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Big Island ~ MAY 2003

PICS OF our holiday on the kona coast of the big island -- 
Hawaii, also know as "the orchid isle".  We had a wonderfully relaxing 14 days and look most forward to returning 
very soon.  All our future Hawaiian visits will be based 
in kona with hops to the other islands from KONA.  

Landing

The airport and runways are built entirely on a lava flow so all you 
see as you're landing is rocks!  We flew Aloha Airlines - Vancouver (YVR) Kona (KOA) direct.  Great flight and service!  It's a long (6 hours) flight but at least we didn't have to do the Honolulu Hustle.  
We left Vancouver at 9:15AM and arrived Kona at 12:15PM their time 
so it left us the whole afternoon to get the car, check out the digs, 
unpack, shop & go to Outback for dinner.

Landing on the Moon?

This is more like it!

The Complex & Our Unit

We stayed at the Kona Makai condos located about 2 miles from 
Kailua town.  (We were told we could 'walk to town' but 'hike' is 
more descriptively accurate!) The complex is gated, has two tennis 
courts, a swimming pool, swirl pool, table tennis, 3 barbeques and an ocean front patio area with lounge chairs.  Our unit ( #6-102 ) was 
a one bedroom  located just one unit back from oceanfront.  We could 
sit on the lanai and listen to the music of the surf.

The Kona Makai complex has 6 Buildings in total.  Here's a link to an aerial shot of the complex.  Building 4 (see below) is waaay too far back.  The buildings to choose for this complex are Bldgs 1, 6 or 2.  
They afford the best ocean views and are handy to the pool, 
barbecues, etc.

Entrance to Kona Makai

Unit 6-101 Our unit was directly behind

m Swimming Pool View from our Unit

Water View from our Unit

Building left of center is Building 4

Upslope Showers - see how dark hills are

Our Chairs

Surf was High Some Days

Waves as High as 12 Feet Reportedly

Wonderful to Watch

Balcony from Below

View from Balcony to South

Living Room

Kitchen

Okay - Your Turn - You Guess  :-))

And this is the - Yup you got it!

Can You Find Billy Bbq'ing Brats ?

Billy Waving from Swirl Pool

Billy's New Pal

Fishing From the Rocks

If you have an interest in renting this condo, check out this web page 
&/or contact the owner.

Kahalu'u Beach ~ The Fishies + Snorkeling

Kahalu'u Beach is terrific for first time snorkelers such as we.  It's almost entirely shallow enough for one to stand if panicky yet loaded with 
fish to attempt to catch on film - a challenge!  Our fish pics are 
largely of Angels and Raccoon Butterflys but we've got the hang 
of things now so we'll have mo' bettah' fish pics next trip.

If you plan a trip to Kahulu'u Bay to snorkel, get there by 9AM at least.  First there are far less people there and it doesn't feel like New York at rush hour.  The second reason is this time of day is generally the calmest waters, The sand is not churned up and you can clearly see the fishies.  Actually there is a third thing.  Parking is limited and although people come and go regularly, the later you get there, the longer 
yaz gotta wait for a parking spot !  
( Mr. Patience gets a little fussy in those situations. )

Kahalu'u Beach

WWK Ready to Rumble - oops Snorkel

Photo Op - Oops - Forgot Telephoto Lens!

 Yummy Tummy Truck

Kahalu'u from Water

See What I Mean By "Rush Hour"?

Raccoon Butterfly Fish

Turquoise Fish - No Idea Which

Raccoon Butterflys + Tangs 

Is this an eel ???

Kahalu'u Beach Sea Bottom with (a) Fish!

More Raccoons

Raccoon's with Two Boring Guys

Really there are lots of interesting & very pretty fish.  We hadn't got the hang of snorkeling + picture taking in tandem yet.  We'll get better!

New Friends + Great Fun

Paul and Lynn, Cindy and Dennis are from Washington State, 
the same place Calabash Bill hails from.  We all had great times together.  Paul & Lynn took us all to dinner at Huggo's 
(read: Hug-O's) and Cindy & Dennis created a superb BBQ Steak dinner oceanside at Kona Makai complex.  Much wine, much food & lots of fun by all!  Superb Cindy + Dennis !!

"Calabash Bill" is called such because he is calabash which, in Hawaiian means, related by marriage.  In future you'll see him referred to as "CB" to differentiate him from 'you know who'.  Unfortunately Betty (the other half of Calabash) was on the Mainland (vernacular for the larger portion of the US of A) reveling in her first grandchild.  Meeting a few great folks in a place where you (thot u) knew no one is very special and 
made a very memorable holiday for us.  
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH !

Dennis + Cindy

Lynn + Paul

How do cell phones work on the BI ??

Dennis 'perfecting' our Steaks for  Dinner

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