Rasputin1

DH and I are in our 60s - one retired, the other soldiering on. Forced to take some recreational leave and not able to take the usual five weeks, we fell back on a trip planned first in 1996 and then in 2006 and put off again. We are middle of the road travellers - no high end glamour for us and no flea bags either. Happy to stay in a good hostel, B & B or hotel, but prefer apartments where we are staying more than 3 days. Interested in history, architecture and nature.
We used our initial research and quickly updated it while at the same time checked out airlines. Only Qantas and Air New Zealand flew out from Melbourne. Qantas was far too expensive, Air New Zealand had an 11 hour lay over in Auckland - unacceptable. So it was Hawaiian Airlines out of Sydney with a flight up from Melbourne. The limited time made it difficult to have everything fall into place as I like it to happen. In the end we decided to fly into Honolulu and then fly immediately to the Big Island. Thank goodness we did that. We got to see what we think is the real Hawaii and not the glitz of Waikiki first. Which island did we like the best? Each is different in its own way and we have special memories of each one.

Day 1 Melbourne - Sydney-Honolulu-Hilo
Sounds like a long day - sure was. An early morning start - 4am to get some last minute purchases for our trip. Then the sudden discovery - I had forgotten to apply online for the new esta visa (had not needed it the last time we went to the USA). Quickly contacted Hawaiian Airlines and was given the weblink. Got on the link and tried to get two visas. Oh no - they need two separate e-mail address - OK we can manage that. Then the next surprise - the site needs two separate credit cards and AMEX is not acceptable. The same credit card can only be used 72 hours apart - I didn't have 72 hours merely 2 hours! Saved by my mother's credit card - but the cost was $78.78 each- astronomical! (more on this later).

Drove to the local station and took the suburban train to Spencer Street (Southern Cross) Station and then walked over to the Sky Bus. Missed the first bus but got the next - every 20 mins. We knew that US airlines charge for checked in luggage so we packed only one wheelie and placed a lightweight bag (no wheels) inside for later use. A small wheelie for my carry on and a back pack and computer for DH.
Breezed on to a Qantas flight to Sydney, took the TBus (poorly signed) to the international airport and then tried to find the Hawaiian Airlines counter. Thinking that we were really early we almost missed the snaking queue for our flight as we thought that we had plenty of time for a meal before having to check in. No, this was our flight and it was going to be full by the look of the queue.
Checked in and then went to find something to eat - decided on Taste of Thai - good idea. Had heard that HA was a cold airline and had prepared for that and our Volcano trips with a fleece jacket. That was not enough. Fleece jacket and two blankets were not enough. I passed on the chicken (DH said it was a good thing I did) and then found that breakfast was icy crossants as the ovens had given up the ghost.

An Indian man who spoke virtually no English was travelling from Sydney via Honolulu to Seattle. He did not seem to have a proper ticket, only an itinerary and no one seemed to want to help him. So with my limited Hindi I took him from counter to counter to try and get someone to assist him. Finally had to leave him with a member of HA staff and hope for the best. Confronted withthe electronic weigh-in and check-in machines we had to request help and the help said that we did not have to pay for check-in luggage as we were flying Hawaiian all the way. Why did we not know this before hand, we would have brought two wheelies and been able to manage them better than the one without the wheels. Anyway this was good news for the rest of the trip.

We collected all the tourist information we would lay our hands on in the departure lounge and DH insisted on paying good money for bad Starbucks coffee. Wandered around the beautiful little garden at the airport, snapping the crotons, heliconias and hibiscus - colour, colour every where.

At last on to our Hilo flight - just a POG for refreshment. Flew over Maui but was on the wrong side of the plane to see Haleakala but on the right side to see Molokini and Mono Kea and Mona Loa rising above the super white clouds.

Collected our Versa from the delightful Miele at Dollar cars who also gave us an extra 2 hours free of charge since our flight did not leave until three plus hours after the return time.

