Ohana Means Family (Part 2- The Present)

Ohana = Family

Mahalo = Thank you

Keiki = Kids

Honu = Turtle

Every part of the US has its own culture, flavors, soul, and customs. What a gift it has been to learn more about the Big Island! 

If you would like to get right to the hundreds of photos, take this link to my smugmug account.   (https://jeannettesmith.smugmug.com/Hawaii-/n-fkhZkN/) 

The icloud backup to gmail from my iphone has never worked right for me, so I started the $5/month plan for unlimited storage on smugmug a few months ago and I LOVE it. I'm slowly moving all of my digital photos over. 

It was risky to plan the trip, the uncertainties of covid, travel, school, and work were on our minds all the time. When my doctor cleared me for travel at my 6 week post op, I celebrated by taking a nap. She had lived in Kona for 6 or 7 years and was so enthusiastic about this ridiculous plan we had, that I swear she considered joining us! Tomorrow will be 3 months post surgery, and I get fatigued easily, still have some brain fog, and still have some random aches and pains. While surfing lessons were ruled out, hiking and walking and swimming have been great exercise! 

Our insurance is through kaiser, and there is a kaiser ten minutes away from where we are staying. Funny, I'm not the one who ended up in the ER last week. We spent a weekend visiting with friends (who had been vaccinated) in Hilo, doing a lot of hiking through waterfalls and parks. When we got back to the dry side of the island, Savvy broke out in the most awful hives. Head to toe, back to front, huge welts. As I was freaking out and taking pics to send to the telehealth nurse, Matt was driving to the urgent care. Which closed 2 minutes before he arrived! On to the ER! Where he was told it was probably an allergic reaction to a plant. They asked if she had climbed a mango tree because that happens often. She had not. They said it could be the pollen and plankton in the water on the Hilo side, it could be the change in elevation and climate from the 2 hour drive through 3 climate zones, it could be just being in Hawaii because delayed reactions happen. But they were certain is was flora and fauna related. They gave her an oral steroid. New to us, we learned not to use a topical for this because they could pop up anywhere and the oral was the way to treat it from the inside. They also gave her claritin, benadryl, and a prescription for more oral steroids. When she woke up in the morning, it was all gone. Like it never happened. She jumped into her online class and was totally fine. Kid damn near gave me a heart attack and she was just as cheerful as you please! 

Anyway....planning and prepping to be away for the month was only possible because of our loving community of friends and family. For instance, our friends Dani & Maggie are dogsitting Biscuit, who is being so spoiled with their dog Marley! Biscuit is loving life and playing like a real puppy, something we have never experienced! Someone gave us a tip on super cheap garage parking at the airport. People told us what to expect and how to pack and where to stay. Just super helpful! I think more than anything, the encouragement to take advantage of a once in a lifetime chance is what kept us hopeful it would happen.

Two weeks before we left, we self isolated, took multiple covid tests, registered with the state of Hawaii, and crossed our fingers. When we landed, we were given a rapid covid test before we got to luggage. Upon those negative results, we got a QR code and instructions to update the website daily with our whereabouts and any symptoms. You can't do anything as a visitor without that QR code. Matt's phone was having weird issues and he couldn't access it at the counter to pick up the rental car...lolololol...they are serious!! 

It has felt super safe here. We haven't gone out to eat much, the three places we have been had outdoor seating away from other people. The grocery stores and costco are totally manageable early in the morning or late at night. 

The first airbnb we stayed at is in Waikoloa Village, north of Kona. It was my favorite. It is really close to great beaches. It's in a neighborhood that is not touristy at all.  The space set up made it really easy for us all to do zoom at the same time. We did not factor in daylight savings time. Hawaii does not practice it. We went from school and work starting at 6am, to starting at 5am! LOL. Whoops! Should have planned that better. But, we can't complain. We're usually done with work and school by 2p or 3p and then have the afternoon to go to a beach. By that time, the morning crowds are gone, the sun is perfect, the waves are great. 

We are spending our last two weeks in Kailua-Kona, further south. It's a little more busy than we like, and definitely more touristy in a way that scream overpriced. We still make the drive up north to go to beaches. The safeway is pretty great though and not far. And we visited a few neat spots a little more south with less people. The space in the second house is not as convenient, but it is totally workable and the hosts are SO nice! The first host was nice too, we didn't see him that much. This host leaves us fresh avocados from the trees in her part of the yard. And sends us tips on beaches and places for takeout. 

Savannah loves spam musubi. Cassidy loves Filipino BBQ pork on a stick. 

We did go snorkeling. The boat ride was as much fun as the snorkeling. While risky, it was outdoors and you had to show your QR code to purchase the tix. It was also a very small group of 8 of us. It was the first time I used a prescription mask! Didn't know those existed, was great to actually see the fish and coral. On the ride we saw humpback whales and manta rays right next to the boat.

The wild animals! Not just the ones in the water, but on land. The mongoose, chickens, goats, cats, cattle, birds, and lizards are just as fun to watch as the fish. 

One innocent drive descended into rocky lava off roading, and ended at a state park where we saw a Hawaiian Monk Seal! Only 11 in the islands and only 1400 left in the world. On a different hike at a national park we saw green sea turtles. 

We got to tour a garden at one of the HCC campuses with our friend who works for the college. You know we always got to tour a campus if there is one nearby! She also took us on a hike to her favorite beach and it was easy to see why it was her favorite! 

We'll be heading back soon. We have this week of work and school, then a surprise for the kids on Easter. We didn't think we'd do a luau, but found one that is outside and not a buffet and with seating at individual tables instead of the long, multiple family tables. I'm really excited we'll get to experience one and feel moderately safe. Especially since the Merri Monarch festival is not in person this year. But that's a surprise so shhhhh for now :-)

Then we get ready to head back next week, during the middle of the girls' spring break from school. I am super thankful we have had so much time together away, and have gotten to experience this part of the world. Everywhere we go is a learning experience here. 

Speaking of learning experiences and new adventures, Team Smith is getting ready for a new adventure! More to come on Wednesday in Part 3- The Future.