The natural landscape at this national park is unlike any other and appears almost other-worldly. Surrounding the volcanoes, though, among the ever-growing ash heaps are verdant signs of life that struggle constantly to break through the dried lava. If there's one valuable lesson I learned from my film-favorite lovably romantic recycler, Wall-E, it's that green is gonna grow no matter what.
I also learned that I'm a sucker for cinematic romance in whatever futuristic form it may take, even if it is computer-animated.We made several stops throughout Volcanoes National Park that morning, and even though I was on vacation, nothing was more educational to me than seeing our amazing planet at work.
Another stop allowed us to explore the depths of a lava tube. At left I am about to walk into the tunnel that was long ago created by molten lava escaping an eruption. Below, I have been caught once again by Mari in my best auteur pose documenting our location. As I've mentioned previously, there has been a cleverly-crafted iMovie for each of our journeys since that first 40th birthday visit to London. I enjoy revisiting and reliving our travels while editing video footage even if Mari and (sometimes) Mamita are my only audience.
Mari and I did our best to include Mother Nature in our selfie here.
Be sure to visit the park site in advance of your visit.
Our shore excursion to the national park was a memorable and vivid learning experience and I am ever grateful for the opportunity to visit. It occurs to me now that I should probably take this blogportunity to brief you about shore excursions.
Since this would be our first cruise, the entire week-long Hawaiian islands tour served as a valuable learning experience for us and would prompt our interest in further cruise vacations. We learned a lot that week both on and off the ship.
When you book a cruise you are mostly just selecting your cabin and sailing date. Most everything else you need aboard ship will be included. There are exceptions, of course, like special meals, sugary beverages, and service fees so be diligent about reading brochures, exploring websites, and making phone calls to clarify exactly what is included in the cost of your cruise. When you dock in a new port it is exactly like traveling to a new city with completely new experiences available to you, should you decide to leave the ship for the day. Of course, you are welcome to stay aboard and enjoy all the pampering and relaxing you can stand, but should you decide to explore the local port, you will want to take advantage of shore excursions the cruise line has selected for you in advance.
I find passenger reviews especially helpful and am always quick to post my own following our return home. Typically, Mari and I have wanted to take advantage of organized tours with local guides so we can see the most in our limited amount of tourist time. Other times, like a glorious July day in 2013, we decided to hoof it on our own in Mykonos once we hit the beach and spent an amazing day exploring the Aegean isle. Best baklava ever! We also like to look for excursions that allow for some free time after a guided tour, like another giorno glorioso we spent on that Mediterranean cruise shopping (and eating) Florence.There are always a wide variety of offerings to satisfy anyone from casual cruisers to ardent adventurers. As for me and Mari, I would classify us as ardently casual. Regardless of your vacation activity level predilections, you would be wise, especially on a large cruise, to research excursions in advance and reserve your selections early to ensure availability.
You also have the option of paying for excursions in advance of your cruise to help you stay on budget during your travels. Otherwise, you may be faced with a sticker-shocked departure as you pay your final balance at disembarkation. As you might have expected, I like to plan and prepay whenever possible. On our last few cruises with NCL, Mari and I have found all our shore excursion tickets awaiting us in our cabin when we arrived. In Copenhagen last year, we were also greeted with a waiting bottle of bubbly to help us celebrate our anniversary. Although we have cruised with one other line, Mari and I favor NCL for their consistent (and effervescent!) commitment to customer service.On the typically (very) early morning of your excursion, you will make your way to the ship's theater and wait for your tour to be called, then you will disembark and walk to your tour bus.
One last bit of advice: be on time. Have respect for your fellow passengers and especially for the dedicated staff aboard your ship and with the local tour company who have painstakingly planned your very full day.
On the Big Island of Hawaii that July Tuesday, Mari and I would also visit Akatsuka Orchid Gardens where these amazing live orchid plants were on display and available for sale. A living natural museum, the Gardens showroom brims with color and heavenly scents. My photos are but a pale sampling of the vibrant and lush tropical offerings. Most of the plants were priced very reasonably about twenty dollars, but I deemed the rare $500 orchid above worth a priceless photo of her own.
Be sure to visit the colorful site for your own tropical tour and to learn about the many mail-order offerings. An engagingly educational blog is also available.
Here, Mari is modeling her own handcrafted creation. Mari took advantage of hula and lei-making classes aboard NCL's Pride of America, some of the many planned activities aboard ship. I was likely in the ship's library or soaking up a beach read out on deck.We stay on the Big Island, but go cuckoo for Kona next time.
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