After our experience with a GPS in Thailand we were not too happy not to have a physical map. Anyway use the GPS we did to get us to Volcano and it actually got us to the Holo Holo Inn. A surprise indeed for us. The owner was a Japanese man who had travelled widely and had decided to settle down in Hawaii. He and his Indonesian/Thai/Cambodian(?) wife ran this little hostel in tropical suburbia. He built the wing we were going to stay in himself. What he failed to do was install some heating. It was April, but it was freezing cold. It rained 80% of the time there and everything outside was soggy. Yet, we could see we were in rainforest territory - beautiful orchids and tree ferns everywhere. So thick you could barely see the house next door. Shoes off outside Japanese/Hawaiian style and clump upstairs to our tiny pine lined room and ensuite. Well lit and with plenty of hot water. Use of laundry and dryer, kitchen and computer. No wifi.

Dinner was some stoggy lasagna purchased from the supermarket in Hilo and a bottle of Napa Valley wine. Into bed - warm and cosy listening to the rain outside.

We must have been on the go for about 24 hours.

emalloy

That's a good start, waiting for the rest, hope all is wonderful for the trip.

Dukey1

Yep, those much-criticized GPS's really do work sometimes, don't they?

willowjane

Good so far. I can't wait to read the rest!

TDudette

More, please! What's POG? Pint of ???

martym

passion fruit-orange-guava beverage--an island favorite

luvtravl

Love that POG! Looking forward to the rest of your trip report!

Rasputin1

I thought POG would get some surprised queries!

Day 2 - Volcano
We had brought museli with us from Australia (yes I know I'm fussy) and bought some rather thick and oily mango/orange juice from the Hilo Supermarket. Could not finish the latter.

While there is internet, cannot use it for Skype, so phone calls to Australia will have to wait for another day.

It is National Park Week, so it is free entrance to the park. The Park HQ is a really nice building in lovely grassed grounds. Toilets, theatre, gift shop and sort of nature museum showing the native birds and vegetation. There is a TV set up showing various scenes of the area. The two Kilauea Volcano documentary videos that are shown in the theatre are really worth the short time.
We hung around to find out what ranger led walks were on tap and talked to some of the rangers. We were still early so we drove to the Jagger Museum to the Kilauea lookout. It was still cold and rainy - we thought we had come to a tropical paradise! Thank goodness for the fleece jackets every Melbournian knows to carry.

The Jagger Museum lookout was obscured by the rain and mist, so after a few quick photographs of the rising steam and the caldera, we went inside to look at the interesting (especially for someone with a scientific mind) museum and bookshop. Bought some trail mix for the walk and some magnets. The Crater Rim Drive is closed from the Jagger Museum onwards due to noxious fumes - and so we are unlikely to see any nene geese.
On the way back to the Vistors Centre, I decided that my hands were too cold so we rushed back to Holo Holo to get my gloves (yes I was somewhat prepared for the weather). The walks were just being posted by the time we got back and I decided on the 8 mile walk. This walk includes the Kilauea Iki walk and more. DH was a little dubious about the length but soon agreed that it was the most interesting since we would be walking through the caldera.

Charlene Meyers takes this walk only every six weeks. If you are at all interested in a really interesting, informative walk, then this is the one you should build your visit around (as did one couple who had done a walk with Charlene the previous year).

We were the only Australians in the group of about 10 led by Charlene and another volunteer ranger. Despite the inclement weather some people did not have warm or rain weather clothing and also wore inappropriate footwear. The trail is often very rough and slippery and good tred enclosed footwear is essential.

Charlene is a font of information and keeps up a good pace of both walking and information. She is also a photographer and has taken the photographs for the excellent Kilauea NP Calender for the last 5 or more years.

We passed steam vents (Wahinekapu) and walked down the caldera wall onto the caldera itself, keeping to the marked path ofcourse (more about this later). It was so pleasant walking down through the lush forest that one forgets that what goes down must come up! Unfortunately the native forest is invaded by the Kahili ginger plant which is very difficult to eradicate. Charlene said that the person who imported the plant had said that they would keep it contained - what they forgot is that every seed is carried by the wind and the conditions are just right for the ginger to spread like wildfire forming dense mats that exclude all native plants.

