If you didn’t get to check out any of my previous Hawaii posts, please do so! It began with a full account of activities in Oahu and then continued on to include a (SURPRISE!!) trilogy of posts from my time in Maui and on the Big Island! 😀
Part 2 of the trilogy was yesterday (then ended rather suddenly due to technical issues that I have since corrected!!) and now here we are, ready (and able!) to conclude the “Hawaii Chronicles” with Part 3!! We shall pick up where we left off yesterday, right after ✅ #5: Visiting the Royal Kona Museum & Coffee Mill!! 🥳 ☕️
Without further ado, let’s keep our Big Island Circle Tour adventures going and dive right back in!!!
✅#6A: Visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which I was told is a must-see when going to the Big Island!
This park serves to protect some of the most unique geological landscapes in the world, which includes two of the world’s most active volcanoes – – Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. And I had the opportunity to visit Kīlauea!!!
SO, at the summit of Kīlauea there is a crater within the crater, called Halema’uma’u! Before 1924, it contained an active lava lake that caused several eruptions throughout the 20th century. It apparently calmed down for a bit but then the lava lake restarted it’s activity again between 2008 and 2018 – – and aren’t I so lucky??? I was there in 2009, so I got to experience the smoking crater that is the workings of the active lava lake at Halema’uma’u!!
✅#6B: Also, when visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you have an opportunity to explore a lava tube…..which we did!! We had the chance to go for a walk through the Thurston Lava Tube, also known as Nāhuku!
This huge 500+-year-old cave was left behind after a lava flow! And you get to it by walking on a path through the rainforest, following this sign:
…..and then walking through this entrance and right into the lava tube!!
✅#7: We made a stop at the Akatsuka Orchid Gardens and saw the most gorgeous and unique flowers!!
AND THEN I saw this and I was blown away because it is REAL!!!
Here’s the story behind this particular and super valuable orchid:
Sooooooo, it just isn’t for sale!! I was pretty bummed about that. I was hoping to purchase it and take it home with me!! ☹️ 💵 💵 💵 💵 😆
✅#8: On Hilo Big Island, there are these incredible and immense trees found on Banyan Tree Drive! We got to spend a little time scoping out this amazing forest of very tall trees!!!!
✅#9: Two miscellaneous photos that let you know that you’re in the fantastic world of the Big Island!!
✅#10: And one of my favorite stops on this Circle Island Tour, we stopped to visit the most famous black sand beach of Hawaii called Punalu’u Beach. Between the gorgeous black sand stretch of beach AND the sea turtles lounging around, it was spectacular!!!
AND we did EVEN MORE on the Big Island besides these 10 checkmarks so I highly recommend going on the Big Island Circle Tour, if you ever get the chance! It was a very full and fun-filled 12 hours!!! And then once we got back to the start of the “circle,” we hopped back on the plane and flew back to Maui!
Well, we made it!!!!!! Those were all of the major checkpoints from my one month in Hawaii and all the fun things that I got to see and do in Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island!!!
And before I wrap things up, I just have a few more photos that I would love to show you from my time there!
And finally, the two venues where I performed while in Oahu and in Maui:
Not only was the Maui Arts & Cultural Center a beautiful venue for performing, but it was also my last time performing as full-body costume character!! After three years, I concluded my time with VEE Corporation and finished my final performances with Sesame Street on the Castle Theater stage in Maui!!
And that (seriously) concludes my Hawaii Chronicles of June 2009!!!!! Thank you so much for sticking around and joining me as I recounted all the many tales and activities from my “all bets are off, what else can I do???” experiences in the majestic and magical Hawaiian islands!!! It was such a dream come true, in more “checkmarks” than I can count!!!
With extreme appreciation, I send you love and rainbows, straight from the skies of Oahu 2009:
– – though Hawaii IS the rainbow capital of the world so rainbows are not strangers to the skies, anywhere, in this beautiful place!!!
And may I present you with these highly-recommended Hawaiian rules that support a peaceful and happy life!!! These may serve us very well moving forward. 🤗
Until next time, everyone!!! MAHALO!!!!! 💖