We woke up this morning in Honolulu in a comfortable bed, with air conditioning and working electricity, and the vibe of the trip began to change. After arriving at the Honolulu airport for our connection to Kona we got through security in less than five minutes, noticed that there was space on an earlier flight, and when we asked to switch we were put on the flight without any drama, and given exit rows with extra leg space as an added bonus. The flight took off on time, we landed in Kona, and our bags were there waiting for us after arriving yesterday morning. When we picked up our rental car, not only was the reservation still valid, they told us that they wouldn’t charge us for the missed day. We went to the dive shop to figure out what options remained for diving, and the incredible Patti at Jack’s Diving Locker rearranged some schedules and figured out how we could still complete our advanced open water certification. After the dive shop the next stop was a farmer’s market where I got probably the best Thai fried rice I’ve ever eaten, and we then arrived at our hotel to discover that it far exceeded expectations, and that the desk manager had taken pity on us when I called last night and not charged us for the missed evening. We then jumped in the pool, ordered a couple of pina coladas, and took a walk along the lava cliffs where we were joined by mongooses, parrots, and a small cadre of feral cats.
It feels like a vacation again, and we’re infinitely grateful to everyone today who helped make it feel that way.
My husband and I were about 3 days behind you on your last trip to the Big Island, and because of your journal posts we hiked to see the volcano in the dark, and did the manta ray snorkel – something outside our comfort zone – and it was AMAZING! Because of your post about the Pageant of the Masters (which I had never heard of), I attended, and have since been back two more times, dragging everyone I know. I suspect you write this blog for your family, friends, and your own memories, but I’ve really enjoyed your adventures and it has helped add to my already long bucket list of things I want to do and see with the rest of my time on earth. So thank you, and I’m glad your vacation is looking up! Safe travels!
That’s really cool! I write this journal partly for friends and family, partly so that I can remember all of the cool things I might otherwise forget, and partly to share with others. I’m really glad you got to see the mantas, volcano, etc; we live in an amazing world full of incredible things, and I love getting to see (and share) some of them.