Ziplining

I didn't take photos on my phone today, but we did go zip-lining in Kohala with
Lisa Marie Presley, her husband, son and son's girlfriend for 3 1/2 hours today. At first, I thought they were just a weird family from LA.

Nope. Not just any weird family. But it was awesome to see that celebrities are just people when you aren't staring them as photos in a magazine.

Our guide was also a fourth generation descendant of King Kamehameha. She had a tattoo of him on her arm, along with depictions of sharks, her family's protective spirit animal.

After that we hiked down to Polulu Valley to another black sand beach. It was magical. (Until the hike back up the cliff.) A divine sushi dinner in Hawi capped off the day. We have been so fortunate to miss almost all the daily showers as we have been out and about.

Earlier in the day we snorkeled at Spencer Beach Park, but I'm assuming everyone reading this cares more about Lisa Marie Presley sightings than fish! What a day.
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Na bela praia que beleza

Today we went to Kapuna Beach, one of the famous white sandy crescents that makes the island famous. It was gorgeous and pristine and not crowded. That last descriptor is the most surprising. Even Galveston beach-possibly the worst infested beach in the US-is packed with people. Marcio and I have been startled and thrilled by the lack of tourists on the Big Island.

Marcio taking a photo of the beautiful sunset!

Also, here is the end of the rainbow we saw yesterday. No gold in sight though, sadly.

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Yesterday we saw the whole island of Hawaii - circled it in the Jeep - through tropical rainforest, lava wasteland and rolling prairie.

First we stopped at Volcanoes National Park,


Where we hiked 5 miles across this crater, caused by a collapsed volcano.


Proof- the view from the other side.

Then, we drove through Hilo to the Akaka waterfalls. It cascade height is twice that of Niagara Falls!


We also saw approximately 53 kinds of fern and walls of orchids- yellow, white and purple. On the way out, we stopped for a coconut and watched with admiration as the girl selling them hacked each one open with a two different machetes.


Before heading home, we stopped at Waipio Lookout and Beach. The most unworldly and beautiful place I've ever seen: black sand, blue water, huge trees and enchantingly green vines. Note- it's only accessible via a twisting one-lane road with 45 degree slopes! Good this we have a jeep.





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Real Day 1

Today has been fantastic. If we just repeated today for the next 5 days, à la Groundhog Day, it would still be in paradise. We woke up at 5 am (thanks jetlag), but we got to have breakfast at the most perfect cafe on the water.

Then, we went snorkeling at Kahulu Bay. It was amazing to see all the colorful fish and spiky coral. The flippers in the snorkel set make a huge difference -- you can swim easily but walk clumsily, tripping over rocks. Not unlike the scene from The Little Mermaid where Ariel gets legs. Then, we almost fell asleep in the black sand, gulping lungfuls of fresh air through our noses. It's hard to be an under-the-sea mouth breather. Then, we went to a local farmers market and bought lilkoi juice, mangos, macadamia nuts and a mysterious green fruit that allegedly tastes like an apple pear. A kind vendor selling us the fruit handed Marcio a plumeria lei to hand to me. The smell of those flowers could make anyone feels like a Hawaiian princess. Mind you this is all before 10 am.

We bought mahi mahi at the market and made a delightful lunch of fresh fish, roast potatoes and salad on our balcony.


After a nap, we headed out to the Peace Botanical Gardens, filled with exotic plants, various temples from work religions, a realistic scale model of the galaxy made from plants, a parrot named Harriet and numerous cats.

Speaking of cats, it looks like we should have brought Orange on vacation:


After the gardens, we drove to the City of Refuge, a national park marking the home of ancient Hawaiian alii or royal chiefs and a place of sanctuary people running from war or crime would be safe and/or pardoned (if they could swim fast enough). There, we sat on Mark Twain's favorite rock and considered the logistics of building a 12-foot wall out of lava rocks and only lava rocks. It was gorgeous.

We came home by way of a one-lane road and another beach near Captain Cook's bay, the one that starts with a K. A well-intentioned but intoxicated Hawaiian told us as we were getting in the car that he thought we were getting married and that the bond between us was really strong.

We closed out the day with this view and a sushi dinner. I love all the lava rocks!


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After 15 minutes in Hawaii

We made it to Honolulu Airport after 3 movies, 2 naps and 1 late arrival to check in...


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Wedding day has arrived!

This is it. Flowers are done. Family and friends are helping and waiting! I am ready to marry Marcio... In eight hours or so. I am so overwhelmed with the love and support that has been poured out for the wedding. It touches my heart in really deep places, and that unity from disparate groups coming into a new community has to be one of the most precious gifts of marriage.

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Location:Tanglewilde St,Houston,United States