Birthday in Paradise, Hawaiian Adventures Part 1

Earth date:  February 25 - 27, 2020

Back in November 2019...
HB says to BB:  "Hawaii in February. Want to do it?"
BB to HB:  "Sure."

a few months later...
HB says to BB:  "Are you getting excited about February?  Are you glad we picked Hawaii?"
BB to HB:  "You picked Hawaii.  It's your birthday."
HB:  "But you wanted to go, too!  So, 'we' picked it."
BB:  Flatly, "It was your birthday pick."
HB:  "Ok. Whatever.  But you do want to go to Hawaii?"
BB:  "Sure."
HB:  /sigh

So here we are, adventuring in Hawaii.  HB is torturing BB with this trip that so far has yielded good food, great views and a lovely beach sunset.

Absorbing the sunset on Magic Island.
Honolulu did it up right for my birthday.

Honolulu from Diamond Head trek

So far we've hiked to this view.

Ali'iolani Hale, Hawaii's State Supreme Court Building

Walked through historic Honolulu.

Magic Island at Ala Moana Park

Enjoyed a lovely sunset at Ala Moana park.







And eaten birthday cookies.  Cheers.



I imagined Hawaii like a warmer version of beloved New Zealand.  But it's not.  It's lovely, yes.  But different... except VOLCANOES!  Yep, more volcanoes, with which I seem to have a strange fascination... because magma.  This trip I have simple goals - walk through a lava tube, see lava, visit Mauna Kea (dormant), visit Mauna Lao or Hualalai or Kilauea (active; I'm not picky), not get burned by magma or fall into a magma pool.  I've already achieved one goal of not stumbling, teetering into another hiker and launching them off the side of Diamond Head.  I'm achievement oriented, so I like goals.  I also like not hurting others.  So, already this trip has been a win.

As I mentioned, I'm fascinated by how the islands were formed, though not fascinated enough to quit my job and go into volcanology, though it would be cool to say, "I'm a volcanologist."  Not a vulcan, mind you, though that would be equally cool.

The archipelago that is Hawai'i was formed by a hot spot under the Pacific tectonic plate, which spews molten lava up through the Earth's crust.  Enough eruptions happen over the course of a few dozen millenia to form volcanoes in the ocean, which become islands.  As the Pacific Plate shifts (approx 3" a year), the volcano islands become dormant, because they are no longer over the hot spot.  The first eruption began 70-40 million years ago.  The paradise that is Hawai'i has been in the works for quite some time.  Hawaii is still growing, evidenced by the recent eruptions in 2018, and there is a new island forming, called Lo'ihi, which should emerge as an island in the next 10,000 to 100,000 years.  I'm humbled when I think of the magnificence of this place and the length of time it's been in the making.  We are but a blip on the face of mighty Earth.  If you'd like to learn more, articles from these sites were informative:  The Timeline of Plate Tectonics and Smithsonian Magazine.

On Thursday we flew from Honolulu to Hilo on the Big Island, and were looking forward to a slower pace and less big city.  Hilo did not disappoint.  Downtown is a quaint affair overlooking the bay, and the food options have been spot on.  Though our pocket book is not amused.  Dinner, tasty bev and ice cream at Hilo Bay Cafe was delish.

We're in between CST and HST time, so it's early to bed and early to rise.  That's ok.  Friday adventures are awaiting.  Part 2 will be here, once posted.