Aloha from Hawaii

　
After a fun party saying goodbye to good friends I have finally made it to this pacific island.
Thanks again to all those that helped make it possible, it would not have happened with out all your amazing friendship.
The first ten days I was getting aclimitised to Hawaii and its culture. I met my dear friend Cath from NZ (old flat mate) and we had alot of fun travelling around the island. We hired a car and I had to quickly get used to driving on the left. We made a rule I was only allowed to veer to the right and over 2 rumbles before I had to correct myself!! The car was a little bigger than I'd anticipated by the fact we got an automatic upgrade as this was the only vehicle left.
We travelled over to Hilo which has a very different feel to Kona, the people more alternative, The terrain is mainly rainforest. We stayed in a hostel with a beautiful tropical garden, which had an amazing variety of flowers and trees which I have put in a few photos. The Guava trees smelled so good. At night the tree frogs (or as I first thought birds) were so loud all cherrrrping away, like a all night frog rave. It became quite entertaining. Never actually saw one but there must have been thousands.
We did a couple of trips, one snorkelling where I got to swim with a turtle (the others were hiding) and reef fish. It was just so lovely to be with these creatures. There was no sand beaches in hilo mainly rock the surrounding grass area were coconut groves where any moment you could have one fall on you!
We met a cool guy called Chris who used to be in a band the impossible shapes, he was from Indiana a former psychadelic rock band ( my spacr them have a listen). We did a hike around the Volcano Crater Rim. It was weird, u descend and ascend through rainforest and then hit a massive crater with in places steaming lava tubes. The crater was formed by a big explosion millions of years ago. Amazing how any thing grows but there are places where there are plants and trees bursting out of the hard lava. I also walked through a Lava tube that was about 300 metres long and pitch black even with e head torch you can only see a little way in front of you. At one point there seemed to be a big drop off into the bowels of the earth, it was only a metre but felt more. It was really fun.
Our next big adventure was a night hike out the live lava flow, where it pours out into the pacific ocean, and where it is forming a new island which won't be above sea level for thousands of years. We trekked at dusk and gradually approached this billowing smoke. We went up and down over old lava tubes, which make weird patterns like rope or hair and then some have what seem like gold and silver patterns on. some crazy people have built some houses out on the lava field. Apparently the tax is only a $1.00 a year but in our opionions not worth the risk of the lava changing direction and taking the house out.
As we drew closer to the smoke the night drew in and we could then see the red of the molten lava in the middle of the smoke. When we were about 100 meters away the lava beneath our feet was so hot and between the cracks we saw the red glow of lava. It was really scary as this is the ledge and can be dangerous. We trusted our guide and lots of other groups were there too but they kept saying it can be here one day and gone the next, very encouraging. Super amazing though, one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen. The lava as it hits the waves shoots the lava up 40 feet into the air and it was really hot standing there!! As time went on and the tide shifted the lava started to come up to very near where we were standing our guide still seemed unconcerned, anyway we eventually made our way back. Great experience.
We then headed back to Kona which has a sweet chilled feel to it, lovely ocean views and breeze. We were able to sit and watch the waves as we ate breakfast which was just so relaxing.
A few days R and R and that was just a perfect way to end a perfect holiday.