Volcanos and Such

I'm a bit disappointed because we're at yet another internet cafe that doesn't allow you to hook up your camera and upload pictures... and we have so many great ones I'd love to show you...

Standing at 14000 foot elevation on Mauna Kea beside the biggest telescopes in the world...
Watching Kiluea... the recently active volcano spewing out sulfur dioxide
Standing (not close enough for my liking) at the viewpoint watching the sky and sulfur turn orange as lava poured into the ocean and shot up like fireworks!
Standing beside a road sign that says "road closed" that is covered almost to the top with lava rock...

The big island is indeed BIG... at least compared to the last one we were on! It's amazing to see how an active volcano has reshaped the land structure here... The Vog... fog from the air pollution the volcano is sending out... clouds the skies of the southwestern half of the island... it's crazy!

Yesterday was our "beach day"... we started with an early morning hike down to this bay that you can only hike into or boat to (next time we'll definitely get the kayaks!) to this spectacular snorelling spot. I thought the snorkelling was cool on oahu... what we saw in the last two days was FAR better. The coral was actually living and those bright colours you see on TV are REAL! it's yellow and red and orange and tons of bright colourful fish feeding on it and swimming in between. Even ankle deep, right up to the rocks there are bright colourful fish, they just stay around your ankles as you wade in!

Our big hope was to see dolphins... and we found out later they were in the bay... just on the other side... and we didn't have kayaks! So that was a bit disappointing...

We continued our journey to the north of the island, stopping at this secluded bay (another bit of a hike in)... where there were tons of SEA TURTLES! a bunch were just basking on the beach, we swam along with one... they're so graceful! and we stumbled on this huge remote estate right on the bay! apparently it's owned by the person who invented the pacemaker... it's immaculate!

We spent the night in Waimea... this country ranch town... very beautful farmland we drove through this morning... lots of cattle and horses and rolling hills... and much cooler up there!

We've had this kind of crazy experience... i think he may be our guardian angel... but jay doesn't think he's cool enough... haha!!
In kauai we went to this church one night and me this guy Andy... he plays the lyre and cello and is apparently a messianic jew... we said hello... seemed nice, kinda hippy-ish... so the next day we're hiking on the kalalau trail and... here comes andy! we stop, say hello, chat a few minutes... move on! Then we go to the Big Island... we stop at this grocery store... and who's peddling his cd's in the parking lot? ANDY!... we didn't chat this time (didn't want to have to buy the cd...) Later that same day... at Two-Step... the snorkel location... there's ANDY! he gave us some snorkel tips and how to avoid sea urchins... next day... we just finished our hike back up from the bay, a truck passes us and a guy yells "Jason"... again... ANDY!... soooo weird! haven't seen him since!

We're off to maui tomorrow morning. The Big Island was a bit of a whirlwind... the next two weeks will be a bit more relaxing... so we hope!