Hawaii!

Our Hawaii trip was quite the whirlwind tour. We left by 6 am on Thursday morning and arrived to our hotel around 7:30 pm. We spent all 5 nights on the big island in Kona. Despite my knitting projects, books and movies on my iTouch, the long flight was very trying. The hillbilly family eating beef jerky in the next row didn't help matters much. BUT, I did get to fly on a jet with two aisles, that was a first for me.
We stayed in a private bungalow at our B&B, Honu Kai. The entire place was beautiful. We got to eat a delicious breakfast on the lanai each morning and learn from the other travelers. Geckos feasted on jam along the porch rail and birds flocked for seed on the feeder. The owners, Wendi and Dave, went out of their way to make us comfortable and provide us with supplies each day. She even loaned me her socks and tennis shoes for hiking and horsebacking riding. I couldn't believe my big ole' feet fit in the tennis shoes of a former Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. The B&B was the best part of our trip.
We joined up with Dave and Julie the next day for horseback riding in Waipio Valley. The drive down into the valley was almost life threatening, but the views from the bottom were some of the prettiest I have ever seen. Our horses all treated us well. It was Julie's first time on a horse. I think she was pleasantly surprised.
The next day was "Tsunami Saturday." David and Julie were evacuated from their beach front hotel, so we decided to stay on high ground for the day and explore the National Park at the volcano. We found some great hikes along the steam vents with beautiful views of the caldera. There was even a winery at the top of the volcano. We stayed until night to see the lava glow from a far. I've seen tour books where they could walk right up to the lava. Unfortunately, we're at the mercy of nature. We were lucky to see the lava at all.
I haven't said much about the tsunami because there isn't much to say. As you know, it failed to happen, which was a blessing for the Hawaiians. We watched it from a hilltop and basically noticed the bay grow more shallow and then fill back up again. Brian did take advantage of the media blitz, though, and managed to score a live interview on Fox News.
The rest of the trip was spent snorkeling, exploring beaches, and eating lots of fantastic food (Oh, and drinking great Kona coffee).
Although we had a relaxing and memorable trip, I couldn't wait to get home and have Charlotte back in my arms. It really puts meaning into the phrase "Home Sweet Home" when you have someone to come home for. Big thanks to her grandparents for taking such great care of her.
You can find my favorite pictures on this Flickr Slideshow.