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Update 3
Up early & gazing at Waikiki beach at sunrise...through a cab window cause we we off the the airport to catch a flight to the Big Island (Hawaii).  Just the landing strip flabbergasted us...how did we not know that Hawaii had fields of coarse, desolate, crude mounds of black lava???  After taking off in our rental car, we drove miles saying "I can't believe it!"  The bleak black lava next to the glistening vividly turquoise sea was such a contrast & gorgeous.  Yet somehow, a few resorts we created right in the middle of these lava desserts...bright green grass, fluorescent pink flowering shrubs & pools surrounded by beautiful villas!   We turned off the big road, drove to the Hapuna State park...and there it was...the Hawaii you see on all the postcards...breathtaking!  We sat high on the bank gazing at the sight...& in just a few minutes, Bob spotted a whale...& soon another...& another.  We feasted on that spot listening to the  waves crashing for a looooong time.  We continued our drive on the north west part of the island as the lava fields turned to mossy green fields with snow capped mountains in the background. We stopped at another beach & almost stepped on a sleeping turtle.  Carefully we played hop-scotch on the rocks examining the life between them.  The more we looked, the more we saw.  Turtles were being tossed with the waves seemingly with no control.  No wonder they slept soundly when they finally made it to the beach!  Around 5, we headed to Kona to find our hotel which turned out to be a gem. We stood on our balcony & watched the flaming red sun sink into the Pacific.  Amazing!  Then we sunk into our beds...