We Take Ourselves With Us

Here's a link list of where we stayed, ate and snorkeled while on the Big Island.  Everything listed below is "frosty" in our book, but I've added our newly non-trademarked asterisk-scale of 1-5 for good measure! Sleeping Sheraton Kona  ***** Eating Super J's  ***** Kohala Burgers and Tacos  **** The Fish and the Hog  ***** Bianelli's  **** Buns in the Sun  *** L&L Drive-In  *** Tex Drive-In  **** (5* for malasadas!) Sandy's Drive-In  *** (5* for smoothie and donuts!) Ken's House of Pancakes  *** Punalu'u Bake Shop  *** (5* for sweet bread & donuts, sensing a theme here yet?) Anuenue Shave Ice  ***** Snorkeling Fair Wind Cruises  ***** Sea Paradise  ****

While I was wandering around the hotel pretending my toe wasn't broken and playing Sugar Crush in the lovely Hawaiian evening, Ned and the kids braved a very, very wavy sea to night snorkel in search of Manta Rays. For more than an hour, they alternately hung from the ship's snorkeling rig bobbing in the chilly ocean looking out for the elusive Rays and quickly rushed into the cabin to warm up with hot cocoa. In the end, their dedication paid off: a single, huge Ray swam around and around them, eerily lit from above. It bumped right into them in its water ballet. All my Jacques Cousteaus came back cold but elated! (I'll try to post Ned's video later--it's amazing!) In lieu of Manta Ray pics and photos, I'll post some random photos of our lovely hotel.

Our hotel is surrounded by lava rock--expansive, seemingly sculpted black fields that often form cliffs above the crashing waves. After a day at the pool, we walked the winding trails through the hotel grounds. Unique, gorgeous vistas! After tonight's dinner from the truly local Super J's (amazing!), we waited for the manta rays, but they never came. So we wandered back to the room and appreciated the gorgeous night.

After spending almost a full 24 hour day flying or waiting to fly, we've attempted to get into the island spirit today by embracing mellow-ness. In this effort, we got a huge assist from our ridiculously generous friends Dana and Amy. (OK, you've really set a new bar for "you're comped." Know that we're plotting our next move!) So, we visited the local farmer's/artist's market, home to lovely jewelry, organic juices, enough Kona coffee to fuel an army of truckers & grad students, and the world's best pork & pineapple hot dog. Since then, we've been lazing by the unbelievably wonderful pool that runs through the resort--and our children, freed from yesterday's metal tubes & narrow rows, are making the most of their new surroundings.