Pedaling kilometers

Dear travel diary

Monday, June 14, 2021

After waking up, we had a small breakfast and got ready for the day. Today, we had the Waipio Valley and Mauna Kea on the agenda.

The drive to Waipio Valley was relatively short. After about 40 minutes, we arrived and had to park the car because the beach is located further down and can only be reached by a 4x4 car. So we parked at the top and walked down the narrow and steep road. On the right side was the abyss and on the left was a stone wall, which occasionally had small stones falling down. After just a few steps, it was tough on my knees, which is logical considering the steep slope.

However, the view was beautiful. From the top, we could already see the beach and the bay below and we were amazed once again by the blue water. When we reached the bottom, we had to walk a few hundred more meters until we finally reached the beach. Along the way, we encountered dogs and horses with their foals, which came curiously towards us.

The sand was black and seemingly endless. However, to get to the beautiful side of the beach, we had to cross a riverbed. So I felt like a bear crossing a big river because this delta had a strong current and I had to plan each step carefully to avoid slipping on the rocks. Additionally, the water was rather cold, and with constantly looking down, I almost felt nauseous. Crossing this rushing water was definitely a matter of concentration.

However, we all managed to reach the other side dry and were rewarded with an empty beach. We didn't feel like swimming, especially since it was cloudy and the water in Big Island is generally cooler than in Oahu.

So we enjoyed the pleasant temperature without being sweaty and played with the water and stones. Soon afterwards, we turned back to make sure we would be home on time. The ascent was as expected exhausting as it was almost vertically steep. However, what was indicated on the map as a 55-minute hike, we completed in a good 30 minutes. So we arrived at our car wet and tired but happy after the little workout.

Back in Waimea, I had to take a shower first and then take a nap because later I had to drive again, even at night. Chantal cooked an early dinner for us around 4:30 p.m. so that we would be prepared for the cold on Mauna Kea.

Since arriving in Hawaii, I haven't touched my jeans, except for packing last weekend. But now I have to take them out of my suitcase and even wear them - what a strange feeling. In the end, I even left the apartment wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a short-sleeved shirt, a sweater, and my rain jacket.

Before we could go to the volcano, we had to refuel our car. Now the big question: gasoline or diesel? There was nothing written on the fuel cap, there was no vehicle registration, and there was no other information available. So we relied on the smell, the fact that nothing was indicated, and the vague memory of receiving the car with a full tank of gas, to fill our car with gasoline. Fingers crossed!

The gas pump didn't accept my credit card, and we didn't have another one with us. But luckily, I was able to pay at the shop, and we filled up our tank again. @Dad: Please stop reading until the next section. A few hundred meters on the road, I saw in the side mirror that due to the excitement of getting the right fuel, the credit card that didn't work, and the first malfunctioning fuel pump, I had not closed the fuel cap. So I had to stop for a moment, close the fuel cap, and continue.

The road was hilly, making it feel like a roller coaster ride. No wonder Jasmin felt a bit dizzy. I would have felt the same if I weren't the one driving. We saw many small and larger volcanoes and lava rocks along the way. We also saw various animal species grazing on the barren landscapes.

Thin misty clouds came in and the feeling of driving through them was a bit eerie. Also, when we suddenly found ourselves above the clouds at Mauna Kea, it was a special and beautiful feeling.

With each meter of altitude, the temperature dropped, and it was getting colder in the car. At the height of the tourist center, at nearly 3000 meters, it was already quite chilly with my long-sleeved shirt, but at the same time, it reminded me of the familiar coolness in Switzerland. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to climb to the summit because our Hyundai still lacked power and we would probably get stuck somewhere. Too bad, but there was a hill next to it where we hiked to admire the sunset.

With both t-shirts and my sweater, it was now the perfect temperature. It was very windy during the ascent, but once we reached the top, it was almost windless. The tranquility made it feel like being in a bubble of air. I enjoyed the moment and was able to temporarily forget about my thoughts.

It was simply beautiful to be above the clouds and admire the colorful sky. I don't know if I have ever seen such an extreme sunset. The colors were so intense that it almost looked kitschy and artificial. When a few stars appeared in the sky, we walked back to the car, half frozen. There, we warmed up and admired the starry sky from the warmth. With such a view, one automatically feels small and vulnerable.

The journey back home was really mystical as we drove on the hilly road and sometimes it seemed like we were driving into nothingness and only saw where it went down again when we reached the top. Additionally, misty clouds appeared again, rushing past us like ghosts. And as if that wasn't enough, a family of wild boars suddenly appeared by the roadside. Jasmin really wanted to stop and admire them, while Chantal wanted to keep going so that we wouldn't get hit by one from the side. I, sitting behind the steering wheel, would have loved to get out and use the restroom, but after the wild boars, the two of them didn't allow me anymore.

