Sleeping on the Rim of a Volcano...

Kilauea glows fiercely in the night sky.

We leave Kalani on the south end of The Big Island at noon.  Driving to Volcanoes National Park takes only a little more than an hour.  We find our camping cabin after checking in at the  main lodge.

The inside is nice and cozy, great bed, fluffy cover and thick towels.  But...ahhhh....still have to trek across the path to the bathrooms.  However, for $60 a night, instead of $355 at the main lodge...well...what a deal!

Cozy bed inside!

Steve fixing the rum drinks at our table!

We make ourselves at home in Cabin #4.  Opening our duffel bags we realize all our clothes are "wet" from the 99% humidity near Hilo.  Almost made me want to "wring" things out...but instead we drapped them all over the inside of the cabin, hanging from each bed post.  The weather up here on top of the mountain was a relief with cooler evening temperatures.

The next day we spend exploring the different areas of Volcanoes NP....from the Thurston Lava Tube, to the rim of the volcano during the day and the rim of the volcano during the evening and in the night sky...to Chain of Craters Road, to the edge of the sea where the lava had taken over the road and flowed into the Pacific...all a remarkably bold statement of the power of the natural world.

End of the road....today.

Steve gets Park Ranger going on her uke!

At the Visitor's Center Steve finds a Park Ranger who has a uke on the counter.  He asks if she plays...and...so, we start a mini jam...well, only one uke really....but we all sing!  Hawai'i Aloha...a new favorite song.

Morning coffee in the main lodge watching the volcano!

Thurston Lava Tube

Volcano gases in the air early in the morning

It is said that returning your flower lei back to sea ensures a safe voyage back to Hawaii in the future.  Can't hurt to stack the deck...but now that we know better, first I separate the flowers from the chord that strings them together and take out the little bead inbetween each flower....then, into the breeze they go, landing far below on the Pacific Ocean.  I do this at the Sea Arch at the end of Chain of Craters Road.  This picture does not tell the whole story....it's almost 90 degrees and very humid.  I can barely stand the heat and head back to the air conditioned car!  

Volcano view at 6:30 p.m.... just after sunset

Volcano view at 6 p.m. sunset

We have one more night to sleep in our little cabin and get a good view of something we may never see again...the reflection of moten lava deep in the caldera glowing on the gases that escape into the air.  We are amazed at how quickly the view changes from nothing but "smoke" by day, to a real glow at sunset to a remarkable firey red with the dark night sky!  The road around the rim is mostly closed due to the dangerous gases emitted by smoking Kilauea...so we get our looks from the part that is open near the lodge and the Jaggar Museum.

Volcanoes National Park is incredibly diverse in landscape, flora and fauna and bird life.  In one day we spent time in the damp darkness of a lava tube, immersed in jungle forage on the rim, hiking a useless road to the place where the lava blocks it, thankful for the sea breeze in intense heat, watch lightning bolts in the evening sky through the steam rising from vents, notice birds as they soar high above the expanse of the crater and then see the small bright red birds flit from branch to branch.  

Here you find the power and wild-ness of nature  from the very small to the great and powerful awesomeness of something below the surface of Mother Earth....not visible, but with a sense there might be a great stage entrance at any time.  What a drama!  

A walk on lava....not easy.

Hope....springs...

On to the Kona side for some sunshine and perhaps a little less drama?!

Kalani Ukulele Retreat!!

 We arrive at Kalani Retreat Center on Monday afternoon after a fast trip across the new Saddle Road.  The road now is like a super highway cutting the time almost in half for travel between the Kona side and the Hilo side of The Big Island.

New black sand beach at Kapana....where lava cut off the road!

Warm, black....sand...

From the time we put our feet on the ground at Kalani we are immersed in Hawaiian colors and sounds!  The grounds here are dense jungle green and tropical.  The sound of coi qui frogs and ukuleles ...and a conch shell which blows to announce three fabulous meals a day surround us.

Steve on the path to the dining lani

Stopping to marvel at the flowers means leave early for lunch!

Typical menu.....fantastic food!

Breakfast...

We find lots of whole grain options, fresh fruits, huge salads with delicious dressing choices...all thoughtfully prepared.  Wow.  Healthy meals!

More flowers grace the paths everywhere at Kalani

Our room in "the treehouse" at Kalani

Take a look at those windows!  All screens, all the time.  Talk about feeling like you really are living in a tree house....without the mosquitos!

Right ouside our room!

This week is full of ukulele music workshops by fabulous instructors, evening concerts by local uke and guitar players, field trips for a "lava walk," planting coconut trees to reforest the land covered by the 1995 lava flow, a uke lesson at Hilo Guitar and Uke Store by a great Hawaiian instructor, a visit to Chuck Moore's uke building studio, and an evening at Uncle Roberts. (local roadside bar and music spot)  Did I mention time to jump in the incredible swimming pool?

Kalani pool....warm warm water!

Nan planting her coconut tree!

Oh yes, and we DID play ukuleles!!

Performance night

One of the workshops, at both uke retreats we've attended, has been "Band." Each instructor heads up a group of workshop participants and together a short group performance is created....and yes, preformed...the last night.  We're not in this photo....I guess we were too busy thinking about our moments on stage to remember to get photos!

It was a great six days of music, new friends, lots of ukes, lots of new concepts....surrounded by the sounds and sights of Hawai'i.

Now, on to Volcanoes National Park....and our camping cabin!?