The steam from the steam vents is not actually smoke coming up but is caused by the rain water seeping down to where the rocks are still hot. The vents increase in size and Charlene said it was really important not to walk close to them as the edges could collapse at any time.

Then we came out into the caldera to see the red flowering puff ball ohia trees and ferns getting a hold in the crevices. It is just amazing how they can grow in such a harsh environment. Walkers are advised not to take any lumps of lava with them - it is also considered bad luck.

Across the cladera with Charlene explaining how it came about. Then we are faced with walking up the other side of the wall - my excuse for being slow was that there were so many beautiful sights, that I just had to stop and take photographs! At the top we stopped for lunch (every bit of paper or cans, bottles has to be taken out - no refuse is left here). This is also the bush toilet stop.

We then climbed down into the second caldera where Charlene pointed out the cinder cone Pu'u Pua'i that had closed the road. She also told us that the news had just come over her radio that the lava flow had once again crossed into NP territory. Some people thought that the would like to see this and left the walk. They would have had to return to their car and then drive to the point on the Chain of Craters Road and then walk 5 miles each way to see the lava. Charlene pointed out that this was dangerous as you would only have the markers to follow and once it got dark if you did not have an adequate torch it would be very dangerous as you would not know where the thin crust surface lay. Also the land surface was significantly rougher than what we were walking on.

Charlene pointed out olivine (peridot) in the lava and then we zig zagged across the caldera with Charlene pointing out where the "Bath tub ring", the drill holes the scientists used to drill through the lava to determine how long the lake took to cool (about 25 years). The surface of this caldera changes frequently with the huge slabs cracking and moving from one week to the next. Hence the necessity to stay on the path unless you are with a Ranger.

On up the Kileau Iki trail up to the Thurston Lava Tube. Charlene showed us the pig fence and the Mark Twain trail (the road he would have used to get up to the volcano area).
Walked through part of the Thruston Lava Tube with Charlene explaining the formation and how little lava actually flowed through the tunnel at any time. The second part of the Tube has been closed off for repair. We then walked along the Devestation Trail where the road had been moved twice to cope with the subsidance. We also saw the place where the scientists were winched down to take take lava readings. While on this walk one of the party suddenly noticed some white spots moving in the direction of the live crater. There were several people who had moved off the marked path and were headed to the live crater! Charlene had to get on the phone and get someone to get them out of there. What silly people - not only did they endanger themselves but they cost the Rangers their time and put them in danger as well.

We came returned to the Visitors Centre past the Volcano House which has been closed for some time. Charlene said that the Park had just received approval to open the renovated Volcano House and it was expected to open later this year.

A tiring but wonderful day. Would not have missed it.
We bought a lovely souvenir - Hawai'i's Natural Wonders - beautiful photographs of this beautiful land.

Melnq8

Waiting for more with bated breath.

millie2112

really enjoying your report. as a fellow aussie I am really interested because I have been wanting to visit Hawaii but have been put off thinking it is a place with too many condo's.

it's nice to get the australian perspective.

Rasputin1

Drove to the Jagger museum at night to see the 'glow" of the volcano. Volcano receives the most rain so it was still cold, windy and wet. Luckily the wind kept the steam and fumes blowing away from the Museum so we could see the glow (this can't be seen during the day). Remember to take a torch with you as there is no lighting at the Jagger at night.
We were glad that we had decided not to go ahead with an expensive helicopter ride either during the day or at night as there would not have been much to see as far as the volcano goes. The same for the boat trip to the lava flow into the sea. Several posters warned that the lava was not flowing into the sea and that a boat trip would not be worth the cost.
Dinner was pizza and another bottle of Cab Sav from the Napa Valley.
Raining all night.

