• Aurora on the road
  • Aurora on the road

Hawaii Big Island

We are off to Kona and the Big Island on November 17th for 10 days for the first adventure Post Covid Panic Read more
  • Trip start
    November 17, 2021

    We are at YVR!

    November 17, 2021 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    The airport is completely empty. 6 flights out the rest of the day. We found a playground which was VERY exciting!

    We will grab some grub and hopefully everyone gets a couple hours sleep on the plane before we landRead more

  • Royal Sea Cliff condo

    November 18, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We made it in around 1030pm with a 90 minute wait for a car rental as only 2 people were working but two planes unloaded at the same time. This we slept in till 7am (9am Vancouver time) then got up packed up and went to Kailua (old airport) beach. Aurora had fun in the tide pools and daddy got a nap on the lava rock in the sun. We just picked up our first spam musubi for snack time on the lanai. Aurora fell asleep in the car on the way home after picking out all the veggies she needs for the week from shop and save ( part of the foodland group grocery group)Read more

  • Magic Sands Beach park

    November 18, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We found a nice restaurant here, Magic Sands Grill. Next to the beach where all the families were swimming and boogie boarding. We had ulu fries (breadfruit). fish and chips and fish tacos for dinner. Aurora is a little afraid of how noisy the ocean is today.Read more

  • Randys huli huli chicken time

    November 19, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After spending a perfect beach day at Mau'umae we drove with a mission in mind and made it to Randy's with 5 min before closing. And if we missed them today that's it till December! Their huli huli chicken and ribs combo is pit trailer smoked and bbqed at an elevation of 1000 feet which gives it that distinct flavour. They use liquid aloha in the marinade I am sure!Read more

  • Lets go to the pool and see the sunset!

    November 19, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Well we had a superb meal from Randy's Huli Huli chicken but as the sun dipped down in the western sky, Aurora told us to put away our food as we needed to get to the pool to do some swimming and watch the sunset. So we did. Shes become an avid leaper off the side of the pool but you have to be ready with a moment's notice to catch her!Read more

  • Da Poke Shack

    November 20, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We visited a farmer's market this morning to grab some Hawaii fruit. Starfruit. Tangors. Papaya. Avocados. And cookies. Oatmeal chocolate chip. On the way back we stopped for poke. Thankfully just before it got busy! Aurora preferred her poke fed directly over the shoulder.Read more

  • Anaeholomalu beach

    November 20, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After the farm market visit we packed up and went to "A bay" as its short form is known. Aurora swam in her donut most of the time. Jess wandered down the beach and found turtles swimming about and get some underwater footage of tropical fish with the gopro.Read more

  • Hapuna Beach

    November 22, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    One of the big beaches. With big waves. It was a calm day so only 3 foot rollers. Aurora put on the donut and a life jacket and hit the water like a champ.

  • Hookena beach

    November 23, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We headed south on the Hawaii belt road. Stopping first for swimming and snorkeling at Hookena beach. It's a beach at the bottom of a winding track road that zigzags down from 1500 feet to sea level. One road in and one road out. The beach was probably the most scenic for all around landscape. Broad cliffs on one side and a bay with jagged rocks on either side. And a serene black sand beach in the middle.Read more

  • Punalu'u Bake shop

    November 23, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    The most southern bakery in the USA! And dang it smelled good when we pulled in and opened the car doors. All the travel guides said stop here for sweet goodness. And it was. We got chocolate filled donuts (Malasadas) and a Bismarck and some bread pudding. Cinnamon buns were sold out. Have to come back.
    They have max weight allowed signs on their plastic chairs. Seems some people have come back too often.
    Read more

  • Kilauea crater -walk in to see the lava

    November 23, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We checked in at Kilauea Lodge and then found some dinner at Lava Rock cafe. Really good home made meals there. Aurora had mac and cheese. And did not want to share with daddy. Then we drove to the south side of the crater and hiked a couple miles on Devastation trail into the view point. We could see the lava fountain on the North side and the crater lake was all fissured with lava cracks. Aurora noted it was very pretty. And also that she was not tired of walking because we pushed or carried her the whole way. She fell asleep on the way out. Right after moon riseRead more

  • Rainforest wanderings

    November 24, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We spent a little time walking the Fern forests around Kilauea and went into the Thurston lava tube. A previous location where lava flowed from the caldera down the mountain.

  • Hilo zoo visit

    November 24, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    There is a zoo here that has a bunch of wild animals that shouldn't be in cages. The Siberian tigers really wanted to eat the donkeys.

  • Hilo farmers market

    November 24, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    A quick visit to the farmers market here before Jess found a super restaurant with an open air patio and some really good food. Aurora stuck with pasta and tomato sauce but it was nice homemade salt less sauce. Really good!Read more

  • Hilo rainstorm off the balcony

    November 24, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    Some photos from our room balcony at the Hilo Hawaii Hotel overlooking the bay. I would imagine this hotel in the 70s was the go-to for Hawaiian hot spots. Hilo seems trapped in a time warp. Still holding some sense of regality but now scuffed by years gone by.Read more

  • Kens House of Pancakes

    November 25, 2021 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    An early breakfast at Ken's. It's the quintessential diner in Hilo. I had the Sumo Saimin (it takes two hands to carry the bowl from the kitchen). Almost got through the whole bowl with a little help from Jess and Aurora.Read more