… but full and rewarding. Hilo, Hawaii, January 21, 2026.
In the interest of brevity so that I can communicate to you an adequate summary of the day and yet get to bed at a respectable hour, this narrative will be “short and sweet”.
Our day kicked off with a visit to the Wednesday Farmers Market in the town of Hilo.
The farmers market
We next proceeded by motorcoach to Akaka Falls. These towering falls are 442 feet above the river that they plunge into. The area around the Falls was lush with vegetation. It was like walking through a house plant menagerie grown large and out of control.

The falls The jungle. 
We briefly stopped along the road above the place of a tragedy that took the lives of over 150 people, including 24 school children and their teachers in 1946.
The tsunami tragedy of 1946. 
Finally, a long overland journey took us to the Pu’ukohola Heiau Historic Site, managed by the US National Park Service.
The historic site where the unification of Hawaii under one king began.
A wonderful dinner with great fellowship shared with our 27 Road Scholar participants capped off a along but wonderful day.
Pictures with captions follow.
Peace Everyone. Pete
The vegetables, fruits, and flowers were an explosion of color..Christine “holding court” at the farmers marketThere was an entire section for crafts.Our group leader, giving us detailed information about the local plants and the geology of the falls. An interpretive sign contrasting this waterfall against other great falls in the world. An interpretive sign detailing two unusual lifeforms found only at this waterfall and nowhere else in the world. One is a small fish that spawns by climbing the cliff to the top of the falls! Another view of the jungle.Very small finger size bananas, growing wild. At the Falls..An hour long special presentation by the Park Ranger. He explaining to us the history of this sacred site. One remarkable piece of information was that these stones, each weighing approximately 30 pounds and held in place without mortar, were transported 20 miles by 10,000 warriors passing them along in “bucket brigade“ fashion.  the transit of each stone had to be continuous, and it could not touch the ground or it would have to be returned down the line to the beach from which it originated. An interpretive sign boardAn explanation of the general layout of the site.The Temple grounds are huge and not open to the general public. They are still used for religious and ceremonial purposes. .
No, it’s not cold, but I may have caught one. Bad timing but hours spent in a jet airliner is a role of the dice. Could be allergies, change of climate, or just wishful thinking. I don’t feel bad, just a runny nose, scratchy throat, and an occasional cough. Time will tell.
Our morning featured an orientation lecture by our group leader Susan about the “Big Island” and the activities in the upcoming days.
Susan at the board. She’s explaining the migration of the Islanders over the millennia. 
We then transported by motorcoach to the Lyman Museum, considered by many to be the finest of its kind in Hawaii.
The Lyman Museum
At the museum, we divided into three groups of nine each with separate docents who escorted us through the principal elements of the museum: The natural history of the islands, the anthropological and cultural history, and the Lyman Mission Home, which is the oldest frame structure in Hawaii. Unfortunately, due to copyright we were not allowed to take photographs of the interior of the house.
The Lyman Mission House Our tour guide into the Lyman Mission House 
We enjoyed an excellent lunch in town…
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but on our way, we were invited into the restored Palace movie theater, which dates to 1930…
The theater seats 500 and is currently a venue for movies, live music, and theater.An early movie projector used in theaters. It required hand cranking. Illumination was provided by an electrical carbon arc, much like a welder.
…after which we transported to the Rainbow Falls.
The Rainbow Falls 
These falls formed at the convergence of two lava flows from the islands two largest volcanoes.
The converging solidified lava flows above the falls.The lava tube, a tunnel formed naturally by cooling lava underneath the falls
The water is a mixture of rainwater and snow melt from Mauna Kea, the largest volcano which is nearly 14,000 feet above sea level. If one considers the height of the mountain from its base on the ocean floor, Mauna Kia is the tallest mountain in the world, measuring 33,500 feet.
After Rainbow Falls we traveled to a statue honoring King Kamehameha I.
King Kamehameha I
In 1795 he successfully consolidated all of the principle Hawaiian islands into The Kingdom of Hawaii. The statue is one of four in existence, three located in Hawaii and the fourth located in the rotunda of the United States Capital.
After a brief rest at the hotel we walked to a nearby restaurant popular with the locals. It had an intriguing fusion of breakfast, truck stop diner, and oriental cuisines. Excellent!
A little bit of everything in a savory brown broth.
We thought today was a full itinerary, but we have been cautioned that tomorrow will include a lengthy motorcoach ride to the other end of the island with lectures and sites focused on Hawaiian vulcanology. The program tomorrow promises to be nonstop from breakfast until dinner.
As before, pictures follow below.
Peace Everyone. Pete.