Rasputin1

Day 3 Volcano - Hilo
The next morning we walked the Sulphur Banks trail that leaves from in front of the Art Gallery near the Visitor's Centre. It is an easy trail through a grassy park and on a board walk. Along the way there are whisps of steam from pookas (holes) where the rain has seeped down to the hot rocks below. You soon smell the sulphur and are treated to a very uncanny sight - the landscape is strewn with yellow, red and white rocks with sulphur fumes and steam rising. We marvelled at the ohia and other plants that had adapted to this harsh environment and were growing there. There is photographic evidence of the harshness of the environment - test rocks that have eroded over time. Warnings of the dangers of stepping off the path - the surface is thin and unwary visitors have been badly burnt. Also note that the fumes can damage expensive camera lens. There are a few benches to sit and view the landscape if you wanted to spend more than a few minutes there.
We stopped at the Visitor Centre to watch the excellent video they run throughout the day on the volcano and Hawaiian traditions. It is well worth spending the time - 20 - 30 minutes to watch this.
We intended to visit the Volcano Winery but got confused with the directions. It is located at Mile 30 and the GPS took ages to turn itself on, so we drove off without it and instead of turning left out of the park we turned right, back to Hilo and missed it. It would have been really interesting to taste wines grown in this strange and harsh environment.
The GPS when it finally decided to turn on, worked well and we stopped at the Prince Kuhio shopping centre to stock up on some necessities and also visit our first Walmart - this is like K-Mart in Australia only bigger! It was funny to see Yellow Tail and Linderman's wines on the shelves at very reasonable prices. However, we stuck to Californian Cab Sav - Robert Mondavi.
Our hotel Castle Hilo Hawaiian was the last in a series of hotels along the crescent shaped Banyan Drive. It is such a tropical setting with the huge banyan trees on either side of the road and various colourful tropical plants and vines growing around and up them. Each of the trees has a plaque with the name of the person who planted the tree - it is interesting to walk along and see names such as Cecil B de Mille and his wife, Babe Ruth and various golfers, baseball players and Uncle Billy!

The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel is one of the largest along Banyan Drive and so is used by many groups - tourist and schools and the army. Nevertheless, it is able to provide well for the independent traveller as well. The rooms (ours was 633) are large, clean and have a wonderful good sized balcony. Note that the mynah birds create a dreadful racket all night in the trees between the hotel and Hawaiian Bay Hotel. If you are a light sleeper you will definately need ear plugs.
The king sized bed is very comfortable and there is good bedside and table lighting. Unfortunately there is no wifi in the rooms. There is free wifi in the lobby and a business centre you can use if you do not have your own laptop. The bathroom is large and clean with good lighting. An ice bucket is provided and there are ice dispensing machines on each floor along with a soft drink dispenser.
The flat screen TV works well with an array of channels.
The lobby is always clean and tidy and the staff pleasant to deal with.
There is a fee for use laundry in the basement for guest use.
The gardens both front and back are well maintained and the koi in the pond are beautiful.
We self catered for breakfast and dinner.
We walked down to the Queen Liliuokalani Gardens - a Japanese style garden with pools and bridges. A good place to walk in but somewhat run down. A refuge for stray cats. Lots of mongooses too and small blue headed barred doves.

