The Bid Island: Kona Coffee, painted churches and Sea Turtles

The Painted Church was beautiful and open to take a look.

Thunder Mountain Organic Coffee  this was a very "educational" tour at 3200 ft. They grown and distribute award winning coffee though out the United States and beyond The tour was very personal and you went from picking the "cherries" to roasting and tasting..

We snorkeled again with the Sea Turtles and other beautiful fish on the coral reef... those pics. will have to come later. But the you tube video is exactly what we did...

Today we leave Kona, snorkel once again and head to Volcano National Park and our bed and breakfast in Hilo...
Stay tuned..
Aloha!

Welcome to the Big Island

Night Snorkeling with Big Island Divers

Breakfast at our beautiful Areca Palms Bed and Breakfast...

while having this wonderful view

Off on another days adventures with Sea Turtles and coffee houses.

Aloha

Old Pasadena: A great Destination

Old Pasadena is a wonderful revitalized area of Pasadena.. there are award winning,zaget rated restaurants, museums (Norton Simon is one), high end retail shops, outdoor art and architecturally restored buildings.
The link to see for your self is: www.oldPasadena.org
Parking is at a premium but there are multiple lots to use.. plan on paying to park at one of the many lots... but... we took the train and then the Gold line to the Del Mar station.
It sits as the southeast corner of O.P. across from beautiful Central park and half a block from Green Castle.

There is so much to see, do and eat that one day was almost not enough..
highlights,
One Colorado (great shopping and dining area off the main path)
Norton Simon: If you love muesums
Kings Row: they have a mac'n cheese using white chocolate..
The architicture

The next blog will go into more detail of each...

One note. If you are not a muesum person.. one day is more then enough to see everything if you don't dally....
But going to Old Pasadena is about the dallying and enjoying a wonderful area of Pasadena.

Hawaii, The Big Island

Hawaii is paradise in our own backyard. Of all the islands.. Hawaii(The Big Island) is my favorite..
Like the other islands they have lush tropical water falls and beautiful beaches. BUT... they also have active volcanoes, coffee growers and multiple climate zones. If you want to have a relaxing honeymoon or romantic get away.. Kauai or Maui are great.. but if you think you may want to do more then relax on the beach.. check out
my favorite Island. Hawaii, the big island!
Welcome to Hawaii's Big Island, Hawaii's Island of AdventureHawaii’s Big Island isn’t just big, it’s still growing. The Island of Hawaii is the youngest island in the Hawaiian chain and is also by far the biggest, providing a vast canvas of environments to discover a variety of unrivaled natural wonders. This is the home of one of the world’s most active volcanoes (Kilauea), the tallest sea mountain in the world at more than 33,000 feet (Maunakea), the most massive mountain in the world (Maunaloa) and the largest park in the state (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park). All but two of the world’s climate zones generate everything from lush rain forests to volcanic deserts, snow-capped mountaintops to beautiful black sand beaches. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a journey off the beaten path, you’ll discover it all on Hawaii’s Island of Adventure.
To learn more:Fair Dinkum Travel

Holiday mishaps

So far this holiday season, I have had clients.. not be able to get their flights while in Fiji, Chinese clients rained out of L.A. and others surprised that some of the great deals have slipped away...
I have three short tips to remind you of.
1. Always get travel insurance.. this helps not only if you become ill or injured on your trip but also when there are disruptions in your travel plans due to weather, engine issues or other unforeseen ooopppssss. They will reimburse you the cost of the missed portion of your trip..
2. Stay calm.. travel isn't a perfect science.. let your travel agent know when there is a problem.. many times they can work on solutions or other routes that you may not have access to.
3. Try to have space in your travel plans.. when you have too much packed into a vacation.. one day of bad weather or missed flight or train and your whole vacation can go off course.. wiggle room makes for a much more relaxing trip and an even much more positive adventure...
Happy traveling!