Breadcrumbs Guide

A trail of crumbs to follow around the world

Hamakua Coast Drive and the Best Smoothies of My Life

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Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden Tree Over Onomea Bay

The fireplace quickly warmed us up as we groggily checked the weather for our drive up the Hamakua Coast. We still had some papaya coconut puree left from a market in Kailua-Kona  and we poured it over fresh papaya and granola for an island style breakfast. The coffee maker bubbled promisingly and we poured ourselves a cup. The five of us were going to be driving from our guest house in Volcano through Hilo and up the Mamalahoa Highway along the lush, green Hamakua Coast. Tropical gardens, waterfalls, and miles and miles of coastal cliffs awaited us. Akatsuka Orchid Gardens Our first stop from our guest house in Volcano was a few minutes down the road at Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. … [keep reading...]

A Trip to Mordor: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

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hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-halemaumau-crater-glow

After a gorgeous drive around the southern rim of the island (See Black Sand, Sea Turtles, and Soda Bread), we were ready to stretch our legs and explore the only actively erupting volcano in all of the United States. We were at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, set on the summit of Kilauea Volcano at a misty 4,000 feet above sea level. We could see Mauna Loa, another active (but not erupting) volcano on the Big Island) stretched out above us, peaking in and out of the clouds. There was a surprisingly lush rainforest in the park, despite the rocky soil, magma-heated earth, volcanic gases and ash. It cost us $10 to get into the park (priced per vehicle for a week pass). The visitors center … [keep reading...]

Black Sand, Sea Turtles, and Soda Bread

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Sea turtle tanning on Punaluu Black Sand Beach

Our second full day on The Big Island was a travel day. We would be heading over to the other side of the island to see the volcano, Kilauea, Hilo, and the Hamakua Coast for a few days. To combat all of the sitting in the car we would be doing, we started out by getting our chi on at the free yoga class offered by our hotel, the Sheraton Kona (10,000 starpoints/night). We stretched out on the grassy lawn overlooking Keahou Bay, shaded by tropical trees surrounding the nearby wedding chapel. Birds chirped, bees buzzed, and our instructor sang an awkward song that put my controlled breathing to the test as I tried not to giggle. We were a diverse group, with my sister, Andrea, probably being … [keep reading...]

Escaping Death at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau

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Hawaiian temple, or heiau, at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau

It was our first full day in Hawaii, as we had flown in from the West Coast the day before (see How to Arrive in Hawaii Fresh as a Daisy). After some of the best crepes I've had in a while - think chocolate banana, caramel apple, or green tea mochi ice cream - we decided to start out with some native Hawaiian culture at Puu'honua O Honaunau, the Ancient Hawaiian Place of Refuge. Ancient Hawaiians abided by a set of sacred laws, called kapus. The kapus ranged anywhere from preventing Hawaiians from looking directly at the king to preventing men and women from sharing a meal together. There were several foods that were forbidden to Hawaiian women. The punishment for breaking a kapu was … [keep reading...]

How to Arrive in Hawaii Fresh as a Daisy

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Hawaii crab on a rock

Unless you live on the west coast, you probably are a bit intimidated by the long flight to reach the tropical paradise of Hawaii. You have limited vacation days so you probably leave on a Friday night or very early Saturday morning, and just suffer through the 10+ hour trip with several connections. You arrive crabby, exhausted, and stinky. Are you ready to hit the beach? No. Are you ready to hike to some waterfalls? No. You are ready to shower and sleep. And that nap you take will pretty much kill off your first day in Hawaii, not to mention totally mess up any chance you had at adjusting to the time change. Instead of lumping the entire journey together, try splitting it up. Leave … [keep reading...]