On the second last day, we visited one of the famous national parks on the island and it had some great scenery for photography. At this point, I was burnt beyond the point of recognition but enjoying my time in the sun still. It had some sculptures, a mini outdoor exhibition and a small site for snorkelling purposes but we only walked around for a while. Overall, this trip was everything I expected and didn't expect at the same time. I'm just very grateful that I got to travel so much in the short span of 3 months. These experiences stay with me beyond the trip time itself and holds a deeper meaning than just a "fun in the sun" vacation. Travelling keeps me motivated and inspired because I see how much the world has to offer to me. It is my goal to travel as much as I can throughout my life. But this year, after boarding 10 flights in 3 months I am pretty exhausted of this routine. Next year, I'll definitely plan more places again but 2016 has been amazing so far as I have visited 5 countries so far.
This attraction was the most spectacular and unexpected part of the trip. I expected beaches, volcanoes and mountains, but not driving 4200 meters up in -1 degree weather above clouds to see the sunset. Every visitor had to adjust to the climate first in a lower point which was the visitors area before driving up. I was ill prepared and only wore a dress, so I had to change into pants which was very smart because the weather felt like Siberia up there. It was so cold I couldn't stay outside for longer than 5 minutes, but doing that of the photography was worth it. The whole "above heavens" experience was ethereal and felt like something from a science fiction movie. Some parts reminded me of mars due to the space stations, which holds some of the most sophisticated telescopes in the world. Everything was extremely pristine and beautiful. It was definitely the best sunset I will ever see in my life and unlike anywhere I've ever been in my life.
Halfway through our trip, we made the long drive to the Southern most tip of the island, or the United States in general. Even though it was called "green sands beach" the sand color was just a dark brown, I guess it had something to do with the tide levels so we didn't get to see the green sands. Driving there was treacherous, literally through a series of rocks and jagged valleys, followed by a steep climb down to the beach. It was very beautiful and worthwhile in my opinion, the weather was perfect. The next day, we headed to a waterfall and farmer's market in Hilo. The weather was terrible and rainy because we were on the rainy side of the island, but the market was interesting as I got to see the local fruits and try spam musubi.
