After a long day of travel we arrived in Kona on Saturday night. We were all a bunch of zombies as we headed to walmart to buy a few groceries. It was only 7pm in Hawaii but we were still on Utah time so it was 11pm/midnight by the time we got to our condo and got to bed. We all struggled to adjust to the time difference. We were usually awake by 4am Hawaii time and ready for bed at 7pm Hawaii time.
On Sunday we attended church and then stopped by the Kona Temple grounds.
After church we headed to the beach to eat a picnic lunch.
On Monday we went to Costco to stock up our food for the week and then we went to the beach. Grandpa and Dad tried to do some boogie boarding but the waves were not too great. After my car accident the Dr. told me not to get my burns in the ocean water because it is full of bacteria. I was sad to think I wouldn't be able to enjoy the ocean in Hawaii!! Bruce and Claudia bought cow OB gloves for me to wear, so that I could get in the water! I looked amazing! LOL I was able to get in and keep my hands up so that the burns didn't get wet. We got to watch the sunset at the beach that night and it was so gorgeous!
We were trying to think of something fun to do in Hawaii that didn't involve getting in the water. We found these 4 wheeler excursions and decided to give it a try. We had so much fun. They took us to the beach, through rain forest, guava fields, macadamia nut orchards, and to a private waterfall! The sights were breathtaking! We got so dirty but we had such a good time. I was so sad that I couldn't get in the waterfall I would have loved that. Even though they did say it was freezing cold!
On Wednesday and Thursday we headed over to the other side of the Island, Hilo. We got a hotel in Hilo and stayed the night there. Hilo is the wet side of the Island. It is so crazy to see the difference from one side to the other. Kona is very dry and has lots of lava fields and Hilo is like the rain forest that you would imagine in Hawaii. Our first day there we went to Kalopa Native Forest. This was an amazing old growth rain forest. I couldn't believe the size of these trees and roots. Brian and I tried to swing on the vines like Tarzan and Jane. The ginger plants smelled heavenly.
After the forest, we went to see Akaka and Rainbow falls.
On Thursday we went to a botanical garden. This place is indescribable! It is a beautiful rain forest on the beach. The rain would come and go as we were walking through. We would just find a giant palm tree to stand under and wait it out.
waiting out the rain....
So money does grow on trees?? I need to get me one of these!
We had these yummy Popsicles after the gardens...
After the botanical gardens we went to a black sand beach, where we saw turtles sunning themselves on the beach. We also sat and watched turtles swimming in the ocean. It was so much fun!
That night we headed back to Kona and had dinner on the waterfront, where we watched the sunset.
Friday we went snorkeling and I didn't get any pictures. I will have to get some from Grandma, because I looked pretty fancy in my snorkel gear and giant plastic gloves. Despite our best efforts to seal the gloves shut water still leaked in. Oooops! Luckily I think by then my burns had healed enough that the water didn't cause any problems.
All around the lava flow there are "Rock graffiti" like these...
Apparently it is against the law to do these anymore but I sure loved seeing them.
On Saturday we had to check out of the condo and had to be to the airport in the afternoon. We decided to go see some petroglyphs. It is always neat to see these and think of the people that carved them so long ago. After petroglyphs we went to lunch and then killed some time at the beach watching people surf.
At the beach we stopped at they had these signs that were painted by school kids.
This was seriously the best week ever! I am so ready to go back. Good thing we had 3 cute kids to come home to. Mahalo Hawaii!!!!
Wendy sent me this picture while we were in Hawaii, I guess Ava was calling mom and dad on the phone. This silly girl swallowed a penny while we were gone, she had poor Wendy stressed out, thankfully they found it in her diaper a few days later. Wendy said she was never so happy to see a penny! Ava called us in Hawaii and said "Mom, we found a penny in my poop"! lol
