Travel to Hawaii Bashny.Net

Today I will talk about the trip to Hawaii, I and my (now) fiancee made in early September. We do not remember how we came to the decision to go to Hawaii. All the friends who had to go there, it is their praise, so we decided to go too. Our choice fell on the island of Hawaii (Hawai'i), or simply the Big Island (Big Island), the largest island of the archipelago. As the search in the guidebooks and the Internet has compiled a list of natural beauties of the island, which we wanted to visit. Our eight-day stay was divided between the two largest cities - Hilo (Hilo) and Kailua Kona (Kailua-Kona), or simply Kona. In addition, another purpose of the trip, which I until then kept secret, was the intention to make a proposal to my girlfriend. Hawaii this was a great place. Let's start!

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2. Flies out of Los Angeles. In the distance, on the horizon the beaches of Malibu. But we have to fly further to Hilo (Hilo) - that's five hours of travel.

3. Because we're going to the west, the sunset can be seen for a long time. Clouds gradually painted first in the yellow and then a reddish tinge.



4. On arrival we were in for a surprise - the car that we have ordered in a rental agency. We ordered a car economy class, and we are usually in such cases, give Chevrolet Aveo and Nissan Versa. There we waited for Dodge Challenger. By the way, it was very convenient to travel around the hilly terrain of the island.



5. The view from the hotel room where we had breakfast. Interestingly, not all buildings have windows. Instead of windows there are plastic / wood / glass panels, which are made according to the type of blinds, that is, they can be opened / closed by simply turning them end to themselves / each other. Given that the temperature in Hilo year round 22-25 day and 18-21 at night and 28-31 day in Kona and 19-23 at night, then this decision the most economical and reasonable.



6. Next to the hotel, we met the locals (Hawaiian for life "in the morning drunk - all day free!"). This sign, which they show called Shaq (Shaka) - when folding hand into a fist and bulging little finger and thumb. Used to greet friends and means something like "Hi, how are you?".



7. The first day we traveled to the eastern part of the island. This side is the windward, there prevails an equatorial climate and 275 days of the year are tropical rains. While we were there was not a single day without rain. Rainfall could begin and end in one hour five times. Although the day we were very lucky and the whole day was perfect, sunny weather, and the rain came only in the evening.



8. On the island there are hundreds of waterfalls in the valleys formed between the hardened lava flows. Falls found little like this:



9. and more! This waterfall with dissonant in Russian called Akaka ('Akaka), which in Hawaiian means "break", located in the same park "Akaka Waterfalls". The water is overthrown a cliff with a height of 129 meters.



10. These views of the ocean views from the hills. During the processing of pictures of me I can not help feeling that I'm looking at wallpaper Vindovs.



11. As we walked through the jungle, time to take pictures of many different kinds of flora. The trees grow around bananas (yes, I know that this herb, but it looks like a tree!) And avocado. The latter, incidentally, quite edible.



12. Meets and fauna.

Generally, the origin and age of the archipelago is strongly influenced his nature. The Hawaiian Islands are considered the most isolated group of islands on the planet. These islands are quite young - about 10 million years old, and the youngest (Big Island) is only 400 thousand years. Before the arrival of humans on the island the only mammal there was Hawaiian bat. Now the island is also a wild pig, horse, sheep, but it is once introduced by people and feral animals. More curiously, the island has no snakes (or rather have a single view, which is more like a worm), and the government is struggling to be there did not appear. Trying to bring the islands snakes punishable by a fine of up to $ 200 thousand. And three years in prison.



13. On the Big Island is an active volcano Kilauea. Kilauea and Mauna Loa portion included in the Volcanoes National Park, which we went on the second day. One of the most interesting objects in the park - this is the main crater. According to legend Aboriginal lives in the crater of the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes Pѐle. While lava poured out of it is not (currently it comes to the surface in the south of the island closer to the ocean), it was quite high and the crater of steaming and smoke. Caldera itself is directly after the lunar landscape.



14. Then we went to another amazing place - the lava tube. It is something like a tunnel, which was formed by lava flows at the expense of their non-uniform cooling - outer layers cooled and solidified, and thus isolating the inner tube inside the lava continues to flow. When the lava flow excised, it turns out this tunnel.



15. Even in the park has a crater from which in 1959 was a strong eruption with lava fountains up to 580 meters. Now, 53 years later, the crater looks like a valley covered with solidified lava, and you can go down there!



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17. Around crater there are large and small faults of which comes pairs. And the pair is quite hot, even hot hand to keep close. The stones around these faults too warm, you can warm up.



18. But in front of us waiting for another show: the main crater in the evening. Lake lava highlights coming from the crater pairs that can be clearly seen in the dark, so we waited for the evening and returned to the main crater.



