After working on my thesis, it was time to relax. Chad flew in, and we have been having a great time. One night, we went out to an incredible sushi dinner with our friend Michelle. She lives in Kona, so she knows the best sushi places. It was great, and wonderful to talk with her over a delicious meal.
Chad and I have also found time to try the hotel's Mai Tais. I am usually not a big mixed drink person, but it was really good. Maybe being on an island makes these hit the spot after a day of running, snorkeling, and watching honu on the beach. I think my new Hawaiian hat looks especially cool.
We have taken in amazing Hawaiian sunsets.
On my birthday, we drove to Hilo. We went to Volcano National Park on our last visit to the Big Island, but this time there is a lot of vog, so we decided to check out Hilo instead. I am so glad we did. Driving through Waimea was cool, and the Hilo area is breathtaking. We caught it on a sunny day, and it was beautiful. It is a true rain forest over there, complete with amazing coastal cliffs, waterfalls, and lush vegetation. Not a bad way to turn 32!
The picture below is of us in the Hilo area. I will try to put more pics of our trip later. Now we are headed to Kona Brewing Company (Chad's favorite!) for dinner. We are going to savor our last full day tomorrow before heading home on Friday. I am getting excited to see Keiki and Klemmy, but will try to take in every minute here and not get too homesick for them.
