Josh vs the Volcano

A very early start this morning, with team Starrett and my parents setting off to view the active volcano, Mauna Loa. The sun was just rising when we stopped at Tex's, a roadside icon selling malasadas, a kind of Portuguese filled doughnut. You could choose various fillings - custard, apple, chocolate, jam and they were filled just before serving - hot, sugary and very tasty. The drive took us through Hilo and then further south to the Volcano National Park. Our first stop was at the guide centre, where we were given a superb run-down of the viewing options by a ranger. Then we headed off to the first stop, the steam vents. These were openings in the ground where steam had worked it's way up and through crevices to emerge into the air. From here you could stand at the edge of the cauldera and look out. It is difficult to describe the magnificence (and the scale) of the crater. We continued on to the Thurston lava tube, a cavelike path through the ground 'carved out' by the flow of lava. This had an Indiana Jones feeling about it, with dripping water, dim lights and that silence that seems to be a feature of caves. The boys had the giggles so the silence did not last for long. There were additional views of the crater here, and you could see ant size hikers way down on the crater floor. Our last stop was at the Jagger museum, which was right next to the steaming bit of the crater. The air had a strong sulfur smell here and Josh and I both were a little tight in the chest. The museum was nicely done, with stories about Pele, the goddess of Fire, photos, stories and some scientific information about volcanos. We didn't stay too long as I was worried about Josh's asthma. We ate a terrible lunch at Volcano house. It was a great location, with a huge window that looked out on the cauldera, but the food was overpriced and under delivered. After lunch we wandered through a small art gallery with pricy art before starting the drive home. Maria and the Welch crew had cooked up a Mexi feast for dinner and team Starrett said their goodbyes to the family group, as were were leaving early the next morning.