Goofy tourists

I let James take photos of me three times.  Count 'em:  three times!  I think that's a record for letting anyone else hold my camera.

This is in the rainforest outside the exit end of the lava tube.  I don't think we were supposed to get off the trail, but I didn't think about that until after the pictures.  Oops.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park--Kilauea Iki Crater and Thurston Lava Tube

This is a little distance from the Overlook where we stopped first.  In fact, if you look in the distance you can see the busy little crater.  There's a hike that you can take across the Kilauea Iki Crater, but we never found the time to do it.  It would have been a perfect day for it, too, with the overcast skies and cooler temperatures.  I don't think my photo is large enough to see the people, but there are people walking along the trail in the photo.

Thurston Lava Tube

Just before we step into the darkness.

I'm glad I don't suffer from claustrophobia.  The tube was decently lit and actually quite short in distance, but you wouldn't know it as you step into the realm of the underworld.

Water was dripping everywhere.  At times we had to hop over puddles or balance along the little bit of dry ground that was available.

My husband the vulcan.  :-)

I now understand the meaning of the term:  "The light at the end of the tunnel."

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park--Sulphur Banks

On the way back to the Visitor's Center, we took another route which took us past the Sulphur Banks. It was a very pretty area, with a winding path and beautiful trees.

The tree with the red flowers is called an Ohi'a-Lehua Tree.  It has a lovely legend attached to it.  Ohi'a was a chief.  Pele, the volcano goddess fell for him.  But Ohi'a was in love with a girl named Lehua.  When he refused Pele's advances she turned him into a tree.  The other gods felt sad for Ohi'a so they turned Lehua into a blossom so they could be reunited.  If you pluck a blossom off the tree, it's said to create rain that symbolizes tears for separated lovers.

I can't very well just take photos of paths, so my husband was happy to be my model yet again.

You can see the steaming sulphur banks just beyond James.  This is the boardwalk that we took to get there (James is entertaining himself by going back and forth while I take pictures).

I wouldn't want to be climbing those rocks.

Ferns

I grew up around ferns in Oregon, but I couldn't get enough of the mammoth ferns in Hawaii. My husband and I both loved how they uncurl and open up into those beautiful fronds that we recognize as ferns.

On our way from the Volcano visitor's center to the overlook we could have driven our car, but we chose to walk whenever we could, and that's what we did here. Most of these ferns were growing along the road.

This one was near the Visitor's Center, just across the street.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park--Steam Vents

From the overlook, you can wander around a trail and look at the steam rising up from the ground.  It's like a huge sauna, and the plants seem to be happily basking in all that moisture.

Happy little plants.  It looks like fog, but this is actually steam!

Another view of the crater.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park-Kilauea Overlook

In the past, my mom and dad have been able to walk up to the crater and look in.  However, during our visit there was enough volcanic activity that this was about as close as we could get to Halema'uma'u Crater.  For some reason the officials don't want people collapsing because of the sulfuric acid fumes or something.  It was still pretty impressive, especially since you could hear the roar of the vapors as we approached the overlook.  It's rather eerie to think that you're standing on an active volcano.

I had to get my "tourist" shot in.

His and Her Shots

Guess which one of us is a camera hog?

I told him to come up with his own pose for this one.  Silly guy.