Mauna Loa

While Vicki slaved over a hot laptop, researching the next phases and modes of our journeys, I got up very early, drove out to the observatory on Mauna Loa, and climbed the 6 mile, 3,000 foot trail to the top. It is less than a trail: rather, a "way" up the mountain--over a'a and pahoehoe (the two kinds of Hawaiian lava), both much crumbled, some finer gravel higher up, and more snow than I would have liked--marked every hundred feet or so by a cairn. The cairns are well placed, range from 3 to 8 feet tall and are easy to follow. It would take quite a white-out to get lost on this mountain. Given the terrain, the 6 miles are a ten-hour trudge, up and back, especially starting from 10,700 (sea level, actually) and reaching 13,700, without proper acclimatization. One can never establish a pace, as the terrain is continually changing--imagine 3,000 feet of alternating boulder hopping/jagged scree/snow, scanning for the next cairn--but continually interesting. The lava flows are fascinating, especially the pahoehoe, the smooth black type that forms itself into braids and other life-like designs. It is almost like climbing on a living thing. Let's see, Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984, so I guess it is a living, if sleeping, thing.

Like Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa is a shield volcano. All the Hawaiian volcanoes are of this type. The angle of ascent is slight, barely noticeable (except for one's heart thumping away...), and the distant views stay pretty much the same. Nearly all day long I could see from the Kona coast all the way to the cloud bank over Hilo Bay, with Mauna Kea rising prominently in the middle. Mauna Loa is a huge mountain, the world's largest "ultra" when measured from its root thousands of feet down in the sea.

Were I to do this again (who knows?), I think I would spend the night before at one of the parking lots, at 6,000, 9,000, or 10,700 feet, for acclimatization. Nonetheless, it was a memorable climb. I have done volcanoes before, e.g., Lassen, but nothing like Mauna Loa.

I got up quite early

White rainbow seen on the way to the observatory on Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa's caldera, crater, summit plain, whatever

Mauna Kea from Mauna Loa; note "shield" shape

What Mars would look like if it had a road and telephone poles

Hilo

The National Comfort Food

At First We Thought These Were Mini-Durians; Within the Red Skin and Thorns Is a Lychee-Like Grape; This Guy Described the Taste Experience Like It Was a 1947 Mouton-Rothschild, "Finish" and All; Tastes Like Lychee

The Pacific Tsunami Museum; Excellent Treatment and Displays

Just In Case You Never Saw a Tsunami Gift Store...

Despite the persistent rain, we like Hilo. It feels Hawaiian (whatever that means), more authentic, less touristy. Apart from moving from one hostel to another (downtown, old hotel), we spent the day at the Saturday market, browsing the abundant and excellent used bookstores, and visiting the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Hilo suffered a catastrophic tsunami in 1946.

Over the Volcano: Ascent of Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea, From Near the Saddle Road

A Few of the Observatories Near the Summit

The Summit and Its Traditional Shrine

In the Astronomy Gift Store (!) at the Visitor Center

Our major achievement for Friday, apart from doing the wash, was an ascent, by me, of Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest peak ("peak"), about 13,800 feet. Via Arnott's Tours, we established camps at Rainbow Falls, at the Hilo 7-11, at 6,000 feet on the Saddle Road, at 9,200 feet at the visitor center, and the final ascent camp on observatory row at 13,700 feet. All this for acclimatization, like Nepal. From there I pushed on the final 100 feet to the summit. There was a foot or more of snow, gale force winds, and temperatrures below freezing. Seriously. (This is Hawaii? We foolishly left all our down and polartech in Honolulu.) But I made it, snapped a few pix, and then hustled back to the warmth of the van.

Mauna Kea is contested ground. To traditional Hawaiians, it is sacred space, the nexus between heaven and earth. To a variety of universities and national agencies, it is prime astronomical observatory real estate. There must be a dozen major observatories up there, some with reflectors over 15 meters, making significant discoveries--in addition to the hundreds of tradititional shrines and sites that have been there for ages.

Under the Volcano, II

From a Huge Petroglyph Site, Pu'uloa, on the Chain of Craters Road

Ditto, a Pretty Universal Symbol

Another Double Rainbow, over the Forlorn Royal Gardens Subdivision

A Bit Further South of Kaimu Beach Is Where the Lava Presently Enters the Sea; One Drives Out, Then Walks the Last Half Mile, on Recent Lava, to an Observation Point, Still Some Distance from the Action; Only Open 5-8PM

Here It Is at Dusk; Too Dark for Pix After That

We spent Thursday exploring Kilauea and environs (all pretty much in the NP): the visitor center, the crater, the caldera, the lava tubes, the Chain of Craters Road, petroglyphs, the sea cliffs, the overall volcanic landscape, and, finally, the site where the lava presently enters the sea. It's all pretty overwhelming. We're just along for the ride on this planet....

We're staying at a hostel in Hilo and will operate from here the next couple days.

