Big Island, hunting for the lava part 1

After just a one-hour flight from Honolulu, we arrive at the small and cozy airport in Kona on Big Island.

Big Island is the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands and continues to grow steadily due to the active volcanoes.

Our cozy house in Kailua-Kona has a fantastic ocean view. Here we can enjoy ourselves for the next 11 days.

The next day, we head to Hiio. From here, our big lava experience will start early in the morning of the following day.

Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is connected to a so-called hotspot among the Hawaiian Islands. Lava flows from Kilauea into the ocean in a spectacular way, cooling down and creating new land.

We want to enjoy this spectacle and start happily and excitedly on our way to Hilo.

Halfway there, my phone rings. I have a bad feeling about it. The lady from the agency where we booked the lava boat tour informs us that on this day, the lava is no longer flowing into the ocean, and unfortunately, the lava is not expected to flow again the next day either.

Oh no, what bad luck. We are all quite disappointed but decide to continue driving to Hio since an island tour is awaiting us the next morning.

We arrive at our hotel for one night, the Hilo Bay Reeds Hotel. The hotel has clearly seen better days, but the rooms are clean and provide us with a good place to stay for one night.

The next day, we can 'unfortunately' sleep in since the lava doesn't flow.

After waking up, we want to explore Hilo a bit, but the rain sets in and ruins our plans. So we drive to Kenn's House of Pancakes to have breakfast and wait for our guide.

Kenn's House of Pancakes offers a great selection of dishes from breakfast to dinner. The portions are huge, and the atmosphere is cozy. A typical American diner with unlimited coffee.

The rain takes a short break as we set off on the island tour with Robert, our guide. A lava hike is on the program, as well as a tour of the Hilo side.

However, I have the impression that Robert is not really in the mood for this hike today. Okay, let's wait and see, and off we go.

We stop at the statue of Kamehameha I, who lived on Big Island and also died here, make a stop at Rainbow Falls, and then continue to the beautiful Botanical Garden in Onomea Bay. Beautiful plants, a dreamy location on the Pacific, an oasis of tranquility. We immerse ourselves in a sea of colors and scents, and then... the sky opens up and we have to flee to the car.

Even at the impressive Akaka Falls, we can hardly see anything because of the dense drizzle.

At Black Sands Beach, the sky finally clears up, and we enjoy the scenery. High waves breaking on the lava rock, turtles resting in the sun, and a delicious lunch with local fruits create the perfect vacation feeling.

During lunch, Robert expresses his concerns about the lava hike, which I had feared, and suggests maybe just going to Volcanoes National Park to see the glowing gases in one of Kilauea's craters.

Well, better than nothing, I think. If there is no lava, at least there are glowing gases. The rest of the group agrees, Robert seems relieved, and we set off to Volcanoes National Park, of course in pouring rain.

I dedicate another chapter in my blog to the park.

After sunset, we enjoy the spectacular show that the crater offers us. The glowing gases make the crater red and give the surroundings an incomparable atmosphere. Everyone is mesmerized by this natural spectacle. I have never seen such an overwhelming sight before.

Satisfied, we start our journey back, but we can't forget about the lava. We want to make another attempt with the lava boat. Hopefully, attempt number two will be successful... Lava, here we come.