By this point, we had a "favorite" table in the Aloha Café (near the pop machine, lol) and after breakfast we headed off ship and stood in line for 1/2 hour for the shuttle to the airport to pick up a rental car. We had a nice visit with a retired couple from Pennsylvania, which helped pass the time.
We were given numbers to get on the bus and told not to cut; we were numbers 1-6 and the Pennsylvania couple were 7 and 8. When the bus did get there, it didn't park where it was supposed to and a bunch of Japanese tourists tried to cut, but alas we were faster and they couldn't get past my big butt (it has to come in handy for something, right?). I told them we were given numbers and not to cut, so when my 8 people were on the bus I would move. It didn't make me any friends, but we had been waiting the longest.
We finally got our minivan and headed on to Volcanos National Park. Unfortunately for Rick, there was no fresh lava flow, just some steam.
While we were at the Visitor's Center we ran in to the couple from Pennsylvania and we laughed about the bus incident. They also were nice and told us how they were impressed with how well Jacob behaved and how we interacted and handled him. Always nice to hear.
The caldera:
Before the cruise, Rick said I would need a little dressier clothing for the restaurants on the ship, so I bought and packed cute tops, capris, etc. with the plan to wear them during the day, as well. For some reason I thought Hawaii would have cooler temps than Houston, but that wasn't really the case. I was so hot and sweaty during the week (we all were) and I think this was the day I gave up on cute clothes and resorted to the jeans I wore for the plane rides and the t-shirts I brought for the beach and started slapping my hair up with a clip whenever we got out of the car.
We drove to another section of the park and did the short hike to walk through the Thurston Lava tube, which was really neat.
On the way back to the ship, we stopped at Hilo Hatties to do a little shopping. One of the things I wanted to do was get some pearl jewelry to commemorate the trip and our anniversary. I had been seeing the "pick your own pearls" counters around, and looked into it at Pearl Harbor, but I didn't like any of their settings. Maui Diver had a counter in Hilo Hatties, and I had actually heard of them, plus they had a 50% off coupon, making the pearl $7.50. I figured, if nothing else, I went home with a pearl I could get mounted later.
They have a container with oysters in water on the counters and you use tongs to pick one. They tell to pick the ugliest beat up oysters, because they have the nicest pearls. I had Rick pick the oyster and Brandon got the honor or tapping it 3 times ( a blessing) before it was opened.
I was told my pink pearl was one of the bigger ones that they'd seen, but I don't know how true that is.
I had it set on a simple rose gold pendant. Not cheap, but not expensive, either. Purchasing a setting entitles you to pick another oyster, so I sent Bandon to pick one.
His had "twin" pink pearls, a little darker than the first one. I had them drilled, but left them unmounted for now.
After that, we turned the rental car back in and returned to the ship. Betty, Randy and I headed to the Fresh Floral Lei Class and I'm so disappointed I forgot to take my phone, so no photos of the process, just the result:
They made theirs for Paige and Brooke, and I sent mine home with Betty so she could use it to make some potpourri.
By now, between the airport shuttle, the ship, and Hilo Hatties, we were amassing quite a collection of shell necklaces
We were supposed to eat in the Liberty Dining room the night before, but everyone forgot. We were able to get reservations pretty easily, though.
Randy decided he was going to buy a Hawaii shirt during the trip, so Brandon and I picked one out for Rick as well:
I had to laugh at Rick ordering an egg roll appetizer for "Jacob" so that he could have two appetizers.
Everyone else had steak, but I had a truly excellent swordfish steak.
Rick was happy to have some pecan pie for dessert
After dinner we just kind of hung out before crawling into bed at 8:30 again. (we felt so old, lol).
Wednesday, August 20
While we slept, the ship traveled around to the other side of Hawaii (the Big Island) and docked outside the port of Kona. Since the waters were too shallow, we had to be tendered in on smaller boats, which Jacob thought was cool and kept saying "Row, row, row your boats!"
Kona:
Betty and Randy went on a submarine excursion while the four of us walked...and walked...and walked about 3/4 mile uphill then around the corner and down a small hill and around some more corners to finally find the rental car place (the map totally lied! and didn't show the hill). After that, Rick dropped Brandon and I off for our adventure and then went one of a different sort--getting a snack for Jacob and heading to a Wi-Fi enabled laundromat to do some laundry for us (for $6 a load vs $6 an item on the ship). I love that man something fierce :)
Brandon and I checked in at UFO Parasailing and then hung out for 45 minutes until it was time. Of course, he was totally nonchalant while I was getting more nervous by the minute. We finally went out and, of course, we were the first ones up for our tandem ride. It was really kind of awesome and Brandon told me it was his favorite part of the trip, so yay :) About the time I was thinking there was nothing to be afraid of Brandon piped in with "mom, remember, if the cable breaks keep your legs straight and point your toes when you go in the water." Thanks, you little %&&^^. I paid the $35 to have an SD card of pics taken, but it was a total waste of money. These gems are literally the only ones in focus:
After we all met up again, we headed to a beach, except it wasn't a sand beach, it was all rock and crushed shell. It hurt. I went in long enough to take some pics, say I waded in the Pacific and decide that I didn't want to swim that badly.
For lunch we took turns watching our belongings and getting (not that great) food truck food.
The shave ice were good (#5 strawberry and banana. I decided at this point that if we got more I wasn't letting Brandon continue to pick flavors for me so I could try something other than those two or the blue vanilla Rick kept picking).
We called it a day when Rick and Jacob got out of the water to get a drink and we realized that Jacob's foot was bleeding profusely from a slice on the end of his big toe. It wasn't deep, just messy.
That night after dinner Betty and I went to the Oh What a Night! Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons show and it was excellent.