Under the Volcano

Kilauea Crater, Halema'uma'u, Inside Much Large Caldera

Part of the Caldera

Lava Once Flowed Through the Lava Tube; Now It's Moist and Icky, But BIG

The Road Does Not Go Ever On From Here Either

Bench Along the South Coast; These Things Collapse Into the Sea Now and Then, 40 Acres at a Time...

I had a large martini last night in honor of Malcolm Lowry; alas, Vicki does not appreciate the significance of these things....

You Have Been Warned

They didn't say anything about all this in the tourist literature.

It's a Pine; No, It's a Fir; No, It's a Spruce; No, Wait,

It's a National Park Service-Approved Cell Tower!

Another reason it's good to be back. Much as I have been impressed by New Zealand's Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation)--and it is impressive--they have far, far less to address, culturally, naturally, and historically, than our own NPS. Despite it's ups and downs, ins and outs, backs and forths, and backs, I have held the NPS in the highest regard and affection ever since my first ranger-led hike, in 1970, in the Tetons. Getting to know NPS pros like Michael Ober, Deirdre Shaw, and Lyndel Meikle in recent years has only increased my esteem.



It's a National Park Service-Approved Cell Tower!

Do they decorate the "trees" at Xmas?

Bear Left; Right, Frog*

Our new car is a Chevy Cobalt, newer and sportier than the Millennium Bongo, more fun to drive, but it has no bed. And let me take this opportunity to note and congratulate myself on driving some 3,500 accident-free kilometers in New Zealand, on the "proper" side of the road, as our Kiwi friends described it. I thought transitioning back to the "improper" side would be quick and easy, but alas, I find it is a set of habits that have to be deliberately re-acquired. Why can't turn signal and windshield wiper controls be standardized, as are accelerator and brakes, I ask?

*The Muppet Movie

Repatriation

Take-Off View of Diamond Head

Medium Island

Lekeleke Burial Grounds, Keauhou

Kona Coast View

Welcome to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; But You Can Drink the Water...

So far in our first 24 hours back in the States, we have done business with Mesa Airlines, Avis, Walmart, McDonald's, Tony Roma's, Safeway, and 7-11. We feel fully repatriated now. I guess the last time we were in a Walmart was...in Chongqing. We also went to a Tony Roma's in Shanghai.... Oh well. The American Way.

We're on the BIG Island now, in a cabin at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. (Well, actually, at the lodge presently, for the free wifi). Rain has delayed our tenting. We hope it won't interfere with other plans. But we have all our rain gear, which served us well in Fiordland.

AKL-NRT-HNL

Auckland-Tokyo/Narita-Honolulu. Actually it's not as bad as it sounds. Or perhaps we have learned how to do this sort of thing: plenty of fluids, move around, have things to read or do (we mostly watched movies on one leg; slept on the other; I loved "Burn After Reading," watched it twice, made Vicki watch it). Despite the 11 hour trip to Tokyo, 3 hour layover, and then 6 hours to Honolulu, Auckland and Honolulu are only 4 hours apart, so we felt less jet-jagged than simply a bit fatigued. Then the adenalin kicks in. (Oh, we decided not to spend the few days originally scheduled in Japan; already been there, done that; very expensive). The flight to Tokyo was of special interest to this life-long WWII (the Big One) history buff. (I have actually read all of Samuel Eliot Morison's "History of US Naval Operations in WWII"; and some more too). We flew past the Coral Sea, all of northern New Guinea in the distance, the Solomon Islands (Vicki's dad was wounded at Guadalcanal in August, 1942), Bougainville, Rabaul off the left, Truk to the right, Guam and some of the Marianas. My exuberance was curbed appropriately insofar as we were nearly the only non-Japanese aboard. But it was great to see, even from 38,000 feet. The immigration officer at Honolulu noted our long absence and offered us a kind and sincere welcome back. It is good to be back in more ways than I can count. Vicki had found us a pretty nice $67 Waikiki hotel. She has a talent for this and, despite complaints, enjoys these little--some not so little--victories. How lucky am I? While she R&Rd, I had lunch with friend and former colleague Bob Buss, director of the Hawaii Humanities Council. It was good to talk to someone who was not a stranger, to get some real insight about the islands, and even to engage in a little "shoptalkqua." The HCH does some great things in a very special place. Things are moving along in the public humanities, as always, some of which I still miss very much (especially the people), and some not (alas, also people). Bob still climbs Diamond Head every morning. I took the bus back to the hotel. A local cabbie had taken me for a ride on the way out. The meter is no guarantee of honesty. We have ridden cabs in all seven of the nations we have visited, but were never ripped-off to this extent. Most cabbies we have encountered are relatively honest, or at least not overly greedy (and some we have extravagantly tipped for their honesty). It is a difficult way to make a living, with a very narrow profit margin. It was at least refreshing to get reliable and intelligble directions, and assistance, from the bus drivers, and in English, too (as the fella says). Tomorrow we fly to the Big Island for 8 days of sight-seeing, hiking, maybe snorkeling, etc., in a rental car, budget accommodations, even tent-camping (we have lugged our mountain tent around half the world and finally are going to use it!). Tonight (Monday), after a BBQ dinner and stroll in Waikiki we are checking email, and, of course, re-sorting and re-packing. More later.

