This is the main reason for coming to Big Island. Snorkelling is added bonus - we can do that in Thailand or Malaysia. But here, we can come up close to oozing lava, watch new land being created, walk across craters, see how resilient living things are as they take root and adapt where Mother Nature has left a trail of devastation.
We arrive at My Island B&B with 30 mins to spare and under a light drizzle. We have a room (two actually, since we move to a bigger one tomorrow) in the main house which is a historic 1800-something building. Now these folks really know how to run a B&B. We plonk our bags in the room and then we are seated down as the owner's daughter (I can't remember her name) gives us a rundown of what to see and do in the area. She hands out self-prepared write-ups on short walks, favourite hikes, a list with restaurants, shops, amenities and their closing times. There is a shelf full of torchlights we can borrow if we hike to the lava at night, but she advises not to go tonight. "Listen to what the others say at breakfast tomorrow," she says. We are itching to go, but we will wait. Besides, we have had a long day.
We take turns to use the shared shower/toilet to wash off the day's grime. This is the first time I've been in a wooden bathtub and wonder how it stays intact with all that water and soap scum pouring into it.
The park is open 24 hours, so we pay US$10 for our week-long pass and drive in before dinner.
Earthcaches!
Another new icon to put in our GC profile. First stop, the visitor centre.
It's closed for the day, but we take the required snaps in front of the plaques and move off to the Thurston lava tube. The what? It's a tube that is formed when lava flows. Exposed to the air, it hardens on the outside and molten lava flows within. No more lava flows through Thurston. It's just a tunnel now with porous walls with roots sticking through. We are armed with torchlights (our own little ones, not the B&B's industrial-strength ones) because we want to explore the unlit portion of the tunnel.
The area around the lava tube is like straight out of Jurassic Park - giant tree ferns everywhere. Any minute now a velociraptor will pounce out at us. Maybe not, lots of meatier game ahead of us.
The tube is like a cave - dark, moist and drippy. We cross the gate that says that there is no light beyond. Some ways in, we switch off our torches - this is true darkness. It feels like someone has pulled a thick veil across my eyes. We can't even see fingers right in front of us. We turn on the light and continue. We can hear voices back where everyone else has turned to go up the ladder. We are alone. We have to climb over rubble at some spots. Then the ceiling slopes down to just crawlspace. And that's it. What? There is no other side? Apparently there used to be a pipe with a register at this closed end, so those who make it this far can log their journey. Then post-9/11, people kept thinking it was a pipe bomb. No more register. Bummer!
We head back to Volcano village and find a table in the very-crowded Italian restaurant. We order an antipasto platter, rucola salad and a pizza (it's thin-crust, so I'll eat it). This is our first proper restaurant meal on BI! It's only 8pm when we get back to our room, but I am so bushed, I think I shall sleep. HB is still tinkering with her Dopod. Zzzzzzzzz
Geocache count for the day: 5
2 comments:
Was I tinkering with my Dopod?? Don't think I found wifi there tho.. :/
Am impressed, you are actually so far along on you blogging. Very breezy good read. Lots of info. Keep it up.
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