I talked to friends and searched online to discover different ways to photograph this amazing scenery, and I was fully prepared to do whatever it takes to capture the image... However, when we arrived in the Big Island, we learned that the lava had stopped flowing into the ocean about 3 months ago in September 2013. Really? Why?? After flowing into the ocean every minute of every day for almost 30 years, it just had to stop flowing 3 months before I got there? Really?? Why????
You know, as I look back on life, I've come to realize that not once, not twice, but many times, I find myself arriving in a perfectly wonderful place just a tiny bit too late!!!
So, we went to the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to see Kilauea Volcano. Not nearly as dramatic as the flowing lava, but if I tell you there is no drama in my life, I would be lying to you.
As I remember, it was an activity-packed busy day. We went to many interesting places including the black sand beach and green sand beach. On our way back, we happened to pass the Volcanoes National Park. We actually went there two days ago on a foggy, rainy night. Since it was a nicer day this time, we decided to go in again to take a few more more pictures. Before entering the park, I told Rudi to remember filling up the gas when we leave the park because the lovely little red warning light had been on for a while, and we were still 36 miles away from the hotel.
When we were done, it was about 3-4 hours later... and we completely forgot about the gas. We drove out of the park, and 3 miles later, I realized we needed to fill up the gas. At that point, we were driving in the dark with the volcano mountains on my right looking totally black! We frantically looked up on the GPS trying to figure out where the nearest gas station was, and finally, the GPS told us there was indeed one gas station in the area -- 20 miles in the opposite direction... Seemed like we needed to make a live-death decision at that point! I would not bore you with Rudi's radical ideas... the bottom line is -- we decided to drive to the gas station! It was the longest 20 miles I've ever been through, with nothing around us except for one gigantic volcano stretching miles and miles LONG!!!
When we finally arrived at the gas station, it was all dark -- no one was there. The local police officer's mother-in-law told me "all gas stations here close at 6 PM." I was totally puzzled: "What if you need gas after 6 PM?" "You just don't" she replied. There were endless panic thoughts in my head at that point, but I was very clear with ONE goal: get gas -- whatever it takes!!! Thank goodness for 1 kind local lady (not the officer's mother-in-law) who came to our rescue. She told me she had 2 gallons of gas at home and she'd need to drive home to get it. Wow, how could I let her drive home? What if she never comes back???? But I let her go in trust of human kindness...
Long story short, she went home not just once, but twice to get proper tools so we could get the gas in our car!!! With the 2 gallons of gas, the little red light finally calmed down, we drove through the darkness quietly and peacefully to the civilization!
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
December 4th, 2013
