My Roots to Pele

There is alot to be said for waking up at 5am , while it is still dark, stumbling around in order to prepare for departure to the Big Island Volcano Eco Tour. Yet as I start to hand write my blog on a dim lit airplane, heading back to Oahu after the tour, I am energized! I have just finished experiencing the ultimate tour with Discover Hawaii and our guide named 'Johnny.' My boyfriend and I awoke before sunrise, not knowing what to expect. Upon departing on a 16 hour whirlwind day, we have come away from this adventure, fulfilled with acquired knowledge; entertained by one of the most splendid tour guides we have ever met! We conversed with people (such as the wonderful, friendly Pereira family from Melbourne, Austrailia) and those from all over the world. Our trip to Big island was the main reason for travelling to Hawaii. A birthday present for my boyfriend; I booked the flights because of his fascination with Volcanoes. After what we both shared on this tour, our appreciation for nature and each other has deepened. Seeing his face aglow in wonder at the blackened lava rock beds, spewing steam and hues of red bursting from the earth, made me happy for the choice of this gift. While writing this daily blog, I have been able to summarize our activities into a few short paragraphs. However, this exceptional journey to Big island deems more out of respect for the volcanoes vibrant history. After a quick flight from Oahu to Big Island, we arrived and were greeted by our guide, Johnny, who had a wonderful grin to welcome us. Once all accounted for, ( except for Arthur- a mysterious tourist, who never did appear), we made our first unexpected stop to Candies Big Island. This was a great sign indeed that our tour was going to be magical. Who else can boast sipping free 100% Kona Coffee samples, nibbling on chocolate enrobed espresso beans , then turn to see Johnny handing out samples of chocolate dipped shortbread. As I watched through glass, the employees hand-dip and form endless varieties of goodies, my eyes wandered to the shelves of sweets. I sauntered over to the stacks of macadamia nuts, rocky road treats and aisles of cookies. It was then I spotted my treasure...peanut butter, chocolate, crisp rice squares. For a moment I felt like Willy Wonka, mischievously rubbing my hands together in  delight at my factory, mass producing every child's sweet desire. I plucked my box of candy and as I passed Johnny, he offered us more delectable goodies. I looked at my watch and marvelled that I had indulged in my sublime breakfast of java and cocoa before seeing a bubbling volcano. As we boarded the bus, our group seemed more content. We carried onto the authentic Japanese gardens, Queen Liliuokalani, where the flow of water is weaved through a tapestry of colorful flora and lush forest. After, our Discover Hawaii Shuttle van took us to Hilo; a town of  over 43,263 people and home to a handful of celebrities, who once called Hilo their home or still have roots to the area. We drove past Dwayne the Dog Bounty Hunter's first Bail Bond office and Ken's House of Pancakes whose manager is the cousin of former pro wrestler turned actor Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock. Travelling along the bumpy, narrow roads, Johnny shared with us the hazards of driving in Hilo include mangoes, guavas and avocados falling onto the road and causing a pile up. He also showed us the Kona coffee beans which resembled oblong red berries. Passing the town's trademarks, we saw majestic trees planted by people who changed history. Richard Nixon, Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart, were amongst those that long after they were gone, these massive trees rooted in the earth still remains. A sombre moment came when our guide told us of the five tsunami's to strike Hilo over the years; occurring in 1946, 1952, 1957, 1960 and 1975. The reliance of the town's people was a true testament of faith in oneself as Hilo would rebuild, restructure buildings and hold steadfast to never abandoning their community. Our journey continued onwards to Rainbow Falls State Park, aptly named 80 ft waterfalls for the rainbows, which are created by the mist in the mornings. Arriving at sunrise on the heels of rain showers, usually guarantees a vivid kaleidoscope of arched color. Johnny shared more stories and his sense of humor, when describing his early college years and the uniforms team members wore. They were adored with the name Rainbow Warriors in which he remarked, It's hard to instill fear in your opponents when your name doesn't reflect toughness! Throughout our tour, we went to two different restaurants; one was called Uncle Billy's and served a affordable buffet. The battered fish was crispy and golden, prompting my English boyfriend to nod with his approval over our meal. The other establishment was the Volcano Golf and Country Club, where I was served a steaming, hearty bowl of Portuguese and Bean soup. While dining, Johnny offered us a fantastic set of music as he strummed his guitar, crooning some of my favorite melodies. Included was the song featured in Dirty Dancing, Solomon Burke's Cry To Me. Johnny's gritty, soulful version had me wanting to listen to him all night. He covered, Eric Clapton's, Change The World and placed a beautiful spin on his own version of this classic song. After he received applause, Johnny was humble about his outstanding voice and talents. During the afternoon, we drove along the roads with crumbled masses of volcanic rock bordering each side. There were several stops made, in which we were able to get out and walk either along or on the volcanic tundra; solidified layers of landscape that appear suspended in prehistoric time. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park spotlights two of the world's most active volcanoes, providing understanding on the conception of the Hawaiian Islands and scenery of striking volcanic landscapes. The Thurston lava tube we walked thru, just beneath the surface of the earth was created several hundred years ago as a river of red lava pushed thru it. We marvelled at how in the abyss of charred earth, splashes of greenery and pink`ohi`a lehua  managed to thrive. Our boldness to veer out on the unstable volcanic surface, gave way to uncertainty as the landscape sounded like crunching snow, under our feet. All afternoon we explored many spots of interest along our tour and by the end of the night, did not think it could get any better. We then were brought to see the 500 ft wide active vent in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater that is emitting a steam and gas plume, which can be seen from Jaggar Museum and the Kīlauea Overlook. The eerie reddish hues coming from below the surface was an exceptional sight. I enjoyed reading the history of Pele; the goddess of wind, fire, lightening and volcanoes. She is taken seriously, as it is said that if anyone takes a piece of her home ( volcanic rock, black sand), she will unleash the worst of luck upon them. I could go on about what we discovered on Big island, but since this particular blog is turning into a mini novel, suffice to say we had a spectacular time. I have included more photos as I am paying tribute to one of the most brilliant tours I have ever been on. The legendary Johnny is in two of the pictures. I highly recommend this trip as you are guaranteed to make memories and besides...how many people can say they were both close to the clouds and near to inner earth all in one day.