Our docent, explaining the islands, natural history and standing before an accurate mock up of cooling lava.The islands birth from volcanoes The range of climate zones from Arctic to deep sea.Exhibits focused on each of the climate zones, their flora and faunaThe incredible diversity of seashellsThe bones of a large flightless bird that was native to the islands and became extinct in the late 19th century. Mineralogy Mineralogy Our docent led exploration of the human history of the Hawaiian islands.Stone fashioned into tools Advanced agriculture and systematic farming

Native textile technologyWoodworking technologyThe use of naturally occurring fibers to create baskets, weavings, and cordage. The rootlets of the Hala tree produced the strongest ropes known to man until the creation of synthetics.Signage warning of the tsunami zonesA roadside monument noting the levels of tsunamis in recent times.Two very happy travelers!
Sunday, January 18th saw us rise long before the sun broke the horizon. We left the house at 3:30 AM for the airport. It was 10°F and before our travel day would end the outside temperature would be in the upper 70s.
Hawaii is the 50th and final state admitted to the United States (1959). It is also the last of the 50 states that Christine and I have visited.
Hawaii is four time zones west of Kansas City. It lies approximately 2000 miles west of the continental United States, is the furthest south of all the states, its 137 islands span 1500 miles from its eastern most island to its western most island, and has a population of approximately 1.5 million. It and Texas are the only two states that were previously recognized internationally as independent nations. It is our home for the next three weeks.
Our Road Scholar group numbers 27, including three group leaders. We will be visiting four islands with each day a dedicated learning experience about the geography, geology, flora, and fauna of this paradise. Today (Monday, January 19) included a brief nature walk, a program orientation, and a “meet and greet” dinner.
Our first impression is very positive. The participants are largely of our generation and stand out as intellectually curious retirees. Some pictures follow below.
Peace Everyone. Pete.
We are aboard Delta Airlines in Minneapolis. Christine is relaxing at the start of our nine hour flight.We landed in Honolulu and had to catch an island jet to Hilo. Not as luxurious as Delta, but the flight took only 55 minutes. We are flying over Honolulu as the sun is setting.The view from our room on Hilo Island. The trees are magnificent! This broad canopy is a monkey tree. It is not native to the island. Much of the flora and fauna are not. Hawaii’s native ecology is the most threatened in the world. This is a Banyan tree, also not native to Hawaii. To get an idea of its immense size those small specs in the lower left corner are people.Civil protest is alive and well in HawaiiProtest signs and refreshmentsThis Japanese garden park, a short walk from our hotel, is the largest of its kind outside of Japan. Members of our group listening to our group leader explain the history of the park.Freshwater is a rare commodity on Hilo. This park is a natural basin for freshwater and freshwater fish.A guava tree heavy with ripening fruit.
Since the holidays I have fielded several inquiries as to my health and wellbeing. Two occurred just today. I am touched by the thoughtfulness.
I am well, and this is a good time to give an update:
Upon our return from Norway in September I underwent surgery to remove the kidney stones that almost derailed the trip. The recovery was tolerable.
In late October we spent a relaxing week in New York City, lodged near Times Square.
We enjoyed a special “hardhat tour” of parts of Ellis Island not open to the general public,
This room was used for surgeries, autopsies, and served as the morgue. The medical care was first rate for the time.
Visited Liberty Island,
Attended Broadway performances of “The Book of Mormon”, “Wicked”, and La Boheme at the Met,
At “Wicked”
The “Wicked” stage
The “Book of Mormon” stage
At “The Book of Mormon”
The Metropolitan Opera, the “Met”
The Metropolitan Opera, the “Met”
The Metropolitan Opera, the “Met”
Spent an afternoon in Central Park watching the New York Marathon,
New York’s Central Park
The 2025 running of the New York Marathon
True courage, grit, and determination!
And of course there were museums to see, food to eat, and crazies to watch.
China Town
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Museum of Natural History
Van Gogh at the Museum of Modern Art
Van Gogh at the Museum of Modern Art
Picasso at the Museum of Modern Art
Picasso at the Museum of Modern Art
Andrew Wyeth at the Museum of Modern Art
“Christina’s World” (1948), by Andrew Wyeth, has long been a favorite image for me. I had considered it a surreal portrayal of a peaceful life in contemplation. However, I had never seen the original. The closer examination revealed painful swollen and arthritic joints. hair turning grey, and an aspect of emotional pessimism with security beyond her reach. It is now even more a favorite.
Some of the Halloween craziness.
In the past I have not been an advocate for travel insurance, but the experience of suffering a back injury in Spain (2024) that necessitated an early return to the States and surgery, my age, and the kidney stone problems last September changed my perspective.
Christine and I purchased an annual “all trips” policy last year through Allianz Global Insurance. It was money well spent and compensated us for the extra costs incurred due to the kidney stone problem during the Norway trip. We have renewed the policy this year in anticipation of major travel ahead.
