Helicopter tour-volcano

Approaching the steam vent.

Steam vent.

Lava going into the lava tube. Most lava flows under ground through lava tubes.

Trees burning from heat of lava.

People used to live on this side of the volcano until an eruption closed off the area. There is still one man who lives there who has a motorcycle to get in and out.

Helicopter tour

Before starting off on our tour, we were given lots of instructions about what to do, not do, where to walk and not walk, what not to touch, how to use the flotation device, etc. Then we walked single file between the yellow lines to the helicopter. All seven of us had a number and we were to board when our number was called. Toshi was our pilot, a personable man, easy to talk to.

After being in the air a few minutes we came to the army base. Toshi had to get permission to fly by there because sometimes they are doing drills or something like that. The base is on the west side of the island. You can see the looks area looks desert-like.

One of our next sites was Mauna Kea which means white mountain. White because there's snow on it during winter. The observatory is at the top of it as well. Toshi said you can go skiing and then two hours later be on the beach.

Approaching Hilo where we stopped to refuel, go to the bathroom and just have a break from flying.

Here we are before getting back in the helicopter. We are each wearing a flotation device.

More tomorrow.

Sunset

We were blessed with a beautiful sunset our first night.

Tomorrow I hope to start the helicopter tour pictures.

Christmas tree

Last year dh got in his head to be funny with the saw.

This year he's still being funny only directly including me in the act.

The final product.

Flowers

Hibiscus

I'm not sure what this is, although it looks a little like a vinca.

I don't know this one either.

Plumeria

A few favorites

This was taken just outside Akaka Falls.

These were taken at Akaka Falls. I had asked Amy to get the falls in the background, but in a way I'm glad she didn't. We celebrated our 20th anniversary Nov. 20. These were taken the next day.

More to come...

Animals in Hawai'i

DH and Amy spent an afternoon horseback rididng.

This moth was on the ceiling of the gazebo outside our house.

Yellow-billed Cardinals.

Some kind of sand crab. DH and I sat on the beach just watching these little things move seed pods from the trees and quickly bury themselves when startled.

Other animals we saw were wild goats along the road kind of like we see deer here. There were donkey crossing signs posted along the highway, but we never saw any. Once the coffee growers stopped using them for transporting coffee they let them loose, so now they just roam the land.

The most common critter we saw was the gecko. There were everywhere inside and outside the house. They keep the insect population down. The picture is blurry, but it's the only one we have.