Magical Places
Celebrating places of beauty & magic
Exploring the Hawaiian Islands is a feast for the senses -- fragrant air, warm breezes, bright colorful flowers and sweet juicy fruits... truly a Tropical paradise!
This trip was my first travel adventure. Feeling bored and trapped, I quit my job and flew to Hawaii with only a backpack - no itinerary or hotel reservations, just some clothes, my camera, a toothbrush and some money. What a blast!
Volcanoes National Park
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Hawaii Coastline
I found the island of Hawaii to be very beautiful, but dry, desolate and haunting -- much different from lush, colorful Oahu.
Dried black swirling lava coats the island; with good reason since Hawaii is the home of many volcanoes.
Lava beach!
Devastation Trail in Volcanoes National Park - and aptly named!
Huge mega crater at Volcanoes National Park
Standing here, with no one anywhere near me, I felt like I was the only one left on the planet. It is that haunting...
Another view of the huge mega crater
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From the Air
These photos are from a helicopter ride I took in 2011. Very bumpy ride as it was so windy outside - but at least I got some good pics!
The coastline of the Big Island is so beautiful - very green and pristine
- and yet there are stretches of dried black lava
Here the clouds were low-hanging which created a mystical feel (almost like Ireland lol)
So green and yet so desolate...
This is an interesting ridge, just cutting through the mossy green terrain
A long, long slender waterfall along a steep hillside
And the first actual volcano is spotted!
A different volcano - you can see the steam wafting over the pit. The rock around the top is red so it's definitely hot. So fascinating!
Approaching another volcanic pit.
It's like flying over ancient land...
These are closer shots of the volcano pit
Again you can see steam wafting from the pit
The lava is black and molten, and appears to be swirling
And yes, spots of actual liquid lava!
These spots of lava glow so brightly - almost fluorescent...
Lava, Lava Everywhere
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In various parts of the island are acres of dried black lava
Amazing how trees & bushes still through the lava!
I love how dried lava appears! Swirled, cracked and wrinkly...in places it looks almost like elephant skin
Love it! Though it's dry it actually still moves, but very slowly.