Karen's Dangling Conversation

Okay people, listen up!  This was the absolute highlight of our whole trip and I’m pretty sure it will end up being one of the highlights of a lifetime!  Before we get started here I want to just query each of my family about what they thought of this lava flow experience.  Here’s a sampling:   Walking is not something I do.....as in physically exerting myself much, but if I had to walk for this experience I would have gone twice as far to see this!  --Bradley K Beagles   (And that is the truth, I have traveled with this guy extensively and he doesn’t go very far on foot to see anything!)  It’s dope! --Mackay Beagles       (Is that good?)  It was cool!  One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen --Liz Beagles  (She should know, she is the closest thing to cool, hip and happening at our house.) This should be illegal! --Amanda Beagles  (Who does by the way have first hand knowledge about what is legal.....T.P. ing so...

Just a note to say that things aren't always the lap of luxury on our vacations.  I had to post a few pictures of the motel.....or more like it the hostel that we stayed in while going on our adventure tours.  If we booked one night there we got a substantial discount on our two tours that we took and so we did.  If we had known what the accomodations would be like we might have reconsidered.  It was about a two hour drive from our beautiful condo in Waikoloa to the other side of the island where we climbed the mountain and then the next day we wanted to stay over and see the volcanos and hike the lava flow.  So we stayed.   As you can see Mackay would not even sleep on the bed, he chose the floor.......scarey.  I didn't want to sleep in the bed either, but the floor didn't look any better.  Good times....this is was makes vacations memorable. Mackay refused to sleep on the bed! I was really worried about him sleeping on the floor nex...

We took a tour to the top of Mauna Kea.  It is a climb of over 13,000 feet.  On the way up we stopped at 9,000 feet to get acclaimated to the height.  Of course those of us from Utah had a little bit of an advantage.  At the 9,000 foot point is a visitors center and we stopped there along with the bus loads of tours to eat and get used to breathing thin air, I guess.  Amanda and I took the little adventure walk out to see a Silver Sword.  A plant that only thrives above 9,000 feet.  Supposedly it only blooms once and then dies.....this gave me pause to think about that....what if I had only one chance to bloom in a lifetime...hmmmmm.  Back on the road again and our trusty guide Daniel took us to the top.  Well, I should say, not the tippey top.  That you had to hike on your own.  We took pictures of all the cool huge telescopes and waited for the sunset.  Just before sunset Amanda and I decided to hike to the tippey top of M...

Oh my goodness, the best thing happened today! I got to swim with turtles! So amazing, right up and personal, totally swimming right next to a big old turtle or two or three! The Hilton Wikaloa Village has the most amazing Lagoon for swimming.  It is full of wonderful sea life.  Today we saw an eel, lots of turtles, lots of beautiful fish, one stingray, dolphins, and one little baby 2 month old dolphin (so cute).  We had such a great day, the kids took out the kayak and then we rented snorkels.  It was so amazing to swim with the turtles, they did not even care if you were swimming right next to them.  At one point I looked up and there were two big ones right in front of me and then I felt something brush my fin and a turned and there was another one right behind me.  It was a little freaky but soooooo much fun!  

We spent the afternoon at Hapuna Beach.  It was amazing with beautiful white sandy beach and warm clear water.  We enjoyed swimming in the beautiful ocean and then when it was time to dry off we didn't have to lay in the sand, we went up to the grassy area.....perfect!  Love, love, loved this beach.  I take back what I have said about the island of Hawaii, it DOES have good beaches.....well, at least one that I know of!

Our fall break is to the big island of Hawaii!  Brad and I have been here once but we were excited to bring the kids to show them this beautiful, scenic and special island. We arrived late in the day on Saturday October 9th and we were surprised to find top notch accommodations at the Hilton Kings Landing time share in Waikoloa.  Really beautiful suite with a kitchen, two bedrooms, two baths, lovely sitting porch and a spectacular pool. Hawaii is very different than the other islands.  It has a very rugged landscape that is filled with lava rock, not much vegetation as you drive through the island.  The beaches are more rugged with lots of lava rock and not as friendly for swimming as the other islands.  It has it's own wonderful beauty and the lava rock takes on a very artistic, beautiful touch as you view the landscape. Enjoy our first pictures of Hawaii!