Microblog

Morning, off to Kagoshima for more hikes in Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park.

Wednesday, 10:00 p.m., on my way to a comfortable, clean, $83 hotel near Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

At Honolulu HNL. My better half has boarded the MSP flight. 25 minutes later I board the ANA Tokyo Haneda flight.

Stepped back to old Hawaii, returned to Honoka’a for a couple nights.

Sunday lunch in a tiki bar with a nod to the observatories 14,000 feet up Mauna Kea.

Posted Insufficient Reality.

On our walk: fishponds where ancient Hawaiians raised fish.

Rusted corrugated metal shuddered as it clung on, as I balanced on rusty a’a scree. 55 mph gusts on a coastal walk.

Kona Coast, 1,100 feet up: 70% solar eclipse then sunset within one hour.

Walked to a monument to Cook’s “discovery” of Hawaii. Polynesians discovered and settled Hawaii 600 years earlier.

Posted Lava: It’s Scientific Fun.

Hiked on pahoehoe (“smooth, billowy, ropy”) lava for several miles.

Steam vent. “Get back from the edge” was repeated many times today as the nephews sought closer looks.

Our nephews, peaceful dinner at Volcano House, our hotel in Volcanoes National Park. They walked over 8 miles today.

An offering to Pele, goddess of fire and volcanoes. In the distance, Halema’uma’u Crater is active.

ITO (Hilo) baggage claim, waiting for my better half.