Hawaiian Vacation 2008

After six lovely days on the islands, we're happy to be home. Below I've included some photos from our adventures on Kauai and Hawaii. Highlights you won't see include snorkeling (turtles, eels, and countless gorgeous fish in brilliant coral gardens), time and money at the Royal Kona Coffee Company, more of the same at the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory, and a crazy nighttime adventure to Volcano National Park's "End of the Road" (which included heavy rain, flashlights, and fickle strangers hiking craggy lava). Enjoy what made it!
A day's worth of travel deserves a mango margarita at Brennecke's in Po'ipu Beach, Kauai. I helped.

Enjoying the first vacation sunset looking back toward Po'ipu Beach Park.

Trailing Stephanie on a hike through the isolated Na Pali coast. This trail turned into a muddy, miserable mess.

Cliffside in Waimea Canyon. We hiked to the left lip of the waterfall pictured below.

Looking back at our destination. Estimated drop between 800-1200 feet (discrepancies permitted for obvious reasons!).




Sights from the National Tropical Botanical Garden!

Rainbow Falls, Big Island.

South Point, the southernmost point in the United States. Here we saw crazy local cliff jumpers and their sheepish children.

Stephanie braving the wind at Black Sands Beach.

Me capturing the millionth moment at Black Sands.



Another trip highlight: the South Kona Fruit Stand. (Get a smoothie!)

Our route through the Kilauea Iki Crater--across a hardened lake of lava.

The outpour from Halema'uma'u. The sulfur dioxide emitted is substantially larger than the previous day's.

Views of the ever-growing island. The lava meets the sea.

And of course, there are a million more, but you get the idea.