A simple search of the Web, before you go, can increase your vacation pleasures manifold

by John Hayden

narration

When I first learned that I was going to attend a convention in Hawaii last summer, my first thought was: "How can I expand this into a vacation?" I didn't want to stay in a large resort or hotel and I detest tourist traps. I wanted to go somewhere unique, away from crowds as much as possible. "Where could I get a lot of diverse information in a short period of time?"

I decided that the "Web" was the answer to my question. I plunked myself down at the keyboard, fired up the old web browser and directed it to the Yahoo search engine. From there, a simple search of the term "Hawaii" put me on the right track. Many directories of Bed and Breakfast Inns as well as private resorts and residences are available online, as well as sight seeing activities and recreational gear rentals.

We decided upon a nice little bungalow on the Kona side of the Big Island at a place called "Reggie's Banana Patch." It appealed to us because Reggie advertised her little resort as "The Real Hawaii. A Clothing Optional Resort" (http://lehua.ilhawaii.net/~banana/) As it turned out, "bungalow" was definitely the right word to describe our lodgings. Ours was a ramshackle hut on stilts in the middle of a working coffee and papaya plantation, with a view of the ocean looking west and no neighbors. The shack had been remodeled somewhat to provide some civilized amenities, hot and cold water, electricity, hot tub and more. The floor in every room tilted in a different direction and the roofing was corrugated sheet metal. The combination of rustic and modern was quite comfortable. It was just what we wanted and at the price of five hundred dollars per week my wife and I felt we had a real bargain. We made all of our inquires and reservations for lodging via e-mail, through Reggie's website.

We then turned our attention to travel arrangements. Another quick search of the web, this time for "Hawaii travel," led us eventually to the Suntrips website. (http://www.suntrips.com/) One of the bigger "cattle car" carriers serving the Islands, Suntrips has what we found to be the cheapest rates. There is a premium for certain times of year, which is well explained. Trips may be booked with any combination of hotel lodging, airfare and or car rentals. We chose the airfare and car rental package as we already had lodging. Another eight hundred dollars gave the two of us round trip airfare and the rental of a small convertible car for the entire week.

Next, what to do when we got there? Again, I turned to Yahoo and entered "Hawaii recreation rentals." This search led me to the Hawaii Water Sports webpage. (http://usawebsites.com/watersports/hi/) From there I was able to book: a snorkel cruise, a deep sea fishing trip and a sunset dinner ("booze") cruise. Another nice site, Snorkel Bob's, gave us local snorkeling information, maps, gear recommendations and rental reservations. I highly recommend this one if you are going to travel around and snorkel the smaller beaches individually. (http://snorkelbob.com/)

Volcanoes have always fascinated me. I was not about to visit Hawaii and miss the opportunity to visit Pele. A quick search of "Hawaii volcano" took me to the USGS website, which has many wonderful maps and pictures. (http://wwwhvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/) After viewing this website, we decided to allocate an entire day to traipsing around on Mt. Kilauea. I must say, it was one of the most memorable days I've ever spent.

Brunch at Volcano House, on the rim of the cauldera was followed by a brief jaunt amongst some vents and sulfur steam banks. After viewing the observatory, we walked in and along the Great Southern Rift. The Rift, a giant crack that traverses a large section of the island, . It is expected to split the island some day. We strolled out onto the platform that looks into Pele's home, Halema'uma'u, the throat of the volcano. Later we spelunked inside the Thurston lava tubes. We then embarked upon a long but scenic, 25 mile drive down the eastern side of the mountain via a road aptly named "Chain of Craters Road" to a spot where the road ends and a great expanse of black lava begins. The lava has bisected the roadway here on its march to the sea and the road stripes that lead right up to the lava are surreal. Not far from here was the town of Kanapala, formerly famed for its expansive black sand beaches and beautiful seaside homes. Today, nothing salvageable remains of the entire town. Multiple layers of A'a and pahoehoe, types of lava, extend as far as the eye can see. From this spot we could also see great clouds of steam rising from the ocean, some seven miles distant at the current lava outlet to the sea. The Rangers at the checkpoint manned a spotting scope for the public and sold bottled water, flashlights and first aid kits to the brave. The hike across the lava bed is reported to be exhausting and dangerous, some 4 hours each way. The lava is very hot from solar heat and very sharp and rugged. Dehydration and serious cuts are common. Most people make a relatively short 500-yard hike to a well-defined viewpoint and return. Few hardy (Or, is it foolhardy?) souls venture the entire distance.

As daylight waned, we found ourselves perched on a pahoehoe mound observing the glow of the distant lava entering the sea. On the hillside we could see a few "skylights" in the lava tubes that were feeding into the ocean and I found myself regretting not having taken the helicopter tour in order to get closer to the action. I guess we'll just have more to look forward to next time. We'll never forget our summer adventure to Hawaii and would like to thank the folks who invented that neat source of information, "The Internet." We had the great satisfaction of planning and taking a uniquely individual vacation, all by ourselves. This was infinitely more satisfying than turning your welfare over to a travel agent and going where or when everyone else is.

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