Rasputin1

However, the plants are lovely and a good variety, including the Cup of Gold vine which is in flower from March to May. The lawns were very sloshy underfoot in some areas. Some people were fishing in some of the ponds. There is a walking path close by that runs along the bay and people come out and enjoy the local friendly atmosphere. The small blue headed barred doves come to be fed.
There beautiful heliconias and some wierd palm like plants whose flowers look like huge yellow warathas and King Kumehameha's feathered crown.
Look among the leaves of the ti plants and you may see some tiny brightly coloured green lizards.
Wandered over to Uncle Billy's Store for some ice cream and great sandwiches.
Drove down to Pahoa and the Lava Tree Forest. Passed by the Farmer's market. Should have stopped there as the return road is via a different route and we missed it.
The Lava tree state park is a unique venue. Unfortunately it is poorly (in fact not at all) identified on the roads.
The Lava Trees were formed when volcanic ash and cinders covered the trees, burning off the foliage and covering the trunks with ash that solidified around the remaining trunks. Further deposits and splatters continued to form around the trunk which in time rotted away and left a hollow tube. There would have been a whole forest of the lava trees at one time, but the tropical forest is regrowing and the lava trees are slowly disappearing. The hollow form cannot withstand the weathering and many have collapsed into heaps. New trees are growing in the crevices and between the lava rubble. Look for the ones where you can see the inner hollow form. The gardens are lovely and the path easy to walk on. Stay on the path and don't destroy what little is left of this unique place.
Look for the rosy grapes - a wonderful flower. Also note the large tree by the gate that is covered in a monstera like vine - absolutely beautiful.
There are toilets. Car parking is outside the gate and there is not much of it. Note the mongoose burrow among the lava next to the ladies toilets. They are an introduced pest but very cute and so very quick. Don't try to pet them - you will get a nasty bite.
The venue is poorly marked and we drove past it as the sign in front of it is very small. The drivethrough a beautiful "tunnel" of tall trees - a magical experience.
This venue will not take a lot of your time but it is definately worth the effort.
Too tired to drive on to Kalapana and the green sand beach.
Walked along Banyan Drive to look at the other hotels - The Hilo Hawaiian is definately the best.

Rasputin1

Day 4 - Hilo
Decided to have breakfast at the Queen's Court Restaurant at the hotel. Before that we walked to Coconut island and in the gardens of the hotel noticed the largest mangosteen tree - a great feature. Not much to see on coconut island. Walk over the little bridge - there is a tide pool on one side and on the other there was someone sifting through the sand collecting tiny shells. Note the signs to watch out for falling coconuts!
Breakfast was somewhat mediocre although there was a variety of food - just not to our taste.

We drove to the Botanical Gardens. The GPS actually got us there. $15 per person. Well worth the price - allows you entrance for a cuple of days. Great book/gift shop and if you live somewhere that will allow you to bring in plants, they sell and will give you with the appropriate coupon, a cutting of a frangipani or red leafed ti plant. If you collect glass ware, there is some beautiful pieces for sale here. Also interesting pictorial history of the gardens.
We spent the whole morning in the Botanical Gardens. It is down a slope into the valley and is just beautiful. Our cameras were constantly at work. There are benches along the way to rest the weary legs or allow you to soak in the beauty. For the elderly there are golf buggies that take them up and down the main steep slope. There are sea views on the outer edge of the garden and waterfalls. If hunger and our weary legs had not got the better of us, we would have stayed there all day.
There were huge cruise ships in the harbour and at 4pm one of them was bellowing for its passengers to return. As one cruise ship left, another took its place. There was even a naval vessel in the port for a while.
We decided to drive to "Downtown" - unfortunately this is quite run down and some of the lovely houses could do with renovation or at least a paint job. A very good photographic gallery with fabulous photographs of the volcanic eruptions. Along the main highway to downtown is open park land with wide spreading flat topped trees (abiza?) - they are just beautiful. A jogging path runs along the sea wall and locals can be seen fishing along there too.
Decided to try Ken's House of Pancakes - a typical American diner. Most of the meals looked overlarge and calorific. So we chose omlettes and swapped the accompanying hash brown and pancakes and chips for a green salad. The omlettes are three egg omlettes and too much for one person to eat. The Hawaiian plate included Tripe and Oxtail soup - we decided to pass on that. I'm not going so say that the omlettes were great - the cheese omlette had a huge lump of orange cheese in the middle and the mushroom omlette was rather tasteless.