So I had to endure until we reached our apartment and then sprinted inside. But then I was stopped by a slimy and palm-sized toad in front of our entrance. For a moment, I didn't know whether to keep going or not, but my bladder told me otherwise. So I had no choice but to pass by it, which was now dangerously close to my shoes. Well then, good night.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Today was all about "sleeping in." I managed to stay under the covers to shield myself from the brightness until shortly before 8:00 AM.

Since we have a relaxed program today, we had a late breakfast and leisurely drove to the grocery store to stock up for the next few days. However, we still had plenty of supplies, so we actually spent less than 100 dollars. An interesting thing about this supermarket is that you can provide your phone number at the checkout and automatically receive a discount. We also became clever and now boil water with the kettle so that we don't have to pay for it anymore.

We had lunch a bit later than usual and then drove to Hapuna Beach, where Grandma got married in the past. This beach is the nearest one to our area and still takes a good 20 minutes by car.

The sand was so fine that it was hard to get it off our skin, and the water was refreshingly cool. Nevertheless, I ventured into the water, and we sunbathed until the clouds became thicker.

For dinner, I cooked salmon with fried potatoes on the two small hotplates, which was quite a challenge. On the one hand, the pans were too small, and on the other hand, the hotplate was slanted, so I had to balance it first. In the end, everything turned out well, and we enjoyed our meal.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Today, Diane's alarm clock rang at 7:00 AM for the others, as we have a tight schedule.

A tight schedule mainly because we have to cover a long distance to see the two attractions. So we left just before 8:00 AM and once again drove through vast and seemingly endless landscapes. From brown to green to black - the sudden changes in landscapes here on Big Island are so diverse. After 164 kilometers and our supposed first destination, the Green Sand Beach, came the disappointment: Once again, you can't go any further without a 4x4 car, and the transportation for one person costs 10 dollars. However, our wallet only had 20 dollars, which was too little. It would have taken about an hour to walk from the parking lot to the beach, which would have been manageable if we had proper shoes, enough water, and snacks, as it would have been right during lunchtime. We also wanted to visit the Black Sand Beach.

Since we had already heard from several people that the Green Sand Beach was disappointing and not as green as expected, we decided with a grumble to skip it and continue to the Black Sand Beach.

So back into the car and another 40-minute drive. Along the way, we kept an eye out for food and gas as our Hyundai was once again thirsty. So we refueled and had lunch, and then continued our drive. We drove through dark clouds several times, which dropped heavy raindrops. Since the windshield wipers of our car urgently need to be replaced, the wiper was of little use and wiped frantically back and forth.

Fortunately, these showers were short-lived, and we reached the Black Sand Beach under dry skies. I already thought that the beach in Waipio Valley was black, but here it was even blacker. You can also see old lava flows here. It's incredibly beautiful, especially with the green palm trees and the algae on the dark stones.

As if that wasn't beautiful enough, there were seven turtles lying together and sleeping peacefully. Furthermore, we saw three more turtles lying on the beach. However, they were all smaller than the ones on the North Shore. Still, no less cute.

As a relaxing treat, we had fresh coconut and watched a show by three boys who surfed into the sea on their bodyboards when the waves arrived. It was really cozy to sit there and observe them. It was too cold and windy for sunbathing.

After the break, we started our journey back home because we had to cover all those kilometers again. However, the navigation system led us back to Waimea on the other side, so we didn't have to take the same route back, which made it a bit more exciting.

184 kilometers ahoy! It was a long and tiring drive as the roads were straight for miles, and the landscape always looked the same. It felt like we were not moving at all. So I asked my two passengers how fast they thought I was driving. The answers were 50 and 70 km/h. In reality, I was actually driving 105 km/h. So you really don't feel like you're making progress, which makes the entire drive even more intense.

When we had to climb a hill, I couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead for a moment because we were driving through a cloud and everything around us turned dark, cold, and wet. As a reward, the landscape was simply breathtaking. Black and sometimes even red lava rocks and gnarled-looking trees welcomed us. The sight was stunningly beautiful, but I couldn't stop for a photo as I just wanted to get home quickly and finally let go of the steering wheel. Now I understand Dad when he had to drive long distances and didn't like to stop for a photo...

After many more rain showers and kilometers, we passed Mauna Kea again and finally arrived on our roller coaster road. Once again, it gave us the feeling of being on a roller coaster as we floated up and down the hills.

Arriving in Waimea, I was warmly greeted by Dixie, Beverly's (the owner) dog, who thoroughly licked me and playfully bit me so that I could immediately jump into the shower.

Thus ends a semi-successful day with a total of 386 kilometers and a driving time of 5 hours and 25 minutes.