Just returned from the big Island- Unspeakably beuatiful- Snow capped mountains and strams in Puna heated by volcanic steam to 95 degrees. Ice is king.It was funny, because last wed I was watching an episode of dog were they released the fugitive and it was in a Waimea shoping center i'd been at saturday after going to volcanoes. Toured it during the day. Its unspeakably beautiful, reminds me of spring time where i grew up in the Santa Clara Valley before the microchips around spring time or Napa Valley currevtly, lush breen grass rolling hills without oaks but other exotic trees and primo produce. Also, in Puna, there are trippy aliens looking trees that are 20 feet plus in lava park outside Pahoa (the Dijon of cannabis0 -lots of gurlilla growers. Here on the South East side of the Island there is a few natural hotsprings were the watter come from the ocean and heats up to 90-95 degrees. All this and snow on the mountains, beautiful sunny 73 degree weather in Waimea and snow on Manau Kea (Elevation almost 14,000 feet-didn't make. Waipo valley is magical- of unspeakable beauty. Besides pakololo, ice is king, no visible opiate scene, and people don't apparoach you in kileua-Kona or elsewhere for buds unlike Lahaina in Maui. Trivia: The pricess of Hawaii deeded a small piece of land to the UK- to commemorate the death of capitan cook- and an obelisk was built- but you need to kayak, swim and hike far to get there- so its possible to visit the USA and UK in one day theoretically (even though the land is bearly big enough for the crown to build a winter condo.) Will write up more about the trip.
Thanks SC for the suggestions- The big Island is magical- in 15 minutes you can travel from desert like shrub at 82 degrees to lush grass lands in the 70s- to lush jungle (another 45 minutes on hilo side), to the snow, ect...
All the Islands are beautiful in the chain is one of those rare nexuses in the world (sedona, Alaska (various), Ibiza, Bay Area, Holy Land, New Mexico, Greece, ect, ect...and oh yea, disneyland8)