Aloha Everyone!
I am settled in at UH Hilo and classes are underway. Last week my parents dropped me off, but before that we took a nice vacation around the big island! I have included a link below to all the pictures I took if you care to scroll through (sorry there's a lot- I always take so many pictures!).
We flew into Kona and spent a few days there first. We took a surfing lesson (I wasn't so bad), snorkeled with dolphins, saw 3 humpback whales(!), and ate at Scandinavian Shave Ice many times. My favorite part was seeing all the geckos :)
Next, we went to Volcano National Park and stayed at the military camp there. We got to hike a lava crater, see the steam vents, see the Kilauea crater, and take many pictures of rainbows. We also drove to the southernmost point in the US, stopping at a small macadamia nut and coffee farm on the way back, at which we discovered that dehydrated macadamia nuts are superior to the normal kind.
Our final stop was Hilo, where we visited the botanical gardens on the coast, explored the many beach parks along the bay, and enjoyed the local farmers markets along with many delicious restaurants. I was sad to see my family leave but I am excited to explore more on my own and with friends!


https://photos.app.goo.gl/iKP4zWzjTNqD2NGk8

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