19. The third day was devoted to a trip to the two beaches - one black, the other with green sand. We leave with a damp eastern side of the island, crossing the highlands, which stops most of the moisture coming from the east, and find ourselves in a very different climate.



20. The black sand beaches. In general, on the island pretty much black sand (due to lava) and beaches with pure black or mixed black and white sand. The last is called "salt and pepper". But there is one the most popular - the beach Punaluu (Punalu'u beach). And if you go to the end of the beach, it offers an unforgettable view. An ideal place to make a marriage proposal!



21. Coastal rocks runs a huge amount of crabs, and very nimble. They feel the approach of a few meters, and instantly washed away. One, pradva managed rooms. First he closed the sink claws like a door, but then bolder and got (while looking at the bulging eyes on the right photo, came up with the phrase "The door was washed down !!!»)



22. On the beach, live green sea turtles. I do not know why they call green, they're kind of like gray. The diameter of a tortoise shell about one meter! Later, we have seen these turtles swimming underwater, while snorkeling.



23. Then we waited for the green sand beach with Papakolea (Papakōlea beach). It is one of two beaches and green sand in the world (the second is in the Galapagos Islands). Green, or rather olive color of the sand on the beach there due to the sand enriched with minerals olivine. If the black sand beach is very close to the turn off the highway, there is an index on the turn and right at the beach there is parking and a variety of facilities, then to the beach with green sand to get not so simple. First you need to pull off the highway to the village and to go there, making a bunch of turns, and then go on the road with one lane but two-way traffic, going among the farms. Finally you get to the parking lot, is a sand box. Next three kilometers on the field. Not even on the field, just steppe.



24. The beach is located in the bay, surrounded by a semi-circular rock Pu'u Mahana, is essentially a partial crumbling volcano, which was a consequence of the substitution of the ocean.



25. The fourth day was devoted to a trip to the mountain of Mauna Kea (Mauna Kea), which is an extinct volcano a height of about four kilometers. On the mountain we had planned to go in the evening to watch the sunset with her and the stars, so the morning went for a walk around the hotel and the center of Hilo. From the bridge, we saw a lady with a dog ... and paddle (so called board paddle board):



26. Local folklore:

27. If on the east coast in increasing abundance of tropical forests, humid heat and the rain comes, the mountains of this there is only rain. Finally climbed to the clouds. Here the weather is much better. So our goal - the information center of Mauna Kea, the height of about 3000 meters. View of the station:



28. To observe the sunset we climbed from the information center on one of the spurs, which offers wonderful views.



29. Even in the evening on the mountain was quite warm - about four degrees. Yet, warm clothes, scarves and hats in handy because of the wind. Perhaps it was our first trip, in which we have winter clothes and melting with swimwear.

30. The next morning was the last on the east side, as we planned to spend the last three days in the western part of the island a resort. Decided to go through the northern tip of the island, drove there in the valley Vaipio. Vaipio Valley was once the residence of Hawaiian kings. Currently, it is the holy place for Hawaiians and a large part of the valley - private property, which can not go, so you can only see part of it.



31. In many waterfalls valley, these two, perhaps the biggest of those that can be seen without going deep into the valley on private land. The height of the falls - about 250 meters.



32. Here the river flows into the ocean, formed waterfalls.



33. Now we are waiting for the rest of the way to Kailua-Kona. Along the way, we opened a beautiful view of the sunset.

34. Our second hotel.



35. In the morning we went snorkelling. First we went to the shore of the Gulf Kealakekua (Kealakekua Bay), which is famous for an interesting event. It is near the place where Captain Cook was killed.

A bit of history: in 1778 to Hawaii for the first time the Europeans arrived, headed by James Cook. All of us have probably heard the song Vysotsky "why natives eat Cook." Therefore, we were assured, that this event happened in Australia, but it turns out it was right on the Big Island, and no one was eating. During the second stop on the Big Island (one year after the discovery of Hawaii) between the British and the natives of friction arose because of the frequent theft of Aborigines. At some point, Cook decided to take the local chief hostage until the stolen items will be returned. There was a scuffle during which the British began to shoot, and the natives killed Cook and four seamen. On the spot where he was killed, the monument now stands. This place is marked by white monument (tiny white little thing away).



36. In the evening we went to a luau (luau). Originally meant luau festive meal, like a feast. Now tourists lead the show with traditional dances and food are also called luau.

Spend an educational program on "how to clean a coconut." Now split the coconut palm. Who can not hand, can use a machete. An important detail - the blunt side of the blade to chop! Otherwise, the whole life will show Shaku, so remember how it.



37. Next, we are entertained national dances of Polynesia: Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand.



38. Finally - a fire show. At some point, the speaker ran through the ranks with the torch from him and felt a real high fever, and on the most protruding hail rolled sweat.



39. That is all. Thank you!



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