Day 6: Black Sand Beach & Volcano National Park

 October 10

Woke up this morning and immediately went to the balcony to check out our view of the Pacific Ocean, only to be greeted by the "morning moon" and it's reflection on the ocean with a palm tree in the foreground.  Do they script these kind of photo ops?  WOW.  Met Sue & Dan downstairs for breakfast and as my healthy granola & fruit breakfast arrived - while we sat in the open air lobby/dining area overlooking the pool - the waterfalls kicked on.  Quite serene and so "Hawaiian!"

Went to meet the group at the bus, and it was the "biggest adventure" of day :)  OBVIOUSLY went to the lobby where OBVIOUSLY the bus would be waiting.  No bus - none of the other 38 guests there!  Where could it be.  Asked at the desk, "Oh it'd down on the lower parking lot level...just take the stairs 'over there'" she said as she pointed in a general direction to the left.  After five minutes of not finding the stairs, we returned to the front desk, she pointed to the elevator and there were the stairs.  Arrived at the bus at 7:59 for our 8 am departure :)  The first stop was a nice photo op with the lava rock in the foreground and the ocean in the background.  And then on we went to the famous "Black Sands Beach."  Walked out in search of the sea turtles which bobbed up out of the water on occasion but today - because of the waves, according to our guide - they didn't come on shore as they usually do.  But it was very scenic and provided more good photo ops.

Lava rock in the foreground - Pacific Ocean in the background

The Black Sands Beach

Aloha!

Shoes in the sand

Sea Turtles on the move

On to the Hawaiian Volcano National Park.  Two big volcanoes, both active were there for us to view.  The photos, and even the video I took just don't even come close to how MASSIVE these craters were.  Pretty cool.

The left side of the Mauna Loa volcano

And the right side of the Mauna Loa

Much closer view of the Kilauea volcano

Group photo op in front of Kilauea

Drove on into Hilo for lunch, after an "interesting" 45 minute stop at a cookie shop, for no real good reason other than to drum up some local business, but what ever ..... they gave a free sample and a free sample of Kona coffee.  After lunch out last stop was at the Rainbow Falls.  At this point it was around 4 pm and it was time to head back.  Even taking the direct highway (instead of the scenic route we'd taken to get there) it was a good two hour and change drive back to the hotel.  Had a cocktail to unwind from the L-O-N-G day with Sue & Dan down by the pool and called it a day.  A shorter day of touring tomorrow on the Big Island awaits!

Rainbow Falls

(NOTE:  The only time there's a rainbow is in the early morning as the sun comes up!)