Bob Buss Full Moon over Waikiki 

Adieu, New Zealand

We're back in Auckland now, packing furiously for our 9:15 flight tomorrow morning to Tokyo, then after a brief lay-over at Narita, to Honolulu and a few weeks in the islands of Hawai'i. (According to United Airlines, New Zealand is part of Asia and thus our Asia Pass). Our flight from Dunedin today at least afforded a good look at Mt. Doom, there in the middle of the North Island, which we missed in the clouds at Xmas. Unfortunately, the pilot would not stop for us to toss in the Ring.

I am sure I'll be reflecting on New Zealand, like China, as long as I live, although for different reasons. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, more than thoroughly, people, scenery, experiences. Of all the places we have visited, it is the one to which we will return first. I am sure I will write more about Kiwis and New Zealand again.

Vicki adds...February 9, 2009—Auckland

Today we gain back the day we lost last September. However, we spend it in the air. Ten hours from Auckland to Tokyo and then an unknown number to Honolulu. I can't even remember my last blog post. My knee has finally decided it has had all it can take of trekking or even walking, so I have had to be careful of it the last few days. So much for my theory that if I just exercised it a lot, it would return to youthful health.

We did buy a Big Island Lonely Planet guide in Dunedin and have enough info now to make rough plans. However culture shock is surely going to set in, especially with prices. Even budget rooms seem to be $100 a night. We did finally find rental cars that were reasonable. Maybe we will take this homeless stuff all the way and just sleep in the car. We do plan on trying tent camping at Volcano National Park—if it's not raining, that is. Backpacking tents aren't much fun in tropical rainstorms. Four weeks from today we will be back in Missoula. I am more excited about that then even seeing Kauai and Hawaii.

Speight's Brewery

Most important of the Dunedin sites we visted was Speight's Brewery. Even before deciding to go there, we noticed people queuing up just to draw free Speight's water from the deep old brewery well. Hey, if the water's that good, we wondered, what about the beer? See illustration. Speights is the great Southern beer (ale, lager, porter, etc.) of New Zealand. We skipped the brewery tour, of course, and headed directly for the brewery pub, for a lunch and sampler of the brews. See other illustrations. The sampler was most generous, each glass topped off, about 6 ounces per. Vicki had to help with the golden lager: her first beer ever! Rachel, be proud of your M. It was probably her last, too, however. She had the rib-eye sandwich and chips for lunch, and I had the porter sausage on mash with caramelized onions and gravy, washed down with porter and four other varieties. Hearty fare. We took another long walk through the CBD before I felt comfortable driving back out to the motor camp in Brighton, near the beach, where we spent our last night on the South Island.

Holy Water; There Was a Constant Flow
of People Filling All Manner of Jugs and
Other Containers

Porter Sausage on Mash with Onions and Gravy...
Hearty Fare, Indeed...But This Makes Me Wonder
Where the Expression "Hearty" Comes From...the
American Heart Association?

Unfortunately, that was about all she drank

  

Some of the pub interior

Some more

It's not a beer, it's a lifestyle, a
nationality

Done Edin

Yes, But Can You Buy a Bottle of Highland Park in This Town? Or a Tin of Rattray's Smoking Mixture?

The Old RR Station; Flemish As Well As Scottish Influence Here

Cadbury's: Another Tour We Eschewed

Saturday we drove back into Dunedin and did the town, visiting the Octagon, the obligatory Robbie Burns statue, the train station, and various other sites, modestly stimulating the local economy as we toured.

To Dunedin, Otago

The drive to Dunedin veered back inland most of the way, although it was not without interest, including the largest shoe-fence (or shoe-anything) I have ever seen. We have seen several shoe-fences in New Zealand, but this one takes the prize.

From Dunedin we continued out onto the Otago Peninsula, another 5 star world class sort of place that we thought was over-rated and over-priced. The main attraction is wildlife, most of which we have now seen, but especially the royal albatross breeding site. We went into the visitor center, watched the video, etc., but balked at the $40 charge to go on a tour where you get to see an albatross in its nest, being manipulated and exploited by humans. Hey, they are just big sea-going ducks as far as I can tell—they even quack, according to the soundtrack—and there are many varieties, few of which are endangered or even threatened. We walked the cliffs instead, hoping to see one in flight. Next time; maybe.

Dunedin accommodations were full; it was a big Maori national holiday and also the weekend Otago U students were coming back to campus, and also Chinese New Year, so we stayed at a motel in Mosgiel, on the geographical and cultural outskirts, and undertook the vast sorting and packing necessary for our flight Sunday to Auckland.

The Shoe Fence, more than 100m long; magnificent!