The Honeymoon

If people had a nine day honeymoon once a year, I think the divorce rates would go way down. Mark and I went to the Big Island for our honeymoon, it was amazing. I long for Hawaii on cold, short, Oregon winter days when students are needier than usual and I'm crankier than necessary. I sit back and remember when Mark and I were sitting on a wall next to the beach watching some kids get excited over a sea turtle. We were also eating shaved ice and giggling about the fact that we would be at the middle of our work day if we hadn't been on vacation. ::sigh::

Aloha from the Big Island!

One of the first photographs of Mark after we made it to our hotel.

First photograph of me. Look at that huge smile. I had already fallen in love with the island.

Here's one of the reasons I loved Hawaii so... Mai Tais. I tried one in Oregon when I got back home. Ugh. Not the same. Oh, those pineapples...

Jet lagged the next morning, we woke up before the sun and explored the island. The sunrises are not as exciting as the sunsets. On the Kona side at least...

I loved all the art that was displayed everywhere.

Hawaiin Food! Dragon fruit is fun on the outside...

... and the inside!

Poke. I have dreams about you.

The birds. They'd attack your food if you walked away from it. In order to get them off you have to flap your arms and make odd noises. And still, you don't scare them off, I think they finally pity you enough to move out of your way. They probably think something like "Geez, this lady must be hungry, she's sure making a fool out of herself. Let's move for her."

The one "honeymooning" upgrade we got was from a compact car to a Jeep.

We drove through the famous ranch in Kona.

I would have enjoyed this hike so much more if I handn't been so severly sunburned on my back (from the 5 hour snorkeling tour).

(us before that five hour snorkeling tour...)

(...us during...)

(... me after, pretending to sit down, I didn't as it was too painful)

Hawaiin warning signs are verrrry serious.

The shaved ice I spoke about! There was coconut ice cream in the middle.

Me on that wall I spoke about! Look at that turquois water! I come from where oceans are only ever gray.

Scene from our luau

Scene after our luau. Hee.

This is me on our helicopter tour

And Mark!

And the helicopter! Yes we saw lava.











Place of Refuge. I think those poles were supposed to scare enemies away... I welcome all though!

The volcano

An old lava bed. The greyest place in Hawaii.

We hiked a lot that day. Hiking is much harder in Hawaii because it's so awfully humid.

Mark looks like a sea turtle.

See what I mean about that sunset?

Mark and I at Huggo's on our last night in Hawaii