Hawaiian Redux: Akaka Falls

We arrived on the Big Island a day and a half before Michael had to be at his conference, so we did the big trip to the other side of the island (and most of the way around) on our first full day.

We headed north around the island, stopping at Waipio Valley Overlook to see the view. We would be taking a wagon ride down in there on a later date.

We stopped at Akaka Falls and its sister waterfall, Kahuna (maybe that is a brother) but the path to those falls was closed. Akaka was gorgeous; a big surprise as you came around a bend, after passing by a couple of pretty, little waterfalls. It was extremely tall and dramatic.

Of course we handed the camera over to some strangers and asked them to take our picture together for an obligatory tourist shot. I always like doing that, especially when I see a couple on a romantic trip and know they are going home with photos of their individual selves. So I will often ask if they would like me to take a picture with their camera of the two of them. Then, I usually ask if they can reciprocate for us.

It had started to rain. You can see the little white spots of rain in the picture, and the skeptical look on Noah's face about how the rest of the day might go, weather-wise.

And OH! What's that? Yes, it is! An appearance by Mama's usually-hidden post twin pregnancy belly! A sweet gift from my youngest sons to always remind me of them, even when they are not with us in Hawaii. =)

Here is a video that will do the falls a little bit more justice than my 50 mm lens, which love it though I dearly do, could not pull back far enough to get the whole thing in a single shot. I do have some panorama pics that I might try to stitch together someday. Until then, video rocks.

After Akaka Falls, it was back in the car for the final hour to our main destination: the Kiluaea Caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.