Rasputin1

Day 5 - Hilo - Maui
Today we spent visiting some craft stores - Ben Franklin and the Island scrapbooking store.
Then we drove out to Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots. The roads run through residential areas and so you get to see how the people on the Big Island live. The Rainbow Falls are easy to get to - reasonable car parking and toilets. There is a path next to the sign that will bring you to the top of the falls for a different view. The steps are high and some are broken. We "explored" among the huge Morton Bay trees, clambering over tree roots and slipping and sliding in the mud until we decided that we were probably getting out of our depth. There were no signs to the Boiling pots so I asked at the nearby jewellery store and off we went.
The Boiling Pots have even less signage. However, once you get there, there are clean toilets and a very large car park. Some locals had clambered down the slope and were swimming in the fast flowing water - too dangerous for us. The water really swirls around and flows through small canyons. Worth the trip.
We then drove back to Hilo and decided to drive up to Honokaa or however far we got. We decided to stop at the Akaka Falls and it was worth the detour. The town is a little sad with the old fashioned cinema boarded up. There are a couple of good ice cream places and further down the road a Catholic Church and an onion domed building which turned out to be some sort of Buddhist church. I say church, as the lay out was similar to a Christian church with pews and a lectern and an organ - quite unlike temples in Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia.
The falls site is a fee site. There is a notice which indicates that the fee is $5 for car parking or if you park outside it is $1 per person. The machine for payment was not taking credit cards so they had a person who had to accost every one and tell them the charges. Some people wanted to argue the point. We just paid the money into the machine. There are two access routes to the fall. In fact the suggested route has the least amount of scenery except for a rather nice bamboo forest overlooking the stream. The second falls can hardly be seen from the tiny lookout platform. So we took the left hand route to the Akaka Falls. They were really worth seeing. The water was certainly flowing that day and they were thundering down into the pool below.
It was getting late and we had to return the car and catch our flight to Maui so we did not drive further up the coast but returned to Hilo airport, returned the car and then waited in the lounge. The airport had a comfortable arm chairs and clean toilets. At one end there was a band and hula dancing - very entertaining.
Our flight was late and although we left in twilight, by the time we arrived in Maui it was dark. We were given a bilious green Kia Soul - a van like car and most uncomfortable. The GPS did however get us to our lodging for the night - and that is another story.

Rasputin1

Day 5 Wailuku Maui
We booked the Wailuku Inn based on the wonderful reviews it received. We also did not want to be too far from the airport as we knew that we would be arriving in the dark. The GPS worked again and we found the accommodation.
Even before we left Australia we were given a long list of dos and don'ts. While we were away (luckily we had checked our e-mails) we received notice that the owner was away and that we were not to disturb her husband. Instructions were given on use of the key lock together with instructions for parking.
When we got there it was raining and all the parking spaces were taken except for one in the car port. We put our car in there and opened up the lap top to get the codes and follow instructions. The key lock would not open and ofcourse there was no one to assist. No amount of pounding on it or on the door was of any use. Just as I was about to smash it with my shoe, it opened.
Then the husband arrived - not too impressed that we had taken his car spot. We were likewise not impressed. Finally he said that he would park his car in front of the dumpster just for one night!
When we opened the outer door we were faced with five unmarked doors and two keys. Tried the keys in all the locks and finally one opened the Mill Room. A room filled with a Kind sized bed, large bedside table with large lamp, heavy large chest of Drawers on which was the microwave and on top ofthat the coffee maker. Other "souvenirs" took up the rest of the surface space. There was no where for the luggage. No wardrobe - just a few hooks behind doors or on the wall with some hangers. A small fridge and a box with beach towels on top of it completed the furniture. One had to sidle sideways along the end of the bed to get to the other side - to a clean but very tiny toilet (just slightly larger than an airline toilet).

Too tired to care so we just flopped into bed.

Tomsd

Have only skimmed the headnotes - and super busy today - but definitely coming back to follow your adventure - in depth.

Fosters Up!!! (Or do ye drink different beer?)

Tomsd

BTW - quick note: If the Wailuku Inn is not up to what you expected - cancel - and get thee over to the Coast.

sylvia3

I've never paid for Akaka Falls! Is this something new, I wonder?

Melnq8

Sorry to hear about the accommodation disaster Rasputin1, I hope Maui got better for you.