Wow in Kona Hawaii

We have been in the big island of Hawaii staying in Kona on the west side of the island, at our friend Chip's family cottage since Weds. The flight was direct
from LAX, about 6 hours, and Hawaii is 2 hours ahead of the continental US at the moment. We're here for 2 weeks.

The cottage we are in has been in Chip's family for over 40 years, in '96 a hurricane filled it 2 feet full of water, rock and glass bits etc. Ick, what a mess, we saw photos. It's right on the lava rocks, and faces due west, with a 2 foot lava wall at the front of the property, that is we have the sunsets right touching our toes so to speak. Beside us on each side are 2 storey houses, but we are small and discreet, just a single storey house. We park right on the lawn.

First 2 days it was humid as there was 'vog', smog caused by Kilauea volcano erupting. After that- starting yesterday it has been sunny and warm, low 80s, with a nice breeze thankfully. The surfers launch right off our rocks, the rocks look a bit formidable for us, as yet. Lumpy black lava. Sharp, black and not smooth. The surfers walk across it like a sidewalk. But we aren't accustomed to it, nor are we so young.

The cottage has a kitchen, living room/dining room combo across the front, then 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms across the back, with a small shower. There are louvered windows to open and let the breezes blow through in all rooms, screens on all windows. Louvers in the front and back doors too.

Big bifold doors close off the bedrooms from the living area, and the house is fully equipped, whatever you need just seems to be there, it's kind of the honour system for replacing stuff. What you need you just buy and leave the left overs for the next people after you. One bedroom has a queen bed, the other bedroom has 2 twins.

There is the most wonderful collection of woven grass hats hanging in the guest bedroom, and some very pretty art on the walls everywhere. Also there are enchanting hangings of driftwood, shells, urchin shells, and other interesting sea flotsam across the front of the house, hanging off the corners of the eaves. Grassy lawn surrounds the house. Chip's family seems very artistic indeed. There is a pretty painting that Chip did in the living room of tropical fruit.

Rock doves and smaller birds, plus we think a pair of chicken sized Chinese quail are on the front lawn waiting for us to fill the feeder. We have 2 wee bright yellow birds, like canaries, called Saffron finches, the bravest of the lot, they greet us when we come home, stomping around in their birdie fashion on the lanai porch, asking for seeds, more seeds. There are also Java Sparrows, who look like miniature puffins. Chip calls them the little nuns. And there is a house finch, plus a couple of raucous myna birds. The Java sparrows hang off the tall palm trees waiting their turn on the seed feeder.

There are yellow hibiscus beside the house, and a huge banyan tree at the back of the house where bright green geckos live, out in the yard. They peek out of the many holes in the trunk of the tree and are very entertaining. There is even a timid bright red Cardinal who hangs out in the bushes mostly, he is quite small and very shy. A lovely splash of colour. Across the back of the house is vegetation to screen us from Ali'i Road, it's quite busy as it's a main road right into Kona, about 4.5 miles north of Chip's place.

The geckos come into the house and run all over the walls and the ceilings eating bugs, they are very entertaining as they walk upside down on the ceiling, their wee feet look like suction cups. They pop up in the kitchen, or inside the large lamps, on the hunt, ever on the hunt for those tasty bugs.

A bright emerald green gecko head will poke out unexpectedly, staring at you. Wish I had a better camera to capture their photos. About half way down their body they have 3 rust colored exclamation marks, and they are about 6 inches long tip to tail. Blue circles around their eyes. Very delicate treasures.

We saw a yellow turtle feeding in the bay near us, at Kahalu'u Bay, just his head poked up, and the occasional flipper. He looked to be about 18 inches across. It was quite windy and chilly that day as we ate our lunch in a local restaurant. Turtles are protected, as are monk seals. The turtles in the bay eat the seaweed stuff growing on the lava rocks and coral reefs.

We would love to take a sightseeing cruise to see whales as we think the humpbacks are around here at the moment, calving. And there are glass bottom boats to ride in and view the reefs with their coral and reef fish.

The fabric at the Kona market is just lovely, I bought a nice printed apron, and some flowered hat bands for every outfit imaginable. We also got some macadamia nut everything, and some cinnamon buns, and some banana bread with pineapple and coconut in it, yum yum. The macadamia nut chocolate ice cream iss to die for.

We are at an internet cafe, and Lary is smashing mini ants that are racing all over the countertops. We spray them at the cottage when they appear, I worry about killing the geckos that way, ouch. Oh well. Paradise has its troubles too. I think that everything rots in the high humidity, or rusts. High price to pay for paradise.

Lots of love, we will post when we find another internet site. Thanks for reading.