To KONA!!

Thursday morning, we got up a little early and left for Kona, the other side of the island. This is where most of the tourists go because the weather is usually sunnier and there are more beaches for water play. J&C had an appointment at Kona Bay Books to hang some signage there that Julie designed and we needed to make a Costco run too. Plus, we planned to partake in some snorkeling.

Now, last week or so, J&C's engine light started blinking in their car on the way to Kona, and it being the holidays, it has been difficult to find someone to look at it and fix it. So, they borrowed a truck from their friend Melissa to drive around in while they get the car fixed. Now if you can imagine the three of us piled into this vehicle--well, it's a bit cramped. And to make this trip a little more adventurous, let's take Saddle Road.

Now I have heard stories about Saddle Road.Terrible stories. Stories filled with terror on late, dark nights where you can't see anything. Stories of car sickness from the hills and curves. Now, if you know me, you know I am usually up for any adventure, so I was not really worried about the trip at all.

As we are traveling up the road, there is plenty of room on either side of us and there are passing lanes too so the ride was pretty smooth. We come around and curve and there is a beautiful view of Mauna Kea in front of us. The ride reminding me of traveling on the island of Tinos in Greece. The radio was playing great music, we were singing along, taking in the view, looking out for goats. It was quite nice.

Then about halfway  through, the road suddenly became narrower....and curvier, and scarier because we were headed downhill in a truck where two out of three of us were buckled in and the brakes shook when you applied them. My head started to swim. I have been known to get car sick, but only when I sit in the back and can't see where we are going. I was dizzy in the front seat. We topped a hill and could see the ocean from the other side, and I was relieved thinking we had made it. Nope. Got another 30 miles into Kona. We had to stop on the side of the road to breathe--or for Candance's sake, smoke, and put our heads back on so that we could make it into Kona.

Down in Kona, we stopped over at Kona Bay Books, the largest used book store in the Hawaiian chain boasting 2 miles of used books, music and cd's to hang the new vinyl signage that Julie made. I browsed the stacks while the girls talked business and found their Huna/Hawaiian section--and bought $40 worth of books. We then went to Killer Tacos for some lunch and Melissa, our KBB associate, told us about a great beach to go to that would be great for snorkeling. It was more of a local beach, laid back and easy. We made our way into the chilly water, but the tide was coming in and it was a bit rough for snorkeling and swimming, so we waded out awhile and then hit the beach to sunbathe. All in all, it was a lovely afternoon.

Candance went with Melissa back up to the bookstore to help install the vinyl on the door and Julie and I headed over to Costco to do our shopping. Julie and I decided we'd take the other way back to Honomu, through Weimea, since it was just as long/short as Saddle Road, and there is a Dairy Queen on the way. Besides, the full moon was just amazing over the Pacific Ocean on the way home.