This is one of several trails we walked up that led to waterfalls. We walked through bamboo forests and narrow lava canyons with virtical walls thousands of feet high. At one waterfall, there was a large pool with lots of people swimming. One kid climbed 30 or 40 feet up a cliff and then dived into the pool. Cool bugs! Hawaii, because of ecological upset, is currently experiencing a plague of spiders. We saw some of the biggest spiders that were not trantulas we've ever seen. Flies come in infinite varieties. Millipedes are very common too.

Hawaii is the southern most state in the Union. South Point, the southern most point, is a state park with many native ruins. A long, bumpy three mile walk from there is a green sand beach. It really is this green. We have some if you want to see it.

We were looking at the observatories on top of Mona Kea when we were caught in a blizzard. We just made it off the peak in time. It was snowed in for three days. We carried down two astronomers with us when their truck wouldn't start. Stacy took the high altitude quite well, but Mark felt sick for several hours after we came down.

Click here to see the Kilaeua Crator panarama: