So...we won a trip to Hawaii!!

This summer we were automatically entered into a sweepstakes when we bought tickets to go see my parents...and we won and all expenses paid vacation for 6 days on the big island. Plane tickets, rental car, resort room and breakfast all paid for! We even got tickets to the golf tournament, but there was too much else to see...we never made it to the golf course :)

Day 1 Thursday

We got in and went to Kona Brewing Co. and had some pizza and beer from the microbrewery there. Then we went and checked in our hotel and part took in some of our free drinks. We met the mayor of the Marriott( not really, but this lady knows everyone, is 83 and has been going to the same resort for 11 years, always staying for 2 months.

Day2 Friday

We almost didn't take this hike because we had to jump two fences and disregard 7 "No Trespassing" signs, but we are so glad we did. The trail went all the way around the Waipi'o Valley. We just went far enough to enjoy the views of the huge ravine and many cascading waterfalls, then I got too nervous and we headed back (the trail has been closed for a couple of years due to small earthquakes in the area. IT WAS AMAZING!!

Day3 Saturday

We drove all the way around the island. We went past the southern most tip of the US to the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. We got to walk through a volcano! There was steam coming out of the cracks in the ground from where rain had seeped through to the liquid hot magma. We continued through Hilo and saw a waterfall just in the middle of a subdivision and hung out at a beach park waiting for a restaurant to open. It was a good day except the drive home in the rain through all the hills.

Day4 Sunday

I was exhausted after the two days of hiking, so we hung out by the pool. Then we went on a whale watching boat. We saw a bunch of humpback whales and there babies:) We walked to the beach for the sunset...

Day5 Monday

Our last day:( We woke up and ate breakfast as we did everyday, then we hung out by the pool. Followed by a bit of snorkeling. After that we decided to take one last hike to the end of the valley (the same valley we saw the other end of earlier). We walked down the STEEPEST road then to the black sand beach. We then climbed over the rock looking for a waterfall only to turn back after 30 minutes...my knees were shot. We walked back to see another waterfall and had to hike back up this road...good lord, this road. You would not believe it, it was a paved road, but straight up. I almost threw up when we got to the top!! The views were pretty, I guess:(

Extra picture...

2