car, where Zoe asks me why it took so long…. I'm not saying anything now! Dropped off the car at the airport, checked in, and after a 50-minute flight, we arrived in "Big Island".

New car, new brand, new challenges – I can already feel it 😉 Only Zoe remains the same: iPods in her ears, feet on the dashboard, blissfully relaxed…

After a short drive, we arrived at the guesthouse. Surrounded by greenery, with a driveway that almost required a winch to get up there! But we didn't come all the way from the mountains for nothing – it would be a shame (again…!) if the Americans could do it and we couldn't. And it worked out just fine, going uphill has always been my thing 😊 It's a private house with a few spare rooms for rent. The first impression was mixed. Everything seems a bit homemade here. But the warm-hearted landlord won us over, and somehow we find it adventurous/charming. We ended the evening on the coast with a glass of wine and a pizza. Ready for a new island and new experiences.

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Travel day 😊 Packed the car and off to the airport. Quick stop to fuel the car – which turned out to be not so quick. The tank cap opener, depending the car brand, can be tricky to be found… Zoe blissfully relaxed with IPods in the ears, feet’s on the dashboard, somewhere in dreamland, not realizing that mum is not Easter egg hunting, but searching for that opening strap/tongue/flap.. there is a rather funny German song about a opening strap which came to my mind and the catching tune was in my ear… Elena stay focused, you can do that. It would be rather embarrassing if I couldn’t do it – but giving up is not an option. After an eternity I came out of this battle as a winner. But a battle won is not a war won. The American flue pumps hold so much information, that the 2000 page epos “war and peace” from Tolstoi is nothing compared to it. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead not sure if it was the heat, the menopause, the time pressure or the challenge – I don’t know, I just wanted to get out of this quickly. So I did what females do in such situations. They ask the next best person for help. Works since centuries. You bet. With a full tank the friendly Hawaiian gentleman waves and shouts: Mahalo & Aloha (thanks and good by). Fabulous, back in the car Zoe asked me what took me so long…. I am restraining myself! Dropped off the car at the airport, check in and after 50 minutes flight we landed in “Big Island”. New car, new brand, new challenges – I can feel it already 😉 Only Zoe is the same old: IPond in the ears, feet on the dashboard, blissfully relaxed…. After a brief drive we arrived at the Guesthouse. In the middle of green with a so steep driveway that I was contemplating to request a winch to get up there! But we are from the mountains after all – if the Americans can do it, we can. It did work out all right – driving in the steep was always my strength 😊 It seems to be a private house with a few spare rooms they rent out. The first impression was not impressive. Everything seems to be a bit self made, relaxed, damp. But the house lord was so charming that we decided we do like it somehow after all. We ended the evening with a glass of wine and a Pizza. Ready for a new island with new ventures.