Volcanooo!!!!

Arrived in Hilo this morning. I finally managed to sleep past 5am, but I was still up in time to see the dawn.  Today's activity was a trip to the Volcanoes National Park, where we saw Kilauea, which has been erupting since 1983.  We also got to walk in a lava tube.  Just for once, as a short person I had the advantage, and it was fun being able to walk along the tube not worrying about anything while watching all the tall guys having to duck their heads all the time.

We were back on the ship by early afternoon and we weren't sailing until 6pm, so Bridie and I walked down Banyan Drive and part way into town to see the statue of some guy called Kamehameha which Bridie reckons is shown in the credits of the new Hawaii 5 0 show.  Banyan drive is supposed to be made up of Banyan trees planted by "famous" people.  But apart from Richard Nixon and Babe Ruth I didn't recognize any of them. Just who was Mrs D Bond - and why was she "famous"?

Had a lovely meal this evening, sharing a table with the same Australian couple we sat with last night, and with a pair of American ladies from Pennsylvania and California.

I have to stay up until 9.45 this evening as the ship will be sailing past Kilauea and we will be able to see the red hot lava flowing into the sea.