Sunday August 27
As usual for my Hawaii adventure days, I wake up too early, but in time for the sunrise.
Becka goes to her massage clinic this morning, so I take time to tidy the kitchen and send photos to family before Fin and Mandy pick me up for an outing to Pohoiki Bay on Big Island’s Puna Coast. On the route there the road passes through a tunnel-like section of jungle before emerging to the lava ocean shore.
Alongside the ocean are several volcanically heated thermal ponds set in the rugged lava shore. While Mandy, Molly, and Molly’s friend play in the ponds, I take photos and Fin meanders.
Today we have a good picnic, as Mandy brought sandwiches and fruit to go along with whatever I brought.
There is a hard drenching rain as Fin drives back to Hilo in the dark and drops me off at Becka’s place. She is still up, so we visit a bit on the lanai before heading to bed. We won’t have many more opportunities to visit, as my Hawaii adventure will soon to coming to an end
Monday August 28
Since Becka has to work all day, my granddaughter Aurora comes for tea, snacks, and cribbage. I have a fun afternoon with her.
After she leaves, I clean the kitchen and pack my backpack, as I will be leaving for Kona airport tomorrow, closing out the Hawaii adventure. When Becka gets off work, we go for one more outing, Richardson Beach, where we hike over the lava rocks along a rugged shoreline. As we look out at the ocean, I am thrilled to see dolphins leaping. They are quite a ways out, but it is so exciting to see them, even from a distance.
Tuesday August 29
I do laundry and repack, including a suitcase for checked baggage this time. When Becka gets off work, we head to Kona, stopping at a beautiful and peaceful golden-sand beach north of Kona, Spencer Beach in the Kawaihae, to watch the sunset, a perfect end to the Hawaii adventure.
We stop at the Hilton where Becka’s friend Dominique works. We walk the halls admiring all the interesting artwork and sculptures that line the hallways. There is a big pond where dolphins swim freely about.
We find an Italian restaurant where we get a good pizza, then on to Dominique’s place to spend the night.
Wednesday August 30
On our way to the Kona open-air airport this morning, we stop at a market for snacks, including those ever-so-amazing bananas grown here on the island. They are short and fat, called apple bananas, and so much sweeter and more flavorful than mainland bananas. They cannot be taken from the island, so we eat them all before arriving at the airport. Becka waits until I am through security. A tall lovely woman becomes my guide until we board the plane that will take us to Seattle. It is a smooth flight and I look at my photos and write in my journal.
In the Seattle airport, the same lovely lady helps me to find the tram and get off at the right spot for my connection to Missoula. It is a short layover and then we board a smaller plane for the last leg of the journey. It is already dark when we leave Seattle, so no photos out the window, and there is turbulence dropping down to the Missoula airport. My daughter Ang is waiting and after getting my suitcase from baggage claim, we are soon on way to Alberton where Clifford is waiting.
I visit with him for a few minutes, glad to be back, ready to get caught up on sleep. I look forward to looking at all my photos and recalling the many wonderful and beautiful moments of the past two weeks. Thanks, Becka, for this awesome Hawaii Adventure !!!