Sunday we depart for Hawaii. We have been to every US State and every Canadian Province (plus the Yukon Territory), except Hawaii. We will be there for a little over 3 weeks. In another departure from the typical for us we will be traveling in a small group with Road Scholar, formerly known as Elder Hostel. The trip will include 4 islands, with each day plotted out as an in-depth learning experience. How Christine and I will adapt to being told when to be up, where to go, what to see… getting along with the group, remains to be seen. People who have travelled with Road Scholar are typically very positive. If that is our experience then who knows, Egypt and even Antarctica might be in our future with Road Scholar.
In March I plan on taking 3 of the grandsons skiing for a week in Colorado. I plan to ski… not well, not fast, but free. Ski Monarch near Salida waves all fees for “super seniors”. I qualify.
Salida is a delightful western town with good lodging and dining options. Our two-room suite for the 4 of us is $150 a night which includes a simple breakfast.
The big trip on the calendar is a return to Spain for me to complete my aborted 2024 Camino.
I will resume from Burgos and hike 300 miles to Santiago de Compostela. But that is not the half of it:
I will be joined on my departure flight by Christine and three grandchildren, arriving in Madrid. The 5 of us will travel by train for a 3-night stay in Burgos. After I am on “The Way” Christine and the grands will return to Madrid where they will meet another grandchild who will have just finished walking the Portuguese route of the Camino with her school group.
Christine with the 4 grandchildren in tow will then wander through France to Amsterdam where the first three kids will fly to meet their mom in New York. Christine and the remaining grandchild will continue together to meet our other daughter and her other children.
Finally, after Christine, and company tour parts of Europe she will fly to meet me at the end of my trek. 4 days later Christine and I head for a couple of weeks in Paris, Brittany, and Normandy. Whew!!
Christine spent nearly 2 hours on the phone today with the airline representative coordinating the 5 separate flight itineraries.
Hawaii should provide some great pictures and a wealth of information. Stay tuned… and Thank You!
Peace Everyone. Pete
PS. By design the Statue of Liberty is hollow. These words are still a part of “Lady Liberty” and were never meant to be hollow. My grandparent, 2 who were Germans from Russia (now Ukraine) and 2 who were Arabs from Lebanon, were welcomed to America through Ellis Island. How things have changed in a little more than a century.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me…”. From “The New Colossus”, the 1983 poem by Emma Lazarus.
September 20th we made a 2 hour stop in Stokmarknes, the 1893 birthplace of the Hurtigruten Norwegian Express.
From its beginnings as a consolidated shipping service that linked ports along Norway’s 60,000 mile coast, Hurtigruten has grown. It continues to serve its original mission at nearly 70 ports, 365 days a year, but its ocean going vessels now also serve the needs of tourism, and adventure tourism.
At Stokmarknes we were treated to a tour of the world’s largest “ship in a bottle”. A huge glass fronted building holds in display Hurtigruten’s 1956 ship, MS Finnmarken.
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Retired from service in 1993 this 266 foot long vessel could transport up to 585 passengers along with freight and mail. It is the centerpiece of the Hurtigruten Museum.
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Leaving Stokmarknes we embarked upon a cruise through some of Norway’s many fjords.
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Our ship, the MS Trollfjord, is 445 feet long with a 70 foot beam.
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The Captain piloted the ship through narrow cliff-walled passages with mere feet to spare.
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At one point we came to a dead end where the Captain caused the ship to turn on its axis for 15 minutes, thus allowing passengers a leisurely opportunity for pictures of the surrounding mountains.
We felt as if we could reach out and touch the cliffs.
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I am writing this post on September 21st. We are on the home stretch of this remarkable 15 day journey. Our final stop is the morning of the 23rd, Bergen, where it began.
I can safely say that in some respects this has been more of an adventure for me and Christine than for any other of the ship’s passengers. Thanks to the ship’s crew, health care professionals aboard and ashore, and accommodating locals who gave assistance to us, “our adventure” never became “our disaster”.
With Gratitude, Peace Everyone. Pete
PS. Earlier today we saw another “Eye of the Needle”, Torghatten Mountain.
This from Wikipedia: “Torghatten (846 ft high) is a mountain located along the coastal area of northern Norway that features a distinctive natural tunnel passing completely through it. According to legend, the hole was made by the troll Hestmannen while he was chasing the beautiful woman Lekamøya. As the troll realized he would not overtake her, he released an arrow to kill her, but the troll-king of Sømna threw his hat into the arrow’s path to save her. The hat turned into the mountain with a hole in the middle.
The tunnel measures over 500 feet long, with an average width of nearly 60 feet and an average height of 130 feet, and sits about 350 feet above sea level at its midpoint.
